Cultural Fitness for Improvisors

Brief descriptions for common suggestions so you can seem culturally relevant.

[improvliteracy]

Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a long running British science fiction tv show. It follows the pursuits of an alien being called The Doctor, a time travelling adventurer who fights for good. It is known for rabid fans, imaginative plots, occasionally very silly “monster of the week” costumes, and the mixture of lighthearted romps with dark themes and sad content.

The Doctor appears human but is actually the last of a race of aliens called the Time Lords, who were also masters of time travel. Time Lords can regenerate their bodies when they are grievously harmed, which is why The Doctor has been able to be officially played by (as of Nov 2018) thirteen different actors. 12 of the 13 have been men; the most recent has been a woman.

The Doctor travels in a time machine/spaceship called the TARDIS. It looks like a retro British Police Box, which is about the size of 2 phone booths. On the inside, it is much, much larger due to the ability to fold space, leading to a running joke in the series when new people go inside for the first time, saying with wonderment, “It’s bigger on the inside.” 

Keep reading

[improvliteracy]

Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a long running British science fiction tv show. It follows the pursuits of an alien being called The Doctor, a time travelling adventurer who fights for good. It is known for rabid fans, imaginative plots, occasionally very silly “monster of the week” costumes, and the mixture of lighthearted romps with dark themes and sad content.

The Doctor appears human but is actually the last of a race of aliens called the Time Lords, who were also masters of time travel. Time Lords can regenerate their bodies when they are grievously harmed, which is why The Doctor has been able to be officially played by (as of Nov 2018) thirteen different actors. 12 of the 13 have been men; the most recent has been a woman.

The Doctor travels in a time machine/spaceship called the TARDIS. It looks like a retro British Police Box, which is about the size of 2 phone booths. On the inside, it is much, much larger due to the ability to fold space, leading to a running joke in the series when new people go inside for the first time, saying with wonderment, “It’s bigger on the inside.” 

The Doctor typically travels with a companion (sometimes a small group). The companions have varying types of relationships with the Doctor – some overtly romantic, some unrequited crushes, some platonic friendships, some vaguely parental or mentorship. 

The Doctor frequently comes into conflict with evil aliens (and occasionally evil humans as well) but the Daleks are probably the Doctor’s most famous foe. Daleks look like a small garbage can with bumps and a plunger for a hand, but they kill instantly with a laser. They yell “Exterminate” and have a very particular voice. Other foes include the **Cybermen **(robots with a living human brain), and The Master (an evil Time Lord and the Doctor’s nemesis/sometimes friend). 

References you can drop in for flavor:

Phrases:  Allons-y Fantastic! When I say run….RUN! Bow ties are cool! Fezzes are cool! I don’t want to go. (Said sadly) Would you care for a jelly baby? Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey

 A Really Long Striped Scarf (Tom Baker famously wore this in his iteration of The Doctor)

 Actors who played Doctor Who (Most Recent to Original): Jodie Whittaker (2018), Peter, Capaldi, Matt Smith, David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton, William Hartnell (1963)

 The Sad Doctor meme

[improvliteracy]

Genre Review: Film Noir

For the purposes of improv the two most important tropes for film noir are probably the Hardboiled Detective (Private Eye/Gumshoe/Private Dick/etc.) and the Femme Fatale. Film studies majors, please stop reading now. Links lead to brief YouTube clips with examples (either trailers or key scenes). 

Most of the films in this genre were black and white. They are associate with gritty, crime and/or mystery based plots rife with melodrama. Smoking, drinking, and bad personal decisions play heavily over the backdrop of solving the crime. The Maltese Falcon is one of the most quintessential examples of the genre. 

Expository monologues by the main character (usually the Detective) are a popular trope, often describing the way the Femme Fatale walked into his office. 

The Femme Fatale is a beautiful woman, usually in need of assistance, typically putting the main character in grave danger, and often walking the line between stabbing him in the back and kissing him (possibly both). She may be genuine in her need for assistance or simply manipulating the protagonist as a means to an end. 

Jessica Rabbit is a caricature of a Femme Fatale. Humphrey Bogart is what most people likely think of when they think of a film noir detective. 

Other characters you may encounter in a film noir: cops (corrupt or virtuous), The Ingenue (innocent woman, sometimes a foil for the Femme Fatale), gangsters, informants, bartenders, politicians. Themes often include crime, betrayal, corruption, fatalism, cynicism, tragic heroes. The characters are typically in a stylish, high class, retro look, think: fedora hats, suits, spats, evening gowns, nylons, fur coats. Locations can be a mix of seedy to high class, but the Detective’s Office is a key location; others might include nightclubs, mansions, police stations, dark alleys, warehouses. 

[improvliteracy]

SIA

Sia is a singer-songwriter known for the pop/dance genre. She combines powerful vocals and strong beats with lyrics that arguably leave her on the alternative end of the pop spectrum. 

Her breakthrough single was Chandelier. 

She typically appears in public with her face obscured, often by her hair (really, a wig) and outlandish fashion. 

