The Uplifting Power of Play

A Prescription for Living JoyouslyWith Presence, Acceptance, and Trust

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The Uplifting Power of Play:A Prescription for Living Joyously

With Presence, Acceptance, and Trust

Izzy Gesell

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“Play releases us from the past and our ghostly voices and

brings our attention into the present. There simply is no time

for past or future in the Now. We call this experience fun.”

—Viola Spolin

All of us know how it feels to be overburdened by the stresses of day-to-

day living and work. Everything from the financial pressures associated with the

economy to the seemingly simple process of planning for an upcoming vacation

can cause us to feel stressed and lead to unwanted health issues. The sidebar,

“Reacting to Stress: Our Body Under Pressure,” describes the underlying process

we experience when we are stressed.

I’ve taught and applied the principles of improvisational (improv) theater

and humor for a bucket full of years, and I decided to take my own advice—to

see if the theory I believed to be true actually worked in the real world. By

deliberately applying improv theater principles and humor into my daily stress-

filled life, I developed the powerful, personal qualities of presence, acceptance,

and trust. It was through those qualities that I discovered how to truly live a

joyous, creative life.

I hope to make your life smoother by describing a method that shows

you how and gives you permission to experience laughter and joy. This is not

about eliminating or dismissing adversity. It’s about adding something to your

life that will balance the dark side—just as a candle brings light to, but does

not eliminate, the darkness. I’m not denying that you will experience pain and

discomfort; this primer is about putting balance in your life so you can include

fun, levity, awareness, and “in-the-now-living” along your journey.

I know that most of you haven’t taken improv lessons or worked as group

trainers. I’ve designed the games in this primer so that anyone, regardless of

experience, can play them right away. It’s a turnkey operation. Everything you

need to play and benefit from the games is in this primer. I want to remove any

obstacles you may encounter. I ask only that you remain open to the feeling of

being alive and free when playing for the sake of playing. I call this approach

“Living and Playing With Presence, Acceptance, and Trust” (LPPAT). Use it anywhere

you have people who want to play with you.

The LPPAT approach comes complete with the perspectives, attitudes, and

techniques that will help enhance your restorative experience as you make the

journey through life. This primer includes the following:

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• The difference between avoiding stress and coping with stress in a way that

increases your capabilities.

• Information on how improv theater works and how the players achieve success.

• A description of how the foundational qualities of presence, acceptance, and

trust are developed through improv.

• The clinical evidence of the benefits of improv and humor as they relate to

restoration.

• Detailed, practical improv games for two or more players in a variety of

settings and circumstances. You will have more play time and more opportu-

nities to laugh out loud. You will become more spontaneous and creatively

expressive.

Reacting to StressOur Body Under Pressure

For many people just hearing the word recession generates anxiety,

and they feel besieged as if battle is occurring. This induces stress and

creates both cognitive and physiological effects.

Walter Cannon coined the description, “fight or flight” syndrome, and

Hans Selye conducted research to depict the body’s reactions to stressful

situations. Selye found what he called the generalized adaptation syndrome

(GAS), which included three phases, as follows:

Alarm reaction. The heart rate increases rapidly, blood flow diverts

to skeletal muscles, and the faintness of shock is felt. This mobilization of

physiological resources prepares us to fight the stressor.

Resistance. Temperature, blood pressure, and respiration remain high,

and extra hormones are released. This not only affects us physiologically

but also emotionally by altering our mood.

Exhaustion. When we experience ongoing stress, our energy reserves

deplete, and we become more susceptible to illness. In extreme situations,

we may collapse or die.

In addition to the symptoms associated with GAS, stress also can

disturb our normal sleep patterns, generating insomnia, hypersomnia,

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restlessness, etc. Furthermore, changes in brain functionality are not

uncommon, including memory issues and information processing issues.

Emotional effects often involve feelings of helplessness and a loss of sense

of control. Obsessive thinking and/or compulsive behaviors, depression,

fluctuating moods, and anger management issues all can manifest themselves

when we can’t shed stress. For some, ongoing stress can cause disruptions

in normal behaviors—particularly our diets; we may resort to eating more

unhealthy comfort foods, which can lead to weight gain. In extreme cases,

people may begin abusing alcohol and drugs.

Even the way that we think can change when we’re under pressure.

We can lose our analytical capabilities and our decision-making skills may

be hampered. Distractibility and faulty logic can increase. Our ability to

adapt, leading to adherence to status quo, fear of change, exaggeration of

risks, etc., can decrease, and so can our tolerance for others’ ideas. People

who normally are willing to embrace change may begin hiding behind the

crowd, accepting group think, stereotyping, and other flawed perspectives.

Some experiences are more likely to generate stress. “The Social

Readjustment Rating Scale,” developed by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe,

assigns point values to a variety of changes and events that can generate

stress. For instance, the death of a spouse is the highest stressor on the list,

with an assigned normalized value of 100. Stressors on the list that relate

to poor economic periods include “fired from work” (47); “major business

readjustment, e.g., merger, reorganization, bankruptcy” (39); “major change in

financial status” (38); “foreclosure on a mortgage or loan” (30); “major change

in responsibilities at work” (29); “major change in living conditions” (28);

and “major change in working hours or conditions” (20). All of these nega-

tive, life-changing events create stress, but many positive experiences

also cause stress. For instance, marriage is ranked seventh on the stress

list and is rated at 50 points.

