Improv Arizona

Making scenes in the Southwest

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Details for the 2016 Phoenix No Pants Light Rail Ride!

Courtesy Devon Christopher Adams
Courtesy Devon Christopher Adams

The 8th Annual No Pants Light Rail Ride in Phoenix is this Sunday, January 10th. This is part of The No Pants Subway Ride, which is a global event started by Improv Everywhere in New York in 2002.  Thirty-three cities around the world are participating this year!

Here are the details for the Phoenix ride:

  • When: Sunday, January 10 at 1:00 pm (Over around 4 pm)
  • Where: 4 starting locations – details below
  • Bring: A backpack/bag and a Light Rail pass
  • Wear: Normal winter clothes (jacket, hat, etc.)
  • Facebook Event: Right here. Please RSVP.
  • Mid-ride party: Angels Trumpet Ale House

We know it’s been rainy this week, but the forecast says it’s not as likely to rain on Sunday. But rain or shine, warm or cold, we’re doing this and we hope you’ll join us!

HOW IT WORKS

You can wear almost any type of underwear you want – except thongs or g-strings. If you’re going to wear boxers we encourage you to wear briefs underneath them in case your fly separates – you can get in trouble for indecent exposure if you reveal too much!

Take your pants off on the light rail platform or before you get there. If you’re worried you will be cold on the platform, you can take off your pants on the train, just be aware that it’s trickier and more crowded. If you are wearing your pants to the event, bring a bag or purse to carry them once you de-pants.

If you’re starting at the airport location, wear your pants to the airport and take them off just before we start.

HOW TO ACT

Do NOT tell people you are doing a prank! While you’re riding, act as if nothing strange is going on – no matter what. Do what you’d normally do on the light rail – you have no idea why others are not wearing pants. If anyone asks, have a simple excuse prepared for why you’re not wearing pants – you were hot, you forgot them, etc.

We will have photographers on hand to take pictures documenting the event. We need everyone else to just act casually. If you bring a camera, be very discreet and only take a few pictures. It’s supposed to look like a normal train ride.

Don’t disrupt the Light Rail! While the Phoenix Police Department said that wearing your underwear in public isn’t illegal, but don’t do anything dumb. You are responsible for all your actions during this event.

STARTING LOCATIONS

We have four main starting points with two starting locations for the east side riders. Just go to one of the starting points listed below, and board the first train that arrives after 1 pm. Make sure you arrive in time to get a Light Rail pass from one of the machines at the stations! Each starting location will have at least one member of the Improv AZ core team to provide last-minute instructions if needed.

  • West Side – riders will board the first eastbound train from the 19th Ave./Montebello stop at/after 1 pm.
  • Far East Side – riders will board the first westbound train from the Sycamore/Main stop at/after 1 pm.
  • ASU Stop – riders will board the first westbound train from the Veterans Way/College Ave. stop (TransitCenter) at/after 1 pm.
  • Sky Harbor Airport riders will start in Terminal 4 (while wearing pants). Before 1 pm, remove your pants (publicly or in a bathroom) and meet your fellow pantsless riders next to the A-Z Kids Store at 1 pm. We’ll walk to the Sky Train and take it to catch the light rail at the 44th Street/Washington Stop.

Here’s a handy Google map with all the major stops and locations.

WHERE TO STOP

Everyone will exit the train at the Central Ave/Roosevelt Light Rail Stop. Our mid-ride party will be at Angels Trumpet Ale House (about a 5-minute walk from the light rail). They will have some specials for us if you want to grab a bite or a pint. This is an all-ages place, so minors are welcome. We’ll stay here for about an hour or so, but you are free to leave early if you need to, or stay later if you’re having fun.

UPDATES AND PICTURES

Please RSVP for the Facebook Event – that’s where we will post any last minute updates and where you can ask questions.

You can follow us on Twitter (@ImprovAZ).

The hashtags to use for Twitter (or Instagram, Flickr, or anywhere else is) #NoPantsPhx and #NPSR

SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR THE MEDIA

We know you might show up at the No Pants Light Rail Ride. Please note, we tell our participants not to give interviews or pose for pictures unless you’re participating in the event. This is a “No Wallflowers” event so we hope you’ll don your favorite fancy undies and join in the fun.

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Save the date – Phoenix 2016 No Pants Ride is January 10th!

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/nooccar/11924123266/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Courtesy Devon Christopher Adams

We’re back! Mark your calendars and drop your trousers. It’s time to get ready for No Pants 2016!

The 8th Annual Phoenix No Pants Light Rail Ride will be on Sunday, January 10, 2016. (Geez – we’ve been doing this for 8 years!) This ride is done in conjunction with Improv Everywhere’s No Pants Subway Ride and other No Pants Rides that will be going on all over the world that day. Make sure you’ve subscribed to our mailing list and RSVPed on the Facebook event.

We will be zipping across the valley sans pants on the Valley Metro Light Rail that afternoon and meeting at a central location. We may have some new starting locations this year and other surprises. We’ve been scouting some possibilities and we’ll give you more information as the day gets closer!

Remember, the rules are very simple:

  1. NO WALLFLOWERS! Everyone who shows up must take off their pants. (This includes the media.)
  2. You must have your googly bits covered at all times. We don’t want anyone to get a ticket for indecent exposure.
  3. Follow the rules of the light rail.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about the 2016 Ride. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for awesome undies as you’re finishing your holiday shopping. Stay tuned for more information! The best ways to stay in the loop is to subscribe to our mailing list and RSVP on the Facebook event.

Need inspiration? Check out the photos from our previous No Pants Light Rail Rides: http://bit.ly/1IQLroT .

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Cartwheeling to Federal Pizza

Federal Pizza's Billboard at Central & Camelback
Federal Pizza’s Billboard at Central & Camelback

When a billboard went up saying it took only 50 cartwheels to get to their restaurant from a major intersection, it was a statement that needed to be tested! Federal Pizza’s billboard is at Central and Camelback; the restaurant is four blocks away at Central and Oregon. Would fifty cartwheels cover the distance? We had to find out!

So on Sunday, May 3, 2015, a small but determined group teamed up with Improv AZ to cartwheel to Federal Pizza. We gathered at the base of the billboard and made the end-over-end journey to the restaurant. Four cartwheelers completed the trek along with four supports who cheered us on, laughed at us, and carried our phones.

Let me tell you – turning cartwheels for four blocks makes you dizzy.

And it’s not always pretty.

And the people at Postino look at you funny through the window.

But we made it!

Final Cartwheel Counts
Final Cartwheel Counts

We determined early on that that statement about 50 cartwheels is hogwash. According to data gathered by our slightly wobbly group, it takes an average of 161 cartwheels to get there. By the time we reached the restaurant, we were sweaty, tired, and glad that the world had finally stopped spinning.

Federal Pizza had caught wind of our stunt and welcomed us to their patio to relax and treated our group to pizza. It was the perfect reward for completing the quest and solving the mystery of “How many cartwheels does it take to get to Federal Pizza?”

Thank you to everyone who came out and made this such a fun event and a very special thank you to Federal Pizza for feeding us delicious pizza and inspiring this stunt.

If you want to stay in the loop on Improv AZ’s shenanigans, please subscribe to our mailing list, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel too where you can see some of our past events.

Photo Credits: Amy Donohue

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