The Invocation [[Improv Terms|improv opening]] as taught by Kate Zelensky: - Get the [[Improv Terms|suggestion]] of an object. - Get into a Crescent of Doom. - 4 parts: It Is, You Are, Thou Art, and I am. ## It Is: The group describes the object.  They describe ONE OBJECT and it's surroundings.  - If the suggestion is bicycle and someone says "It is a child's bicycle", then from then on, it is never anything but a child's bicycle.  Not an adult bicycle, not a Barbie bicycle, not an olympians bicycle.  - Be specific with what kind of __ __ you are describing and yes-and closely off that.   ### Example: - "it is a child's bicycle" - "It is bright blue" - "It has a baseball card that is worth a lot of money in the spokes" - "It's a very expensive bike." - "It is in the front yard of a stereotypical suburban house in the '50's" - "It sits on perfectly trimmed grass that is so green" - "It is glistening in perfect summer sunshine" - "It is brand new" - "It has a bow on it and a tag that says "to Tommy. Love, Uncle Ray" - etc... ## You Are:  3+ points of view of what the object means to someone/something that interacts with the object.  - Each POV is represented with 3 lines of dialogue that start "You are...".  - Each line of dialogue is said by a different player.  So that is 3 lines of dialogue for each character, meaning if the group does 3 POV's, that is 9 lines of dialogue.  - Vary the POV's.  In the example of the bike, don't make one POV of Tommy (the boy receiving the bike), one POV another kid in the neighborhood, and the last the uncle.  That's pretty limiting.  Perhaps the POV of Tommy's old bike, the grumpy neighbor across the street, the grass it is sitting on, Tommy's mom who didn't give him the bike, etc...  - Remember to be CLEAR about who or what is speaking.  Use specifics. ### Example: - "You are a VERY expensive gift from my brother to my son" - "You are something he is using to try to be the "fun" uncle" - "You are just too nice a gift for an 8 year old boy!  Why is Ray trying SO hard?" - "You are replacing me as Tommy's new bike" - "You are so bright and shiny and swell, and I am so old and rusty" - "You are taking my whole life and purpose away from me and I hate you for that!" - "You are just another thing to make that nasty little rascal Tommy across the street disturb this nice, quiet neighborhood!" - "You are probably going to tear up my lawn when that Tommy rides you all over the place" - "You are definitely going to make me call the police on that Tommy boy!" We share the dialogue because when we do, we make all characters or POV's or potential scene ideas up for grabs for anyone once we start our show.  Openings are about sharing, always. ## Thou Art:  this is where we lift the object to grand heights the object using dramatic, Shakespearean language...to the best of our ability.    - Remember to make a big cross to a new part of the stage.  Every player says one Thou Art. ### Example: - "Thou art bluer than a young maiden's blue eyes!" - "Thou art worth to much gold to be given to a youth of but 8 years!" - "Thou art a menace to mine home and garden!" - "Thou art my mortal enemy; a younger ans stronger version of me!" - etc... ## I Am:  This is summarizing all the ideas we have built and putting them into ourselves.  - Move back to your crescent as you speak.  Players can say multiple I Am's.  - Have as many I Am's as you like.  You should feel a natural end to this section. ### Example: - "I am new." - "I am a menace" - "I am too expensive" - "I am decorated with a baseball card" - "I am the 1950's" - "I am a gift" - etc... Then the whole team shouts "I! AM! (NAME OF OBJECT)!!!" and someone sweep edits to tell the audience "We're done". ## Kate's notes: - No need to make every object in your invocations evil, damaged, old, dusty, Sad, forgotten.  - Remember to [[Improv Terms|yes and]] very closely in the It Is and You Are sections. Listen to the last thing said.  - Fill your You Are’s with more info. Repeat the details your teammates set up.  - Thou Arts are not you saying things that have already been said verbatim in a silly voice. They should be EXHAULTING the very essence of the object and all the qualities you have given it.  - No jokes. They don’t work as scene ideas.  - Move your feet WHILE you’re saying your I Am’s. Don’t leave air/silence. Walk and talk.  - [[Improv Terms|Initiations]]: SPECIFICITY. CLARITY. JUST SAY YOUR IDEA.