Games!

We play games, people laugh. Click a category for all games in that category. Category. Category.

Guessing Games

  • Ding!

    A normal two-person scene except that any line, action, or sound effect can be "ding!ed" (changed) at the whim of an off-stage performer.

    Time Warp

    A two-person scene that can be moved backwards or forwards in time--to past or future events--by a Signal off-stage.

    First Line, Last Line

    The audience provides the first and last lines of a scene; the performers have to do the rest.

    Five-Letter Word

    Each line of this otherwise ordinary scene must start with the next letter of an audience-provided five-letter word. Example: WEEDS -We are in big trouble this time. -Even though we put the cap back on? -Evan, it wasn't screwed on all the way. You know how mom hates when her toothpaste dries out. -Do I ever! Last time we did that, she killed the cat! -Shame it was the neighbors cat.

    Waiting For Charlie

    Two Signals stage start a scene and begin to describe "Charlie" (an offstage character that the audience hasn't seen yet), giving them strange physical, emotional, and personality characteristics (ex: has one arm, screams whenever someone says their name, and always makes terrible jokes). Eventually, "Charlie" joins the scene and it progresses from there.

    Soap Opera

    his game is a scene within a scene. The audience gives a "first world problem" (for instance, when you run out of paper clips), and the scene is either played super-dramatically, or the problem serves as a euphemism for a more serious issue. Drama abounds. Example One: Running out of paper clips, but as dramatic as if the paper clips kept the Earth spinning. Example Two: Performing a scene about a deflated balloon AS IF performing a scene about impotence.

    Oscar Winning Moment

    Two Signals act out a scene, while a third serves as a "DJ" and pre-selects three instrumentals (usually) of any genre. At any point in the scene, a Signal will ding, and the DJ plays one of the songs, with the acting Signals changing the mood of the scene to match. When the song ends--determined by the DJ--the Signals snap back to the mood before the song was played.

    2-3-4-5

    In this game, the audience suggests a word that can be used in multiple ways (such as "space" or "bat"). Two performers start the scene using that word. At some point in that scene, the next performer will freeze the scene, and the two on stage will return to a neutral position as the new performer creates a new, three-person scene based off that word. This continues until a five-person scene is performed. Then, in reverse order, performers will leave the scene. The scenes progress backwards through the scenes already performed until it gets back to the original two-person scene, which ends the game.

    Hollywood Director

    In this game, one Signal is the eponymous "director," and the other three are their actors. With an audience suggestion, the director comes up with a scene for the performers to act out. At some point in this scene, the Director will "cut' the scene, and add a twist--for example, "Do the same scene, but act like you're on fire." Usually, three twists will be added, cumulatively or otherwise, before the scene is "perfect."

    Continuation

    This game involves two pairs of performers. The first pair starts the scene and when a Signal off-stage rings the bell, the second pair takes their place and continues the scene as the same characters where it left off. They continue to switch back and forth, often with greater frequency as the action in the scene heightens.

    La Ronde

    The namesake of L'Swipe, this is a game for four Signals. Two Signals start a normal scene from a word, but at some point, one leaves. From there, the third Signal enters the scene, and has a scene with the second Signal, who keeps the same character and location. Then the second Signal leaves, the fourth enters, and so on, until the fourth Signal and the first (still playing the same character from the beginning) have a short "button" to end the game.

    L'Swipe

    This is a long-form game in which an audience member gives a word that then inspires a montage of scenes. A scene can be "swiped" (stopped) and a new scene can be started in its place or it can be "frozen" (another person can enter the scene). One of our longer games.

    Crazy-Prov

    This is a game that involves any and every improv game there is (mostly). Starting with L'Swipe, a scene is performed. At any time, a Signal can ding to make a performer change their line (a la Ding!), to change their emotion (a la emotion game), to change the genre (a la FATS), to change the "that time" (a la Time Warp), and a host of other wacky twists. And it continues to change until we (hopefully) have a fully-developed scene with lots of sudden changes. It's CRAZY IMPROV!!

    No Minor Characters

    A scene goes on as usual, but if a character leaves the scene, the scene follows that character. Another longer game. Ex: There is a party going on. The host leaves the living room to get more punch. Then, the scene moved to the kitchen, with the host getting punch (no longer at the party).

