The DC Improv

Name

The DC Improv

Legal name

PMF Inc.

Website

https://dcimprov.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The DC Improv is a privately held live comedy club in Washington, D.C., operating a 270-seat main showroom and 60-seat lounge since 1992. It sells show tickets, food and beverage, comedy school tuition, venue rentals, and performer booking services to general audiences, corporate clients, student groups, and aspiring comedians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Comedy Entertainment

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Stand-Up Comedy Shows (MPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues) (MPAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Live comedy entertainment
• Stand-up shows
• Comedy club
• Comedy school classes
• Venue rental events

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to live comedy shows in the main showroom (270 seats) and lounge showroom (60-66 seats). Tickets range from $26.50 to $92.50 depending on performer and seating selection.
2. Comedy School Classes: Tuition fees for stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy classes taught by professional instructors. Classes range from beginner to advanced levels, offered both in-person and online via video conferencing.
3. Food and Beverage Sales: Full food and beverage service including appetizers ($11-$16), entrees ($14-$19), desserts ($12-$13), and bar service. Two-item minimum per customer required.
4. Venue Rentals: Rental of showroom spaces for private events including corporate meetings, parties, fundraisers, and teambuilding workshops. Main showroom seats up to 285, lounge seats up to 60.
5. Performer Booking Services: Booking agency services for hiring stand-up comedians, improv troupes, hypnotists, and trivia hosts for external events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The DC Improv operates a live comedy club in Washington, D.C. that sells tickets to stand-up and improv shows in its main showroom (approximately 270 seats) and lounge showroom (60–66 seats). It also runs the DC Improv Comedy School offering classes in stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy, and provides venue rentals, corporate teambuilding workshops, and performer booking services for external events.

Product overview

The DC Improv is a comedy entertainment company operating as a live venue and education platform. The core offering consists of main showroom and lounge showroom comedy shows featuring headline comedians and local talent. The company operates the DC Improv Comedy School offering classes in improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy at multiple skill levels. Additional services include group events planning, corporate teambuilding workshops, online virtual shows via Zoom, venue rental, performer booking, and special event formats including Comedy Kumite tournaments and The Washington Roast political comedy show.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DC Improv Comedy School: Comedy school established in 2003 offering classes in improv, stand-up comedy, and sketch comedy. Principal: Allyson Jaffe.

Products and services

• Main Showroom Comedy Shows Stand-up comedy shows in the main showroom featuring nationally touring headline comedians and local talent, with seating for approximately 270 guests. Ticket prices range from general admission to VIP.
• Lounge Showroom Comedy Shows Smaller-scale comedy shows in an intimate lounge showroom seating 60–66 guests, featuring showcase lineups and developing talent.
• DC Improv Comedy School Comedy education program offering classes in improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy from beginner to advanced levels with graduation shows on DC Improv stages, in-person and online via video conferencing. Principal: Allyson Jaffe.
• Group Events and Private Parties Corporate events, office functions, fundraisers, and private party planning services including venue rental and performer booking.
• Improv Teambuilding Workshops Corporate improv workshops teaching communication, problem-solving, and teamwork using improv comedy techniques, available in-person or online via video conferencing.
• Online Comedy Shows Virtual comedy shows delivered via Zoom, including stand-up showcases, crowd work, interactive improv, and Comedy Kumite tournaments for remote audiences.
• Performer Booking Services Talent booking agency connecting clients with stand-up comedians, improv troupes, hypnotists, and trivia hosts for events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record audience attendance during 2015-2019 period
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hilarity for CharityminorOthersThe Washington Roast show benefits Hilarity for Charity, a non-profit founded by Seth Rogen and his wife to provide Alzheimer’s research, care grants, and preventative measures. This is a charitable beneficiary relationship for specific show proceeds.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Comedy Store: Iconic multi-room stand-up venue in West Hollywood offering headline showcases, lounge sets, and an original-room format analogous to DC Improv’s main showroom plus lounge configuration. Comparable in legacy positioning and audience demographics.
• Helium Comedy Club: Multi-location stand-up comedy club chain with a national-touring format, premium ticketing tiers, and full bar/restaurant service—structurally similar to DC Improv’s two-room model with comparable price points and audience mix.
• Zanies Comedy Night Club: Regional stand-up comedy club chain operating multiple Midwest/Southern locations with touring-headliner programming, two-item minimums, and private event rentals—comparable business model and revenue mix to DC Improv.
• Comedy Cellar: New York-based stand-up institution famous for its intimate showroom format and roster of touring headliners, conceptually parallel to DC Improv’s main showroom. Comparable in cult-comedian relationship management and premium-priced weekend bookings.
• Hollywood Improv: Another Improv-chain location in Los Angeles featuring the same two-showroom stand-up format and touring-comedian programming as DC Improv. Operates as a sibling venue with overlapping talent relationships and pricing structure.
• Laugh Factory: National stand-up comedy club chain with multiple U.S. locations, sharing the headline-touring model, two-drink minimum structure, and comedy-school-style programming that DC Improv operates. Closest direct competitor outside the Improv chain.
• The Improv (NYC): The flagship venue of the Improv chain that DC Improv belongs to, offering the same stand-up showcase format, two-item minimum policy, and comedy-school programming in New York City. Most directly comparable in brand identity, booking strategy, and target audience.

Emerging players

• ImprovBoston: Improv and stand-up comedy venue in Cambridge, MA combining main-stage performances with structured comedy classes (improv, sketch) and corporate teambuilding workshops—a direct analog to DC Improv’s school + corporate events offering, though with a heavier improv emphasis.
• Second City: Long-running comedy institution focused on improv and sketch training plus main-stage revues, with a comedy school curriculum (improv levels, writing) that mirrors DC Improv Comedy School. Comparable in education revenue and alumni pipeline, though anchored in sketch/improv rather than stand-up.

Regional players

• Goodnights Comedy Club: Stand-up comedy club in Raleigh, NC offering a similar two-room format (main showroom and smaller stage) with touring comedians, full food/beverage service, and private event rentals; geographically distinct but operationally parallel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dcimprov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5Ima8LeSdcDepj_2dEf9yw
• Facebookfacebook.com/dcimprovcomedyclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/dcimprov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The DC Improv