December 1st: Do Hard Things! Every improvisor has The Thing That Makes Them Anxious. Maybe yours is singing, or monologues, or starting a scene with no suggestion. Whatever your hard thing is, come give it a try in a supportive environment, surrounded by other people doing hard things.

Every month WIT presents twelve of Ottawa's virtuoso improv comedians for a night of games and scenes based on audience suggestions — but only one of them will make it to the end of the show and be crowned MAESTRO for the week and awarded the coveted Canadian five-dollar bill.

If you’ve never seen improv comedy at WIT, this is the show to catch.

From the team behind Ottawa Secrets comes Holiday Secrets — a completely improvised show inspired by real, anonymously shared secrets about the holiday season. Maybe one of them will even be yours!

December 1st: Do Hard Things! Every improvisor has The Thing That Makes Them Anxious. Maybe yours is singing, or monologues, or starting a scene with no suggestion. Whatever your hard thing is, come give it a try in a supportive environment, surrounded by other people doing hard things.

Here at Damn Fine Improv we have a commitment to offering you, our cherished audiences, a night of Improv comedy like no other. Damn Fine showcases teams, formats and players from across the capital who thrive on laughter and who are eager to experiment and expand their horizons. This monthly Improv show takes place at Ottawa’s hottest live performance venue Live on Elgin! With cool cocktails, mocktails and a local beer selection, Live has everything you need to enjoy the show.

Before every show we host a free Improv jam from 630-730, there for you to learn new skills, test out Improv, or just get warmed up for the show!

Get your tickets today and don’t miss out on some Damn Fine Improv!

Every month WIT presents twelve of Ottawa's virtuoso improv comedians for a night of games and scenes based on audience suggestions — but only one of them will make it to the end of the show and be crowned MAESTRO for the week and awarded the coveted Canadian five-dollar bill.

If you’ve never seen improv comedy at WIT, this is the show to catch.

As Spooky Season descends and the nights stretch ever longer, something sinister stirs in the shadows. A classic mystery is about to unfold: a group of intriguing, often eccentric characters gathers in a remote, isolated location—each bringing secrets, suspicions, and stories of their own. But when one of them turns up dead, the tension rises. Whispers turn to accusations, alliances form and fracture, and paranoia takes hold. Someone in the room is a killer… and they’re not finished yet. Can you solve the mystery before the characters do—or will the truth stay buried?

All Fall Down is a completely improvised murder mystery in the spirit of Agatha Christie, with a devilish twist of Clue. No script, no safety—just sharp wit, high stakes, and a ticking clock. Every performance is unique. Every suspect has something to hide. And every fall begins with a secret.

December 1st: Do Hard Things! Every improvisor has The Thing That Makes Them Anxious. Maybe yours is singing, or monologues, or starting a scene with no suggestion. Whatever your hard thing is, come give it a try in a supportive environment, surrounded by other people doing hard things.

Every month WIT presents twelve of Ottawa's virtuoso improv comedians for a night of games and scenes based on audience suggestions — but only one of them will make it to the end of the show and be crowned MAESTRO for the week and awarded the coveted Canadian five-dollar bill.

If you’ve never seen improv comedy at WIT, this is the show to catch.

As Spooky Season descends and the nights stretch ever longer, something sinister stirs in the shadows. A classic mystery is about to unfold: a group of intriguing, often eccentric characters gathers in a remote, isolated location—each bringing secrets, suspicions, and stories of their own. But when one of them turns up dead, the tension rises. Whispers turn to accusations, alliances form and fracture, and paranoia takes hold. Someone in the room is a killer… and they’re not finished yet. Can you solve the mystery before the characters do—or will the truth stay buried?

All Fall Down is a completely improvised murder mystery in the spirit of Agatha Christie, with a devilish twist of Clue. No script, no safety—just sharp wit, high stakes, and a ticking clock. Every performance is unique. Every suspect has something to hide. And every fall begins with a secret.

Prepare for big laughs and big feels with Belt: The Improvised HOLIDAY Musical!

