One of the radio shows that I love to listen to is called “This American Life”. It is a show that brings forth the most thought provoking and interesting stories about life in the United States. Each Friday’s show has a theme and the show is presented in a set of acts; like a play.
A few shows back, the theme was “Mind games” (feel free to listen to the show online). The second act of this show was about a group of people in New York who pull off these “missions” to basically add some spice or excitement into strangers’ lives. They call themselves “Improv Everywhere” and they say that they are in the business of causing scenes.
Here are some of my favorite missions:
The Best Buy Mission where 80 people dressed in blue polos and khakis walk into a Best Buy and cause some confusion.
The Aspen HBO’s US Comedy Arts Festival Mission where a few funny scenes were cause including my favorite “Meet a black person” booth.
The Cell Phone Symphony where a few hundred agents check in their cell phones at the bag check in Strand’s book store in NY and create an orchestra with the various ring tones.
I’d like to start something like this in Chicago, unfortunately I’m never there - maybe I should stick to participating in something that already exists (more alt travel to New York)!