Ding Characters
Ding Characters is a variant of the Ding game in which a bell or signal causes a performer to change their character rather than repeat their previous line. Each ding produces a new persona with different physicality, voice, status, or emotional register, while the scene's action and circumstances continue. The game trains rapid character transformation and physical range.
Structure
Setup
Two or more performers play a scene. A caller (the host or a designated player) stands to the side with a bell or signal mechanism.
Character Ding
At any point, the caller rings the bell. The designated performer (or all performers simultaneously, depending on the variant) instantly shifts to a completely new character: new voice, new physicality, new status or attitude. The previous character is abandoned immediately. The scene's circumstances and the other performer's character remain.
Continuity
The scene continues under the new character. The new character must accept the circumstances already established by the previous character and continue the scene's logic forward, even if that logic is now incongruous with the new persona.
Conclusion
The host wraps when a sufficient number of character changes have been demonstrated or when a particularly rich character transformation produces a strong comedic or dramatic moment.
How to Teach It
Objectives
Ding Characters targets rapid character transformation, physical range, and the ability to commit fully to a new physicality and vocal register instantaneously. It develops the performer's character library and the speed at which they can access different physical and vocal choices.
How to Explain It
"When the bell rings, you're a completely new character. Not a slightly different person -- a completely different person. New voice, new body, new way of being. The old character is gone. Go."
Common Pitfalls
Performers produce character changes that are subtle variations of the same type rather than genuine shifts across the full range of physical and vocal possibility. Challenge performers to move across status (high to low or vice versa), across physical size (large and commanding to small and contained), and across emotional register with each change.
How to Perform It
Audience Intro
"Our performers are going to play a scene, but every time I ring the bell, [performer] becomes a completely different character. Same scene, new person. Let's see how many they can give us."
Cast Size
Two to four performers. The character ding can apply to one performer or all simultaneously.
Wrap Logic
The game ends when the accumulation of character changes has produced sufficient variety or when the scene has reached a natural resolution with an interesting character combination.
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Related Games
Ding
Ding is a short-form game in which a host rings a bell or buzzer to signal a performer to replace their last line of dialogue with a new one. The host can ring repeatedly, demanding multiple replacements for the same moment, each new line erasing the previous one within the scene's reality. The game is one of the most widely performed short-form games in the world, popularized through its frequent appearance on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Ding rewards fast verbal invention, the ability to generate multiple alternatives under pressure, and the willingness to abandon a safe choice in favor of a riskier, funnier one.
Actor Switch
## Actor Switch: Content Actor Switch is a foundational improv structure, frequently utilized as both a game and an exercise. It centers on the rapid and unexpected exchange of character traits or roles between performers. The core mechanic involves one player initiating a switch by verbally or physically signaling another player to adopt a specific characteristic, emotion, or even a complete persona from the initiating player. This creates a dynamic shift in the scene, demanding adaptability and responsiveness from all involved. The origins of Actor Switch, like many early improv games, are challenging to definitively trace. It likely evolves organically within the burgeoning Chicago improv scene of the 1960s and 70s, drawing from techniques explored by Second City and Del Close. No single individual receives credit for its invention, but its consistent presence in improv training materials suggests early adoption and subsequent refinement by numerous practitioners. It serves as a crucial tool for developing active listening and quick thinking. To execute Actor Switch, a scene begins as usual, with performers establishing a baseline scenario. At any point, a player can declare "Actor Switch!" and then specify the element to be transferred, for example, "Actor Switch: Your frustration!" The targeted player immediately embodies that element, integrating it into their existing character or behavior. This process repeats, with players continually switching elements, creating a layered and unpredictable performance. The goal is not necessarily to create a coherent narrative, but to explore the possibilities of character and reaction. Actor Switch offers several benefits. It encourages performers to observe and react to their scene partners, fostering a heightened sense of ensemble awareness. The rapid shifts challenge performers to abandon preconceived notions and embrace spontaneity. Ultimately, Actor Switch cultivates a playful and dynamic approach to improvisational storytelling.
Character Bench
Character Bench is a short-form game in which performers sit on a bench in a public place, each entering with a distinct character who interacts with whoever is already seated. Characters cycle on and off the bench, creating a parade of brief encounters. The game rewards strong character initiations and the ability to build a relationship quickly.
Character Dial-Up
Character Dial-Up is a scene game in which a performer's character traits can be dialed up or down in intensity by the host or audience, as though adjusting a volume knob. At low settings the trait is barely perceptible; at maximum it overwhelms everything else. The game trains performers to modulate character choices across a wide range.
New Choice
New Choice is a short-form game in which a caller interrupts performers mid-scene by shouting "New Choice," forcing the last speaker to immediately replace their most recent line or action with something entirely different. The caller may fire multiple calls in rapid succession, pushing performers through a cascade of alternatives under pressure. The game trains verbal agility, commitment to offers, and the capacity to abandon choices without hesitation.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Ding Characters. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/ding-characters
The Improv Archive. "Ding Characters." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/ding-characters.
The Improv Archive. "Ding Characters." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/ding-characters. Accessed September 28, 2026.
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