Resource: Tons of Opening Line Prompts!

If your students are having a hard time getting their scenes started, we’re here to help with 50 opening line prompts! Use them for scene devising, playwriting exercises, improv games, and more. They’re great for games like Actor Switch or Scenes From a Bag. Print a bunch of prompts out, cut them into slips of paper, toss them in a bag, and let your students choose their opening line at random.

Bonus: If you need even more prompts, we’ve got tons in our collection, as well as 50 additional prompts in the giveaway link at the bottom of this page. Have fun!

1. Good morning!
2. Where were you?
3. Help me please!
4. Watch where you’re going!
5. I forgot my homework.
6. I seem to have misplaced my pants.
7. Hi, how can I help you today?
8. How’s it going today?
9. Have you seen my water bottle?
10. I’m sooooo hungry!
11. I can’t believe I lost my ticket.
12. Wait ’til you hear this!
13. Doctor, I’m not feeling very well.
14. Here’s your package, if you’ll sign here please.
15. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…
16. Hot dogs! Peanuts! Cotton candy!
17. Did you hear that?
18. Oh no, it’s raining!
19. Look at that! It’s huge!
20. What are you bringing to the picnic?
21. I’m down to 1%…
22. Do you smell something?
23. Brown pants and black shoes? Who wears that?
24. Hello? Anyone home?
25. Now everyone, gather around please…
26. Go ahead and flip that switch over there.
27. I got the eggs and milk, but they were out of bread.
28. Can I ask for your opinion on something?
29. That puppy is so cute!
30. Congratulations on your victory!
31. Happy birthday!
32. I’m feeling really scared…
33. Ouch! I stubbed my toe!
34. Can you answer the phone please?
35. Now, where are the instructions?
36. I just saw the strangest thing…
37. Which do you like better: cake or pie?
38. Why are you all wet?
39. All aboard! Next stop… Springfield!
40. That’s it… I quit!
41. I didn’t say we should do that!
42. I’m sorry, you can’t bring that in here.
43. What are you doing here?
44. That will be $10, please.
45. What’s for dinner?
46. I’ve never seen anything like that before!
47. First, you need to unlock it.
48. I don’t understand this. Can you help?
49. Now, this one is incredibly rare.
50. Ok everyone, the race is about to start!