101 Must-Try Improv Prompts to unlock endless creativity
Are you feeling stuck in a creative rut? Want to ignite your inner actor, sharpen your quick thinking, and dive into a world of endless imagination? Look no further!
This collection of 101 improv prompts is your golden ticket to hours of fun, laughter, and spontaneous brilliance.
From intriguing drama scenarios to bizarre worlds, these prompts are handcrafted for anyone looking to break free from the ordinary.
Whether you're a seasoned improv veteran or a first-time explorer, these prompts are designed to inspire, challenge, and entertain.
Improv prompts
1. Two Friends and a Poison Food Taste Tester: One friend has just been hired as the king's poison food taste tester. Create a scene where they break the news to the other friend.
2. Improvisation Prompts in a Haunted House: You've entered a haunted house and the room is filled with ghosts of past characters. How do you interact with them?
3. Night in a Second Hand Space Ship: It's your first time in space, and you're aboard a second-hand spaceship. Suddenly, the engine fails. How do you and the team respond?
4. Speak like a Fortune Teller: You meet a fortune teller who can only speak in opening lines from famous novels. What is your conversation?
5. Afraid of the Family Dog: A character has an irrational fear of the family dog. How do the other characters help overcome this fear?
6. Mother and Father's Secret Restaurant: Two kids find out their parents are running a secret restaurant at night. Create a scene exploring their reactions.
7. Emotions in a Bottle: Characters find bottles labeled with different emotions. What happens when they consume them?
8. The President's Lost Wishes: As the president, you've lost your list of wishes for the country in a crowded room. How do you and your group retrieve it?
9. Act Like an Evil Villain: Create a monologue for an evil villain who's just been caught, but isn't afraid to reveal their master plan.
10. Improv Starters for Kids in School: The teacher is an alien, and you're the only one who knows. Create a scenario to inform your friends without alerting the teacher.
11. Job Interview with a Twist: You're interviewing for a job, but the interviewer only communicates in song lyrics. Go!
12. One Minute to Fall in Love: Create a scene where characters have only one minute to fall in love before the world ends.
13. A Woman's Secret Wish to be President: A woman confides in her husband about her secret desire to become president. How does he react?
14. Caught in a Time Loop: Characters are caught in a one-minute time loop at a restaurant. How do they break free?
15. Improv Situations at a Zoo: The animals have taken over the zoo. As the zookeeper, negotiate with the animals and restore order.
16. First Time Driving a Magic Car: It's your first time driving a magic car that answers back. What's your conversation like?
17. Friends' Night at a Haunted Play: Friends attend a play that's rumored to be haunted. Create the spooky happenings they encounter.
18. Life as a Quick Thinking Game Show Host: Host a game show where contestants must answer with quick thinking. But here's the twist: the contestants are characters from history.
19. Create a Scene of Fear in Space: An asteroid is about to hit the spaceship. How does the crew react?
20. Father's Day in a Parallel World: Spend Father's Day in a parallel world where roles are reversed. Fathers are kids and kids are fathers.
21. Wait, You're My Secret Twin!: Create a scene where two friends discover they are actually long-lost twins.
22. Hide and Seek with Emotions: Characters play hide and seek, but instead of hiding physically, they hide emotions. Can the other characters find them?
23. The Teacher Who Could Speak to Animals: Create a story where a teacher has the ability to speak to animals, and the students discover this secret.
24. Two Friends, One Minute to Save the World: The world is ending, and two friends have only one minute to stop it. Go!
25. Example of Life on Mars: Create a scene that illustrates what daily life might be like on Mars for a family with a dog.
26. Open-Ended Mystery in a Mansion: A group of friends are invited to a mansion where they must solve an open-ended mystery. What clues do they follow?
27. Improv Situations at a Wedding: The bride and groom have lost their rings. How do the wedding party and audience help find them?
28. Playing House with Other Characters from History: Kids play house, but the characters they're pretending to be are famous figures from history.
