Blog #9 - The Green Room Guide

​written by: Beth Jones

Tips and Rituals to Guarantee a Great Show
It’s show day. Your nerves are taking over, your head is swimming with worry, and your group chat is popping off. After a full day of being lost in your mind, you have just fifteen minutes in the green room with your team to set the tone and mentally prepare for your show. Here are five tried-and-true tips that will help you and your teammates maximize your time together and take the stage with confidence!

1. Blindfold Yourselves and Tell Secrets
If you forgot your show day blindfold, a sock will do the trick. The goal here is to heighten your listening and speaking skills, which are crucial for any improv show. Once everyone’s eyes are covered, one person starts by sharing a secret. The more embarrassing or incriminating, the better. Improv teams are built on trust, and what better way to test that trust than to share something shameful or illegal? If you’ve ever committed adultery, murder, or mean girl behavior, this is the time to come clean. A good green room confession will leave you feeling light and free and ready to take the stage! Industry tip: have an NDA handy just in case.

2. Scream Affirmations Into Each Other’s Mouths
Have your team circle up and hold hands. The person with the shortest fingernails goes first. To kick this game off, the player starting (Person A) will turn and face the player to their left (Person B) and make intense eye contact for at least fifteen seconds. When Person B starts feeling uncomfortable, they will signal they’re ready to stop by opening their mouth as wide as they can. Person A will lean in as closely as possible without touching lips, burp, and then scream positive affirmations directly into Person B’s mouth. This continues around the circle until everyone has screamed and received a scream. Industry tip: this warmup is most effective if Person B inhales while the affirmation is being shared, to fully receive the scream and its sentiment.

3. Trade Shoes
Veteran performers already know this, but you should never wear your own shoes onstage! About five minutes before the show starts, have everyone take off their shoes and throw them in a pile. One by one (and this works best if everyone is still blindfolded) each player will extend both of their arms and lean forward into the pile. Whichever two shoes they touch will be the shoes they wear for the show! The goal here is to step out of our comfort zones. If you’re struggling to keep a huge shoe on your petite little foot, or if a shoe barely fits and it’s painful to edit a scene, you’re doing it right! Shifting our focus from our head to our toes keeps our minds off our own nerves and insecurities. Industry tip: if you’re recording your show, try not to cry or limp.

4. Summon a Demon
This is a helpful ritual for any show. If your theater doesn’t have a green room Ouija board, you can BYOOB. To summon the demon, turn off the green room lights and gather around the board. One brave player will need to place their fingers on the planchette and say “Hello,” which sends a signal to Hell and invites any demonic spirit to come forth. When the room starts to smell like egg salad, you’ll know he’s arrived. Since you’re pressed for time, simple Yes or No questions will be most efficient here, so make sure you’re concise and intentional. If the demon is in the mood to play, he won’t manifest physically. You’ll instead feel a cold wind surround you onstage, signaling a transference of confidence, wit, and skill. People in the audience will think your team is on fire! But really, it’s the handy work of your secret green room demon. They’re really very supportive. When the show is over, don’t forget to say “Goodbye” before packing up the Ouija board and sending the demon back to Hell. Industry tip: if you’re recording your show, don’t forget to thank Satan.

5. Hairbrush Circle
This works best when done last, just before taking the stage. Have everyone circle up and turn to the side so each person is facing the back of someone’s head. Think of this like a massage train, but with hair brushing! With team hair brushes in hand, everyone will begin to brush the hair of the person in front of them. In unison, everyone will brush three strokes with the right hand, three strokes with the left, and then pause to whisper something nice into their partner’s hair. The hair will absorb the compliment, send the positivity to the scalp, and the follicles will hold that memory until it fades or washes out. The combination of synchronized brushing and hair whispers has been scientifically proven to transform your mindset and make you completely stage-ready. Industry tip: this does not work on wigs, merkins, or toupees.

Next time you’re in the green room, give these things a try! Your team will feel more confident and connected than ever before. That’s a guarantee!

Beth Jones graduated from the improv program at Dallas Comedy House in 2016 and has since worn many hats within the community. (But not actual hats—she looks terrible in those.) Outside of comedy, Beth loves arts and crafts, estate sales, and her dog, Pepperoni. If you’re nice to her, she’ll invite you over for Art Club or tea! She’s thrilled to be a DICF producer and can’t wait for the big event.