The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

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Exercises

Make a verbal offer that incorporates a random word from the Gimme Getter. Make as many offers as you can in two minutes. (2 minutes)

Topics
spontaneous generation of a random idea

When you’re improvising, you need ideas. Some ideas are related to what’s already going on. Some ideas are better when they’re completely unrelated. Random access is the ability to generate a random idea instantaneously.

Exercises

Say as many unrelated words or phrases as possible. Track how many you can generate in one minute.

Exercises

Make a random verbal offer. Repeat the offer, amplifying it with a random emotion. Repeat the process with new random verbal offers and random emotions.

Topics
using acute observation to understand the spect

As an inter-actor, you need the ability to read spects—to know what they’re thinking, what they’re feeling, and what makes them tick. When you know these things you can engage a spect and craft a truly personalized story.

Exercises

Observe a group of preschool or elementary school children at play. Identify the ways that different children enjoy playing.

Topics
a person who plays the spect-actor’s role for rehearsal purposes

Have it read to you to see how it flows. If it’s OK, post it on shared encyclopedia edits and notify Ken.

Topics
linking something from earlier in the story to the current situation

While driving the narrative forward, it’s good to glance in the rear view mirror from time to time. As the story advances, earlier elements resurface. They’re reincorporated. This interconnectedness gives stories a sense of unity. Things that appeared earlier take on new significance later in the story.

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Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance