District Improv Festival Returns for First Indoor Festival Since 2019

The festival features workshops and performances by local and international acts. 

As Congress returns from its August Recess this week, so too is the District Improv Festival this Friday, September 8 through September 10. The organizers probably figured Washington could use a good laugh while it can get one. 

Now in its ninth year, the showcase of local and national improv comedians continues to make strides in recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down the event completely in 2020 and prevented it from being held indoors in the two years after. As a result, some amount of reorganizing and rebuilding was needed. Although, as the festival’s Co-Chair Jamie Lantinen points out that is not a unique situation for the District Improv Festival (DIF). 

“The festival really grew every year from the beginning in the number of artists, audiences and even shows across multiple theaters in D.C.,” he says. “I won’t sugar coat it though, the pandemic slammed the breaks on all of that growth — not just our festival, but festivals in general. This will be the first indoor festival we’ve held since 2019, and while it’s smaller than 2019, it will be mighty.”

The festival began in 2013, in what Lantinen called an explosion of improv comedy in the nation’s capital. The fuel for that fire, as he sees it, came from the increased prominence to “A-list” status of improv troupe alums like Tina Fey among others – like “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, who was born in Washington, D.C. and came up through Chicago’s “Second City” just like Fey – coupled with the massive influx of younger people during the Obama presidency, which created a larger pool of potential performers (and audience members). 

He also credits the foundation set by the institutions of the D.C. comedy scene – like Washington Improv Theater (which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year), the DC Improv, the District Menu comedy series and the now-shuttered Unified Scene Theater – for creating spaces for comedians and improv groups to perform. They also nurture new talent through classes and training programs – both of which are offered during the District Improv Festival’s three-day run.

As a result of that growth, in 2013, “a desire percolated among the artists here for people to come to visit our city, and see our vibrant improv scene,” Lantinen says. “Also, for D.C. audiences to see the great work that was being done in other cities.” 

That focus remains, he says, as does a commitment to ensuring ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion in the programming and curation decisions. 

“I think the vision of bringing diverse talent and fantastic improv to our city remains, and the purpose of showing off District talent alongside the out-of-towners is also a focus,” Lantinen says, also noting the staff keep in mind a specific ratio of out of town to local improv teams when booking and scheduling the weekend. “The through line is really our vision for a geographically, demographically and artistically diverse range of shows.”

The three days of improv comedy will take place at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, and will feature a variety of shows, performances and classes – some of which are free to the public thanks to funding from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities – with performers from comedy hot beds like New York and LA as well as Burlington, Vermont; Somerville, Massachusetts; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.  

And, when Lantinen touts the festival’s artistic diversity, he’s not blowing smoke. The weekend will feature some classic improv trouping like Somerville’s “Stop That Baby!” and D.C.’s “Sistine Robot,” along with more specific concept-driven acts.

Philadelphia’s “Roll Play: An Improvised Adventure,” comes with the parallel explosion of interest in tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons – and the comedy media around it like the show “HarmonQuest” – to present a synthesis of improv comedy and the (trust this writer, who has played D&D half of his life) absolute insanity and comedy gold that comes when people act out a fantasy story together.

Or, if you want something a little more theatrical, there’s D.C.’s own “iMusical: The Improvised Musical,” which has been a regular feature of the Washington Improv Theater for almost two decades. Performers create a whole, short musical based on audience suggestions and prompts. 

The festival is anchored by headliners Will Hines and Jim Woods, both veteran performers and teachers who embody the well-honed nature only true veterans of their craft can. 

The festival and performances are divided up into six, 75-minute blocks over Friday night (two blocks) and Saturday (four blocks), with four different classes offered Sunday. Tickets range from free to $60, and you can purchase them here. 

Learn more and sign up for a workshop at districtimprov.com and follow the festival on Instagram @districtimprov.

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Jackson Sinnenberg