10 MORE Virtual Theatre Games
Ready for 10 MORE Virtual Theatre Games?
Play these virtual theatre games with your class, troupe, rehearsal, or even Zoom meeting? And check out the original top 10 Virtual Theatre Games list here for even more games.
HELPFUL VIRTUAL HINT - Add a Number to the Beginning of Screennames!
Ask your ensemble to edit their names to include a number, for example: 1 - Meryl Streep, 2 - Jeremy Jordan, 3 - Renée Elise Goldsberry, 4 - Sutton Foster, and so on.
This way players can refer to each other by number in various games, and when a game typically involves a circle to go around and speak you can use numbers instead. Editing your name to include a number is ESPECIALLY helpful when warming up with a new cast or group.
10 MORE VIRTUAL THEATRE GAMES
1. PANEL OF EXPERTS
CATEGORY: Team Building, Improv
OBJECTIVE: Improve “yes, and” improv skills by having a group of players act as a panel of experts on any given topic.
TEAM: Group of 3-4, played in a larger group, one person as the “Host” to facilitate the panel and other players 2-3 as the panel of experts
HOW TO PLAY:
The ensemble comes up with a topic (example: dinosaurs) and the host introduces a show that focuses on this topic and introduces a panel of experts. The host is welcome to improvise the show name, the format of the show, and the specific name, title, and expertise of each expert on the panel.
The host asks the panel of experts questions about the topic.
The panel of experts builds on each other's answers by saying “that’s right” to everything an expert states.
For instance, Expert #1 gives an answer: Dinosaurs could all actually fly, including the T-Rex, and Expert #2 builds on their statement: “That’s right, we have discovered tiny wings on T-Rex fossils!”.
Whatever the experts say is absolutely correct, this enforces the “yes, and” concept in improv.
EXAMPLE TOPICS:
- Dinosaurs
- Gourmet Food
- Switzerland
- Cars
2. BREAK
CATEGORY: Small group, Warm Up
OBJECTIVE: Try to get through the alphabet without laughing.
TEAM: Pairs in breakouts or in front of the ensemble
HOW TO PLAY:
Two players both try to get through the alphabet, one starting from A and going to Z the other starting from Z and going to A without laughing. Both players can try to make the other player laugh but cannot “break” or laugh themselves without having to start over.
This game can be played in breakout pairs or sudden-death style where anyone who breaks is out and another player replaces them until there is a champion!
3. MIRROR, MIRROR
CATEGORY: Physical, Focus, Cool Down
OBJECTIVE: Sync up and focus small groups by reflecting back the exact motions of an identified leader while other(s) play the mirror.
TEAM: 2-3 Players or Ensemble
HOW TO PLAY:
Break up the ensemble into 2 or 3 player groups or complete as an ensemble. One player is active and the other(s) reflect back the exact action of the player as the “mirror”. The groups should focus on following the player precisely and the player should focus on fluid smooth motions without moving too quickly.
When done well an outside eye would not be able to tell who the leader and who the follower(s) are, the mirror should reflect back exactly what the leader is doing in real-time
4. ALIEN, TIGER, COW
CATEGORY: Warm Up, Team Building, Energizer
OBJECTIVE: For all players to commit to an energetic choice of either alien, tiger, or cow.
TEAM: Large ensemble with a leader to count down each round
HOW TO PLAY:
This multiple-round game involves all players selecting and acting out either Alien, Tiger, or Cow.
Alien: Players hold up their finger to their head like an antenna and say “beep, beep, beep”
Tiger: Players throw their hands out like claws and say “Roar!”
Cow: Players put their hands on their stomach with fingers outwards like utters and say “moo”
Leader counts down from three and players must wholly commit to selecting and acting out either Alien, Tiger, or Cow. Once they’ve finished their sound effect they must freeze in position. The leader counts how many Alien, Tigers, and Cows there are in the ensemble. Whichever option has the least number of players acting it out - all of those players are out and must turn off their camera.
Rounds continue until there are two players left. The final round is completed as rock, paper, scissors to determine the winner.
5. ACCENTS
CATEGORY: Warm Up, Improv
OBJECTIVE: Develop specific and strong accents in this guessing game.
TEAM: Single Player in an Ensemble
HOW TO PLAY:
One player will turn around with their back facing the camera. The leader will screen share a set of slides all with one accent listed per slide.
The ensemble will work in their numbered order and say one or two sentences in the accent shown. The player with their back to the camera must listen and guess the accent being performed by the ensemble.
EXAMPLES:
- Scottish
- Valley Girl
- Southern RedNeck
- Posh British
- Jamaican
6. MY PRECIOUS
CATEGORY: Warm Up, Ensemble
OBJECTIVE: Move quickly and pay attention to freeze and unfreeze.
TEAM: Ensemble
HOW TO PLAY:
One player faces away from the camera, they are the “Keeper” and hold ‘the precious’. All other players must stand with their back to the wall farthest away from the camera.
When the Keeper says “Go”, the ensemble can move toward the camera to try to type ‘MY PRECIOUS!’. But if the Keeper turns around everyone must freeze. If the Keeper sees anyone “unfrozen”, that player must go back to the start.
This continues until one player types ‘MY PRECIOUS!’ into the chat. This player now becomes the keeper of the precious.
7. WORD TENNIS
CATEGORY: Warm Up, Small Group
OBJECTIVE: Develop vocabulary and quick thinking with this improv warmup.
TEAM: Pairs
HOW TO PLAY:
Divide the ensemble into pairs in breakout rooms. The players will be asked to think of words according to particular rules that are spelled out in advance of gameplay. Each player will have five seconds to say a word that must adhere to the rules given. If they cannot, their partner scores a point. The first player to five wins the Word Tennis round.
Regardless of the theme or other rules:
- Each player has five seconds to think of a word
- Each word can only be used once
Other rules to make the game more complex:
- Words must be part of a theme that is defined before gameplay (example: Musicals only)
- Words must rhyme
- Words must begin with the next letter of the alphabet
- Words must begin with a different letter of the alphabet
- Words must begin with the same letter of the alphabet
- Words must begin with the last letter of the previous word
- Each letter of the alphabet may only be used as the beginning letter once
8. BREAKING NEWS
CATEGORY: Improv, Scene, Team Building
OBJECTIVE: Improvise a breaking news story one sentence at a time.
TEAM: Ensemble up to 10 people
HOW TO PLAY:
The leader will present a breaking news story (or ask players to come up with topics) and assign roles:
- 2 co-anchors
- 1 weatherperson
- 2 field reporters
- Optional: Sports Caster
- Optional: Producer
- Optional: Interviewee from the Scene
More roles can be defined or doubled. The anchors will introduce the story and pass the mic from reporter to reporter. Each reporter will continue to send the story back to the anchor after they have added something new. The anchors will sign off when the breaking news has been fully reported.
9. CATEGORIES
CATEGORY: Warm Up, Improv
OBJECTIVE: Get used to thinking on your feet with this improv game.
TEAM: Ensemble
HOW TO PLAY:
The leader suggests a topic and calls out player's names who must instantly respond with a word befitting the category. No words can be repeated. Increase the speed of the game to make it more difficult.
When a player stumbles quickly get back into focus mode by eliminating that player or resetting the topic.
10. JOB INTERVIEW
CATEGORY: Improv, Small Group
OBJECTIVE: A player interviews for a job but only the audience and interviewers know what the job is while the player tries to work it out through context clues.
TEAM: Single-player interviewed by another player or a panel
HOW TO PLAY:
One player is moved to the waiting room (or asked to turn off their camera, mic, and sound and will be told in the chat when they can come back). The remaining ensemble decides what job the person will be interviewing for, but does not share it with the player waiting off-screen. The leader chooses someone to interview them or for advanced groups selects a panel of interviewers up to three players.
The player is invited back and the interview begins. The interviewer(s) ask the player various questions about the job and the player must play along until they are sure they know what the job is. When they have learned it they say, “Thank you, interviewers, I hope you will hire me as XXXX”. If they guess wrong the scene is over - this adds good pressure for them to play along until they are absolutely sure they know what the job is!
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100 VIRTUAL THEATRE GAMES
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