Creating Compelling Characters for Improv Scenes

A key ingredient of a great improv scene is the characters that bring it to life. When I first started as an improviser, my range of characters was limited. I admired my fellow castmates who could instantly lock into a character and bring it to life. I realized that if I wanted to grow as an improviser, I needed to expand my character range. But how?

Over time, I applied the same techniques to character creation that I did in other aspects of my improv work: start with where I’m comfortable and build from there. Through practice and learning from other instructors, I eventually developed and refined these techniques, which have now become an integral part of my teaching curriculum.

When I teach character work, I like to think of it as a layered costume that you can put on as an actor. Each layer adds depth and complexity to your character, allowing you to build from the inside out. The layers are as follows:

1. Yourself: Start with what you know—yourself. Your own experiences and observations are valuable resources for character creation.
2. Personae: Develop a slightly exaggerated and intentionally theatrical version of yourself. This persona is a step away from your natural self, adding a touch of performance.
3. Emotions: Expand your emotional range. How does your character feel, and how does that emotion influence their behavior?
4. Verbal: Experiment with different ways of delivering your lines in the scene. How does your character speak? What’s their tone, pace, and choice of words?
5. Physical: Play with your physicality on stage. How does your character move? What is their posture, gesture, and rhythm?
6. Spatial: Interact with the space around you. How does your character relate to their environment? Are they comfortable, tense, or out of place?
7. Activity: Engage your character in an activity within the space. This can be anything from making a sandwich to reading a book—anything that adds realism and focus to your character.
8. Status: Consider your character’s social or hierarchical status in relation to others. How do they perceive themselves, and how do they expect others to perceive them?
9. Social Relationship: Define how your character relates to others in the scene. What are their relationships like? Are they a friend, a rival, a mentor?

I never ask my actors to apply all nine layers at once. Instead, I encourage them to start with the first layer and build up, one step at a time. As you get comfortable with each layer, add another. But always ensure that you can maintain character consistency before adding more complexity.

Using these layers allows you to build your characters from the inside out. When you reach the third layer, you’ll start to step away from yourself and into the shoes of an entirely new person. Forget about elaborate costumes or exaggerated physical quirks—what truly makes a compelling improv character is their emotional core.

Once you’ve layered on an emotion, pay attention to how that emotion manifests physically. That’s where the fourth layer comes in. Does anger make you clench your fists? Does nervousness cause you to fidget? Use these physical expressions as a foundation for your character. Then, layer on a piece of “business” or activity on top of that physical manifestation. For example, a character nervously pacing while making a sandwich creates a vivid and intriguing picture.

Every movement and inflection carries an implied status. How you stand, how you speak, even how close you stand to someone communicates your perceived social standing. As you move into layers six through nine, you’ll become more aware of how external factors influence your character. These factors include the set and other characters. Allow your character to be affected by these elements. Experiment with open vs. closed postures, eye contact vs. avoidance, loud vs. quiet voices, and other physical and vocal cues.

As you gain confidence in character work, you can begin to explore more complex aspects such as gender, age, and culture. These concepts challenge your skills as an actor and require sensitivity and awareness of your castmates and audience. Our goal is to present characters and scenes with integrity. Therefore, it’s crucial to avoid stereotypes and assumptions about how characters of different genders, ages, and cultures should behave. Stereotypes are lazy and often offensive. Instead, draw from your own unique background and experiences to create authentic and nuanced characters.

One final challenge is to experiment with archetypes. There are dozens to choose from, such as the “overbearing mother” or the “wise old mentor.” Archetypes provide a recognizable starting point for character creation. Use them as a foundation, and then add your own unique twist to make the character truly your own.

I hope this guide offers a fresh perspective on character work in improv. If you’d like to dive deeper into any of these concepts, I’m always happy to discuss them further—feel free to reach out!