She often hires the same young dancer, Maddie Ziegler, to play roles in her music videos (she is the main actress in the Chandelier video linked above) and occasionally to appear with her in public or ever to appear on her behalf. Maddie Ziegler first came to fame on the reality tv show Dance Moms. 

Sia’s singles include: Chandelier, Cheap Thrills, Elastic Heart, Breathe Me and collaborations with David Guetta (Titanium) and Zayn (Dusk til Dawn). 

Given her style and performance-artist-esque reputation, if you are playing Sia in a guessing game, it may behoove you to clarify that you are NOT Lady Gaga, but...not far off. 

[improvliteracy]

Hamilton: An American Musical

Hamilton is a Broadway musical based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, with poetic license for certain events. 

It was written by Lin Manuel Miranda and combines musical traditions primarily of hip hop and broadway show tunes (though other musical influences can be found throughout). The musical has expressed a commitment to diverse casting, casting people of color as historical figures who are usually read as white. The play frequently touches on immigration and slavery as moral questions and this casting commitment appears central to the ability to tackle those themes. 

Plot summary:

Alexander Hamilton is an orphan who immigrates to the American colonies and becomes embroiled in the Revolutionary War. The play follows his friendship and growing rivalry with Aaron Burr, as well as his friendships and professional relationships with other historical luminaries like George Washington (Hamilton served as Washington’s chief staff aide during the war and later his first Treasury Secretary), James Monroe, and Thomas Jefferson. We also follow his relationship with his wife Eliza (Schuyler) Hamilton and her sisters Angelica and Peggy. 

Romantic subplots include a love triangle between Eliza, Alexander, and Angelica. Hamilton marries Eliza, while Angelica is admittedly in love with him and there is some indication that he reciprocates her feelings (though no contextual or historical evidence suggests that any relationship is ever consummated). Hamilton does have an affair with a woman named Maria Reynolds (and writes “The Reynolds Pamphlet” in his own defense, making things worse), which causes a huge political scandal and seriously damages his marriage. 

Duels figure prominently in the show: Hamilton has personal conflict with Washington in the first act for instigating and then acting as a “Second” in a duel, then the Hamiltons lose their eldest son Phillip to a duel, and Alexander Hamilton eventually dies in the famous duel with Aaron Burr. 

Quick References (generally reference songs and quotes. Links to videos of songs included): 

I am not throwing away my shot

Snapping fingers in the air and saying “Work” -”And Peggy!”

$10 Founding Father (He appears on the $10 bill)

The room where it happens

[improvliteracy]

The Frog Prince

The Frog Prince is a fairytale, attributed to the Brother’s Grimm (though, as with most Grimm’s Fairy Tales, with origins in oral storytelling).  Plot:  - A princess drops her golden ball in a pond.  - a frog offers to fetch the ball, in exchange for her taking him home, letting him eat from her plate, and sleep in her bed. - She agrees, thinking it is nonsense, and runs off when she has the ball.  - The frog follows her to the palace and reminds her of her promise. The King, hearing this, says she must keep her word.  - For three nights, the princess let’s him eat from her plate and sleep on her pillow.  - After the third night, she wakes to find him transformed into a handsome prince, who asks to marry her. She agrees.  - Some versions have her kiss the frog, which turns him into a prince (not the official version, but people will probably expect it.)  References:  - “You have a to kiss a lot of frogs to get a prince” is a common phrase in the vernacular, said to people dating men and having a tough time finding the right one.  - Disney’s The Princess and the Frog is based on this story. It stars Tiana, Disney’s first black Princess, and is set in New Orleans in the 1920′s. In this version, Tiana is accidentally turned into a frog when she kisses a frog prince, because she is not a “real princess.” Hijinks ensue, and Tiana and the frog prince do end up falling in love. 

[improvliteracy]

Donald Trump

I cannot pretend I’m happy about writing this. But let’s face it, you’re gonna get Donald Trump a lot as a suggestion from now on. 

Here are some objective facts: 

- Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States of America (ed. note: ::vomiting sounds::)  - Donald Trump was (and still is?) the head of a multi-national corporation that dealt mostly in real estate development. He owns many hotels and previously resided full time in Trump Tower, a skyscraper in New York City.  - His wife is Melania Trump, the current First Lady of the United States. She is a Slovenian immigrant. Melania is his 3rd wife. His first was Ivanna Trump, and second was Marla Maples.  - Trump has 5 children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric (with Ivanna), TIffany (with Marla Maples), and Barron (with Melania).  - Trump’s Vice President is Mike Pence.  - Some of Trump’s advisors and frontline staff are: Steve Bannon (Previously head of Breitbart News, a far-right conservative media company with ties to the KKK and neo-nazis.), Kellyann Conway (Republican strategist and pollster, does a lot of “spin” for the President.), and Sean Spicer (Press Secretary, known for adversarial relationship with the press.)   - Donald Trump ran reality tv show The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice, a show where people competed to work for Donald Trump. His signature phrase from that show was “You’re fired.” 