Individually, people are able to absorb many of these stressors with-

out creating significant physiological or psychological consequences;

however, their effects are cumulative, so the pressure mounts as more of

them are occurring at the same time. During a recession, many people will

experience multiple changes and are likely to have stress-related reactions.

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The foundation for avoiding the ravages of stress involve maintain-

ing an appropriate balance for your mind and body. This includes eating a

healthy diet, exercising regularly, and finding ways to shift your focus from

the stressors. The Internet, magazines, and books are filled with suggestions

on how to deal with tension. Here are a few ideas that can help you thrive

during the recession:

Eat healthy meals and snacks. When your energy level drops, con-

sume dried fruit, veggies, or energy bars that you keep in your desk. Avoid

sugary snacks, which cause blood sugar surges and can cause weight gain.

Eat leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and grains, and minimize animal protein,

dairy products, and processed foods.

Move around. Your body isn’t made to sit for eight hours straight,

so don’t remain glued to your chair. Get up, and stretch your legs to get

blood pumping to your heart. It’s even better for you to engage in regular

exercise—at least a 30-minute cardiovascular work out three times a week;

strength training increases the value of your exercise program, too. Just

walking, swimming, or doing house or yard work can help.

Find a reason to laugh. MayoClinic.com says, “Laughter’s health

benefits are no joke. A good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, but data

are mounting about the positive things laughter can do.” Some of its ben-

efits include stimulating your organs, improving digestion and circulation,

improving the effectiveness of your immune system, and relieving pain. Of

course, laughter also can increase personal satisfaction—an immediate lift

for your attitude.

Keep out of the rut. Break up your physical and mental activities.

For many, meditation or just taking a few minutes to enjoy some peace

and quiet is sufficient to balance your thoughts and reduce anxiety. In his

book, Thinking for a Change, Michael Gelb describes synvergent think-

ing, an approach that integrates logic and intuition, and that can refresh,

renew, and invigorate our minds and bodies. One of his suggestions for

balancing your left and right functions and increasing synvergent thinking

is to spend about five minutes out of every hour doing something entirely

different.

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If you think you can’t do it or that dealing with life gives you no time to

laugh, play, or have fun, you are wrong. At the end of the movie Casablanca,

Humphrey Bogart is asked by Claude Raines what brought him to Casablanca.

“The waters,” replies Bogie. Told there are no waters in the desert, Bogie says, “I

was misinformed!” To those who proclaim that humor and play aren’t appropri-

ate in a stress-affected life, I say, “You are misinformed.”

I’ll be by your side, explaining and guiding you through every game. My

hope is that you will include the LPPAT approach as one of your strategies for

coping with stress with enthusiasm and imagination, allowing yourself the joy

of living in the moment, fully present, fully aware, and fully alive. What I’m shar-

ing is an effective model to help you experience joy and heal from the negative

effects of living with stress.

This publication works because these games are experiential in nature,

connecting body, mind, and spirit. Playing them will give you an opportunity to

lift your spirits, change your frown into a smile, cause unexpected laughter, and

discover more joy and delight in your life. This merging of body, mind, and spirit

into a unified whole, while immersed in play, facilitates the restorative process.

I continue to improvise daily, discovering my life has more precious

moments that bring joy and love into my heart, which enables me to play more

and give more joy and love. You can do this too. Let the games begin!

How to Use This PrimerDid you think this primer was about playing traditional games like SCRABBLE®

chess, checkers, or volleyball, or having a good pillow fight? Yes, those games are

fun, but this primer is different. The games in this primer are designed to help

you connect to your mind, body, and intuition, as well as to help you be totally

aware of and love the present moment. The games require the same type of aware-

ness and mindfulness that you use when you play traditional games, except these

games are noncompetitive. They are tools that help you cope with adversity in

a way that will assist you in releasing tension; lightening up; letting yourself go;

being spontaneous without fear; and feeling free to laugh, be silly, make mistakes

and not care, and have fun. Don’t focus on being funny—that’s not a requirement

to participate in these games. The fun occurs because of the games.

Whenever you feel like shaking loose from rigid patterns of thinking

and doing, play these games. They provide an opportunity to express yourself,

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connect with others without judgment, and experience more joy in your daily

life. The LPPAT approach allows you to “live life laughing” with stress.

These games are best experienced when you are with at least one other

person, sitting around a table hoping someone will start a good conversation.

Think of this as a cookbook full of healthy, easy-to-make, and great-tasting meals

for your soul. Similar to a chef, after you follow a recipe the first time, you can

create new variations in the future. I want you to experiment with all of them

and choose your favorites. Every time you play a game you will have a new

experience.

This primer contains detailed, practical improvisational games for two or

more players in a variety of settings and circumstances. Success tips are provided

with each game. You will find three categories of games: those that are verbal, wordy,

and fun; those that involve physical activity, sound, motion, and are fun; and those

that are nonsensical, wacky, and fun. You will have fun using your imagination and

creating a new world of play. If there are other people around you, they will want

to come and join the activity. Before we can play, we must feel free to do so. By

giving yourself permission to play, you also grant permission to those around you.

Regarding attribution to the games in this primer: all are variations of

games that are found in improv theater books and directories of improv games.

In the world of improv, everyone adapts and builds on existing ideas, resulting in

a new idea. References, further reading, and links to improv game resources are

provided at the end of this primer.

