Understudies - Reprise

Six to eight players start a two-person scene, find the game, and then tag in as “understudies.” Each new entrant adopts the same character and continues the pattern, making sure the previous move is explored before anyone heightens again.

• Six to eight improvisers take the stage.

• Someone else in the group offers a one-word suggestion to inspire any two improvisers on the stage. The rest of the improvisers will stand on the back-line. Two improvisers will begin a scene, looking to clearly establish a reality containing a Who, What, and Where. The improvisers should continue to Yes And each other and get more specific until they discover the first unusual thing. Once the two improvisers performing the scene find the Game, one of the players on the back-line should tag out either improviser by tapping them on the shoulder. When an improviser is tagged out, they are taken out of the scene and replaced by the improviser that did the tagging. The person who has been tagged out will join the back-line. Usually an improviser tagging into a scene will play a new character. For this exercise, the improviser that tags in will take over the character that has already been established. In other words, the scene should continue exactly where it left off, with the same two characters and the same Game. Once the first tag-out happens, the rest of the improvisers on the back-line may begin to tag into the scene. However, in this version of Understudies, you can’t tag someone else out until the previous Game move has been explored. You may tag in to explore the last heightening, but you can’t tag in to heighten again until exploration happens. An improviser from outside of the group should be watching and stop the scene if someone tags in to heighten before exploration occurs.

• Either character can be tagged out and replaced as long as the new improviser enters to play the same Game. Afterward, discuss as a group which moves were on Game and which moves didn’t work.