Here are bits that are not facts, but you may find useful in doing a scene:  - Trump is often made fun of for his fake tan, looking orange -Also his hair, which is either a dramatic combover or a toupee.  - People may reference the size of his hands or penis, as they were referenced in a primary debate. While the essence of the joke is mocking his insecurity about his body parts, careful because this kind of mocking has tones of ableism.  - His relationship with daughter Ivanka is often mocked, as he stated publicly that if she weren’t his daughter, he would date her.  - HIs relationship with daughter TIffany is often mocked as she is frequently left out, and seems like the “forgotten child.”  - Trump is known for tweeting outrageous opinions late at night.  - He is know for a distinct speaking style, making up words (bigly) or using short, declarative judgements (Sad!).  - Trump has refused intelligence briefings and prefers to get his information from cable news.  - Trump has a distinctive speaking and gesturing style. Currently, the definitive Trump impression is probably Alec Baldwin on SNL.  - Trump is known for a strange and distinctive handshake. He holds the hand for a very long time, and yanks the person’s hand towards him, shaking aggressively.  - Trump has made statements which were demonstrably, provably false, which his advisor, Kellyanne Conway called “Alternative Facts.” 

[improvliteracy]

The Catcher In The Rye

The Catcher in the Rye is maybe the iconic “summer reading” book from everyone’s high school. 

It is a book by J.D. Salinger, a semi-reclusive American author. 

The book is known for dealing with teenage angst. The main character is Holden Caulfield, perhaps the quintessential brooding teenager, and his coming of age story in upper-middle class New York. Holden does a lot of drinking, has a lot of almost-sexual-experiences, and broods vigorously. 

The title comes from a mishearing of Robert Burns’ poem “Comin through the rye” which he imagines to be a giant field of rye grass on the edge of a cliff, where children are playing some sort of game. The eponymous Catcher stands on periphery, catching children who play too recklessly to save them from falling off the cliff. (preventing loss of innocence, basically the core theme of this book)

A number of famous killers/shooters have said that they loved this book or had a copy found on them after their crime (Ronald Regan’s attempted assassin, John Lennon’s killer, etc.). The book is associated with the idea of the disaffected young man. Lots of misogynistic undertones. 

The story begins with Holden being expelled from his fancy boarding school shortly before Christmas break. Before he leaves, he gets into a fight with his roommate who has gone out on a date with a girl Holden is friends with, Jane. Holden believes his roommate doesn’t “appreciate Jane the way he does.” 

He stays in a hotel for several days, not wanting to go home until his parents expect him for Christmas. He has various encounters with women (3 women in their 30′s who flirt with him then leave him with the check, a prostitute who he doesn’t sleep with who comes back to rob him, some nuns, an ongoing romantic interest with whom he has an unsuccessful date because, like all women, she doesn’t get him). 

Holden sneaks into his own home to visit his beloved sister, the only person who gets him. After talking about the catcher in the rye (see above), he sneaks back out and visits his English teacher, who offers him a place to stay. 

He and the English teacher, Mr. Antolini, debate life philosophy (dying nobly for a cause vs living humbly for a cause) while the teacher serves multiple cocktails. Holden leaves after he suspects his teacher of making a pass at him. 

Holden plans to leave New York as head “out west” to live as a deaf/mute, but decides against it once he realizes that Phoebe will follow him and she won’t be happy or safe that way. He resents her for it, but also loves her. (ed note: women, amiright?) 

The book concludes with Holden about to start at a new school, hints that he is sick in some way, and a warning about reminiscing, lest you miss even the people who upset you. 

[improvliteracy]

Genre Review: Horror Movies

Horror movies come in all sorts of sub-genres and crossover genres, but generally, it’s any movie that is designed primarily to scare the viewer. Scares may come anywhere from being startled by “jump scares” to deeper psychological terror. 

Editor’s recommendation: If you’re going to watch one horror movie ever to get a gist of the genre, it should be Scream, specifically because it is a horror movie about horror movies that reviews the tropes of the genre and bases the plot on them. 

Horror movies tend to follow a group of attractive young people who get killed off, one by one, typically but a single scary villain (anything from murderous human to supernatural monster). Many movies have a “Final Girl,” the one character who survives the massacre, who is typically  virtuous/virginal, sometimes is shown to have a connection to the killer, and usually easy to spot as the “main character”. She will often go on to star in franchise sequels (horror movies having a ludicrous number of sequels is also a trope). Actresses who play the Final Girl may also be known as a “Scream Queen” for their association with the horror genre and, well, screaming. Jamie Lee Curtis is probably the most famous Scream Queen. 

Sexuality is often an undercurrent of horror films. Sexual promiscuity is often punished by death and being a “virgin” typically marks a character as safe. 

Going to investigate something alone (a strange noise, the disappearance of someone else, etc.) is typically a death knell for the character. Horror movie characters are often known for doing things that appear very stupid to an audience that knows a killer in on the loose. At this point, movies may subvert this trope to play with the audience’s expectations. 

