8 Things About Me

Setup

• Players sit in a circle or in a configuration where everyone can see each other.
• Each player shares eight things about themselves with the group.
• No preparation or prompts are given: players choose what to share.

The Eight Things Structure

• The number is deliberate: eight facts require players to go beyond the surface information they would share in a normal introduction.
• After the obvious biographical facts are used, players must reach for more specific, unusual, or personal details.
• The exercise does not specify what kind of things to share. Players determine their own level of vulnerability.

What It Builds

• Ensemble knowledge: scene partners who know real facts about each other have material to draw on.
• Psychological safety: the act of sharing beyond the surface signals that the group is a safe place for disclosure.
• Trust: the vulnerability required by eight facts builds connection more quickly than polite introductions.

Facilitation Notes

• The facilitator should participate first, modeling the range and depth the exercise can reach.
• There should be no commentary from the group during each player's eight things. The group listens.
• A brief group response (applause, acknowledgment) after each player finishes is optional but useful.

Variations

• The group votes on which of the eight things to explore in more depth.
• Players must share one thing that is embarrassing, one that is unusual, and one that not many people know about them.