  • FATS (Film and Theater Styles)

    A two-person scene starts as normal, but is changed to different film and theater styles (drama, MTV, horror, western, etc.) as the scene progresses at the whim of the Signals in the back. So, a scene about building a house could suddenly turn into a horror film, and then a cooking show. Suggestions are gathered from the audience before the show.

    Family Vacation

    The Mixed Signals went on a trip to (audience suggestion). Two host Signals describe to the audience each picture in their scrapbook/PowerPoint/evidence folder, and the rest of the Signals silently pose to demonstrate what is described in each picture. Action is allowed in the case of "videos" or "flip-books."

    Pull the Line

    A two-person scene goes on as usual except, at any point in the scene, a Signal will pull a line from their pocket and use it in the scene. The lines are all audience suggestions gathered before the show.

    Three Line Scene

    A three-person scene in which two of the Signals are only allowed to say three lines each (a question, a statement, and an exclamation suggested by the audience) while the third Signal has to make it all work on their own!

    Number of Words

    Similar to Three Line Scene, but instead of giving specific phrases, the two Signals are given a number from one to five, and only allowed to use that many words per line. So if someone had the number "two," they could say "Good job!" but not "You did well!" or "Great!"

    Emotion Game

    A two-person scene in which one performer embodies that emotion more and more whenever the bell rings (the bell is dung at the whim of the Signals). There are also special, holiday-specific games such as Monster Game (Halloween), and Love Game (Valentine's Day)

    Questions Only

    This game involves exactly what you'd expect: questions only! The Signals stand in the back as two at a time step up and perform a "talking heads" scene, but they're only allowed to ask questions. The performers rotate in and out as Signals mess up and don't ask questions.

    Alphabet Game

    A game similar in layout to Questions Only, but the Signals start each line with a letter of the alphabet and have to make their way through from there. Signals switch out as the two in front mess up.

    World's Worst

    All performers stand in a line and answer the question "What is the world's worst _____?" The suggestions are gathered from the audience before the show.

    Half Life

    A normal two-person scene is performed in two minutes. The same scene is then performed in one minute, then thirty seconds, and then fifteen seconds, trying to get all the events in and beat the clock. One Signal usually serves as a walk-on in the halfway point of each scene to serve as a "time check" for the two main Signals.

    What the F***, Chuck?

    This is a game for four Signals. The first two act out a scene from a word while the other two listen to loud music in the back of the room. After the first scene, the second pair try to recreate the scene based the original blocking and gestures. This rarely goes as planned.

    Gbugly (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly)

    One Signal serves as a host for a fantastic advice-giving creation, with three Signals each serving as the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The host takes questions from the audience, with each part of the creation answering the question in-character: the Good is earnest, the Bad is crass, and the Ugly is ... ugly. After each question the Signals, minus the host, swap places to act as the next character.

    Oracle

    Similar to Gbugly in that a host takes questions from the audience, but three Signals instead form a machine known as the "Oracle": one Signal kneeling, one sitting behind them on a chair, and one standing behind the second. Starting with the Signal in the back, each part of the Oracle helps answer the question, one word at a time. Known as "Menorahcle" for the Holiday Show.

    Hey, You Down There!

    This is a game for four Signals, who work together to put together a scene demonstrating an action or profession, in the style of cheesy 1950s infomercials. One Signal serves as the "narrator," giving direction to two other Signals, who silently act out what the narrator has them do. A final Signal acts as the DJ, playing 50s-era commercial music to add to the scene.

    Challenge!

    Four Signals line up on stage and are given a topic by the audience. One of them will step forward and talk about the topic (even if they don't know about it and are making it up). At any point, another Signal can shout "Challenge!" and challenge one or all of the "facts" just stated. A host will then decide who is "right," and that person will continue until he or she is challenged by someone else. Whoever is in front when the two-minute timer runs out is the "winner."

    Thanksgiving Game

    A once-a-year long-form game, played at our Thanksgiving Show. An audience member is grilled about their Thanksgiving traditions and about members of their family that would usually be present. The Signals then perform the audience member's typical Thanksgiving, acting as members of their family.