Crisis Situation
Crisis Situation is a scene game in which performers are placed in an extreme or emergency scenario that demands immediate action and high-stakes decision-making. The urgency of the premise drives fast-paced, committed play. The game rewards performers who raise the stakes rather than defusing the tension.
Worth Reading
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The Young Actor's Book of Improvisation
Dramatic Situations
Sandra Caruso; Susan Kosoff
The Improvisation Game
Discovering the Secrets of Spontaneous Performance
Chris Johnston
Improvisation Starters
A Collection of 900 Improvisation Situations for the Theater
Philip Bernardi
The Triangle of the Scene
A Simple, Practical, Powerful Method for Approaching Improvisation
Paul Vaillancourt
Drama Games and Improvs
Games for the Classroom and Beyond
Justine Jones; Mary Ann Kelley
Impro
Improvisation and the Theatre
Keith Johnstone
Related Games
Firing Squad
Firing Squad is a scene game in which one performer faces a line of players who rapid-fire questions, challenges, or scene initiations. The solo performer must respond to each without hesitation. The exercise builds resilience under pressure and trains the ability to accept any offer instantly.
Walkout
Walkout is a scene game in which performers can walk out of a scene at any point, and whoever remains must justify the departure and continue. The unpredictability of exits forces improvisers to stay alert and adaptable. The game trains the ability to maintain scene coherence despite sudden changes in cast.
Disaster Movie
Disaster Movie is a scene game in which performers create a scene in the style of a Hollywood disaster film, complete with escalating catastrophe, heroic speeches, and stock character types. The genre's built-in heightening provides a strong comedic engine. The game rewards melodramatic commitment and ensemble coordination under imagined duress.
Shootout
Shootout is an elimination game in which two performers face off and must respond to a prompt faster than their opponent, with the loser being eliminated and replaced. The rapid-fire format builds competitive energy and rewards quick, fearless responses over carefully crafted ones. The game is an effective way to warm up performers for high-pressure show conditions.
Status Party
Status Party is a scene game in which players attend a fictional party, each assigned a specific status number from one to ten. Players interact according to their rank, and the audience or other players attempt to identify the hierarchy. The game teaches how status operates through behavior rather than exposition and builds awareness of social dynamics.
What’s Going On?
What's Going On is a short-form game in which one performer leaves the stage while the remaining performers establish a unusual or specific activity. When the absent performer returns, they must identify what the group is doing through context, observation, and questions, with the group answering truthfully but not giving the activity away directly.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Crisis Situation. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/crisis-situation
The Improv Archive. "Crisis Situation." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/crisis-situation.
The Improv Archive. "Crisis Situation." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/crisis-situation. Accessed September 28, 2026.
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