Dealing With StressAvoiding

Avoidance is a process where we try to predict what occurrences in life

will cause stress and keep them from happening. Although it’s wise to avoid tak-

ing unnecessary risks, focusing on avoiding stress can be as stressful—or even

more stressful—than facing life’s challenges with a positive attitude, a reasonable

focus on self-preservation, and a sense of humor.

For instance, suppose you need to pick up some groceries. The route to the

store includes crossing a railroad track. It’s one thing to avoid the risk of getting

hit by a train by stopping at the crossing and checking carefully to make sure

that it’s safe to drive across the tracks. It’s another thing to stay home because

you want to avoid the potential of encountering a train.

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Coping and Restoration

Coping and restoration involve paying attention to your mind, body, and

spirit and creating a feeling of wholeness. These terms refer to being made

whole or creating oneness. “Creating oneness not only establishes homeostasis

of physical systems but also mentally and socially becoming ‘at one,’ no lon-

ger torn or alienated from oneself, from others, or from the sources of one’s

spiritual strength.”

Gratitude for all life and finding meaning and purpose in life, even in the

midst of crisis, exemplifies spiritual well being. The foundation for restoration is

to live life as it happens, without judgment, and to be fully aware of the moment.

Restoration or healing is about having incredible faith in your ability to live with

love and kindness and how the mind, heart, and spirit will influence the course

of your life. Coping involves allowing ourselves to be open, calm our mind, and

look within ourselves. We are then able to find a presence and awareness of joy,

love, and peace within our hearts. Play helps the spirits become uplifted. In par-

ticular, these games provide the opportunity for co-workers, family, and friends

to realize the importance of listening to each other and being sensitive to each

other’s needs, without judgment, helping each other feel valued.

When we are faced with a significant challenge, we experience strong

negative emotions, including fear, anger, self-doubt, and negative self-talk oth-

erwise known as “stinking thinking.” The healing antidote to stinking thinking

is to embrace humor, play, and laugh intentionally. It is about having faith in

a higher power, letting go of expected outcomes, suspending judgment, and

loving yourself. Thriving on your stressful journey through life is more about

coping than it is about avoidance. My focus is on restoring the spirit.

Improv and You! Why and How Improv WorksSurprisingly, the skills that make improv theater players successful are

the same ones that can help us on our life journey. Improv requires acceptance,

being present, trusting the process, and a willingness to accept the unexpected.

Engaging in activities that stimulate mirth and laughter are known to decrease

feelings of loneliness, anger, tension, and depression; increase the ability to cope

with problems; and enhance a sense of solidarity. The spiritual aspect of humor

helps us access the feelings of love, joy, and fulfillment—and to feel fully alive!

It gives us hope and connects us to something bigger than ourselves.

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Improvisers seem to be fearless, spontaneous, funny, creative, and

productive—and they improvise on command! You’re saying to yourself, “I

can’t be funny that fast; I don’t like feeling foolish in front of other people.

Besides, improv is not listed in the stress treatment guide!” Forget about that;

don’t sweat the small stuff! You improvise every day! You’ve got the same skills

to improvise as improv players, but probably nobody ever has helped you

develop those abilities—or maybe they did, and you weren’t paying attention.

Improv is like alchemy. Alchemy involves more than turning lead into gold.

It is defined as a process that transforms something ordinary into something

special. Improv players are handed anarchy and perplexity, and they somehow

transform it into order, understanding, and fun. That’s alchemy!

The qualities that form the foundation of an improviser’s success are pres-

ence, acceptance, and trust, which are rooted in the following abilities:

• Focus. Improvisers stay in the moment, neither reliving the past nor projecting

into the future.

• Deal with reality. They use whatever they are given, even if they don’t like or

want it.

• Trust the process. They are comfortable with not knowing the outcome in

advance.

These three skills are developed by repetition of certain practices and

techniques that, when internalized, emerge as personal traits that others see

as our identifiable characteristics or qualities. Surprisingly, the very same skills

that are the foundation of the improviser’s success also contribute to success

in our ability to heal and improve the quality of our lives.

When we hone these improv skills and cultivate the resulting qualities

of presence, acceptance, and trust, our comfort zone expands and our persona

changes. Consequently, the way we look at the events in the world changes. We

are able to experience the fun, joy, and beauty of the present moment without

fear. Lo and behold, the way our family, friends, and caregivers see and interact

with us also changes. Think of the difference in the way others view you when

you feel confident, as opposed to when you are tentative or frightened, or when

you are joyful, as opposed to when you are sad or angry.

The practice of using the techniques and concepts of improvisers exposes

us to thought-provoking experiences and memorable and amusing techniques

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that stretch our comfort zones. So what difference does that make? Once stress

becomes part of our life, our comfort zone is not only stretched, it is pulled,

pinched, slapped, and shrunk—often all at the same time. This primer is based

on the belief that we should have fun with stressful situations, rather than caving

into gloom and doom!

Success TipsThe secret to the success of the games in this primer is to not think.

Don’t think about being silly or about any other things you have to do. Show

up and just do it. Be open-minded, have fun, and laugh.

There may be times when you are playing a “story” game and certain feel-

ings about your personal situation are expressed. That is just fine, and it also is

liberating. Storytelling is a vehicle for accepting your circumstances, laughing

about them, and being able to move forward and enjoy the journey.

Here is a list of success tips that apply to the games in this primer.

• Allow your imagination to be front and center; say what you feel.

• Remember, there are no right or wrong lines.

• Keep the pace fairly fast. The pacing and use of spontaneous responses create

the humor, laughter, and feeling of having fun!