Jump scares occur when something happens to startle the audience. Often coming after a build up of tense music, something pops out and makes the audience jump. Movies will often play with this feeling, including false scares (e.g. a cat coming out of hiding) or changing the timing of scares (the tense music builds to crescendo where we expect to see the killer, but nothing is there so the audience relaxes, only to have the killer appear moments later with no build up) to throw the audience off. 

The killer/monster appearing to be dead but coming back (either for just one last scare or in a whole new movie) is also a common trope. 

Some horror movies are extremely gory, showing intense violence and realistic blood/guts. 

Found Footage movies were popularized by The Blair Witch Project. The idea is that people were filming (for a documentary or other innocent reason) and were subjected to something horrible, which the view sees through the lense of the videographer. Found footage is usually shaky and deliberately lit weirdly. 

Horror movies often subvert things that are meant to be harmless or innocent and turn them into things to be feared: demonic children, possess dolls, high school prom that becomes a massacre, birds that turn on humanity. They also act as a mirror to show that the protagonists (or humanity in general) holds some fault for the creation of whatever horror is plaguing them. Horror movies may serve to reflect real fears of things happening in society like wars, real epidemics, poverty, communism (remarkably popular), othering, etc. 

Here are some real horror movie villains: 

Michael Myers in the Halloween series - a young boy murders his older sister on Halloween, then escapes a mental institution 15 years later and tries to kill his younger sister Laurie (famously played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and ultimately his goal seems to be killing anyone related to him. Michael Myers is seemingly unkillable (though ostensibly human) and reappears in many sequels despite appearing to die at the end of most movies. Jamie Lee Curtis earned her Scream Queen status in these films.  

Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th series -  Jason was the young son of a cook at a summer camp who died tragically. Originally, Jason was actually his mother, stalking and murdering the camp counselors she viewed as being responsible for his death. In subsequent movies, Jason is revealed to be alive and murdering in part to avenge his mother’s death in the first movie. Jason is another seemingly unkillable villain and is known for wearing a hockey mask. He has appeared in many sequels, including some ridiculous ones like Jason X, where he appears in space and Jason vs. Freddy, a crossover where he fights Freddy Krueger (see below). 

Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series - Freddy is a monster who appears in dreams and is able to inflict damage that translates to the real world (including killing). He appears as a burned man with a striped shirt, fedora hat, and gloves that are tipped with knives. He kills groups of teenagers that live in the neighborhood where his human self was killed (burned alive for being a child predator). 

Leatherface of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Leatherface is a chainsaw wielding killer, who wears a mask made of human skin and is part of a family of cannibals. The family kills and eats hapless travelers who wander onto their property. 

[improvliteracy]

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective who appeared in a series of short stories and several novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle originally set in the Victorian Era. He solves crimes as a “consulting detective” with his friend and companion Dr. John Watson. He iconically wears a Deerstalker hat, usually in houndstooth print and is often pictured with a magnifying glass (to notice the tiny details that are key to his method of crime solving). “Elementary, my dear Watson” is a famous (though incorrect) quote that people will likely recognize, indicating that the solution to whatever problem they are solving is obvious or simple to Holmes. (Holmes says both “elementary” and “my dear Watson” in the stories, but not together as a phrase).

Holmes and Watson live as roommates at 221B Baker Street in London. Holmes is a boxer, a master of disguise, and dabbles in narcotics (cocaine and morphine).

That’s the absolute basics, more detail (supporting characters, etc. after the link)

Holmes is known for deducing seemingly unknowable facts from small details (for example, upon meeting Dr. John Watson, he knows immediately that Watson has come recently from Afghanistan by noting that he is a medical professional, but also has the carriage of a military man [so an army doctor], had come from “the tropics [sic]” due to a tan, and had been seriously injured, which given the military engagements of Great Britain at the time, was most likely to have happened in Afghanistan.) Making deductions like that are key to playing the character.

 Holmes is brilliantly smart and is often portrayed as brusque and condescending. He has few friends and personal contacts.

 Other characters:

Dr. John Watson – Watson returns from the Afghan War in need of a place to live and is introduced to Holmes, who needs a roommate. Watson is intrigued with Holmes’ method and becomes his lifelong friend and crime-solving partner, adding his medical expertise and “human touch” to cases, also acting as documentarian of their adventures (most of Doyle’s stories are written from Watson’s perspective).

Moriarty – Moriarty is generally considered to be Holmes’ nemesis. His appearance in the literature is actually late in the game and gets sort of retconned into being a “big bad” but most adaptations include Moriarty as the major villain eventually.

Mrs. Hudson – the exasperated housekeeper of 221B Baker Street, where Holmes and Watson live.

Irene Adler – Adler appeared in only one actual Holmes story, but is often written as Holmes’ major (and usually ONLY) love interest. In the story, Holmes admires Adler for her cleverness and resourcefulness because she is able to trick him. She is also called “The Woman” because she is, to Holmes, the only woman of any importance. (The literary Holmes is actually extremely misogynistic). She is an opera singer originally, but has been portrayed as a painter, a dominatrix, and an actress in other adaptations.

