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'''Washington Improv Theater''' ('''WIT''') is an ] organization in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Uptight">{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Kathryn |title=Why D.C. isn’t too uptight for improv |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2019/08/01/why-d-c-isnt-too-uptight-for-improv/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=1 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Furlough">{{cite news |last1=Lefrak |first1=Mikaela |title='Yes, And...': Furloughed Workers Turn To Improv During Shutdown |url=https://wamu.org/story/19/01/22/yes-and-furloughed-workers-turn-to-improv-during-shutdown/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=22 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref> It was founded in 1986 and relaunched in the mid 1990s after having gone dormant for several years.<ref name="2003 Seasonal Disorder">{{cite news |last1=Padget |first1=Jonathan |title=Making It Up as They Go Works Just Fine for WIT |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2003/12/25/making-it-up-as-they-go-works-just-fine-for-wit/f5269ab3-ea72-4def-a076-b22663f9b897/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=25 December 2003}}</ref> Its shows are based primary out of the former venue of the ] on the ] corridor, although they also use several other venues. Roughly 20,000 people attend their shows annually.<ref name="About">{{cite web |title=About WIT |url=https://witdc.org/about-wit/ |website=Washington Improv Theater |accessdate=27 June 2020}}</ref> '''Washington Improv Theater''' ('''WIT''') is an ] organization in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Uptight">{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Kathryn |title=Why D.C. isn’t too uptight for improv |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2019/08/01/why-d-c-isnt-too-uptight-for-improv/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=1 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Furlough">{{cite news |last1=Lefrak |first1=Mikaela |title='Yes, And...': Furloughed Workers Turn To Improv During Shutdown |url=https://wamu.org/story/19/01/22/yes-and-furloughed-workers-turn-to-improv-during-shutdown/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=22 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref> It was founded in 1986 by Carole Douglis.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://witdc.org/about-wit/history/ |website=Washington Improv Theater |accessdate=27 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="2003 Seasonal Disorder">{{cite news |last1=Padget |first1=Jonathan |title=Making It Up as They Go Works Just Fine for WIT |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2003/12/25/making-it-up-as-they-go-works-just-fine-for-wit/f5269ab3-ea72-4def-a076-b22663f9b897/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=25 December 2003}}</ref> Its shows are based primary out of the former venue of the ] on the ] corridor, although they also use several other venues. Roughly 20,000 people attend their shows annually.<ref name="About">{{cite web |title=About WIT |url=https://witdc.org/about-wit/ |website=Washington Improv Theater |accessdate=27 June 2020}}</ref>


==History==
⚫ They also run a prorgam for corporate clients, "WIT at Work",<ref name="Therapists">{{cite news |last1=Itkowitz |first1=Colby |title=The not-so-funny reason therapists are taking comedy classes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/04/25/the-not-so-funny-reason-therapists-are-taking-comedy-classes/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=April 25, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> and perform in various other venues, such as the ] red carpet preceding the 2018 ] ceremony.<ref name="Kennedy">{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Brittany |title=Those People You Didn't Recognize on the Kennedy Center's Red Carpet? Probably Improv Performers {{!}} Washingtonian (DC) |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2018/10/24/those-people-you-didnt-recognize-on-the-kennedy-centers-red-carpet-probably-improv-performers/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=24 October 2018}}</ref>
WIT was founded in 1986 by Carole Douglis, but it went dormant in 1992.<ref name="History" /> It was revived by Douglis and several others as a consensus-based collective in 1998.<ref name="History" /> It began offering its own improv training program in 2000. In 2004, it hired its first full-time artistic and executive director, Mark Chalfant.<ref name="History" /> It has continued expanding since then, and in FY2019 hosted 325 performances with an estimated 20,590 attendees.<ref name="2019 Annual Report">{{cite web |title=WIT FY2019 Annual Report |url=https://witdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/WIT-FY19-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf?utm_source=Washington+Improv+Theater&utm_campaign=0138c3883e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_10_26_06_43_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_63e55a56dd-0138c3883e-92782773&mc_cid=0138c3883e&mc_eid=04e67e0988 |website=Washington Improv Theater |accessdate=27 June 2020}}</ref>

