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!

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm!

Two improv shows for the price of one! This month's line up includes:

The Wedding Party and Ottawa Secrets!

10 improv comedians compete for survival – and a cash prize!
Plus YOU - the audience - are the arbiters of who wins and who's eliminated until only one remains standing: the MAESTRO!

Every month WIT presents ten 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.

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm

Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn a fun idea into a fully-formed improv show? In this 2.5-hour workshop, Wayward Improvised Theatre's artistic director Peter Rogers will guide participants through the process of identifying a good idea, designing a show concept, and planning rehearsals.

This is primarily a thinking, talking and writing workshop, with some play elements. Please bring your preferred note-taking supplies (pen and paper, laptop, etc.), and a water bottle.

This workshop is intended for participants with some improv experience (at least six months of regular practice) who are interested in developing their own show concept or learning more about the behind-the-scenes process of WIT’s shows. This workshop is strongly recommended for anyone who wants to pitch a show to WIT for our 2025-26 season.

About your instructor:

Peter Rogers is the artistic director of Wayward Improvised Theatre and a facilitator at the Improv Embassy. He began improvising at the Hideout Theatre in 2000. Since then, he’s directed narrative longform shows, written extensively about improv production, and taught workshops in Austin, Alaska, the UK, and right here in Ottawa. Most recently, he created and directed Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience (an improvised 90s sitcom) and Red Tape (a improvised comedy set in the federal government).

Access notes:

This workshop will be held in Mac Hall at the Bronson Centre. This room is accessible via a ramp.

The Bronson Centre does not have a water fountain. Please bring your own water.

This workshop will include a ten-minute break roughly halfway through the workshop time.

If you'd like to talk to the facilitator in advance about specific access needs, we invite you to contact us at hello@waywardimprov.ca.

Come try improvised musical songs, games, and scenes. With an emphasis on fun and a laid back atmosphere, come play classic musical games and experiment with us as we make new ones up, because improv baby!

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

Pay what you can, suggested cost 5$.

This jam lasts 2 hours with a brief break. Max 16 attendees.

If you would like to share any access needs before hand please feel free to reach out on FB or at beltimprov@gmail.com

Amuse Bouche Variety
A comedy show where the audience decides who gets more stage time

Comedians bring their new (and tried-and-true) comedic material* to win the audience’s affection and a chance to headline a future show!

Prepare for a unique and entertaining evening with "Belt: The Improvised Musical". Join us as talented improvisers take the stage to create an original musical right before your eyes, using only their imagination and audience suggestions. With no script or rehearsed songs, these performers will craft scenes and songs on the spot, resulting in a show that's fresh and full of surprises. Expect a mix of humour, creativity, and spontaneity as the cast navigates through improvised characters and plot twists.

Have you ever wanted to see your local CIG volunteers try out an event? Well, wait no longer! We are kicking off our 2024 National Festival with the Alumni Showcase. On Tuesday April 15th at the ArtsCourt Theatre, watch CIG alum from Newfoundland to Victoria come together in the spirit of loving competition to celebrate the Canadian Improv Games. Get ready to cooperate with one another, to learn from each other, to commit ourselves to the moment, and above all, to have a good time!

Doors open at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 7:30 PM.

General admission tickets are $10. Registered Festival participants and competing teams can enter for PWYC at the door.

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm!

Two improv shows for the price of one! This month's line up includes: The Wedding Party and Ottawa Secrets!

Curious about improv? Ready to shake up your routine, have tons of fun and spark creativity? This monthly 2-hour 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.

NOTE: although this Jam is set up specifically for those new or new-ish to improv, all Community members are welcome. If you're an experienced improviser it is a good idea to play with new people as a way of strengthening your skills. Attendees must be 18+.

BE GOOD

These jams take place in a welcoming, easygoing space—we’re here to have fun, support each other, and foster a sense of encouragement and community. All participants in the jam are expected to refrain from conduct that is sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory.

Our School’s Code of Conduct requires all participants to respect each other’s boundaries. Refrain from physical contact if you do not have permission from a fellow performer.

We want to make sure everyone gets a chance to jam so we have a waitlist for this event. To make room for others, please cancel your booking if you can't make it.

Please arrive a few minutes early so we can start on time!

OTHER GOOD STAGE HABITS

Wear comfy indoor shoes.

Wear comfy clothes.

Put your gum away.

STAY SAFE

Masks are welcome but not mandatory. If you’re feeling sick, please stay home. 

