Comedy

Welcome to your local guide to Comedy Venues and Clubs in Washington DC! Discover the best places to catch a hilarious show and learn how to get involved in the city’s vibrant comedy scene.

Use the navigation menu below to jump to the section you’re looking for:

  1. Comedy
    1. Event Calendar
    2. Interactive Map
    3. Mainstream Venues
    4. Interested in Getting Involved in the Comedy Scene?
    5. Feedback

Event Calendar

To see the latest comdey events happening in DC, click the button below to take you to WGIT’s event calendar

Comedy Events In DC

Have a comedy event you’d like to be added to our calendar for future viewers? Hit the “Submit Event” button below.

Submit an Event

Interactive Map

Provided is an interactive map that displays the locations of all the comedy venues in the city. Users can easily see where each venue is situated, making it convenient for planning comedy outings. If you come across a new venue that hosts shows, please submit your information using the feedback form at the bottom of the page.

Mainstream Venues

  • DC Comedy Loft (Dupont Circle)
    • About: “Bringing the nation’s best comedy to the DMV”. View their schedule here
  • Hotbed Comedy (Adam’s Morgan)
    • About: “Hotbed is a comedy club and bar as well as the new home of Underground Comedy, DC’s premier independent comedy production company. After seven years and thousands of shows at The Big Hunt, Underground Comedy is moving to Adams Morgan.” View their schedule here
  • DC Improv (Downtown)
    • “Decades-old subterranean comedy club featuring national acts as well as local talent”. View their schedule here
    • DC Improv also offers their own Comedy School
  • Rails Comedy (Comedy Theater & Sketch Team, Dupont Circle)
    • “Rails Comedy is a premier comedy theater located in the heart of Washington DC. With a focus on diversity and inclusivity, we offer a wide range of entertainment including stand-up comedy, sketch shows, improv performances, and drag shows. Our talented performers come from all over the country and bring their unique perspectives and humor to the stage. Whether you’re a long-time fan of comedy or new to the scene, Rails Comedy is the perfect destination for a night of laughter and fun. Join us and discover why we’re the go-to spot for comedy lovers in DC.”
    • Rails Comedy offers shows, classes, standup, drag, improv, and sketches. View their calendar here
  • Washington Improv Theater
    • “Washington Improv Theater is the District’s premier destination for longform improv. For 25 years, our mission has been to unleash the creative power of improv in Washington, DC. We engage audiences with performances that exhilarate and inspire. We ignite the spirit of play in Washington with a revolutionary training program. We create a home for improv, connected to the life of the city.”
    • WIT offers shows, classes, and virtual and in-person workshops for your workplace

Interested in Getting Involved in the Comedy Scene?

Below you’ll find a list of major comedy groups with performances, social media links, and information about open mics, comedy classes, and improv workshops available in the city

*Washingtonian wrote this guide on getting into Standup Comedy in DC.

  • Dupont Underground
    • About: “Dupont Underground is an arts organization transforming 15,000 sqft of open abandoned space under Dupont Circle into a platform for creative exchange and contemporary arts in our vibrant city.”
    • Dupont Underground frequently hosts comedy shows and festivals in their unique event space. View their calendar here
  • Capitol Hill Comedy / Spaghetti on the Beach
    • About: “Weekly open mic comedy near The Capitol at Hamilton’s Bar and Grill”
  • Comedy Shows Near Me
    • About: “Comedy Shows Near Me brings the laughs to you with standup comedy shows, classes to get you started, and even podcasts to bring the comedy to you on demand!”
    • They offer links and a schedule for finding shows & for comedians interested in trying out comedy
  • Underground Comedy DC
    • About: “Underground Comedy is DC’s premier independent comedy production company, producing over 60 shows every month. These shows have been featured on Comedy Central and in the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, and DCist. Comedians like Michael Che, Patton Oswalt, Michelle Wolf, Hannibal Buress, Judah Friedlander, and Jim Jefferies have performed on them.”
    • They offer both weekly free and professional shows all of which are listed on their calendar
  • DC Standup.com (Signup list for open mics around DC)
    • About: “Founded in 2003, DC Standup provides information on comedy open mics in the DC / Baltimore region. You can use the site’s menu to search for open mics, by day of the week. Our mission is to help audiences connect with the local comedy scene, and to help performers find new places to work on their craft. Since 2016, this site has been presented in conjunction with one of the nation’s best comedy venues, The DC Improv. If you’re looking for a great time, check it out.”
  • Kinda Live Comedy
    • About: “We’re a group of DC and NY comics bringing you the best standup comedy showcases that our areas have to offer. From socially-distanced outdoor shows in the heart of the pandemic to the full indoor comedy club experience, we’re here when you need a laugh.” View their list of shows here
  • Stage Fright DC
    • Comedy group putting on free late night comedy shows in DC
    • Use their link tree to find free shows, sign up for open mics, or submit comic or audience interest forms
  • Grassroots Comedy
    • About: “Grassroots Comedy (formerly Grassroots Comedy DC) is a 501(c)(3) that sits at the crossroads of comedy and advocacy. Simply put, we are a collective of comedians and social justice advocates passionate about improving humanity through laughter. Our goal is to use comedy as a platform to support the work of grassroots organizations working on important causes, raise public awareness and engagement on humanitarian concerns, and amplify the voices of communities fighting for social justice. We leverage the artform of comedy to provide a forum for education, engagement, networking, and relationship building to make the world a better (and funnier) place.”
    • Grassroots offers comedy cohorts in an incubator program, tickets to shows, partnerships, and opportunities for involvement
  • Crybaby DC
    • About: “CryBaby was started in Brooklyn in 2017 by Dekunle and Abe. It quickly became one of the biggest and best shows in NYC, and in 2018, Dekunle reached out to his college friend, Mike, about starting a Crybaby in DC. It hit the ground running, and quickly became one of the coolest things to do in DC.”
  • Capital Laughs
    • “Capital Laughs is a group of comedians who want to create something fun and new for the DC Arts scene. We have a lot of comedians who host, produce, promote, and perform at our shows.”
    • View their schedule here
  • Charred Comedy

Disclaimer: Information provided is subject to change. WGIT DC recommends that readers verify details before visiting any establishment.

Feedback

Would you like to submit information about your comedy group / organization to be added to this page for future viewers? Get in touch! Feel free to submit any suggestions, collaborations, or feedback.

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