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Forget the Alphabet

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by Lauren Schaefer, copyright 2009. All rights reserved. This article may be copied, posted, or repeated provide credit is given to both the author and Pan Theater. A link to http//:www.pantheater.com must appear in the article if printed online.

For the longest time during my improv career I had a condition; I could not come up with creative improv scenes. Every suggestion I was given was exactly what I put into my scene. The audience suggested a toaster- I did a scene about a toaster. The audience suggested a brain tumor- I did a scene about a brain tumor. The audience suggested porno…well you get the idea.

I could not find a way out of my rut. I thought my condition was permanent and that I would forever me a limited improviser until a fellow improviser taught me a great skill: Forget the Alphabet.

With my condition, I would constantly jump from A (Suggestion) to B (Immediate thought.) My fellow improviser told me to forget about B and skip straight to C. Instead of going with your first thought, go with what your first thought makes you think of.

For example, if the suggestion is “reindeer”, my immediate thought is “antlers”. SKIP IT! Skip B and go to C.

So if “antlers” is B, my next thought that comes to mind based off of “antlers” is “hunter.” Go with “hunter.” “Hunter” is your C.

This thought process really got me thinking more out-of-the-box and my condition was cured! Now if the audience suggests “toaster”, I think “Grandma” (A: toaster-B: breakfast- C: my grandma always made great breakfast.)

Now if the audience suggests, “brain tumor,” I think “dog” (A: brain tumor- B: surgery- C: my dog just had doggy surgery)

And if the audience suggests, “porn,” I now think “ex-girlfriend” (A: Porn- B: disgusting girls- C: my brother’s ex-girlfriend.)

So for any fellow improvisers that are in the same rut that I was, I strongly suggest this tool. Through it, I have learned that the suggestion is just a starting point. It doesn’t matter if you use the suggestion literally. What matters is that you do good improvisational work.

A, C, E is sometimes the the way to go in an improv scene. The “suggestion” is the starting point not the ending point.