• Allow yourself to play along and be creative.

• Allow yourself to make any sounds that come to mind. There are no right or

wrong sounds.

• Be spontaneous, and keep the story plausible.

• Don’t anticipate what the other player is going to say.

• Change the tone, mood, and voice of the story by tagging players.

• Let yourself go, and release your vocal inhibitions.

• Allow your body to become loose and flexible.

• Go along with the first topic suggestion that comes up, even if you don’t

think you have anything to say about it.

• Remember that power is drawn from the quality of acceptance.

• Don’t feel any time pressure; there is no time limit—either to the game or

to individual parts of the game.

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Verbal, Wordy, and Fun GamesAlphabet Game

This is an easy and laugh-filled game where two or more players have a spon-

taneous conversation within a defined framework. All you need to know are the

letters of the English alphabet (and you don’t even have to know them perfectly).

It can be played with adults, adolescents, and children of all ages.

Format Two to four players are having a conversation on a topic chosen

by any of the players or by a member of the audience.

Setup This game can be played sitting, standing, lying down, or walking.

Method • Decide which player will go first.

• Choose a topic for the players to discuss. A simple way to

think of a topic is to ask, “What is a topic friends might talk

about?” Examples include the weather, a mutual friend, or

sticking to a diet.

• Begin the conversation with a word that starts with the letter

“A.” There is no specified number of words. It’s not “word asso-

ciation” or “one word at a time.”

• Use a “B” word when it becomes the second player’s turn.

• Continue the conversation by alternating back and forth with

each player starting the next part of the conversation with

the following sequential letter.

• End the game at any time. The intent is to get as far through

the alphabet as possible. The goal is to have fun.

Example 1 The topic is book clubs.

Player 1: “All the other people in my book club seem so much

smarter than me. I would rather see the movie.”

Player 2: “Books do bring out the best and worst in people. Some

people think that reading a big book makes them smarter than

others.”

Player 1: “Conan the Barbarian was the last book I read, and that

was a comic book!”

Player 2: “Dude. Are you telling me you still read comic books?”

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Example 2 The topic is fly-fishing.

Player 1: “Actually, fly-fishing is a pretty fun sport.”

Player 2: “Best part about fly-fishing is being able to play with

flies.”

Player 3: “Could you tell me what you like so much about flies?”

Success Tips • Go along with the first topic suggestion that comes up, even if

you don’t think you have anything to say about it. Remember

that power is drawn from the quality of acceptance.

• There is no time limit—either to the game or to individual

parts of the conversation, so there is no need to feel time

pressure.

• It’s not uncommon for letters to be skipped during the game.

You can either pick up where the other person left off, or you

can start over again. For example, if you expected him/her

to use an “H” word, and he/she says, “ink,” just can continue

with a “J” word, which keeps the game flowing, or go back

to an “A” word.

• Feel free to speak more than one sentence at a time when it

is your turn.

• Only the first word of your part of the conversation needs to

start with the appropriate letter.

Variations • Play with more than two players. For example, this is a

hilarious game to play at a dinner party; it is much better than

charades. Just as in a real conversation between more than

two people, there is no need to go in any order. Players jump

into the conversation whenever they feel like it.

• Ask players to say only one sentence at a time during their

part of the conversation.

• Have players begin the conversation with the letter “Z” and

work back to the letter “A.”

• Use a box of alphabet cookies or a dictionary page to randomly

pull letters up and start the conversation with those. (Eating

the cookies is optional.)

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Yes, And

This is a fun way to tell a story. It shows how using the “Yes, and” tactic

allows improvisers to accept and build unequivocally on concepts others offer

while feeling confident their ideas will be treated the same way. It works for the

rest of us also!

Format Two to six players participate.

Setup This game can be played standing, sitting, or with everyone sitting

around a table.

Method • Begin by making a statement or asking a question. This opening

serves as the springboard for the game. Player 1 starts the game,

passing the story on to Player 2.

• Accept what is offered by saying the words “Yes, and” and

continuing the story. The key is behaving as if the first player’s

statement is also true for Player 2. In other words, Player 2

avoids any inclination to say, “Yes, but.”

• Accept what Player 2 said by having Player 3 move the story

forward after saying, “Yes, and.”

• End the game when the story reaches a natural conclusion or

whenever the players decide to stop.

Example Player 1: “Tonight is the tenth anniversary of the first time I saw

you.”

Player 2: “Yes, and it’s also the eighth anniversary of the first time

we met, because you were too shy to talk to me for two years.”

Player 3: “Yes (directed at Player 1), and you asked me for her

number that night. It took you two years to call?”

Player 1: “Yes, and it was because I dialed the number wrong and

ended up marrying the person who answered the phone.”

Player 2: “Yes, and those were the two years I traveled around

the world in my sailboat.”

Player 1: “Yes, and it’s a good thing you went then because I get

seasick.”

Success Tips • Don’t take time to think or plan the story in your head.

• Be spontaneous with whatever comes into your mind.

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• Be present and aware—it allows you to be creative and helps

the whole group achieve success.

• Don’t think about being funny, just let the humor happen.

Variations Instead of saying, “yes, and,” build a story by saying, “yes, but.”

First Line, Last Line

This is a great game to play when you just want to have fun and be

imaginative and creative. You can act out the parts, being as animated as you

prefer, or just tell a straight story. As with all improv games, it is impossible to

predict exactly how the story will evolve. Let your creative juices take you on

a fun journey.

Format Two to six people create a story after receiving only beginning

and ending lines.

Setup This game can be played standing, sitting, or with everyone sitting

around a table.

Method • Decide the location of and relationship among the players.

Examples include strangers in an elevator, a family reunion,

or a blind date.

• Choose a random sentence that will serve as the first line of the

discussion. Try opening a book and picking a line at random or

turning on the television and using the first line you hear. You

also can make up an opening.

• Find a random sentence to use as the last line. Use the same or

a different method as described for the first line.

• Start the game with any player; this person says the first line.

Example The situation is people at a complaint department.

The first line (Randomly chosen from Apocalypse Wow by James

Finn Garner): “The other day I was unpacking a waffle iron my

wife and I got as a gift.”

The last line (Randomly chosen from Oliver Twist by Charles

Dickens.): “It was almost too much to bear.”

Player 1: “The other day I was unpacking a waffle iron my wife

and I got as a gift.”

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Player 2: “If your gift was as shoddy as mine was, it’s lucky you

didn’t electrocute yourselves.”

Player 3: “This line for complaints is moving so slowly. I wish

there was a complaint department to complain about the

complaint department.”

Player 2: “I had a strange experience once. I had a complaint

and didn’t want to wait on hold so I went down to the cable

company, expecting to wait a whole day. I even brought lunch,

and I was the first person in line.”

Player 3: “So what happened? Did you let them have it?”

Player 1: “I love complaining in person. Assertive is the best way

to be. Did you let ‘em have it?”

Player 2: “Strangest thing happened. I told them my problem, and

they agreed to fix it with no quarrel. I was so shocked I started

crying. It was almost too much to bear.”

Success Tips • Allow your imagination to be front and center; say what you

feel.

• Remember, there are no right or wrong lines. You need not

limit yourself to speaking only one line at a time.

• Connect the “Yes…and” game to this game. The “yes” refers to

what you are given when it comes to your turn. The “…and”

means you pass it on to the next player.

Variations Follow the same pattern described above, but use one word for

the first word and one word for the last word instead of a line.

One Word at a Time

Families often play this game because it is simple and fun. Kids often are

freer than adults in creating a story because being logical and “correct” is not

as important to them.

Format Two or more players create a story that has never been told

before. They are only allowed to speak one word at a time.

Setup This game can be played standing, walking, driving, sitting, or

with everyone sitting around a table.

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Method • Decide who will begin by saying the first word.

• Make up a title for a story that has never before been told. Don’t

think very long about the title. Don’t try to come up with a

title that is interesting or has any particular purpose. Just call

it out loud. Use the first idea that comes to any player’s mind.

Resist the urge to judge the relevancy of the title.

• Begin with Player 1 saying any word.

• Continue with the other players adding one word at a time

until the story reaches a natural conclusion. For two players,

alternate turns. For more than two players, move randomly

among the players.

Example 1 The title is “The Blue Petunia.”

Player 1: “Once”

Player 2: “upon”

Player 1: “a”

Player 2: “time”

Example 2 The title is “The Blue Petunia.”

Player 1: “Petunias”

Player 2: “are”

Player 1: “blue”

Player 2: “because”

Success Tips • Understand that it’s impossible to control how the story is

going to progress.

• Don’t anticipate receiving any particular word.

• Don’t try to assist your partner by giving a helpful word.

• Be responsible for only one word when it’s your turn.

• Agree that anyone can use the words “period,” “question mark,”

or “exclamation point” as a way of indicating the end of a sen-

tence. Anyone can say it; however, stating a punctuation mark

does not take the place of a turn to add a word to the story.

Variation With more than two players, you can go around in order or have

players add a word whenever they feel like doing so.

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Physical, Active, and Fun Sound and Motion GamesMake-Believe Ball Toss

You will have fun with these games just by using your imagination and

creating a new world of play. If there are other people in the house or around

you, they will want to come and join the activity. Before you can play, you must

feel free to do so.

Format Four to 15 players throw an imaginary ball to one another,

making sounds and body movements that mirror the kind of

ball being thrown.

Setup Players form a circle by either sitting or standing.

Method • Decide who will be Player 1. This player begins the game.

• Decide silently on the size, weight, shape, and purpose of the

ball that Player 1 is throwing.

• Make eye contact with or call out the name of any other

person in the circle. This person becomes Player 2.

• Toss the imaginary ball. Player 1 mimes tossing a ball to Player

2. Player 1 identifies the kind of ball being thrown by naming it

as it is being tossed and with appropriate physical movements

and vocalizations.

• Think of and toss a new ball. Player 2 follows the same proce-

dure, picking out a new person in the circle to receive the ball.

• Continue the game until everyone has had a turn or the group

decides it’s time to stop.

Example Player 1: Decide that the first ball is a bowling ball. Bend knees,

extend arms downward as if holding a heavy object, grunt, and

mime heaving the ball toward Player 2.

Player 2: Assume the physical and mental state necessary to catch

a bowling ball. For example, stoop with bent knees, stretch out

arms with palms facing up, and appear ready to catch a heavy

bowling ball.

Player 2: Make eye contact with or call out the name of a different

player around the circle who becomes Player 3. Mime tossing a

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different type of ball, such as a ping-pong ball, football, or Wiffle™

ball to Player 3.

Player 3: Catch the ball with his/her hands and whole body.

Success Tips • Keep the pace fast.

• Allow yourself to play along and be creative.

Variations • This game can be played by two players.

• “Sound toss” involves players tossing a sound, instead of

throwing a ball. The first player engages his/her whole body

when tossing a sound, such as “whoo hoo,” to a second

player. The second player repeats the sound, “whoo hoo,”

engaging his/her whole body in the process. The second

player then throws a different sound to the third player who

catches the second player’s sound and repeats it. He/she

throws a different sound to the next player and so on until

everyone has had a turn. Sounds are tossed among the players

with full-body engagement. You definitely will feel like a kid

again when you play this game!

• “Unconventional object toss” involves tossing other items,

including uncommon objects such as shuttlecocks, bubble gum,

and grapes.

Helping Hands

This game is as much fun to watch as it is to play.

Format Two players join to form one character. Each character consists

of one player, who does the voice, holding his/her hands behind

his/her back. The second player stands behind Player 1 and

provides the hands.

Setup Player 1 stands relaxed with hands clasped behind his/her back.

Player 2 stands behind Player 1 and puts his/her arms through

Player 1’s arms, effectively becoming Player 1’s arms and hands.

Player 1, who does the talking, must keep his/her hands behind

his/her back at all times while Player 2 provides the hand move-

ments and gestures.

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Method • Decide who will be Player 1 and who will be Player 2.

• Choose a scenario in which the character can express him/

herself.

• Place the character in a position of some authority or expertise.

This makes gesturing easier to work into the scene. (Examples:

job interview, doctor discussing treatment options, revival

meeting, infomercial, or singer)

• Begin the scene with Player 1 speaking about the selected

scenario. The story should involve give and take between

voice and hands.

• Involve audience members by taking questions, directing them

to do something, or instructing them.

• Continue until the two-person character says, “thank you for

your attention,” “good bye,” “…and the moral of the story is…”

“drive home safely,” or some other closing comment.

Success Tips • Players should keep their hands in motion. Hand motions

should be relevant to the conversation, so be sure that the

player controlling the hands moves them in response to what

his/her head is saying.

• It’s better to do something than describe what you are going

to do. The speech should incorporate whatever the hands are

doing, not simply saying, “I’m going to point at you now,” but

saying things like, “You there, yes, right there...”

• The player serving as the torso for someone else’s hands needs

to pay close attention to what those hands are doing and not

ignore what they are doing. The same is true for the person

serving as the hands.

• Props, which are optional, can add a lot of hilarity to the scene.

Examples of possible props include a hand-held mirror, hat,

fruit, hairbrush, or cell phone.

• The more comfortable the players are together, the more things

they can do together, such as making the combined character

brush his/her teeth, remove things from pockets, etc.

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Variations • Have two players involved as the arms, each providing one arm.

• Use four, six, or eight players to create two, three, or four

characters. Create a scene where these characters interact.

Examples include eating a holiday dinner, waiting in a line,

playing cards, going on a blind date, or meeting the in-laws.

Da Do Ron-Ron

Does music perk you up, energize you, or change your mood? If you

answered, “Yes,” to this question, you are going love playing this game! Don’t

worry about your singing ability. If you are shy, make believe you are in the

shower. If you are not shy, treat this like karaoke or a campfire sing-along.

Format Three to 10 players sing an improvised song about a selected

subject to the tune of “Da Do Ron-Ron.” This song was recorded

by The Crystals and released in 1964. The original lyrics are

shown below these instructions. Listen to the song on the

Internet if you need a refresher on the tune.

Setup This game can be played standing or sitting in a circle or with

everyone sitting around a table.

Method • The game begins after deciding which player will go first and

whether the song will pass clockwise or counterclockwise.

• A topic is selected to sing for the new song. Example topic

categories include: celebratory (the importance of friends),

topical (global warming), or personal (dealing with cancer

or a dinner party).

• Player 1 begins by singing the first line. (Example: “We came

to Betty’s house for a dinner treat.”)

• All other players sing, “Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron.”

• Player 2 makes up the second line and sings it. (Example: “The

food was delicious and there was a lot to eat.”)

• All other players sing, “Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron.”

• Player 3 sings the third line, which has a shift in rhythm.

(Example: “Yeah, she is a great cook.”)

• The next player sings a line in the same rhythm as the third

line. (Example: “And she never uses a book.”)

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• The next player sings a line with a slightly different rhythm.

(Example: “And I hope she invites me again.”

• All other players sing, “Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron.”

• The next player starts a new verse using the rhythm of the first

line. (Example: “I’m glad I have such good loving friends.”)

• All other players sing, “Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron.”

Success Tips • When you get stuck, just sing out any verse, and the rest of

the players will kick in with a supportive “Da do ron-ron.”

• Lines don’t need to rhyme.

• It’s ok to mention things that are true for you, not necessarily

for the whole group. For example, if the topic involved a

dinner party, a player might sing, “I wish I wasn’t allergic to

those beautiful shrimp.”

Variations • Add your own choreography and have the players dance as

they sing.

• Change “Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron” to another fun song.

Da Do Ron-Ron

(Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich)

Publisher: ©Abkco Music, Inc./Mother Bertha Music, Inc./Trio Music Co., Inc./

Universal Songs of Polygram

I met him on a Monday and my heart stood still

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

Somebody told me that his name was Bill

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

Yeah, my heart stood still

Yes, his name was Bill

And when he walked me home

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

I knew what he was doing when he caught my eye

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

He looked so quiet but my oh my

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

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Yeah, he caught my eye

Yes, oh my, oh my

And when he walked me home

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

He picked me up at seven and he looked so fine

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

Someday soon I’m gonna make him mine

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

Yeah, he looked so fine,

Yes, I’ll make him mine

And when he walked me home

Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron

Nonsensical, Whacky, and Fun GamesGibberish

What is gibberish? Gibberish, also known as “doubletalk,” is a generic term

in English for talk that sounds like speech but has no actual meaning (such as

“ja sun tecumba tapar,” or “la bgud duyier jusrekd, oh mai!”). When speaking

gibberish, either to yourself or in a conversation, remember to include vowels,

consonants, punctuation, and inflections. Treat it as a real language in which

you are fluent. Gibberish is not monotone, nor does it come out sounding like

“blah, blah, blah.” It has the speaker’s emotion and perspective in it. It is not

uncommon to slip into a foreign-sounding accent. To see masters of gibberish

in action, look at the work of Sid Caesar, Norm Crosby, or Irwin Corey.

Format This game can be played alone or with any number of other play-

ers. Gibberish is used in place of standard conversational English.

Setup Stand in front of a mirror and have a conversation with the

person in the mirror. We all talk to ourselves anyway, so this is

not as strange as it may seem at first. We do caution, however,

against doing this activity in a public place!

Method • Pick a topic that has relevance to you, and be specific in your

vision of what the conversation involves. For example, in the

morning you might talk about the upcoming day, what you are

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expecting to happen, and what you see as challenges. Other

topics for gibberish exploration include venting about the

things that make you angry, happy, or frustrated.

• Pretend you are a radio talk show host or a radio announcer.

Pick whatever topic you like for the day. Do this with yourself

or with others. You can be the interpreter or the host who

speaks gibberish. This game allows you to get a great start to

your day.

Success Tips • Build your gibberish skills and have fun; practice speaking

gibberish when alone or with another person. The idea here is

to become comfortable with the nonsense-sounding activity.

• Have a topic in mind to discuss whether by yourself or with

another person.

• Suspend judgment about whether your gibberish is good or

bad. Stay in character.

• Include intonation and physical gestures.

Variations • Enjoy more fun when you start using gibberish when people

ask you how you (or your friend, partner, or spouse) are doing.

Explain that you are learning to improvise and that you want

to practice having fun. You will be surprised to see how much

you pay attention to and hear what others say or become

aware of others’ needs.

• Comment on political campaigns; relate an incident that

happened on vacation; discuss your medical experience; or

review a recent movie, book, or restaurant experience.

Gibberish Poet Game

Have fun creating your own poetry in a nonsense language and see if

others are able to capture the aesthetic memories and images you are projecting.

Format Two players participate. There may be other players who become

an audience. Gibberish is used in place of standard conversational

English.

Setup Player 1 is a renowned poet who verbally delivers a poem. This

poet can only speak gibberish. Player 2 is the translator.

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Method • Stand side-by-side, facing the audience if one is present.

• Decide who is the poet and who is the translator. Player 1

starts by reciting one or more lines of gibberish poetry, which

may or may not rhyme.

• Alternate the poem and its translation between Player 1 and

Player 2.

• Continue the game until the translator decides the poem is

over by stating “the end.” This occurs whenever the translator

thinks the poem is completed.

Example Player 1: “Maniska va bee-doonga. Lapring quentolwahl fik.”

Player 2: “The moon is low in my backyard. The blankets curl

around my foot.”

Success Tips • Stay focused on your partner’s rhythm, movements, inflections,

etc. This will help the poem and translation stay in sync. As

with all improv games, this is a co-creation, a joint project.

• Remember that just because you have something in mind

(either as the poet or the translator), your partner is unlikely

to grasp your intent exactly. Be prepared to play off of each

other. In other words, work with what you were given, not

with what you were expecting.

• Use body language to engage both the audience and the other

player. Body language also acts as a guide. If you, as the poet,

lift your arms to indicate the rising sun, be open to hearing

that translated as “The world did jumping jacks to exercise

its heart.”

• Enjoy unexpected responses from either the poet or the trans-

lator. For example, a long poem segment, “Wannen opelimatra

dyver-oxi-zimber faning” can be translated with very few words

(“Yikes!”), or vice versa, “Puncta oy” might be translated as,

“The wind blew and howled and screamed and whipped

around me for days and days.”

Variations The gibberish speaker can be a politician, commercial spokes-

person, motivational speaker, expert on a fabricated subject,

foreigner, etc.

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Gibberish Expert Interview

Format Three to six players participate. Gibberish is used in place of

standard conversational English.

Setup One player is an expert on a suggested topic. (Examples: how to

make “no-melt” ice cream, practical uses of magic eyeglasses, or

painless childbirth. The expert is the player who speaks gibberish.

Additional players are the audience.

Method • Participants determine who will be the expert (Player 1) and

who will be the interpreter (Player 2).

• A discussion topic is selected for Player 1.

• Player 2 introduces the expert to the audience (other players).

• The audience functions as a press corps and asks questions.

• The expert may understand the questions spoken in English;

however, the expert cannot speak English.

• The expert answers the questions in gibberish being animated

and varying his/her voice.

• Uncontrolled laughter or hysteria may begin because of the

animation, tone of voice, inflection, facial expressions, and

body movements of both players.

• The game ends naturally when there are no more questions.