CONTACT US

Questions? Or if there are needs we can accommodate before the Jam, tell us and we’ll do our best to assist, info@improvembassy.com.

You thought dancing in the rain was fun? Let's do some IMPROV in the rain! We have an outstanding line up of Capital improvisors ready to SHOWER you with a good time, loud laughs and community love.

Featuring:
The Cardigans, Pocketful of Sporks, SHHH!, Bovination, and Flying Panda Theme Park

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!

10 improv comedians compete for survival – and a cash prize!
Plus YOU - the audience - are the arbiters of who wins and who's eliminated until only one remains standing: the MAESTRO!

Every month WIT presents ten 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.

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm

Amuse Bouche Variety
A comedy show where the audience decides who gets more stage time

Comedians bring their new (and tried-and-true) comedic material* to win the audience’s affection and a chance to headline a future show!

The sun is shining, the snow is melting and that sweet sweet Improv comedy syrup is running. Join Jam Nation as we celebrate winters end (we really, really hope)!

We have a stunning V-formation of incredible Improv teams migrating to the stage to deliver hilarious jokes. Come join us for a cold drink (the only thing cold, we promise), some good laugh and a community that blooms brighter ever year!

Featuring:

Utility Infield, Two People, Ikea

Indoor Recess and DAMP

Free all levels jam from 630-730 where you can brush of the chill of winter and put on your summer comedy tires! Lead by Ottawa Improv legend Mike Kosowan!

Jam 630-730

Door at 730

Show at 800

Bar till 100

Grab your tickets to and lets rejoice in the ice free streets (we really, really, really hope) together!

Get ready for a night of laughter and entertainment at LIVE! on Elgin! Join us on Saturday March 15, 2025 for a hilarious improv show by your friendly neighbourhood conglomerate, The Improv Corporation. Get your tickets now for this one-of-a-kind show that ultimately could have been an email.

Doors open at 7:30PM. Show from 8:00PM to 10:00PM.

Tickets are $15 dollars online or at the door, so buy now to secure your seats!!!

Prepare for a unique and entertaining evening with "Belt: The Improvised Musical". Join us as talented improvisers take the stage to create an original musical right before your eyes, using only their imagination and audience suggestions. With no script or rehearsed songs, these performers will craft scenes and songs on the spot, resulting in a show that's fresh and full of surprises. Expect a mix of humour, creativity, and spontaneity as the cast navigates through improvised characters and plot twists.

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm!

Two improv shows for the price of one! This month's line up includes:

Red Tape

From: Communications

To: All Staff

(Le français suit)

Red Tape is an improv show with comedy as its mandate. It recognizes the important work done by Ottawa's largest employer and all of the good intentions, intricate bureaucracy and relentless fairness that go along with it.

We invite fans of Terry Falls, Parks & Recreation and The Thick of It to further increase their knowledge by exploring the resources available at Arts Court - Atelier from October to February at 7pm.

Peter Rogers - Director, Staff Morale

--

De: Communications

A: Tout le personnel

Red Tape est un spectacle d’improvisation dont le mandat est la comédie. Il reconnaît le travail important accompli par le plus grand employeur d'Ottawa et toutes les bonnes intentions, la bureaucratie complexe et l'équité implacable qui l'accompagnent.

Nous invitons les fans de Terry Falls, Parks & Recreation et The Thick of It à approfondir davantage leurs connaissances en explorant les ressources disponibles à la Cour des Arts - Atelier d'octobre à février à 19h.

Peter Rogers - Directeur, moral du personnel

Ottawa Secrets

Ottawa Secrets is a fully improvised show, where we use true, anonymously-submitted secrets, (maybe yours) to inspire improvised stories, which are brought to life by a cast of actors. We are honored to be the curators of your secrets, and treat each secret with respect and light-hearted reverence. Because our inspirations come from real details of your lives, our shows reflect the full range of joys and sorrows, triumphs and failures, and above all, humor of the human experience.

Ottawa Secrets was inspired by Austin Secrets, a show created by our friend, Roy Janik at The Hideout Theater in Austin, Texas. Like StoryCorps, PostSecret, Mortified, and This American Life, Ottawa Secrets uses real people's experience to reveal human truths and celebrate everyday lives.

On March 10, Utility Infield is stepping up to the plate to take over Damn Fine Improv Show for a night of fast-paced, high-energy comedy! Spring Training is all about celebrating the people who have shaped our improv journey—featuring performers we’ve trained with, teachers and coaches who’ve guided us, and even family who’ve supported (and maybe tolerated) our endless bits. A lineup packed with talent, laughs, and the kind of camaraderie that makes improv so special. We’re bringing a show that’s sure to hit it out of the park!

