Basic Rules of Improv

Below you'll find a quick and dirty list of some of the "rules" of improv. We'll address each one individually later, but consider this your improv cheat sheet.

All of the "rules" boil down to one basic concept: Make your partner(s) look good.

If you're more concerned about making your scene partner look good than you are about making yourself look good, you'll both look better in the end. Improv is a team sport. Respect the give and take of the scene. You are creating something out of nothing, so give your partner something to work with. Take what your partner gives you and build on it. Make your partner look good (and you'll look better in the process).

Here are a few tips to help you do that:

Do:

1. Do make choices.
You've got a one word suggestion, or maybe a location and a task. After that, it's all you and your partner. You both need to be making choices, and every choice you make is a gift to your partner that they can work with. Every small choice you make (a strong character, a hidden conflict, an interesting action) adds up to make a great scene.

2. Do accept your partner's choices.
When your partner makes a choice, it is a gift. Accept it and build on it. You'll hear this referred to as "Yes, and"-ing. Yes, I accept your choice, and I'm building on it.

3. Do have an open mind.
So much of improv is free association. When an improv scene stalls, it's often because of internal second guessing on the part of one or both partners. Trust your gut instinct (as long as your gut instinct isn't to be a jerk to your partner.)

Don't:

1. Don't deny.
Person A: "Welcome to the shoe factory, Mr. Smith, I think you'll like working here! I'll be your supervisor."
Person B: "You're crazy! This isn't a shoe factory, this is the Moon! And I'm YOUR supervisor!"

Congratulations, Person B, you've just derailed the scene. We've all seen denial. We've all done it, too. Let's hang our heads for a second and then move on. It might feel like a cheap laugh, or the way to get to do the scene that you really wanted to do. Well, cut it out. If your partner gives you a premise, you accept it, shape it, and build on it. (See: Yes, and)

2. Don't ask open questions.
"Where are we?"
"Who are you?"
"What's the plan?"
"Why are you doing that?"

In an improv scene, open questions are a way to speak without saying anything at all. By asking questions like those, you are essentially handing responsibility for the scene over to your partner, while still maintaining the appearance of participating in the scene.
"You choose where we are."
"You choose who you are."
"You come up with an idea for a plan."
"You explain what you are doing and why, thus creating the entire basis for a scene singlehandedly."

3. Don't pimp your partner.
"Hey, read this hilarious joke in this book."
"Sing that really high and fast song your were singing earlier."
"Show me that breakdance move you're always talking about."

Pimping is asking your partner to do something ridiculous onstage that you have good reason to believe he or she cannot or will not do. This is another one of those things that feels like an easy laugh. You get to say something funny, and if your partner can't do it, they look like a fool, and you assume you look like less of a fool in comparison (you are wrong). If they can do it, you've just caused something ridiculous to happen on stage. It seems like a win/win for you. It's not. First, you look like an asshole, and not in a hilarious way. Second, it's just not as funny as you think it is. Ridiculous things happening onstage is a good thing. But if you want a joke told, or a dance done, do it yourself.

These tips will help you on stage, but ultimately, what makes a great improviser is getting onstage and taking risks. Failure really is ok, especially when you learn from it!