Example Player 2: “We’re here today to interview an inventor of magic

eyeglasses from Oigenstein. I will be interpreting his comments

for you. I’d like to introduce Herr Oopasimajukuta. What questions

do you have for him/her?”

Player 3: “What is magic about the eyeglasses?”

Player 1: “Ubla tinacy ladilab bozi daxyoopp.”

As the expert is saying these words, he/she gives a broad smile,

takes his/her hands and makes the shape of a woman’s curves,

gives himself/herself a hug, and jumps up and down.

Player 2: “He always sees a beautiful woman that makes him

happy, he loves himself for being able to see such beauty, and

jumps up and down because the buzzer that makes the glasses

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work is vibrating on his/her leg.” The interpreter uses his hands

and physical movements to demonstrate the interpretation.

Player 1: While listening to the interpretation being given by

Player 2, he/she interrupts with hand motions as if to disagree

and says with strong emotion, “Uuuuey, gla, ba.”

Player 2: “The magic spell is broken.”

Scream

This nonsensical game is perfect for venting frustration, fright, anger, or

any other pent-up emotions. It is a great energizer, and it’s a lot of fun.

Format A minimum of three players participate; an unlimited maximum

number can play as long as players can see each other’s eyes.

Setup This game can be played standing, sitting, or with everyone sit-

ting around a table. The players should be able to comfortably

bow their heads, close their eyes, and follow instructions from a

“scream moderator.” This game is even more fun if the moderator

wears a funky hat such as a beanie or jester’s hat!

Method • Arrange the players comfortably in a circle.

• Determine who will be the scream moderator. The moderator

gives the following instructions: “Everyone, please bow your

head and close your eyes.”

• Begin when all heads are bowed, and all eyes are closed. The

scream moderator says, “In a few seconds, I’m going to count

to three. When you hear me say ‘three,’ you are to raise your

head and open your eyes. If your eyes meet another player’s

eyes, both of you are to scream as loud as you can. If no one

is looking directly back at you, remain silent.”

• Continue with these instructions, “You can look in any direc-

tion. There is no need to look directly across from you. If you

think of the circle as a clock and you are at 6:00, you can look

at any other number on the clock.”

• Continue by saying, “We will do a few repetitions in rapid-fire

succession. I will ask you to bow your heads. I will count to

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three, wait a few seconds for the screams to peak and subside,

have you bow your heads, and start counting again.”

• Check to see if everyone is ready, and begin.

Success Tips • Keep a quick pace.

• Let yourself go with your scream.

Variations • Players whose eyes meet immediately get up and exchange places.

• Players whose eyes meet make silly sounds instead of screaming.

• Players whose eyes meet stay silent but use body gestures at

each other.

• Players whose eyes meet must recite a list of items from a

predetermined topic, such as foods I like, movies, or colors.

References and Other ResourcesA. Ellis, “Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy,” in R.J. Corsini and D. Wedding’s (Eds.), Current

Psychotherapies, 5th ed., F. E. Peacock, 1995, pp. 162-196.

I. Gesell, Playing Along, Whole Person Press, 1997.

J. Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living, Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1990.

J. Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living, Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1990.

J.K. Karren, B.Q. Hafen, N. L. Smith, K.J. Frandsen, Mind Body Health, Pearson Benjamin Cummings,

2006, p. 422.

K. Johnston, Improv: Improvisation and the Theatre, Theatre Arts Books, 1979.

K. Koppet, Training to Imagine, Stylus Publishing, 2001.

M. P. Bennett, J.M. Zeller, L. Rosenberg, and J. McCann, “The Effect of Mirthful Laughter on Stress and

Natural Killer Cell Activity” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 38-45.

P. Johnson, “The Use of Humor and its Influences on Spirituality and Coping in Breast Cancer Survivors,”

Oncology Nurses Forum, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 691-695.

P. Madson, Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up, Bell Tower, 2005.

S. Nachmanovitch, Improvisation in Life and Art, J.P. Tarcher, 1991.

V. Spolin, Improvisation for the Theater, 3rd ed., Northwestern University Press, 1999, p. 360.

W. Christie and C. Moore, “The Impact of Humor on Patients With Cancer,” Clinical Journal Oncology

Nursing, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 211-218.

http://fuzzyco.com/improv/games.html

http://www.accessone.com/~up/playbook/ (Comprehensive list of improv games.)

http://www.improvencyclopedia.org/index.html

http://www.kidprov.com (Great resources, special Destination ImagiNation deal!)

http://www.lowrent.net/super/improv/games.html (More improv exercises to use with teams!)

If you want to see improv games in action, search the Internet for sites such as YouTube.

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Acknowledgement: The author would like to acknowledge the late

Roz Trieber for her contributions to the improv exercises.

Izzy Gesell, CSP, is an organizational alchemist who helps

individuals and organizations transform their thinking from

commonplace to extraordinary. Through his keynotes, train-

ing sessions, coaching assignments, and facilitated sessions,

Gesell offers imaginative, intuitive, and immediately useful

insights and programs. He is skilled at delivering meaningful

material in a way that makes participants enjoy their time

with him. Gesell was one of the first to use improv theater concepts as tools

for personal and organizational learning. He is the author of Playing Along:

Group Learning Activities Borrowed From Improvisation Theater, a co-author

of Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter, and

a contributor of a chapter on improvisation as a facilitation tool in the IAF

(International Association of Group Facilitators) Group Facilitators’ Handbook.

The Human Development & Leadership Division Helping you reach your potential www.asq.org/hdl