60 Second Alphabet

From Scratchpad

60 Second Alphabet is an improv game played by the Ship of Fools and Purdue Improv Club.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Setup 2.1 Necessary Equipment 2.2 Performers 2.3 Leaving the Room 2.4 Audience Suggestions 3 Rules 3.1 Example 4 Traditions 5 Distinguished Performers 6 Memorable Games 6.1 Record 6.2 90 Second Backwards Alphabet 7 Variants

[edit] Origins

This game is inspired by the Whose Line game "90 Second Alphabet". It was cut down to 60 seconds because that's how we roll, through the alphabet, in the time it takes Drew Carry.

[edit] Setup

[edit] Necessary Equipment

No special equipment is necessary.

[edit] Performers

This game is for two performers.

[edit] Leaving the Room

No one must leave the room for this game.

[edit] Audience Suggestions

The audience will suggest a letter the alphabet to start on, and a relationship between the 2 performers.

[edit] Rules

The 2 improvisationalists will alternate lines in the scene. The first line must start with the letter suggested by the audience and each subsequent line must start with the next letter of the alphabet from the line preceding it, this continues until the the original letter is reached or until 60 second expires. If the latter occurs, it's kind of a bummer.

[edit] Example

Let us say for example the Alex "SOG" Semchuck and Kyle "Sweet Speak" Dejute are given the letter X and the relationship of Farmer and Crop. The scene would go something like this:

• Kyle: Xavier, why haven't you watered me?

• SOG: You'll have to wait until I slaughter the Cows.

• Kyle: Zounds, that'll take forever, and I'm parched.

• SOG: Alright hold on, let me clean this ax.

• ...

• SOG: Well I hope you're happy.

• Kyle: Xylophone music makes me grow faster.

[edit] Traditions

This game is typically played by those members of the Ship of Fools who are majoring in Liberal Arts.

[edit] Distinguished Performers

Members of the Ship of Fools who have traditionally done well at this game have included:

• Paul "CMG" Kuliniewicz
• Jeff "Spanke" Spanke
• Alex "SOG" Semchuck
• Kyle "Sweet Speak" Dejute

[edit] Memorable Games

[edit] Record

The current known speed record for 60-Second Alphabet occured at the Halloween meeting on October 27, 2006, when Spanke and SOG sped through the alphabet in 42 seconds.

[edit] 90 Second Backwards Alphabet

At the 2007 Spring Semester Finale SOG and Sweet Speak performed a 90-Second Alphabet in reverse order (starting from "L" and going backwards) in only 70 seconds.

[edit] Variants

In the Spring of 2006 the Ship of Fools invented a variant of 60 Second Alphabet called 60 Second Perm.