Same Time Story
Same Time Story is a collaborative exercise in which two or more performers tell a story simultaneously, attempting to say the same words at the same time without prior planning. The exercise demands extreme listening and the willingness to follow collective impulses. It is a powerful demonstration of group mind when executed successfully.
Worth Reading
See all books →
112 Acting Games
Gavin Levy
Improvising Real Life
Personal Story in Playback Theatre
Jo Salas
Playing Along
37 Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisational Theater
Izzy Gesell
Group Improvisation
The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games
Peter Campbell Gwinn; Charna Halpern
Teaching Improv
The Essential Handbook
Mel Paradis
Drama Games and Improvs
Games for the Classroom and Beyond
Justine Jones; Mary Ann Kelley
Related Exercises
Story Time
Story Time is a collaborative storytelling game in which performers take turns contributing to a shared narrative, each picking up exactly where the previous teller left off. The story may pass on a word, a sentence, or at the tap of a facilitator. The game trains narrative listening and the discipline of serving the story rather than steering it.
Word-at-a-Time Story
Word at a Time Story is a foundational ensemble exercise in which participants collectively build a story by each contributing one word at a time. The exercise develops group attunement, the ability to surrender individual narrative control, and trust in collective intelligence.
Story String
Story String is a collaborative storytelling exercise in which each performer adds a sentence or beat to a shared narrative, building a continuous story that passes through the entire group. The exercise develops listening, narrative awareness, and the ability to advance rather than redirect a story.
Shared Activity
Shared Activity is a scene exercise in which two performers engage in a common physical task together, such as cooking, cleaning, or assembling furniture, allowing the activity to ground the scene in specificity and provide natural opportunities for dialogue. The exercise teaches that doing something together is often more engaging than talking about something.
Telltales
Telltales is a storytelling exercise in which performers share short personal or fictional anecdotes and the group identifies the dramatic elements, emotional beats, and scene potential within each story. The exercise bridges personal narrative and improvised performance, teaching players to mine stories for their scenic essence.
True Stories
True Stories is an exercise in which performers share real personal stories that serve as launching pads for improvised scenes. The authentic emotional content of the true story grounds the subsequent improvisation in genuine human experience. The exercise bridges personal narrative and collaborative performance.
The Lineage
Explore the schools and structures that influenced or evolved from Same Time Story.
112 Acting Games (Levy)
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Same Time Story. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/same-time-story
The Improv Archive. "Same Time Story." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/same-time-story.
The Improv Archive. "Same Time Story." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/same-time-story. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.