Make Up Party: The Holidays
The Make Up Party: The Holidays is a DC Improv comedy competition built around original five-minute performances inspired by the holiday theme. Sketch groups, improv troupes, stand-up comedians, and other performers compete, while the audience chooses the winning team through its cheers. The winner receives a cash prize.
This edition is hosted by Chris White and is expected to feature up to a dozen performances. The confirmed acts include stand-up comedians Stacey Axler and Heather Joyce; sketch teams Haley-McKenna and MIST; and improv teams Breakfast Schnitzel, MC Slimm Slappy, and Pandora’s Inbox.
When: December 3
Showtimes: Thursday at 7:30
Venue: DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tickets: $7.50 including service charges; the event description also lists the ticket price as $6 before those charges.
Host: Chris White, a longtime member of Washington’s comedy community and the operator of dcstandup.com. He produces and hosts the Make Up Party as well as Comedy Kumite stand-up tournaments, Pun DMV events, and DC Improv Date Night. His presidential comedy writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, and he has released the stand-up albums “I Take Requests” and “Forbidden Style.”
Confirmed stand-ups: Stacey Axler and Heather Joyce.
Confirmed sketch teams: Haley-McKenna and MIST.
Confirmed improv teams: Breakfast Schnitzel, MC Slimm Slappy, and Pandora’s Inbox.
Competition format: Teams may include one to six people, with space for a maximum of twelve teams. Performers can present stand-up, sketch comedy, a pun routine, an improv set, or another type of comedy, but each performance must be no longer than five minutes and must incorporate the holiday theme. The audience determines the winner by its response, and the winning team takes home a cash prize.
Participation: Performers interested in competing must submit the event’s Google form and wait for confirmation. Once accepted, each team purchases tickets and prepares its performance.
About the series: The Make Up Party is DC Improv’s recurring creative challenge, produced every few months. It began in fall 2015 with performers receiving a theme on the night of the show and one hour to create a routine. The format later changed so that themes were announced several weeks ahead of time. Online editions were presented through Zoom beginning in 2020.
Past themes: Previous installments have explored Animals, Music, Technology, Travel, School, Food, Health, Crime, Money, Nature, Sports, Florida, Death, History, Family, Supernatural, Nightlife, Fights, Luxury, Science Fiction, Romance, Dreams, Religion, and Celebration.
Contact: DC Improv can be reached at 202.296.7008 or support@dcimprov.com.