Belt’s talented cast take to the stage to create an original comedy musical right before your eyes, using only their imagination and audience suggestions. 

In this special holiday themed show, Belt promises holly jolly twists on classic improv games and a whole bunch of Hallmark flare during their improvised musical. Our spectacular cast makes up every song, every joke and every plot twist completely on the spot. We don’t know what will happen, but we know this one-of-a-kind story will be jam packed with festive twists, frosty villains, and of course heartwarming holiday magic.

Don’t miss it!

Your life is fabulous and unique. Let’s find a way to share that as a source for improv. This workshop starts with a deep dive into first-person monologues with Susan, followed by John’s direction into an immersive reality, where monologues can support and punctuate your scenes. All levels.

2.5 hours 18 players max

Life is hard so improv shouldn’t be harder. This workshop is non stop joy packed movement, with notes of extreme whimsy, physical agreement, and balancing stage picture to reveal too much fun. Improv is a visual art so let’s develop our peripheral vision and then this stuff looks glorious. All levels.

John Lehr is a seasoned improviser, producer, actor, and the creator and star of not one but two improvised comedy sitcoms. Quick Draw (hulu) and Ten Items or Less (TBS).

Tired of standing on stage in the middle of nowhere? Or randomly making up a location because that’s what you are supposed to do? This workshop reinvigorates your muscles to find the “where” in a completely organic way. Afterwards, we take location into the stratosphere and discover how discovering our “where” leads to connectivity, character, and relationships!

2.5 hours 18 players max

Kids in the Basement is an improvised comedy show, hosted in the basement of the Bronson Center. It is not for kids.

Improv legend Susan Messing (founding member of Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre, seasoned performer at iO and Second City, and decorated educator and director), and actor, comedian, and improviser John Lehr (series creator and star of Quick Draw (hulu) and Ten Items or Less (TBS)), are performing live in Ottawa for one night only.
Susan and John have performed their improvised duo act, Messing with Lehr, all over the world. Partners in love and comedy, Susan and John have a wild and unbridled comedic energy on stage. Susan’s lightning-quick wit and both of their expert timing, bold moves, memorable characters, and electric chemistry are truly a whirlwind of comedy that will leave you doing double takes and struggling to catch your breath.
Get ready for a night of fun and laughs. We’ve got a pre-show jam, a show featuring local Ottawa improvisers, and of course, our incredible headliner, Messing with Lehr!

Are you ready for an absolutely Jam-Taculair evening of Ottawa Improv! We have selected the finest Improv teams from across the Capital to create the sweetest, juiciest and most spreadable evening of comedy this side of the Rideau. These performers showcase the different styles, the level of hilarity and incredible talent that is Ottawa Improv!

Doors at 700

Show at 730

Bar and After Party till 130am

Improv is Art, Improv is Culture, Improv is Theatre! Grab your tickets and let’s (Jam and) toast Ottawa Improv together!

Have you ever wanted to be part of great action scenes in your improvised show? Perhaps it's a "near miss" chase scene between Protagonist and Antagonist. Or building suspense filled moments "lost in the dark maze." Or something as simple as a filled forest or ocean scene. In our two hours together we'll create clearly defined living locations and navigate "unintended" interference by crowds Build your side support skills -- being part of the scene without disrupting the scene.

A number of large ensemble shows are emerging in Ottawa. This skillset reduces sideline
hesitation and helps shapes interesting stage pictures.

Hosted by Michel Carpentier and Chelsea Fahey, two seasoned improvisers and standups, this two-hour workshop blends performance coaching with practical stage experience. You’ll learn the essentials of stage presence and hosting technique, with a focus on earning the audience’s trust, contributing to a great overall show, and showing up authentically as you. Expect a mix of guidance, examples, and hands-on practice designed to help you leverage your improv skills to shine as a standup or host with confidence and authenticity.

Improv is like cooking, there are a lot of ingredients that can change a meal and how it tastes depending on how much and when it's incorporated. Learn to analyze, feel and change tactics when a scene starts going off the rails. Explore the 3 types of improvisers aka: "the pirate , ninja, robot" and how and when to play differently. Play with your ingredients and explore some new combinations from structures to stakes. Scenes don't need to be fixed they just need flavour. Now lets get cookin' !

