Introduction
Improvisation is a part of theatre that many people don't think about. I mean, you go to see the play and when you watch it you're watching the script, right? But there's a lot more to it than that! Improvising can be fun and keeps performance fresh. It also helps us get over stage fright, build up characters, understand our characters better, come up with new ideas...the list goes on!
to get over stage fright
Stage fright is normal and to be expected. You're in a new place, with new people and being watched by an audience who have no idea who you are or what your talents are. It's easy to feel like everyone in the room knows how nervous you are, which can cause even more nerves. This feeling is often heightened for actors because we aren't used to being observed so closely in our daily lives. In fact, many of us would go out of their way to avoid it!
But stage fright shouldn't stop you from learning how improv works with other people because there's always a way around it - even if that means taking a few breaks until the nerves settle down before returning for another round of improvisation after some water or tea/coffee has cooled down enough for consumption (or ice cream).
to build up characters
Improvisation is a great way to develop characters and their relationships with each other. When you improvise, you get to see how the character reacts in different situations and under different pressures, which you can then take into consideration when writing the script. You might find that the character changes from being confident to nervous in one scene or that he has a fear of dogs or heights. It's also an opportunity to explore hidden aspects of your protagonist's personality: maybe he had been bullied at school by older siblings? Maybe she has a secret crush on someone else? Whatever comes out in improvisation will help you build up more complex characters who feel more real than if they were only written down as words on paper.
to understand your character
Improvisation is a great way of finding out more about your character. Improvisation can help you work out the background, personality and motivations of your character. You can also practise reacting in front of others to different situations as well as working out how your character would react to other characters.
to come up with new ideas
You can use improvisation to help you think on your feet. If you've ever been in a conversation and felt like you didn't have a good response, or if you're someone who struggles with answers when asked questions, improv may help. You can practice thinking about what other people think of your character or story idea and using that as inspiration for creating new ideas.
This method is also beneficial because it teaches people how to be flexible in their thinking. It teaches them not to be afraid of making mistakes or saying something that doesn’t make sense; instead, they learn how to use those moments as opportunities for growth and improvement!
so everyone has a chance to be in the spotlight
>Improv is a great way to explore your creativity and express yourself in a safe environment. Improv allows you to develop trust with your fellow actors, which helps you feel comfortable being vulnerable on stage. When I was younger I felt insecure about speaking up in front of my classmates or teachers because I thought they would judge me for what I said. As soon as we started doing improv exercises with our class, however, those fears went away because everyone was playing off each other's words and actions instead of thinking about what they looked like or how others perceived them (or perhaps even themselves). It also helped that there were only four other students in our improv class—which meant there weren't too many people watching us at once!
If you're interested in taking an improv class but don't know where to start looking for one near you, check out this website: [Improvisation Institute](https://www.improvinstitute.com/community/?ref=home).
because it's fun
Improvisation is fun because it allows you to try new things, be creative and be spontaneous. You get the chance to be silly, which is something that we don't necessarily get to do as much in life. Even if you're not playing a character, when you take off your mask and become yourself again, it can be nice to let loose and have some fun for a moment.
Improvising is fun and keeps performance fresh.
Improvisation is a great way to keep performance fresh. Improvising is fun, and it allows actors to explore the character in ways that would not be possible if you were simply reading lines off a page. In addition, improvising helps you understand your character better by allowing them to come up with new ideas on how to handle certain situations or how they might respond in particular situations.
Improvisation can also help build up your character's background story which is often something an actor will do during rehearsals for a play; however, this process can be done while performing onstage and may even lead to the development of new scenes within a play that weren't originally intended by its author!
Conclusion
Improvising is a great way for performers to get over stage fright, work on their characters, come up with ideas for scenes, and have fun. Improvisation is also a good way to teach students about collaboration, teamwork, and leadership. It can be used as an assessment tool or even just as a way to practice skills before performing them in front of an audience!