Keynote Speaker - Improv Everywhere Founder Charlie Todd
“Improv Everywhere is reliably hilarious to millions of people. The masters of mischief.”
— Martin Bashir, ABC News Nightline
In this laugh-out-loud presentation, Improv Everywhere founder Charlie Todd tells the story of how the group got its start and how it grew from a small group of comedian friends into an international phenomenon. Charlie discusses the importance of life-long play, the unique joy of being a part of a happy crowd, and how our shared public spaces can be put to much better (and funnier) use. Improv Everywhere’s decades-long work to turn cities into playgrounds for people of all ages will leave you inspired to see new possibilities in your community.
Charlie has spoken at high-profile conferences around the world, including TED, and has given lectures at institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the New Museum of Contemporary Art. He is the author of the book Causing A Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere and the subject of the documentary We Cause Scenes, which premiered at SXSW. Charlie has been profiled by The New York Times, The Today Show, This American Life, and New York Magazine, to name a few.
Charlie was one of the original YouTubers, and Improv Everywhere was one of the very first comedy channels on the platform in early 2006. To date the channel has over half a billion views.
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“Improv Everywhere tramples the lines drawn between spectacle and spectator, theatre and real life, public and private, performance and protest, and reclaims the streets for ordinary people.”
— Lyn Gardner, The Guardian
Testimonials
“I am sooooo glad we leaned in and did this. You were awesome — and the tom foolery proved a huge hit. :-) It truly inspired our teams to see that a creative, clever idea, often with little or no financial support, and with some courage thrown in, can delight and engage thousands, or even millions of people around the world. The teams are excited — and I thank you for the inspiration and fun.”
Custom Surprises
In addition to his talk, Charlie is available to collaborate with clients to custom-design an event that will surprise and engage your audience.
Whether it’s actors breaking into song from the audience as part of a custom-written “musical in real life,” or a fake speaker fooling the audience into thinking he’s having the worst tech problems imaginable, Charlie can work with you to create a surprise your attendees will never forget.
Looking for something more participatory? Our Mp3 Experiment will get everyone involved in the surprise.