29. Second Hand Time Machine Adventure: You've bought a second-hand time machine. Where do you go, and what mishaps happen along the way?
30. The Night the Stars Fell: Create a scene where characters must deal with a night where all the stars fall from the sky.
31. A Mother's Fear of Technology: A mother is afraid of modern technology. How do her children teach her to use a smartphone?
32. Talk Like You're from the Future: Create a conversation between a person from the present and someone from the future.
33. Improvise a Team Building Exercise: You're leading a team building exercise for a group of superheroes. What activities do you create?
34. Lost in a World of Stories: Characters find themselves lost in a world made up of different stories. How do they navigate through?
35. The Evil Villain's Wife: The evil villain's wife is hosting a dinner party. What's her conversation with the guests like?
36. A Secret Room Full of Wishes: Discover a secret room that can grant any wish. What do you wish for, and what are the unexpected consequences?
37. The Game of Life with Friends from the Past: Play the game of life with friends, but each friend represents a different era from the past.
38. Caught in a Moment of Time: Characters are caught in a moment of time that keeps replaying. How do they escape?
39. Family Vacation in Space: Plan and act out a family vacation in space. Don't forget the family dog!
40. President's Day at School with a Twist: Students in a school must act as the president for a day. What policies do they enact?
41. Scenarios in a Haunted Restaurant: The restaurant is haunted by famous chefs of the past. Create various scenarios with the guests.
42. The World's Worst Fortune Teller: A character plays the world's worst fortune teller. What ridiculous predictions do they make?
43. A Job Interview with Your Past Self: You must interview your past self for a job. What questions do you ask, and how does your past self respond?
44. Open-Ended Adventure with a Talking Dog: Go on an open-ended adventure with a talking dog as your guide. Where do you end up?
45. Example of Emotions in Art: Characters in an art gallery start to feel the emotions depicted in the paintings. How do they react?
46. The Matter of the Missing Teacher: The teacher is missing, and students must solve the mystery. What clues do they follow?
47. Fall in Love with a Character from a Book: A character falls in love with a character from a book. Create a scene where they meet.
48. Husband and Wife Time Travelers: A husband and wife are time travelers. What eras do they visit, and what lessons do they learn?
49. Speak Only in Opening Lines: Create a scene where characters can only speak using opening lines from famous books.
50. A World Where Fear Doesn't Exist: Imagine a world where fear doesn't exist. How do characters interact and what challenges do they face?
51. Group Therapy for Evil Villains: Host a group therapy session for evil villains. What issues do they discuss?
52. Second Hand Emotions Shop: Visit a shop where you can buy second-hand emotions. What do you buy, and how does it affect you?
53. Create a Play Inside a Play: Characters are putting on a play within a play. What challenges do they face, and what is the play about?
54. The Mother of All Game Shows: Host a game show where the contestants are famous mothers from history and fiction.
55. Lost and Found Emotions Room: Characters discover a room where lost emotions are stored. What do they find, and what do they do with them?
56. A Night at the Improv Restaurant: At this restaurant, the menu is made up of improv prompts. What do you order, and what scene do you create?
57. Father's Secret Life as a Superhero: Kids discover their father's secret life as a superhero. What's their reaction, and what adventure do they go on?
58. Stage Fright in a World Without Fear: In a world without fear, characters must deal with stage fright. How do they overcome it?
59. Answers Only Conversation: Have a conversation where characters can only respond with answers, not questions.
60. The Dog Who Could See the Future: Create a scene with a dog who can see the future. How do characters interact with the dog, and what predictions are made?
61. Caught in a Teacher's Web of Lies: Students discover their teacher has been lying about their past. How do they confront the teacher?
62. One Minute to Save the President: You have one minute to save the president from an impending disaster. What's your plan?
63. The Room Where Time Stands Still: Characters enter a room where time stands still. What do they do with this newfound power?
