The Improv Archive

Washington, D.C.

City

Companies

Washington Improv Theater
Dojo Comedy
LIT Comedy
Rails Comedy

Notable Figures

A
Anthony Leblanc
N
Nick Cannon
J
Josh Ruben
N
Nathan Fillion
S
Stephen Colbert
A
Ari Voukidis
R
Ross Bryant
T
Theodore J. Flicker
T
Thomas Aldredge
B
Blaine Swen
D
David Razowsky
S
Shira Piven
D
Dave Buckman
G
Gary Austin

Historical Moments

1986FoundingNorth America,United States,Washington, D.C.

Washington Improv Theater Founded in Washington DC by Carole Douglis

Carole Douglis founded Washington Improv Theater in Washington DC in 1986. The original company performed through 1992 and then disbanded. Douglis revived WIT on 27 November 1998 as a consensus-based collective, launching performances in the basement of Universalist National Memorial Church and re-establishing WIT as Washington DC's primary improv training and performance organisation.

2013FoundingNorth America,United States,Washington, D.C.

Dojo Comedy Founded in Washington, D.C.

Murphy McHugh founded Dojo Comedy in 2013 in Washington, D.C., opening the District's first dedicated improv and sketch venue at 3503 Georgia Avenue NW in May 2015. The company established itself as a central hub for improv training and performance in the D.C. comedy community.

2014FoundingNorth America,United States,Washington, D.C.

Laugh Index Theatre Established as LIT Comedy

Nancy Safavi formalized Laugh Index Theatre as a regular comedy school and performance organization in Washington, D.C. in 2014, building on a performance group and production brand that began in 2010. comedy organization founded by Nancy Safavi, tracing its origins to a performance group called Hot and Sweaty in 2010, formalized as Laugh Index Theatre with a regular training program in 2014, and incorporated as LIT Comedy Inc.

2021FoundingNorth America,United States,Washington, D.C.

Rails Comedy Founded in Washington, D.C.

Walker Green founded Rails Comedy in Washington, D.C. in 2021, establishing a sketch and improv comedy company at the DC Arts Center in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Based in the Adams Morgan neighborhood at the DC Arts Center, Rails presents original sketch comedy and improv shows for the Washington comedy community.

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How to Reference This Page

APA

The Improv Archive. (2026). Washington, D.C.. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/washington-dc

Chicago

The Improv Archive. "Washington, D.C.." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/washington-dc.

MLA

The Improv Archive. "Washington, D.C.." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/washington-dc. Accessed September 28, 2026.

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