2 of 10

5 BASIC RULES OF IMPROV

from The Improv Encyclopedia

DON’T DENY
DON’T ASK OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE FUNNY
YOU CAN LOOK GOOD IF YOU MAKE YOUR PARTNER LOOK GOOD
TELL A STORY

DON’T DENY - Go along with the ruse. If I said, “The craziest thing happened last night - I think I was visited by aliens” you shouldn’t respond with “Well obviously that didn’t happen because there are no such things as aliens…”

DON’T ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS (need something for this one—ask Michael!)

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE FUNNY - Some improvs can be quite serious and emotional. The point is not to be funny, though that can definitely happen. The point is to be spontaneous and in the moment.

YOU CAN LOOK GOOD IF YOU MAKE YOUR PARTNER LOOK GOOD - Much like in interviewing, where showing you’ve done your homework on the company makes you look good, in improv, when you can go along with your partner’s position and make them look good, you demonstrate that you are a good team player.

TELL A STORY - While improv can be and is often ridiculous, the best ones are entertaining because they tell a story - they follow a central narrative thread. Similarly, we want to teach our students to be good storytellers during their interviews.

3 of 10

Why Improv? Why Now?

Program requested after feedback from faculty and staff conducting mock interviews with fellowship candidates
Penn students superb at discussing their research and academics
Severely lacking when asked to talk about themselves
Career Services was asked to develop an interview workshop that would address students being “In their head” and “over scripted”
Hence IMPROV!

4 of 10

Impact

In one year, I will have given this program five times across three different campus partners, virtually and in-person. In contrast, my “Selling Your Theater Skills for Any Career” program has never been requested more than twice.
CURF was so pleased with the virtual version of the program, they are working to re-market it in 2022 to increase attendance.

When polled at the end of their entire interview prep series, 100% of the CURF students rated the Improv Session as “helpful”
An attendee of an in-person version of the workshop listed me as his “Career Champion” on his First Destination Survey. It was my only point of contact with him.

In Demand

Impactful

5 of 10

RESOURCES: BOOKS ABOUT IMPROV

Hines, Will. How To Be The Greatest Improviser on Earth! Pretty Great Publishing, 2016.

Spolin, Viola. Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher’s Handbook. Northwestern University Press, 1986

Sprage, Andrew and Karen L. Eicher. The Big Book of Improv Games: A Compendium of Performance Based Short-Form Games. Independently Published, 2021.

Drinko, Clay. Play Your Way Sane: 120 Improv Inspired Exercises To Help You Calm Down, Stop Spiraling, and Embrace Uncertainty. Simon & Schuster/Simon Element, 2021.

The Imrpov Encylopedia. Online. http://improvencyclopedia.org.

6 of 10

GAME: I’M GOING ON A PICNIC….

Participants should sit in a circle so everyone can see each other. The game starts with Player 1 and proceeds clockwise.

Player 1 says “I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing ______” (Selecting any item they would bring on a picnic. For this example, we’ll say cheese.)

Player 2 then says “I’m going on a picnic with Player 1, who’s bringing cheese, and I’m bringing _____.” (Filling in their own item. For this example, we’ll say soda.)

Player 3 then says “I’m going on a picnic with Player 1, who’s bringing cheese, Player 2 who’s bringing soda, and I’m bringing ______.”

Play continues around the circle, with each new player having to remember all the names and picnic items being brought by the players preceding them. No items should be repeated.

The game ends back at Player 1, who then must recite everyone’s name and picnic item. I highly recommend that the facilitator act as Player 1. I also typically change the final go around as “I went on a picnic with… <name everyone and what they brought> … and I had a wonderful time.”

This is not an elimination style game. If someone cannot remember something, the other players can help them. This is just an ice breaker.

7 of 10

GAME: THE VERY HUNGRY EWOK

Players should stand in a circle, spaced out enough so that a soft object can be gently tossed from person to person.

The facilitator holds up a small ball or other soft object. They announce that they are holding a VERY HUNGRY EWOK. When the Ewok is tossed to you, you must quickly answer the question asked of you or the Ewok will bite!

The facilitator then identifies someone in the circle by name and asks them a simple question, such as “What’s your favorite book?” As soon as the question is asked, the Ewok is tossed to that player, who must answer quickly.

If the player answers quickly, they then identify another player by name, ask a question, and toss the Ewok.

If the player does not answer quickly (within a few seconds), the Ewok “eats them” and they are eliminated. They leave the circle, which then grows tighter.

If play is going well, the facilitator can lessen the acceptable response time as the circle grows smaller.

8 of 10

GAME: YES, BUT…YES, AND

Players should sit in a circle.

The facilitator announces they are going on a simple journey to accomplish a specific task - like going to the post office to mail their tax return.

Play then moves in a clockwise fashion around the circle, with each player adding a complication. Example:

Player 1: I’m going to the post office to mail my taxes.

Player 2: Yes, but the bridge is out so that will make the trip longer

Player 3: Yes, but the post office closes in twenty minutes, so you have to hurry

Player 4: Yes, but if you’re caught speeding again, you’ll lose your licence…

Once you have gone around the circle completely (or, if you have a large group, when you are halfway through the circle), instruct the players they now need to start offering solutions;

Player 1: I’m going to the post office to mail my taxes and the bridge is out and I only have twenty minutes and I can’t be caught speeding

Player 2: Yes, and if you take the back road you don’t need the bridge

Player 3: Yes, and taxes aren’t due until next month, so you can just put it a mailbox if the office is closed

Player 4: Yes, and if you’re really worried about speeding, you can take a taxi

Some offered solutions made solve multiple problems, but play should continue until everyone has offered a solution. The facilitator (Player 1) then repeats back the solutions and choses a best course of action.

9 of 10

GAME: SECRET IDENTITY

This is game for two players to act out a scene.

As these games are being not being presented as part of a performance-based class, not everyone may be comfortable with “acting” in a scene. Do not force anyone to participate, but encourage them to do so.

In advance of this game, the facilitator must make a list of scenarios, characters, and “secret identities” for each scene. Everyone, including the audience, is told the scenario and the characters. However, the facilitator only tells each Player their “secret identity” privately - either by whispering or passing them a note.

For example:

The scenario is a restaurant.

Player 1 is the customer.

Player 2 is the server.

Player 1 want to order dinner. Player 2 only wants to sell them dessert.

However, Player 1’s “secret identity” is that they’re actually Player 2’s boss.

Player 2’s “secret identity” is Player 1’s parent.

The players then begging acting out the scenario as announced. Each player then should find a spot in the scene to “remove their mask” and reveal their secret identity. This, if done correctly, should change the dynamic of the scene, and both players will need to re-calibrate quickly. After playing out this new dynamic for awhile, the second player “removes their mask” and reveals their secret identity, changing the dynamic yet again.

Both players should then find a way to end the scene in as logical a fashion possible.

10 of 10

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Penn Career Services uses the following language when advertising the program:

Penn Career Services often hears feedback from employers that Penn students get “stuck in their head” or are

“unable to go off script” in an interview. In this session, you will learn ways to combat these pitfalls using a series

of theater-style improv games. Learn to think on your feet and stop worrying about “right” answers!

This is an interactive workshop and participation in the games is expected.

Led by J. Michael DeAngelis, Senior Digital Resources Manager, of Penn Career Services, drawing on his

experience as a professional actor and playwright!

If you are interested in using this workshop in your own career office, please include the following language in the program description:

Based on a format originally developed by J. Michael DeAngelis at University of Pennsylvania Career Services.

1 of 10