Drama Game: Adverbilies

Type:

Improv, Warm-Up

Purpose:

Adverbilies is a dynamic and playful drama game that helps students explore character emotions and physical storytelling through pantomime. It’s perfect for warming up or developing expressive skills!

Procedure:

1. Student A leaves the room so they can’t hear the group’s discussion.

2. While Student A is away, the rest of the class chooses an adverb (for example: happily, sadly, angrily, hungrily, defiantly).

3. A small group of students is selected to be the pantomimers.

4. Student A returns to the room and starts calling out simple activities (e.g., “riding a bike,” “eating lunch,” “sweeping the floor,” etc.).

5. The pantomimers first perform each activity without emotion—neutral faces, simple gestures.

6. Next, they perform the same activity embodying the chosen adverb, making it as clear and expressive as possible.

Example:

The group chooses the adverb “happily.”

• Student A: “Show me how you ride a bike.”

• The pantomimers mime riding a bike with no expression.

• Student A: “Now show me riding a bike as your adverb.”

• The pantomimers mime riding bikes with huge smiles and exaggerated joyful gestures.

Student A continues calling out different activities until they correctly guess the adverb.

Then, switch roles with a new Student A and new pantomimers, and repeat!

Why it Works:

Adverbilies is an excellent way to sharpen students’ non-verbal communication, build ensemble awareness, and stretch their imaginations. It also introduces or reinforces the concept of adverbs in a highly physical and memorable way.

Looking for more improv activities?

This activity in an excerpt from Teaching Improv: The Essential Handbook written by Mel Paradis. This instantly downloadable resource is packed with 16 step-by-step lesson plans that will take the stress out of planning your improv classes. 

Have a comment or suggestion? Leave it below!

---

Beat by Beat Press is the world’s fastest growing publisher of new children’s musicals and teaching drama resources, founded by a team of award-winning playwrights in New York City. Since 2011 Beat by Beat musicals have received over 7,000 productions in 75 countries around the globe.