Inspector Lestrade - Lestrade is Holmes’ primary contact at Scotland Yard. He is a traditional “cop” who comes to respect and admire Holmes’ methods, though he often questions them. 

Mycroft – Mycroft Holmes is Sherlock’s brother. He is older and equally smart or smarter, but has no interest in investigations. Mycroft works for the British government and is portrayed as a kind of “power behind the power” with encyclopedic knowledge of the inner workings of the government. He is a “string puller.”

 Adaptations – There are so many adaptations that Sherlock Holmes is “the most portrayed movie character” according to Guinness Book of World Records. Here are some notable ones:

 Jeremy Brett – Probably the definitive Holmes. He played the character for 4 series (or seasons) on British tv and also on stage. The series and his portrayal is very close to the literature in setting, tone, plot, and characterizations.

 Robert Downey, Jr. – RDJ appeared in two movies as Holmes, alongside Jude Law as Watson. His version played up Holmes’ boxing background, and RDJ’s Holmes was more quippy and insouciant than traditionally played.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Cumberbatch appears as Holmes in a modern adaptation miniseries on BBC alongside Martin Freeman as Watson. The show is merely called “Sherlock” and has a rabib fan base, is known for taking long stretches of time between series, and essentially launched Cumberbatch’s career. Cumberbatch’s Holmes describes himself as “…not a psychopath. I’m a high functioning sociopath” though over the course of the series he does ultimately develop strong personal attachments, especially with John Watson.

Johnny Lee Miller – Milled plays Holmes in a CBS tv drama, also adapted to modern day, but set in New York after Holmes has moved there to recover from his heroin addiction. Watson is played by Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson, a former surgeon in a new career as a sober companion who meets Holmes as he is released from rehab. This is probably the only version where Watson is depicted as female.

 There is a tremendous amount of fan speculation (and fan fiction) about the homoerotic nature of Holmes and Watson’s relationship in adaptations with traditional gender portrayal, though none of it is cannon.

[improvliteracy]

Cleopatra

Cleopatra was the last queen of Ancient Egypt before it became part of the Roman Empire, ruling from 51 to 30 BC. She is one of the most famous female rulers in history, known for her beauty and her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Her life story is the subject of many cultural adaptations including Shakespeare’s tragedy Antony and Cleopatra and the 1963 film starring Elizabeth Taylor.

Hiding in a carpet: Julius Caesar came to Alexandria when Cleopatra and her brother were in a power struggle. Cleopatra was able to sneak in to see Caesar by having herself rolled in a carpet that was presented to Caesar as a gift. The carpet unrolled, she popped out, yadda yadda yadda their romantic liason strengthens her political position and also she has his love child

Cleopatra before bros: You could learn some really complicated ancient political history to understand what happened to the Roman empire after the assassination of Julius Caesar, or you could just say that Mark Antony married Octavius’s sister and then cheated on her with Cleopatra, and became too distracted by her magical vagina to keep his faction happy, leading to Octavius’s winning control of the Empire and Egypt.

Suicide: Mark Antony fell on his sword like a normal suicidal ancient ruler, but Cleopatra had to go out all fancy. The legend is she had an asp bite her breast, but that last detail was probably an excuse for some bare titties in historical art. 

[improvliteracy]