⚫ They also run a prorgam for corporate clients, "WIT at Work",<ref name="Therapists">{{cite news |last1=Itkowitz |first1=Colby |title=The not-so-funny reason therapists are taking comedy classes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/04/25/the-not-so-funny-reason-therapists-are-taking-comedy-classes/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=April 25, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> and perform in various other venues, such as the ] red carpet preceding the 2018 ] ceremony.<ref name="Kennedy">{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Brittany |title=Those People You Didn't Recognize on the Kennedy Center's Red Carpet? Probably Improv Performers {{!}} Washingtonian (DC) |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2018/10/24/those-people-you-didnt-recognize-on-the-kennedy-centers-red-carpet-probably-improv-performers/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=24 October 2018}}</ref> In 2019, the program worked with 79 clients with a total of 2900 participants.<ref name="2019 Annual Report"/>


WIT's performances have received favorable reviews from critics.<ref name="Citizens">{{cite news |last1=Brickman |first1=Ravelle |title=Review: ‘Citizens’ Watch’ at Washington Improv Theater |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2017/12/04/review-citizens-watch-washington-improv-theater/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=5 December 2017}}</ref><ref name="Women's Voices">{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=Lauren |title=The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: 'The October Issue' at Washington Improv Theater |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2015/09/19/the-womens-voices-theater-festival-the-october-issue-at-washington-improv-theater/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=19 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Dominic |title=Washington Improv Theater Reinvents The Teen Movie With Its Summer School Series 'Yearbook' |url=https://dcist.com/story/17/07/12/the-washington-improv-theater-reinv/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=12 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mostafavi |first1=Kendall |title=Expect the unexpected in Washington Improv Theater's 'Life and Death with WIT: Hellcat and iMusical' |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/11/13/expect-the-unexpected-in-washington-improv-theaters-life-and-death-with-wit-hellcat-and-imusical/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=14 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="Funeral">{{cite news |last1=Greenberg |first1=Rudi |title=Comedians Are Staging Improvised Funerals For Alexandra Petri, Popville's Dan Silverman, And Audience Members |url=https://dcist.com/story/19/10/28/comedians-are-staging-improvised-funerals-for-alexandra-petri-popvilles-dan-silverman-and-audience-members/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DCist |date=28 October 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Road Tonic">{{cite news |last1=Rule |first1=Doug |title="WIT Road Show" may just be the tonic people need for these anxious times |url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2018/11/wit-road-show-may-just-be-the-tonic-people-need-for-these-anxious-times/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Metro Weekly |date=8 November 2018}}</ref><ref name="Making up">{{cite news |last1=Catlin |first1=Roger |title=Making it up as they go |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/making-it-up-as-they-go/2015/09/21/174cbeb8-606a-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=21 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Spoofs">{{cite news |last1=Wren |first1=Celia |title=Washington Improv spoofs presidential campaign |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/washington-improv-spoofs-the-presidential-campaign/2016/10/19/a5395f3e-961e-11e6-9cae-2a3574e296a6_story.html |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=19 October 2016}}</ref> WIT's performances have received favorable reviews from critics.<ref name="Citizens">{{cite news |last1=Brickman |first1=Ravelle |title=Review: ‘Citizens’ Watch’ at Washington Improv Theater |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2017/12/04/review-citizens-watch-washington-improv-theater/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=5 December 2017}}</ref><ref name="Women's Voices">{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=Lauren |title=The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: 'The October Issue' at Washington Improv Theater |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2015/09/19/the-womens-voices-theater-festival-the-october-issue-at-washington-improv-theater/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=19 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Dominic |title=Washington Improv Theater Reinvents The Teen Movie With Its Summer School Series 'Yearbook' |url=https://dcist.com/story/17/07/12/the-washington-improv-theater-reinv/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=] |date=12 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mostafavi |first1=Kendall |title=Expect the unexpected in Washington Improv Theater's 'Life and Death with WIT: Hellcat and iMusical' |url=https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/11/13/expect-the-unexpected-in-washington-improv-theaters-life-and-death-with-wit-hellcat-and-imusical/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DC Metro Theater Arts |date=14 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="Funeral">{{cite news |last1=Greenberg |first1=Rudi |title=Comedians Are Staging Improvised Funerals For Alexandra Petri, Popville's Dan Silverman, And Audience Members |url=https://dcist.com/story/19/10/28/comedians-are-staging-improvised-funerals-for-alexandra-petri-popvilles-dan-silverman-and-audience-members/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=DCist |date=28 October 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Road Tonic">{{cite news |last1=Rule |first1=Doug |title="WIT Road Show" may just be the tonic people need for these anxious times |url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2018/11/wit-road-show-may-just-be-the-tonic-people-need-for-these-anxious-times/ |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Metro Weekly |date=8 November 2018}}</ref><ref name="Making up">{{cite news |last1=Catlin |first1=Roger |title=Making it up as they go |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/making-it-up-as-they-go/2015/09/21/174cbeb8-606a-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=21 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Spoofs">{{cite news |last1=Wren |first1=Celia |title=Washington Improv spoofs presidential campaign |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/washington-improv-spoofs-the-presidential-campaign/2016/10/19/a5395f3e-961e-11e6-9cae-2a3574e296a6_story.html |accessdate=27 June 2020 |work=Washington Post |date=19 October 2016}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:30, 27 June 2020

