The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

Encyclopedia search

Exercises

The beginning and middle of a story are described. Then, a randomly selected story ending is chosen and played out.

Topics

Before writing a vignette, perform in a few. Playing with spects strengthens your ability to write for them. You can get started with 50 Interactive Vignettes, a collection of open-source scenarios available for download at interactiveplaylab.com/101-extras.

Topics
an open-structure script for improvised performance

A scenario is like a set of monkey bars. It gives you something solid to hang onto while allowing room to play in the spaces between. Everything from a single-scene vignette to a multi-scene SimuLife uses a scenario as a script.

Topics

SlidePlayer is a program that serves as a digital host, communicating with the audience through projected text. Through the use of slides, the audience is educated about how to play, volunteers are invited to participate, scenes are introduced, and promotional information is shared at the start and end of the show.

Exercises

Without creating the scene that has come before, Player A delivers a final line of dialogue, a physical button, and holds the silence.

Topics
a rehearsal process in which players skim through the story beats

When training or rehearsing, you sometimes need a way to fast-forward through the story. This can be accomplished with a talk-through, where players do basic blocking while summarizing what their characters say and do. The idea is to slide back and forth between description and dialogue, while introducing some specific details. Here’s an example.

Topics
a single-scene, scenario-based, interactive story

Vignettes are interactive stories that play out in a single scene, typically lasting between five and fifteen minutes. Many vignettes are focused on a one-on-one encounter between a spect-actor and an inter-actor. They may be played on a stage or in a real-world setting. The simplicity of a vignette keeps the focus on the inter-actor’s ability to engage with a spect.

© 2024 Interactive PlayLab
Subscribe for encyclopedia updates

Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance