Creating Your Environment

In improv performances, its just the actors on stage with little to no props (maybe a chair if that). It's up to them to take the audiences suggestion and create an environment for the scene to unfold. The way the actors walk thru the space, pretending to interact with non-existent objects helps the audiences' imaginations visualize the setting of the scene. In the improvisers mind they need to be very specific with what they are envisioning the environment to look like. If its an apartment, is it vintage or a high rise... is the furniture modern or classic... have they lived there long is it homey??? This ablity to create an environment on stage is called "scene work" and it is a noticable sign of an outstanding improviser when its done well! Outside the theater walls, the ability to create your own environment is equally important. It takes sometime to settle into a new city, explore what is important to you, finding friends that connect with you, and overall just feel at home. After all, your environment is a big part of your life... it sets the stage for you to live out a good performance.