Props

In theatrical terminology, a prop (short for theatrical property) is any movable or portable object an actor uses on stage or screen during a performance, distinct from scenery, costumes, and electrical equipment. Props include handheld items such as books, cups, weapons, and tools that actors interact with, and serve to create a realistic setting, convey information, or add to storytelling by showing details about characters or the environment. In improvisation, however, performers rarely use actual physical props; instead, they rely on object work, the technique of miming props through gesture and physicality to establish imaginary objects convincingly. When real props do appear in improv, they are most commonly associated with the short-form game also called Props (or "Props Scene"), popularized by the television program Whose Line Is It Anyway? In that game, two teams each receive an unusual object and compete to find as many creative, unexpected uses for it as possible, generating comedy through rapid recontextualization. Beyond the game format, some long-form and experimental ensembles incorporate real props strategically, using a single physical object as a catalyst for scene initiations or thematic throughlines. Whether mimed or physical, the way a performer handles props communicates character, status, and environment to the audience.