64. Wishes Gone Wrong at a Magic Show: At a magic show, audience members' wishes are granted, but they all go wrong. How is the situation resolved?
65. Past Lives Therapy Session: Characters undergo therapy to explore their past lives. What do they discover?
66. The Husband Who Could Talk to Plants: A husband discovers he can talk to plants. How does his wife react, and what do the plants say?
67. Scenarios in a Virtual Reality World: Explore different scenarios inside a virtual reality world. What adventures do characters embark on?
68. Family Secrets at a Dinner Party: During a family dinner party, secrets are revealed. What are the secrets, and how does the family react?
69. Wait, We're All Related!: A group of friends discover they're all related. How do they react, and what family mysteries do they uncover?
70. Open-Ended Stories in a Magic Library: In a magic library, characters can enter the stories of the books. What stories do they explore?
71. Improvise a Life on a Deserted Island: Stranded on a deserted island, characters must improvise to survive. What creative solutions do they come up with?
72. Lost in Space with Only One Minute of Oxygen Left: Characters are lost in space with only one minute of oxygen left. How do they survive?
73. A World Where Everyone's a President: Imagine a world where everyone acts as a president. What policies are enacted, and how does society function?
74. The Fear of Opening Lines in Literature: A character has a fear of opening lines in literature. How do they overcome it, and what triggers it?
75. Fall into a Storybook: Characters fall into a storybook and must navigate their way out. What adventures do they have along the way?
76. Caught in the Act of Time Travel: Characters are caught time traveling by historical figures. How do they explain themselves?
77. The Secret Life of a House Cat: Create a scene exploring the secret life of a house cat when the owners are away.
78. An Emotional Roller Coaster Ride: Characters go on a roller coaster that makes them feel various emotions. Describe the ride.
79. One Minute to Impress Your Future In-Laws: You have one minute to impress your future in-laws. What do you say and do?
80. The Night the Teacher Stole the Moon: Create a fantastical story where a teacher steals the moon. How do the students retrieve it?
81. The Wife's Secret Room of Memories: A husband discovers his wife's secret room filled with memories from the past. What does he find?
82. World of Talking Objects: In a world where objects can talk, create various scenes and interactions between characters and objects.
83. Scenarios in a World Without Night: Imagine a world without night. What scenarios occur, and how do characters adapt?
84. The Improv Game That Came to Life: Characters play an improv game that suddenly becomes real. How do they deal with the consequences?
85. Answers to Life's Biggest Questions: Characters find a book that contains answers to life's biggest questions. What do they ask, and what are the answers?
86. The Stage Where Emotions Are Real: On this stage, actors' emotions become real and affect the audience. What happens during the play?
87. A Restaurant Where You Order Scenes: In this restaurant, you order scenes instead of food. What scenes are on the menu, and what do diners experience?
88. The Room Where You Relive Past Moments: Characters enter a room where they can relive past moments. What moments do they choose, and how are they affected?
89. Wait, We're All Characters in a Play: Characters realize they are all part of a play. How do they react, and what do they do about it?
90. The Matter of the Missing Emotions: Emotions are disappearing from the world. How do characters solve the mystery and restore them?
91. Caught in a Game with Real Consequences: Characters are caught in a board game with real-life consequences. How do they play, and what happens?
92. A Night at the Museum with Living Exhibits: Spend a night in a museum where the exhibits come to life. What adventures ensue?
93. Father's Day in a World of Robots: Celebrate Father's Day in a world where fathers are robots. How do families celebrate?
94. The Wife Who Could Predict the Weather: A wife can predict the weather with perfect accuracy. How does her family react, and how do they use this ability?
95. Hide and Seek in a Haunted House: Characters play hide and seek in a haunted house. What spooky occurrences happen?
96. The President's Secret Talent Show: The president hosts a secret talent show for world leaders. What talents are showcased?
97. One Minute to Create a New World: Characters have one minute to create a new world. What do they create, and how do they populate it?
