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No one really asks us many questions, let alone frequently. But if anybody did have a question, one of these might be it. So if you want to learn a little bit more about NPP and the style of improv we do, you've come to the right section. These are, by the way, the answers to these questions as we, the No Parking Players (and notably, our webmaster) know them and see them.
What precisely IS improv?
Where do you perform?
How can I get involved?
I've never done improv before, can you teach me?
What kinds of improv are there and what does NPP do?
What are the meanings of some basic improv terms?
What top ten rules of NPP?
Improv is improvisational theatre—a theater art in which there is theater, but without all of the complications of blocking, scripts, and knowing whose turn it is to talk. There are many flavors of improv, but most are striving for more or less the same goal, namely to create something off the top of your heads that seems as though it was rehearsed. Improv can be an idea generator, a warm-up or characterization exercise, or as at usually is in our case, entertainment and fun.
In the course of an improvised scene, the players instantaneously create characters, settings, and conflicts, while delivering spontaneous dialogue (or monologues) and developing plots from spur-of-the-moment inspiration. There is little to no pre-planning, and no pre-scripted scenes, just a lot of practice, and some knowledge of basic improv techniques.
The No Parking Players perform on the Carnegie Mellon campus and in other venues around Pittsburgh. We generally perform a variety of short-form games with some long-form entertainment as well. For information on upcoming shows, be sure to visit the Events page.
Come to our workshops! The No Parking Players meet twice a week. Workshops are held every Sunday from 3 - 5 PM in Baker Hall 235A and every Thursday from 8 - 10 PM in Baker Hall 235A.
I've never done improv before, can you teach me?
Short answer, yes. Long answer, yeess... The No Parking Players think of ourselves as a teaching organization. We hold workshops twice a week in which we strive for a friendly, fun, supportive environment. All skill levels are welcomed, and many people come to workshops having never done improv before in their lives. We teach you basic skills, discuss scenes at times, and offer constructive criticism or suggestions.
What kinds of improv are there and what does NPP do?
There are two basic forms of improv, long form and short form. Short form is what you see on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" In short form, each scene is separate. A scene begins, continues, ends, and is done. This is often done by playing games which allow for a scene to be done, possibly adding in gimmicks. This also includes less scene-based games like game show spoofs, group games, etc. Most of what NPP does is short form.
The other form is, surprisingly enough, long form. Long form spends much longer on one topic. It features many scenes that may include the same characters, story lines, etc. More like short plays or one-acts, but improvised. This style usually requires more advanced performers who work with each other frequently and well. Although NPP has some games that are or border on long form, we don't do it all too often.
What are the meanings of some basic improv terms?
The is quite a vocabulary for improv actors. You can find the NPP's definitions at the improv dictionary
What are the top ten rules of NPP?
There are a number of guidlines that this website has to offer, but none are as important
as the top ten rules of NPP. These are general ideas that help you, an NPP improver,
to perform at your peak.
- NPP is a place to do Improv!; Come to npp to do improv, and have fun.
- Failure is OK
- Support your fellow players
- Don't try to be funny or plan ahead
- Accept, don't deny; in improv everything you say is true
- Raise the stakes
- Yield to the strongest offer
- Make BIG choices
- Show don't tell
- You are not the star