Maurice sat on the floor in the drama room. His first improv class was about to begin. He had wanted to take improv, short for improvisational theater, since he and his dad had watched a cool comedy show on TV. His dad said the show didn’t have a script. The actors just made things up as they went along. Maurice didn’t know if he’d be able to think that quickly and be that confident, but he wanted to try.

The teacher started by telling them about the word chivalry. In improv, chivalry means not holding on too tightly to your own ideas or character. It means being willing to let go of control and try someone else’s ideas. It means always saying yes and being willing to change. In improv, change is good!

The first exercise the class did was a game called “And Then.” One player sits in the middle of the group. The other people take turns giving the middle player a scenario to perform, like “eat an ice cream cone.” The person in the middle acts out the scene. When they are finished, they ask “and then…?” Now another person suggests what happens next. The goal of the game is for the people in the group to create a story out of all the tasks they are giving to the middle person to act out.

Maurice was chosen to be the person in the middle. He couldn’t wait to try it. First, someone told him to run a race. He pumped his arms back and forth and lifted his feet up and down to pretend he was running. He even pretended to wipe sweat off his forehead. He said, “and then….?”

The next person told him to stop to get a drink of water. So he acted like he was stopping at a rest station and taking a cup from a volunteer. “And then…?”

Now he was supposed to trip and fall. Maurice didn’t really want to act that out. He would have preferred to cross the finish line and raise his arms in victory. He was about to do that when he remembered about chivalry. He needed to be able to try someone else’s ideas. So he sprawled on the floor.

The class laughed and cheered. Maurice felt great. Improv was a lot of fun. He couldn’t wait for the next game.