Besides taking your team out on an exciting adventure or going bar-hopping on a company-sponsored night out, there are other fun team-building activities that you can try to strengthen your team’s bonds. One such activity is theatrical improv, which uses games and exercises based around the theater to improve your team’s communication skills and encourage cooperation. Whether you’re a team of coworkers or friends, these theatrical activities will be fun and engaging for all involved.

Types of Theater-based Team Building Activities

Theater-based team building activities come in all shapes and sizes. These activities build teamwork and communication skills by encouraging creativity, listening, and quick thinking. Some of the different types of theater-based team building activities include:

Pass the Energy Circle

For this game, you will need to stand in a circle. Start by having one person throw an imaginary ball to another person across the circle and say, “pass it on.” The second person then throws the ball back to the first person and says, “keep it going,” as they pass the ball back. This continues around the circle until a new person takes over and says, “stop.” Everyone then freezes in place, trying to keep the energy going around them. To add a bit of competition to this game, you can have teams compete against each other.

Who’s Got It?

In this game, one person leaves the room or turns their back while another thinks of a story or situation with two characters. They then try to convey the situation in one sentence without saying words that reveal who is involved. For example, if their story was about two friends going out for ice cream after school, they might say, “John and Mary took turns walking down the street.” As soon as the person guesses what is happening, the next person takes their turn thinking of a story.

Freeze Tag

This classic childhood game can easily be tailored for a group of adults. To play, choose one person to start as “it.” This person then chases down other players, tagging them. Once someone is tagged, they must freeze in place until another player comes to tap them on the shoulder, at which point they are unfrozen and can start running again. When everyone has been frozen, the game is over, or the ” it ” person tags everyone.

Try Not to Laugh

In this game, players must resist laughing at someone else’s expense. To start, have everyone sit in a circle. Then, one person begins by making a funny face or telling a joke. The next person then tries to make an even funnier face or tell an even funnier joke. Players can even walk around the circle, depending on their group’s size. The goal is to see who can make it all the way around without laughing. This continues around the circle until someone cracks and laughs, at which point they are out of the game. The last person standing is the winner.

Pass The Clap

This game is similar to “Pass the Energy Circle,” but with clapping instead of an imaginary ball. One person starts by clapping their hands together and then passing the clap to another person in the circle by hitting their palms against theirs. That person then passes the clap to someone else, and so on. The game is over when someone makes a mistake or can’t keep up with the clap. You can play this game in other variations, such as counting or the alphabet.

Drama-Freeze

One person comes into the room in this game and starts moving around exaggeratedly. Everyone else must then freeze in place, not making sudden movements or facial expressions until “it” leaves. If someone breaks before leaving, they are out of the game. The last player standing wins and gets to be “it” for the next round. It’s not compulsory, but you can play this game in other variations, such as a drama queen or “hipster.”

Simon Says

This classic game can easily be tailored for a group of adults. To play, choose one person to start as “Simon.” This person then gives directions to everyone in the game, like moving around the room or jumping up and down. They must do what Simon says without making any mistakes until Simon says, “Simon says stop.” At that point, anyone who is still following Simon’s commands is out of the game. The last player standing wins and becomes “Simon” for the next round.

Many theatrical activities can be used for team building. Some of the most popular include free-form improv games where everyone works together to create something based on only a few directions from the organizer, acting challenges that require cooperation and communication, and memory or word games that test how well the team can work together. 

Team building activities should be fun for everyone involved, so choose ones that everyone will enjoy. With a little creativity, you can develop some truly unique and memorable games that will help your team bond and grow closer together.