Come check out a fun night of standup comedy with some great comics! The show starts at 8pm at the Royal Oak on Kent and Slater

10 improv comedians compete for survival – and a cash prize!
Plus YOU - the audience - are the arbiters of who wins and who's eliminated until only one remains standing: the MAESTRO!

Every month WIT presents ten 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.

Doors at 6:30pm / Show at 7pm

Amuse Bouche Variety
A comedy show where the audience decides who gets more stage time

Comedians bring their new (and tried-and-true) comedic material* to win the audience’s affection and a chance to headline a future show!

Twosome has finally returned to Ottawa! The show that spotlights improv duos smelled blood in the water and could not resist coming back! Please keep your arms inside the diving cage at all times, this show is going to be wild.

So Youo wanna Duo! So you and a special someone wanna be the improv Bert and Ernie! Wallace and Gromit! Cain and Able! Errr….maybe not that last one. Entering an improv duo can be intimidating. No team on the sideline to bail you out. Just you and your partner. This two hour workshop with Leslie Cserepy (Cafe Au Lait, ROOOKIE PEPPS, Slow Burn) will cover the basic dynamics of two person scenes, finding your approach, and tips/ techniques to make your duo lift off! Sign up with a duo partner or get paired with someone!

Oh I just can't wait to be a musical improviser!

Come practice and try improvised musical songs, games, and scenes THIS MONTH with a Disney twist!

With an emphasis on fun and a laid back atmosphere, come play favourites like Sounds Like A Song, hoedown and more.

Improv experience strongly suggested, musical experience not required.

Pay what you can, suggested cost 5$.

This jam lasts 2 hours with a brief break. Max 16 attendees.

18+

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!

Join us in the Atelier studio (Arts Court) for... 

Amuse Bouche Variety

A comedy show where the audience decides who gets more stage time

Premieres Friday January 24, 2025

Show starts at 7:30 pm (runtime: between 1.5-2 hours)
Tickets: $̶1̶5 $5 (New Year Special!)
Doors open at 7:00 pm

Three Exhibition Comedians; Six Competition Comedians; One Headliner

Accessibility

• Arts Court is a mobility accessible venue

• COVID-Safer

  • This is a masked (KN-95/N95) mandatory event for the audience

  • Air Quality: ~600 (90 minutes with 15 masked people in the space)

  • Some performers might unmask during their performances

Do you want to sign up as Exhibition or Competition Comedian?

Bring your new and tried-and-true comedic material* to win the audience's affection and a chance to headline a future show! All comedic types (improv, sketch, standup, music, etc.) and experience levels welcome. Headliners receive a profit-share of the door for their show

Google form sign up: https://forms.gle/FTNUJFPBamfnumnD8

#Ottawa #comedy #sketch #standup #improv #ThingsToDoOttawa #COVIDSaferComedy

* Punch down humour (i.e., racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic material) is never welcome in this space

Come try improvised musical songs, games, and scenes. With an emphasis on fun and a laid back atmosphere, come play classic musical games and experiment with us as we make new ones up, because improv baby!

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

Pay what you can, suggested cost 5$.

This jam lasts 2 hours with a brief break. Max 16 attendees.

If you would like to share any access needs before hand please feel free to reach out on FB or at beltimprov@gmail.com

Kick off 2025 right with a full day of futuristic improv:

10am-1pm - Design for Directors Workshop

An introduction to figuring out how to include tech in your show and give that extra theatrical gloss to both short form and narrative improvised shows. We'll go through the design process, and how you can incorporate technical design in the conception of your show, tools you might need and how to rehearse (and perform!) with techs.

Facilitated by Lindsey McGowen

2pm-5pm - Tech for Actors Workshop

New to tech? Unsure what the buttons do, or how to work with a venue tech? Come play in the tech booth and on stage and learn to play with ephemeral and magical lights and sound.

Facilitated by Josh Carroll

6:30pm-7:30pm - Improv Jam (Free)

Open to all - come play with us!

8-10pm - JamNation + WIT Presents: The Future Is Now

Back for one night only, Space Cowboy: An Improvised Space Western, returns to Ottawa! This is not a show you want to miss!

Followed by a narrative long-form mashup of Ottawa Improv fan favourites DAMP and Safeword- bound to get you wet in all the right ways!

Tickets available for individual events or a day package!

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!