98. The Dog Who Knew Too Much: A family dog knows all the family's secrets. How do characters interact with the dog, and what secrets are revealed?
99. A World Where Kids Rule: Imagine a world ruled by kids. What laws are enacted, and how does society function?
100. The Improv Show Where Anything Can Happen: Host an improv show where the scenarios are determined by a randomizer. What scenes are created, and how do actors adapt?
101. Caught in the Middle of a Family Feud: Characters are caught in the middle of a family feud. How do they mediate, and what's the resolution?
Conclusion
You've now unlocked a treasure trove of creativity with these 101 unique improv prompts. These prompts are more than just a game or an exercise; they are a portal to new characters, emotions, and stories waiting to be explored.
Frequently asked questions about improv prompts
What are "improv prompts"?
Improv prompts are cues, ideas, or scenarios used to spark the creativity of actors during an improvisation session. They could be a situation, an emotion, an opening line, or even a character like an evil villain or a fortune teller.
How can I incorporate "improvisation prompts" into my drama scenarios?
Improvisation prompts can act as the seed for your drama scenarios. For example, a prompt could be, "two friends caught in a lie." The actors would then use quick thinking to create a scene around this scenario.
Can you provide an example of an interesting improv prompt?
Sure! Here's a quirky one: "You're a poison food taste tester for an evil villain." It presents an interesting character in an unusual job, sparking imagination and potential for engaging stories.
How can "opening lines" serve as improv starters?
Opening lines can set the scene or the tone for the improv situations. For example, the line "I've never been more afraid in my life" might inspire a story of survival or fear.
What's the role of "other characters" in improv?
Other characters add depth and dynamic interaction in an improv scene. They can introduce plot twists, raise stakes, or provide comedic relief.
How can I involve "quick thinking" in improv?
Quick thinking is the backbone of improv! The ability to react spontaneously and weave a coherent story based on prompts, audience suggestions, or other actors' contributions is crucial to improv.
Can improv be used for kids?
Absolutely! Improv can be a fun, educational game for kids. It encourages creativity, teamwork, and self-confidence. Simple prompts like "pretend you are an astronaut exploring space" or "you're a dog who can speak to humans" are great starters.
How does "emotion" play into improv prompts?
Emotion is a key element in creating relatable and compelling characters and scenes in improv. A prompt might call for a specific emotion, or actors might use emotion to add depth to their character's responses.
How are "first-time" participants guided in improv situations?
First-time participants are often given open-ended prompts or encouraged to "yes and" others' ideas. This builds confidence and encourages participation without the fear of making mistakes.
How can "audience" involvement be increased in an improv scenario?
Audiences can be invited to provide prompts or scenarios, influence story development, or even participate in improv scenes. This enhances the dynamic nature of the show and makes the audience feel involved.
Can you give an example of a one-minute improv prompt?
Sure! "A wife finding a second hand on her husband's watch that doesn't belong to her." This prompts the actors to create a concise, engaging scene quickly.
How do "secrets" feature in improv situations?
Secrets can add intrigue and tension to an improv scenario. For example, a character might be secretly the president or have hidden wishes that influence their decisions and interactions.
What happens when a character is "caught" in an improv scene?
This often introduces an element of conflict or a turning point in the story. The characters must then react to the situation, revealing more about their personalities and relationships.
How do I use improv prompts to create a "story"?
Start with the prompt as the basic situation or character, and let your imagination guide the narrative. Improv is about spontaneous creation and collaboration, so be open to wherever the story takes you!
How can improv prompts facilitate the creation of "family" scenes?
Family-related prompts can stimulate a variety of scenes, from funny to poignant. For instance, "a mother and father arguing over who the teacher called about" might lead to humorous miscommunications or deep emotional reveals.
Remember, the purpose of improv prompts is to stimulate creativity and fun. There are no wrong answers, only opportunities for interesting stories and character development!
