How to Play the Improv Game Story, Story, Die
Improv is short for improvisation. Improv comedy has become a popular training tool for actors, as well as popular entertainment, on both television, and live theaters around the world. Improv games can also be played at parties, or used in classroom settings to help students become comfortable performing. “Story, Story, Die” is an excellent game to play with beginners, because all that is needed is an ability to make up a story, rather than playing a character.
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Instructions
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Have your actors practice dying! When an actor makes a mistake in this game, he must act out a crazy death to be chosen by the audience, so the more realistic the death scene, the better the odds that your performers will get laughs.
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Line your actors in a horizontal line across the stage. Have the audience suggest a title for the story your actors will tell. Give them examples. The title should be short and sweet, such as, “The Blue Shoe,” or “The Orphan Boy.” Let the actors elaborate and take the story to wacky places on their own. The title does not have to be funny.
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Inform the audience that you will be pointing to the actors to tell the story, and cutting them off. Each actor, when pointed to, must continue with the story without repeating the last word said, and seamlessly make up the next part of the story. If they stutter, repeat the last actor’s word, or draw a blank, the audience is to yell out, “Die!” At which point, the offending actor must act out a suggested death.
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Kneel in front of your actors, or sit on the ground. Act as the conductor of the story, much like an orchestra conductor. Point to an actor to begin telling the story. After a few lines cut them off with your hand signal. Point to the next actor to pick up where the last storyteller left off. Continue directing, pointing and cutting off, until someone makes a mistake, repeating a word, or taking too long.
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Have each actor act out a wacky death suggested by the audience as they slip up in their storytelling. Give the audience silly examples, such as death by brain freeze, or death by dancing, at which point the offending actor must act out said death. Continue with the remaining actors until you are down to two. The game is won when the last actor is still standing, at which point he should end the story. That’s it! Have fun!
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to tell your actors to find a point to wrap things up with “and they lived happily ever after,” if the game is dragging on without any mistakes for a long time.
Keep it entertaining by pointing faster and faster, and having each actor do fewer and fewer lines, especially if no one is making mistakes. This will slip them up, and make the game interesting!
Don't perform this game before an audience, until your actors have played it at least a few times. They will get better at picking up the story the more they practice.