An Improviser's Guide to Video Games

As told by Kevin @kevco542 Video games have a habit of working their way into improv scenes, via a reference to common elements seen in gaming to full-out scenes starring classic characters. Since many of us may not have time to play games, view gaming as too 'nerdy', or may be too young to have tried certain classic titles, this guide will hopefully brief you on a few classic games and how elements from each may be referenced. The Icons of Gaming Super Mario Bros. Features the epic saga of Mario and Luigi  as they travel throughout the Mushroom Kingdom to save the Princess Toadstool from the dreaded Bowser. Starring: Mario: An Italian plumber known for his iconic red shirt, red hat with an "M" log on it, and his denim suspenders. His trademark phrase is "Hey, it's-a me, Mario!" Luigi: Mario's brother known for his identical outfit to Mario, but with a green-colored scheme. They have frequent bouts of sibling rivalry. Princess Toadstool: Sometimes known as Princess Peach. The dainty princess who keeps getting captured by Bowser for some reason. Bowser: Bowser is a Koopa, which is a fire-breathing hybrid turtle/dinosaur thing with a spiky shell. Typically can be seen hiding in castles and kidnapping Peach for some undisclosed reason. Probably because he's a jerk. Toad: Peach's little servant guy, known for being generally useless. Typically appears at the end of each level in the game where he tells you "Your Princess Is In Another Castle!" Donkey Kong: A gorilla that wears a red business tie that appears in some Mario games, including his own original title Donkey Kong that actually had the first appearance of Mario. Likes to throw things, bang his chest, eat bananas, and cause trouble. Featuring: The Mushroom Kingdom: A crazy world full of underwater levels, castles, floating platforms, dungeons, and green pipes big enough to jump in. The pipes often take you to secret areas called "warp zones" that can be used to skip levels in the game. Weird Items: Mario finds items in floating "Item Boxes" which he opens by jumping underneath them. Items include mushrooms (which make him extra tall and able to reach high areas), gold coins, flowers (which makes him shoot fireballs from his hand) and stars (which make him invincible). Catchy jingles: Look up the Mario Bros theme and the Invincible Star theme music online. They're good to know about, and catchy! Pac Man The tale of a little yellow circle thing goes around a maze eating dots. Starring: Pac Man: A little yellow circle thing that goes around a maze eating dots. Inspired by a pizza that had a slice taken out of it (true story!). Makes a distinct 'waka-waka-waka' sound as it travels the level. Ms. Pac Man: His wife. They met while running away from ghosts. They're still happily married. And she hasn't been captured by anyone! Four Ghosts: These guys annoying travel the maze trying to attack Pac Man because they're jerks. Featuring: Dots and Fruit: What Pac Man tries to eat for points and a high score. Power Pellets: Giant dots that Pac Man can eat. Once he does, he becomes invincible and can eat the ghosts. The ghosts then try to flee in a panic. The Legend of Zelda: The epic story of a young lad who is fated to save the kingdom of Hyrule. Usually involves saving the princess and defeating the ultimate evil. Borrows many elements from classic fantasy literature as well. Starring: Link: The protagonist of the series. Wears a green tunic, and is mute. However, he is known for grunting and making loud noises when he swings his sword, similar to pro tennis players. Other than that, he's your run-of-the-mill heroic type. He just takes orders from the gods to go save the kingdom from the dark forces of evil and stuff. Equipped with the legendary Master Sword, a shield, a bow and arrow set, and a trademark ocarina. By playing certain songs on the ocarina, magical things happen like traveling through time and making it rain. Zelda: The princess who gets captured each game. Kinda like Peach….hmmmm…. Gannondorf: The evil King of Darkness that captures Zelda and tries to take over the world. Typically defeated by either being shot with a magic arrow or multiple stabs to the chest and/or head. Navi: Your annoying fairy companion that doesn't shut up and seems to offer trivial advice at inconvenient and inopportune moments. Known for her trademark line, "Hey! Listen!" Featuring: The Kingdom of Hyrule: It has a castle, lots of dungeons, magical species, a bizarro 'dark world', fairies, and other neat fantasy stuff. Food: While you can collect a crazy amount of weapons and items tools for dungeoneering and saving the world, the series also has lots of yummy items that restore your health! Examples include potions, milk, chicken soup, pumpkin juice, and lemonade. Pokemon Go on an incredible adventure as an adolescent who leaves home to become a wandering Pokemon trainer, gain fame and fortune, and ultimately become the Pokemon Master! Starring: You, The Pokemon Trainer: Captures wild monsters, make them fight for money against the beasts that belong to other trainers , and capture all the different kinds of Pokemon out there! This includes rare one-of-a-kind Pokemon and endangered species. Trainers typically go from town to town, defeating any challenger that he sees/ sees him as a threat. Gary: Your childhood rival. He's really a mean jerk. Team Rocket: An evil mafia organization that wants all the good Pokemon for themselves. Hilariously incompetent and never succeeds in their evil plans. Pikachu: The REAL star of this franchise. A cute little yellow mouse thing that shoots lighting bolts at his opponents. Speaks by only saying his own name. Example "Pika-Pika-Pikachu!" *Important: All Pokemon speak by ONLY saying their own name. Inflections are used for emotion very frequently. Featuring: Elements: Each Pokemon has an "element" or theme that their attacks are based on. Some Pokemon shoot lots of fire, some shoot lots of water, some spit poison, some invade your subconsciousness and drive you insane, etc., etc., Other Common Gaming Elements: Health: Your life force, typically measured in a bar, heart icons, or HP (hit points). Health is restored by consuming potions or food. Game Over: A common title card that appears on screen once the player dies or runs out of extra lives. Cheat Codes: By entering in arbitrary button presses or other weird actions, players can skip levels, unlock secret items, and find other easter eggs.    -Examples: Konami Code(up up down down left right right B-A Start)      Princesses: Typically female royalty that is helplessly getting captured all the time (Sadly, there's quite a bit of male chauvinism in game making. It's getting better, but there's still a lot to be done) Treasure Chests: Usually contains helpful items in your quest. It's not like the items can be lying around in the open, so they're often tucked neatly away in a chest for some random adventurer to find. Save Points: Markers that players can find to save their progress in a video game so they can turn off their TV's and go do something else. Weapons: Almost anything can be a weapon. Weapons can either be purchased from the shop in town or found in treasure chests. Special Attacks: By entering in a certain button combination or building up "energy", players can have certain characters unleash unique techniques that inflict MASSIVE DAMAGE.

[improvliteracy]

Star Trek

contra Star Wars

The tricky thing about Star Trek is that anyone giving that suggestion knows more about Star Trek than you ever will. Fans of the franchise, called “Trekkies” (or “Trekkers”, which was originally preferred in-group) are notoriously dedicated/obsessive. 

And there is A LOT of material to draw from: There have been five Star Trek television series: Star Trek (referred to as “The Original Series” or “TOS”), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Enterprise. The only two you really need to worry about are TOS and TNG, which provide the characters in the films (six with the cast from TOS, four with the cast from TNG, and J.J. Abrams’ recent “Reboot Universe” which re-cast the characters from TOS in an alternate timeline.)

The TL;DR version of this primer is handily supplied by the opening credits of TOS:

Space: The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It’s five year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life, and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before...

Click through for some intermediate Star Trek knowledge: 

People to know:

TOS: Captain James Tiberius Kirk (TOS), played by William Shatner, whose acting style is characterized by strangely placed dramatic pauses. Mr. Spock (NOT Dr. Spock, who wrote baby books), played by Leonard Nimoy, Kirk’s first officer and a Vulcan. 

TNG: Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, a more “cerebral” captain. Commander Riker, who climbs weirdly into chairs and played a formative role in the sexuality of many geeks born in the 1980s. Data (Pronounced “Day-tah”), an android. 

If you know ANYTHING about any of the other series, it should probably be Voyager’s Captain Kathryn Janeway. It’s a nice high-status female character to play.

Space Races:

Vulcans are a race that revere logic and suppress their emotions to live by reason. They have pointy ears and greet each other with this hand gesture which means “live long and prosper.”

Klingons are a warrior race with ridged foreheads and darker skin. In The Original Series Klingons were bad guys, but by The Next Generation they had joined The Federation of Planets (the good guys) and a Klingon named Worf was on the Enterprise crew. Klingon has been developed into a complete language that some devoted Trekkies can speak. It you shout and use a lot of hard consonants, you’ll be faking it adequately. 

The Borg are a collective of cyborgs forcibly assimilated from other races in the Federation. They’re known for their ominous catch phrase “resistance is futile.”

Other races you can mention for flavor: Romulans, Cardassians, Ferengi, Bajoran.  

Other Quotes/Concepts:

“Beam me up, Scotty” (TOS) - What Kirk says when he wants to return to the ship via Transporter

“Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a _____” (TOS) - catch phrase of grumpy Medical Officer “Bones” McCoy 

“Tea, Earl Grey, Hot.” (TNG) - Captain Picard’s standard order from The Replicator, which immediately presents whatever food or beverage one needs.

“Make it so.” (TNG) - Another Picard catchphrase at the end of his orders to the crew.

“Set phasers to stun/kill” - Phasers are little handheld weapons; they’re rarely set to kill. 

“KHAAAAAN!” - Hyper-dramatic exclamation by Kirk (in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan)/Spock (in the reboot movie Star Trek Into Darkness) when seemingly beaten by villain Khan Noonien Singh. 

The Prime Directive: Prohibits Starfleet from interfering with the development of other civilizations. [Essentially: don’t be like white Colonialists on Earth.] The Prime Directive is violated allll the time, though.  

Kobiyashi Maru: an unbeatable test that is part of Starfleet Academy training to demonstrate a “no-win situation”. Kirk cheated by reprogramming the test so he could win. 

OK! Remember, TL;DR: Outer space, nerds love it, not Star Wars. 

[improvliteracy]

The Tower of London

This post is brought to you by Matt Solter of 8-Bit, an Arcade Comedy Theater House Team. 

The Tower of London is a current tourist attraction famous for being a prison with many famous occupants, a royal home, and a fortress. It currently houses the Crown Jewels. 

The Tower of London is the oldest fortress in Europe.  Though it actually possesses a classic look more commonly associated with that of a castle, it’s referred to as a “tower,” because... England.

Built originally as a stronghold in 1066 (completed in 1078) by William the Conqueror (the then Duke of Normandy, the Tower saw many additions built over the years by England’s rulers, most notably by Henry III, who in 1240 went all Tom Sawyer on it and whitewashed everything.  

Though many rulers used it as a palace, it’s probably most well known as serving as a prison.  End history lesson.

Notable prisoners held at the Tower:

-Sir Walter Raleigh, most well known for writing History of the World while imprisoned (he was basically treated like a VIP while there), and also credited with introducing tobacco smoking to England, which earned him the prestigious honor of being referenced in a Beatles song.  Cool story indeed.

-William Penn, who understandably had enough of England afterwards and decided to sail across the Atlantic to start his own woodsy commonwealth.

-Guy Fawkes, for torture purposes.  You know Guy Fawkes.

-Anne Boleyn (wife of Henry VIII), who was also executed on the premises and whose ghost is said to still haunt the Tower walls (it also holds a minor reputation as being haunted).

Most executions throughout England’s storied past actually took place at Tower Hill, a place north of the Tower and not within its boundaries, but you’re really splitting hairs at that point.

Currently the Tower serves mainly as a museum, and is home to the Crown Jewels.  It also houses the “Royal Ravens,” which are clipped due to the very English superstition that if ravens were ever to leave its premises, England would fall.

[improvliteracy]

Beyonce

Beyonce is an American Pop singer. 

Beyonce Knowles became famous as a member of Destiny’s Child, an all-female pop/R&B group in the 90′s and early 00′s. Destiny’s Child had a number of extremely popular singles: Bills, Bills, Bills; Survivor; Independent Woman Pt. 1; Say My Name; and Bootylicious all reached No. 1 on the US Billboard charts. 

Destiny’s Child was known for 90′s era Girl Power messages, catchy songs, and a unique fashion style (outfits were matching or highly coordinated, usually dramatic, and typically designed by Beyonce’s mom, Tina.) 

Beyonce was the stand out star and left to pursue a solo career, though the parting seems to have been mostly amicable. The story of Destiny’s Child and Beyonce has parallels to The Supremes and Diana Ross. So much so that Beyonce eventually starred in the film adaptation of Dream Girls, a musical loosely based on The Supremes rise and fall. 

Beyonce’s No. 1 (US Billboard) solo singles have included: Crazy in Love, Baby Boy, Check On It, Irreplaceable, and Single Ladies. [Editor’s note: my personal opinion is that Single Ladies is her most iconic song. The dance in the video is also very recognizable. If you watch only one Beyonce video, I think this is it.)

Beyonce famously dropped a secret album without any marketing or announcement leading up to its midnight release. It debuted at No. 1 Billboard album and caused a media frenzy, 

Beyonce has achieved icon status. She is sometimes known as Queen B or Queen Bey.  Her fanbase is called The BeyHive or The Beyontourage. SNL teased her devoted fans in The Beygency.

She is married to rapper Jay-Z and they have a daughter, Blue Ivy. Beyonce and Jay-Z are friends with The Obamas. 

[improvliteracy]

Quentin Tarantino

Filmmaker who rose to prominence in the 1990s known for ultraviolence, non-linear storytelling, and copious references to pop culture, particularly 1970s exploitation films. Best known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill.

99% of the time the Tarantino suggestion will prompt the improvisors to enter a Mexican standoff (point guns at each other) and start dropping f-bombs. And that’s fine. But here are some other things you can work with:

Verbosity: This is as much a trait of Tarantino himself as his characters, but they tend to be verbose, enunciate precisely, and speak very fast until they get to some crucial words, which they’ll then repeat, s l o w l y. 

Anecdotes: Relatedly, Tarantino characters often tell a long, detailed, trivia-laden story to make a simple point. The story will SEEM irrelevant to the matter at hand until the very end, when its importance becomes clear. And then usually someone gets murdered horribly. 

Non-linear storytelling: Most Tarantino movies incorporate flashback, simultaneous stories, scenes repeated from different perspectives, time jumps... basically all the storytelling tools you have in longform improv. SO GO NUTS.

Music Stings: Good opportunity for support work. Tarantino uses music prominently it often kicks in abruptly. Illustration from Kill Bill:

Feet: May be too obscure for some audiences, but film nerds will recognize that Tarantino has a foot fetish which pops up in pretty much all his films.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Yes, Tarantino films contain a lot of profanity. Consider your audience before blindly leaning into that trope. And even though white people sometimes use the n-word in Tarantino flicks, don’t. 

[improvliteracy]

Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who rose to power in the aftermath of the French Revolution in the late 18th century (1700s), ultimately crowning himself Emperor of France in a 1799 coup d'état. He lead wars across most of the European continent and ultimately died in exile in 1821.

Key points:

Short stuff: Napoleon is known for his short stature, estimated between 5′2″ and 5′4″. UNRELATEDLY (as your friends who have sex with men will confirm), he is believed to have had a small penis. Pop psychology touts the Napoleon Complex, suggesting that some small (height or otherwise) people overcompensate for their size with domineering personalities.

Hand-in-waistcoat: Napoleon is often depicted with his hand tucked inside his vest or jacket as such:

That pose was popular for portraits at the time. It was the Duckface of 200 years ago.

Napoleonic Code: Napoleon is credited with instituting France’s unified civil legal code, which has been co-opted by many countries worldwide, and also the US state of Louisiana. The only reason I bring this up at all is because the Napoleonic Code is discussed at length in A Streetcar Named Desire, so if your scene partner starts imitating Brando, that’s what is going on.

Waterloo: The Battle of Waterloo in 1815 was the final defeat of Napoleon’s army by a coalition of British and Prussian forces. Napoleon’s surrender led to his exile on St. Helena, where he later died (see note below). “Waterloo” is colloquially used to describe the humiliating end of a long struggle.

Exile and death: Napoleon was exiled twice: first, to the island Elba, from which he escaped within the first year, re-emerging as the leader of France in The Hundred Days (a key plot point in The Count of Monte Cristo, but you can probably ignore that unless your audience is a 12th grade English class). The Hundred Days ended with Napoleon’s surrender at Waterloo, and he was re-exiled to the island of St. Helena, where he lived for six years before he died in 1821. Some believe he was poisoned, but the evidence is inconclusive.