Bruce Witzenburg strolls up to the steps of the Smithsonian in downtown D.C. with a guitar case in one hand and a tin can for money in the other. He opens his case and, to the surprise of many, pulls out a plastic Guitar Hero guitar.  After minutes of nothing more than silently jamming on the plastic controller, he is joined by a Donkey Conga player and a man with a Dance Dance Revolution mat.  Yes, this is actually happening.

Over the last three years, Capitol Improv, previously known as the D.C. Defenestrators, has organized head-turning, laugh-out-loud worthy events located on and around some of D.C.’s most well-known landmarks.

Capitol Improv first formed as a part of the Urban Prankster network, a global group run by New York City’s improv group, Improv Everywhere.  Witzenburg, Capitol Improv’s head organizer, moved to D.C. a few years ago.  With a background in stand-up comedy and performing, he was ready to begin making his mark on the city.

“D.C. is a great location because there’s always a populated area to perform in and bring smiles to many people’s faces,” Witzenburg says.  “I have met some of the most amazing people in the D.C. area doing something that I love.”

A long time fan of Improv Everywhere, Witzenburg immediately became involved in what was then called the D.C. Defenestrators (defenestration: the act of throwing someone out of a window) and has since headed 12 “missions” and been an integral part of several more.

So how do Witzenburg and his friends do it?  How has Capitol Improv put stuffy, corporate D.C. into the national headlines with its hilarious antics?  The answer is simple: an enthusiastic community and some long nights of organizing—sometimes reaching up to 50 hours a week.

“When missions are in the works, the time commitment can grow considerably, depending on the mission,” Witzenburg explains.  “The amazing thing is how much of a community effort it is.  Things that would take a single person months or years to accomplish take the group as little as a couple of days, because there are so many hands on the complex projects we’re doing.”

Witzenburg, who works full time at the Patent and Trademark Office, is a self-proclaimed “starving stand-up comic,” and although he says he has loved every mission he has been a part of, some have especially satisfied his craving for a comedic outlet.

In 2008, the group paraded one of their “agents” through D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival surrounded by screaming fans and fake paparazzi, with no motive other than getting some attention.

This January, Capitol Improv conducted the third annual “No Pants Ride.”  And it’s exactly what it sounds like—Metro cars packed with boxer bearing Washingtonians who “just forgot their pants.”

For fans outside of D.C., Capital Improv documents most of their missions on Flickr and YouTube.  The popular videos, complete with zoomed in reaction shots and dramatic music, have a range of comments—some praising the group’s sense of humor, and others questioning its patriotism.

Noah Guthman, a junior at the Field School, first found out about Capitol Improv by watching some of its videos online.  He then participated in the group’s “Conga Line Tours” as a saxophone player in a back-up band for a phony dancing tour in the heart of D.C.

“D.C. has duck tours, bus tours, walking tours, segway tours, so why not a conga line tour?” Guthman says.

For the event, Capitol Improv went all out, Guthman says, complete with nametags, signs, pamphlets and even fake tour guides.

The event was a huge success too, as measured by the number of confused glances and amused smiles.

“We got a lot of funny looks, which is the goal,” Guthman says.  “Making people say, ‘What’s going on?’”

Guthman, like Witzenburg, was drawn to the event for one main reason–he’s a performer.

“Everyone’s out there for the same reason, as performers who aren’t afraid to make fools out of themselves,” Guthman says.  “It’s a group of fun people, and Bruce, who’s very clever and funny, is the perfect guy for this.”

Most recently, the group promoted the Dec. 6 snowball fight at DuPont Circle on Feb. 7—a do-over of the December snowball fight foiled by a gun-wielding policeman.

Popularized through Facebook and Twitter, the event attracted over 2,000 people suffering from cabin fever.

Whether it’s a snowball fight or tour fraud, Capitol Improv members say their missions never fail to be rewarding.

“When you pull off a mission and get that perfect reaction where someone can’t help but crack up or stare in confusion or watch in awe to a mission that we do, it’s a very big rush as a performer and as a planner for the mission,” Witzenburg says. “It means we’re doing something that people really enjoy, and we’re doing it well.”