Subway escalator High Fives: Improv Everywhere cheers folks up

We’re fans of Improv Everywhere’s work here at Gadling. There’s Frozen Grand Central, Food Court Musical (my favorite) and welcoming home strangers at JFK. Here’s another one designed to put a smile on the face of New Yorkers and one idea to try at home. All you need is a couple of friends to hold signs, an escalator and a hand. This video is of a packed subway station in New York City, but a busy shopping mall would work as well.

Antwerp, Belgium’s train station musical surprise: Everyone does The Sound of Music

Not since Improv Everywhere’s Food Court Musical have I been so pleased by a surprise musical number in a public place. This time the setting is Central Train Station in Antwerp, Belgium and the vehicle is Julie Andrew’s voice singing “Do A Deer” from The Sound of Music over the loud speaker. First, just a man and a young girl start to dance as if drawn in by the song. Gradually, the few become a crowd that exudes joy.

Although this singing and dancing number might have been inspired by Improv Everywhere’s antics, particularly Frozen Grand Central, this stunt is part of an ad campaign for a reality TV show. Regardless, the result is superb. This starts out slow and then builds as more and more people join in. I dare you to not hum a few bars.

Welcoming home total strangers at JFK: ImprovEverywhere


In an Absolut World, Everyone Would be Welcomed Home from ImprovEverywhere on Vimeo.

One Gadling post that consistently gets weekly hits, sometimes daily, is the one on ImprovEverywhere’s “Frozen Grand Central.” The Grand Central stunt is an amazing feat of ingenuity and organization on the part of this improv drama troupe that specializes in creating fun and amazement in public places. I think of it as a more creative, involved version of Candid Camera. Plus, it involves way more people.

My favorite ImprovEverywhere stunt, hands down, is Food Court Musical.

This most recent improvisation comes pretty close. It involved 20 ImprovEverywhere actors who were the greeters, and the unsuspecting travelers who arrived at JFK expecting to be met by a driver and no one else. The drivers (only the first one is shown) didn’t know they were in on something a bit unusual.

The result is something charming and heartwarming. Very sweet and very fun. How terrific life would be if EVERYONE had such a greeting upon arrival at an airport. The closest I ever came was arriving in Hawaii and being given a lei. My great aunt and uncle met me, so don’t expect a lei if you arrive in Honolulu. Maybe, but don’t count on it.

Thanks to Intelligent Traveler for first posting on this gem. It made my day.

Food court musical by folks who cooked up frozen Grand Central

A friend and I were looking through a few Improv Everywhere videos, the folks who created Frozen Grand Central, and loved this one so much we watched it twice and then showed it to others.

For anyone who has ever eaten in a food court anywhere in the world, imagine what it might be like if folks broke out into song, but not just any song–one that fit the location and the situation. This particular food court is in a shopping mall in Los Angeles.

One of the details I liked about this effort is the diversity of the entertainers, as well as, the audience members who had no idea what exactly was taking place as they chewed their food.

I loved the woman with the “baby.”

Can I get a napkin, please?