1. GENERAL HEADING: Warm-up Exercises

2. TITLE OF EXERCISE: "The Name Game"

3. GOALS: To familiarize a group with everyone's name; to build concentration and alertness; to generate specific physical and vocal responses to other players; to raise the energy level and volume of a class.

4. NUMBER OF STUDENTS: Groups of eight or larger

5. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: Chairs are useful, but could be dispensed with.

6. CLASS TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

7. STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION:

• All players sit in a circle.
• Each player presses his/her hands together with fingers pointing outward.
• Player 1 begins by pointing at some other player and saying his or her name then counting rapidly to ten.
• Before the number ten is reached, Player 2 must point at some other player, say his or her name, and begin counting to ten.
• No stumbling or "er-ing" is allowed. A player who fails to respond by pointing at another player and saying the correct name before ten is reached is eliminated, and must rise and stand behind his or her chair. To speed the game, the count may be shortened to five. The last player remaining seated is the winner.

8. POINTS FOR OBSERVATION, DISCUSSION: Responding to verbal and visual cues; tension and relaxation; development of ease and rapport within a group.

9. REFERENCE: Phillip Joseph, from ACTER (A Center for Theatre, Education and Research at UNC-Chapel Hill)

10. ADDITIONAL READING: N.A.

11. VARIATIONS: related to "Zip, Zap, Pow"