Improv Prompt Generator
Pick a cast size and get a scene you can start in one line.
18 original scenes, selected in this browser.
Your scene will appear here.
Try a one-minute scene
Use the setup below to rehearse a scene or start a page of dialogue.
Start at the library desk
- Who
- A library attendant and a borrower.
- Where
- A library desk at closing time.
- What happens
- The borrower describes the umbrella, but the attendant has another claim that matches.
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- Choose who speaks first. Read the opening line aloud once.
- Reply with a detail that makes sense in the scene. The borrower might open the umbrella with one finger, as if they have done it a hundred times.
- Keep going until a character decides what to do. One minute is enough to get started.
Questions about improv prompts
How do I use a prompt on my own?
Choose Solo. Play one person leaving a message, addressing an audience or reacting to an offstage event. Say the opening line, then continue as the same character.
Can a larger group use the three-player scenes?
Start with three players. The rest of the group can suggest a place, take the next turn or listen for a detail worth developing.
Can I write the scene instead of performing it?
Yes. Copy the setup into your notes and write the first reply. Give each character something different to get from the scene.
Will two draws give the same scene?
Draw another scene skips the scene on screen. Each cast size has six scenes, so an earlier one can come up again.
Keep writing from a prompt
Start a scene for existing characters with the fanfiction prompt generator, or use the journal prompt generator for a short solo exercise.