Improv Everywhere

Improv Everywhere. I looooove Improv Everywhere. They are a fantastic group that likes to make scenes in NYC. They do random stuff like ride the subway with no pants on or get hundreds of people to randomly freeze for five full minutes in Grand Central Station or have a bunch of men walk around Abercrombie without shirts on. Hilariously awesome things. I have aaaaalways wanted to be a part of one of these. I thought it would be FANTASTIC!! Buuuutttt it is based in NYC. And I didn't live in NYC. But I do now!!! Annnnnddd they had an event while I was here!! AND I participated in it!!!!!!!!!!

I participated in what they call the MP3 experiment. This is where hundreds and hundreds of people all show up at the same place together with their iPods. This time it happened to be on Governor's Island. I really like that place. It's a happy little family focused place with really strange art and I like it. So, we took the fancy ferry out and hung out for a bit until the moment came. Ahead of time everyone downloaded this app and at the exact same moment everyone's iPods started to play this track. For the next 45 minutes we all just did what the track told us to and ooooohhhh man did it tell us to do some hilarious stuff.

Ahead of time I knew it would be the most epic time ever since the list of supplies requested were a white bed sheet, a musical instrument, a shower cap, something hard and flat, something soft, and a water gun. Yah. Only good things can come with a list like that. It all started with everyone simultaneously falling to the ground. Then we all lay there together breathing deeply for a good couple minutes and then everyone stood up quickly. Can you just imagine being people not in on it and watching a couple hundred people suddenly falling to the ground, lay there for a couple minutes and then suddenly getting up again at the same time? Oh, it was awesome!

We were split into two teams. Anyone with a birthday before July was to wear a solid color and anyone with a birthday after was to wear black or white. We then participated in the olympic games; an epic battle of the color team vs the monochrome team. Anyone not participating (not listening to the track) was considered a fan. At one time we were all to go and find a fan and follow their every move. There would be a man standing there and a line of twenty people standing behind him copying his every move. We also high fived the fans, obviously.

The actual Olympics were hilarious. We did improvised synchronized group interpretive dancing. Oh, and there couldn't be a group leader either. We walked in slow motion. We walked in super slow motion. It was hilarious. And got more and more funny. We all put sheets over us and walked around like ghosts. If you ran into someone you had to immediately turn 180 degrees and kept walking. Those sheets were also used as capes, obviously. Everyone had their capes on and had to run to the meeting point. Cali and I were already there so we just ran around in our capes when all of a sudden, an extra couple hundred people came running over this hill wearing capes! It was seriously a sight to see. We took the sheets and got into teams and shot stuffed animals into the air using the sheet like in water balloon volleyball. After that, we use the sheets to create one giant canopy. A giant giant canopy of sheets with hundreds of people underneath. Oh. It was just soooo much fun!!

The grand finale was the water gun fight. We split into our two teams. Okay, picture this. Hundreds and hundreds of people. On one side of the field you had everyone wearing colors. On the other side everyone was wearing black and white. Suddenly, they all are putting on shower caps. When everyone has their shower caps on they all pull out musical instruments. First, the colorful team screams and yells and plays their instruments. Then a short moment of silence followed by the black and white team playing their instruments. Once the battle cries are over, the two teams all hold their colorful water guns above their head and march in silence towards each other, a determined, angry battle march (filled with giggles of anticipation). Once they reach each other, they all suddenly turn and shoot their own teammates. Mass mutiny!! Hilarity. Sooooo ridiculously hilarious.

It was honestly one of the best 45 minutes of my life. And I want to do it again. Right now. When the video and pictures come in I will be sure to share :)