If improv is writing, acting and directing on the spot, it’s also set design and prop management. Object work can add life to scenes and help us engage deeper with the worlds we build as improvisers. This workshop for all levels focuses on clarifying object work by exercising the imagination and finding simple and effective choices to add detail to scenes and characters. We’ll go over visualization, contextualization, object/environment and idea generation in a low-pressure practice-based format.

Are you ready for an absolutely Jam-Taculair evening of Ottawa Improv! We have selected the finest Improv teams from across the Capital to create the sweetest, juiciest and most spreadable evening of comedy this side of the Rideau. These performers showcase the different styles, the level of hilarity and incredible talent that is Ottawa Improv!

Doors at 730

Show at 800

Bar Open till 12:30pm

Improv is Art, Improv is Culture, Improv is Theatre! Grab your tickets and let’s (Jam and) toast Ottawa Improv together!

Join Frederick and Chelsea for a fun workshop that will focus on approachable ways to create an improvised song with confidence. The workshop will cover the basics of song structure and how to develop a song from scratch with other players.  

Improv experience is required, but absolutely no musical/singing experience is necessary.  

Acting For Improv- From Games to Stage!

You've taken the classes, attended the jams and found your team, now you're ready to take the stage and... perform? Acting for Improv is a performance based workshop that will give you the tools to perform infront of a live audience with presence, poise and precision. From projection and annunciation, to audience interaction, stage pictures, using space and pulling focus, Patrice will guide you towards an Oscar worthy performance worthy of festivals, open stages, longform shows and more!

Curious about improv? Ready to shake up your routine, have tons of fun and spark creativity? This 2-workshop is a playful, no-pressure intro. You’ll jump into easy, interactive exercises and try out a few improv games with the support of our friendly facilitators. No experience needed—just a willingness to laugh, experiment, and connect with others. By the end, you’ll have a taste of improv’s magic, a few new friends, and maybe even the inspiration to join us for more.

Your monthly Damn Fine Improv Show gets a new face, for one night only. Join Gilbert and Friends as we celebrate laughter in the city of Ottawa with improvised comedy, made up right on the spot, from some of the most talented acts, teams and performers in the city! Eight acts take the stage for a night of creativity, laughter, and audience participation like you've never seen before. Come watch the improv community in action, and you just might get to join in on the action! Get your tickets before they sell out!

Every month WIT presents twelve of Ottawa's virtuoso improv comedians for a night of games and scenes based on audience suggestions — but only one of them will make it to the end of the show and be crowned MAESTRO for the week and awarded the coveted Canadian five-dollar bill.

If you’ve never seen improv comedy at WIT, this is the show to catch.

As Spooky Season descends and the nights stretch ever longer, something sinister stirs in the shadows. A classic mystery is about to unfold: a group of intriguing, often eccentric characters gathers in a remote, isolated location—each bringing secrets, suspicions, and stories of their own. But when one of them turns up dead, the tension rises. Whispers turn to accusations, alliances form and fracture, and paranoia takes hold. Someone in the room is a killer… and they’re not finished yet. Can you solve the mystery before the characters do—or will the truth stay buried?

All Fall Down is a completely improvised murder mystery in the spirit of Agatha Christie, with a devilish twist of Clue. No script, no safety—just sharp wit, high stakes, and a ticking clock. Every performance is unique. Every suspect has something to hide. And every fall begins with a secret.

At the Wheel of Whatever, each week* is a new theme!

The Wheel of Whatever is always Pay-What-You-Can, but a recommended donation is $5 to cover room rental fees or $10 to support WIT and making improv accessible in Ottawa.

*WoW is dark the week of The Damn Fine Improv Show.

At the Wheel of Whatever, each week* is a new theme!

The Wheel of Whatever is always Pay-What-You-Can, but a recommended donation is $5 to cover room rental fees or $10 to support WIT and making improv accessible in Ottawa.

*WoW is dark the week of The Damn Fine Improv Show.