Washington Improv Theater (WIT) is an improvisational comedy organization in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1986 by Carole Douglis. Its shows are based primary out of the former venue of the Source Theatre Company on the 14th Street corridor, although they also use several other venues. Roughly 20,000 people attend their shows annually.

History

WIT was founded in 1986 by Carole Douglis, but it went dormant in 1992. It was revived by Douglis and several others as a consensus-based collective in 1998. It began offering its own improv training program in 2000. In 2004, it hired its first full-time artistic and executive director, Mark Chalfant. It has continued expanding since then, and in FY2019 hosted 325 performances with an estimated 20,590 attendees.

They also run a prorgam for corporate clients, "WIT at Work", and perform in various other venues, such as the Kennedy Center red carpet preceding the 2018 Mark Twain Prize ceremony. In 2019, the program worked with 79 clients with a total of 2900 participants.

WIT's performances have received favorable reviews from critics.

WIT hosts an annual improv marathon festival, Improvalooza. It also hosts a March madness-style competition each spring, dubbed the Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament.

References

  1. Lyons, Kathryn (1 August 2019). "Why D.C. isn't too uptight for improv". Roll Call. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  2. Lefrak, Mikaela (22 January 2019). "'Yes, And...': Furloughed Workers Turn To Improv During Shutdown". WAMU. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  3. ^ "History". Washington Improv Theater. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  4. Padget, Jonathan (25 December 2003). "Making It Up as They Go Works Just Fine for WIT". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  5. "About WIT". Washington Improv Theater. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  6. ^ "WIT FY2019 Annual Report" (PDF). Washington Improv Theater. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  7. Itkowitz, Colby (April 25, 2016). "The not-so-funny reason therapists are taking comedy classes". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  8. Shepherd, Brittany (24 October 2018). "Those People You Didn't Recognize on the Kennedy Center's Red Carpet? Probably Improv Performers | Washingtonian (DC)". ]. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  9. Brickman, Ravelle (5 December 2017). "Review: 'Citizens' Watch' at Washington Improv Theater". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  10. Katz, Lauren (19 September 2015). "The Women's Voices Theater Festival: 'The October Issue' at Washington Improv Theater". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  11. Griffin, Dominic (12 July 2017). "Washington Improv Theater Reinvents The Teen Movie With Its Summer School Series 'Yearbook'". DCist. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  12. Mostafavi, Kendall (14 November 2019). "Expect the unexpected in Washington Improv Theater's 'Life and Death with WIT: Hellcat and iMusical'". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  13. Greenberg, Rudi (28 October 2019). "Comedians Are Staging Improvised Funerals For Alexandra Petri, Popville's Dan Silverman, And Audience Members". DCist. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  14. Rule, Doug (8 November 2018). ""WIT Road Show" may just be the tonic people need for these anxious times". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  15. Catlin, Roger (21 September 2015). "Making it up as they go". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  16. Wren, Celia (19 October 2016). "Washington Improv spoofs presidential campaign". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  17. Goldstein, Jessica (13 August 2013). "Backstage: Improvapalooza's 7th year packed with 'explosive creativity'". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  18. Horwitz, Jane (12 March 2012). "FIST improv tournament provides comedy lovers a different kind of March Madness". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2020.

External links

Official website