The previous two blogs were created by assigning situations, characters, and objectives for large groups. Now give your students the opportunity to create their own background for a large group improvisation. This will take several days, depending on the class’ ability.

Divide the class into two or three groups of eight to fifteen students (depending upon class size). Have each group select a leader.

Direct the groups to prepare an improvisation in which every group member portrays a character with an objective. Instruct each group to decide first on a suitable location for its scene to unfold. Then they should come up with characters that could fit into that scene.

If any group has trouble thinking of a suitable setting, you'll need to be ready with suggestions. Here are some settings that can easily accommodate large groups:

• School Bus- Having a driver and any number of students has all kinds of opportunities for interesting interplay of characters and objectives.

• Beach- An easy scene to develop; actors enter one at a time, starting with the lifeguard.

• Funeral Parlor- Begin with the director of the establishment alone with the deceased; have the other actors enter one at a time or in pairs.

• Wedding Reception- A difficult and challenging scene; clear-cut relationships must be established beforehand.

• Courtroom- Lots of character possibilities: judge, defendant, prosecutor, defense attorney, bailiff, clerk, witnesses. The group can even select a jury from the rest of the class.

• Murder Scene- Living room of an old mansion; ten suspects and a detective a la Agatha Christie.

• Play Rehearsal: This would depend on whether your students have had prior theatre involvement and have some first hand experience of play rehearsals to draw from.

Once the scene and characters have been determined, the group leader should coordinate casting by helping the actors choose characters and objectives. The leader makes sure there are conflicts that must be resolved. Each actor must write down their character’s name and objective, which is then put in a hat and when the improv is over, revealed to the audience.

The leader then decides in what order the actors will enter into the scene. If possible, you could use a stage for these presentations and invite a small audience. Focus your evaluation on characterization and use of objectives.

Kindergarten Class

For this improvisation, you will need a chair for the actor who will play the teacher and 11 nametags for the students. Inform the class that in this scene the teacher is telling the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to a group of kindergarten children sitting on the floor. Select 12 actors, 11 will be kindergarteners and 1 will be the teacher, and give them objectives, as in the previous improvisation. Some suggestions a listed below.

Either take the group out of the room and whisper privately to each actor, giving them a character and objective, or have them select a card with the information written on it. They are not to share the information with their fellow actors. By the way they “act” their objectives, it should become obvious.

Character and Objective:                                 

1. Teacher (M/F)- to have students sit quietly and listen to the story

2. Child A (F)- to make the teacher comment on what a polite child she is

3. Child B (M)- to get the teacher to let him go to the restroom

4. Child C (M/F)- to listen to the story

5. Child D (M/F)- to be helpful to the teacher

6. Child E (M)- to play with the car in his pocket

7. Child F (M/F)- to sit close to and get the attention of child A

8. Child G (M)- to get child E in trouble without getting in trouble himself

9. Child H  (M/F)- to get child C to look at him or her

10. Child I (F)- to give a piece of candy to child D in order to make D like her

11. Child J (M/F)- to get a piece of candy from child I

12. Child K (F)- to show children F and H pictures of her puppy

Just before starting the scene, send the teacher and those who are the audience out of the room. Address the actors playing the children as follows:

"One last point: you are all frightened of the school principal because he is very tall and has a deep voice. None of you want to be sent to the office under any circumstances. Play your objectives carefully so you don't cause the teacher to send you to the office. If the teacher does tell you to go to the office, you must leave the scene and stand outside in the hall until the improvisation is over."

Next, go outside, send the audience back into the classroom, and speak to the actor portraying the teacher:  

"The children are all frightened of the principal. They do not want to be sent to the office. If a child provokes you, you may threaten to send him or her to the office. You don't really want to send anyone there. But, if necessary, you may do so. When you tell a child to go to the office, that actor will leave the scene."

Seat the children around the teacher for the beginning of the scene. The directions just given should help the actors play their objectives realistically. During the improvisation, you may want to call on a student from the audience to enter the scene as the principal. This actor could have a message for the teacher and could then ask about the behavior of the students. Feel free to freeze the scene for discussion if the actors overreact at any time, especially to the entrance of the principal. Use the Student Evaluation Form for those not involved with the scene. 

Following the improvisation, you may want to have the actors describe how they felt during the scene by asking these questions:

1. Were the actors playing children able to draw on their own memories to help them interpret the roles accurately and honestly?

2. Did the actors actually feel the experience of being a kindergartener in class? Or were they acting throughout the scene?

3. What about the actor playing the teacher? Did he or she experience any genuine emotions during the scene? What were these emotions?

4. What actions on the part of the teacher and the children seemed realistic and believable?

5. What was each actor's objective?