Yes-And Story
The group constructs a story one sentence at a time in a circle, each sentence starting with 'Yes-And.' Practices listening and building without trying to be clever.
Worth Reading
See all books →
Putting Improv to Work
Spontaneous Performance for Leadership, Learning, and Life
Greg Hohn
Group Improvisation
The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games
Peter Campbell Gwinn; Charna Halpern
Creating Improvised Theatre
Tools, Techniques, and Theories
Mark Jane
Long Form Improvisation and American Comedy
The Harold
Matt Fotis
How to Improvise a Full-Length Play
The Art of Spontaneous Theater
Kenn Adams
Process: An Improviser's Journey
Mary Scruggs; Michael J. Gellman
Related Exercises
Swedish Story
Swedish Story is a collaborative circle exercise in which participants build a story together, each adding a short segment before passing to the next person. The exercise encourages spontaneous contribution and acceptance of others' narrative directions.
Story Circles
Story Circles is a collaborative storytelling exercise in which small groups sit in circles and build stories together, with each person contributing a segment before passing to the next. The exercise develops listening, narrative awareness, and the ability to build on others' contributions.
Alphabet Soup
Alphabet Soup is a verbal exercise in which players contribute to a group story or conversation while each player's contribution must contain a word beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. The game builds verbal flexibility and listening within a shared narrative frame.
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.
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.
One-Word Sentence
One Word Sentence is an applied improvisation exercise in which a group constructs sentences collaboratively, with each participant contributing exactly one word at a time. The exercise trains deep listening, the ability to release individual control over direction, and the practice of building shared meaning one unit at a time.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Yes-And Story. Retrieved March 19, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/yes-and-story
The Improv Archive. "Yes-And Story." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/yes-and-story.
The Improv Archive. "Yes-And Story." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/yes-and-story. Accessed March 19, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.