About the Show
Price: $15 GA, $20 reserved
When: Wednesday 7:30
Spotlight: Join us for a supersized edition of the world's greatest stand-up competition! Each Wednesday for four straight weeks (July 9 - July 30), we'll have six different performers duke it out. Each "match" has comics doing sets back-to-back, and the audience chooses one person to advance. At the end of each Wednesday, we'll have a champion ... and of course, the audience ALWAYS wins. Once all four champs are determined, they'll return one more time for a no-holds-barred comedy battle (August 6). The winner of that match becomes our Comedy Kumite XL champion for 2025! This is a great way to enjoy top local talent, at a price that's a knockout.
Featuring: Kevin Seefried, Justo, Heather Joyce, Christian Escoto, TBA, TBA
About the Comics
Kevin Seefried is a comedian and writer who splits his time between Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn, NY. He has performed in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia, including appearances at numerous festivals including the Brooklyn, Boston, and Blue Whale Comedy Festivals. Kevin won Comedy Kumite 37.2 (winter 2023) at the DC Improv.
Instagram: @kevinseefried
Justin “Justo” Brooks is a professional comedian and writer. His witty, energetic, and thought-provoking comedy is definitely a must see. In 2020 he won first place in 3 comedy competitions including Magooby’s New Comedian of the Year. In 2021 Justo won a spot at the famous Laugh Factory by winning 1st place in the club’s open mic competition. He has also opened and hosted shows for Tony Woods, Tony Rock, Erik Rivera, Rodney Perry, Dominique, and other comics seen on Netflix, HBO, and Comedy Central. Justo won Comedy Kumite 39.1 (June 2023) in the DC Improv lounge.
Instagram: @justo.comedian
Heather Joyce has been doing standup since 2019 after moving back to Virginia from LA (Lower Alabama). She performs all over Virginia, DC, and Maryland in comedy clubs, scifi conventions, and even elementary schools. She has opened for national acts like Dusty Slay, Kevin James Thornton, and Leah Rudick. She explores topics from the nerdy to the risque with a unique and sometimes musical perspective.
Instagram: @hajoycecomedy
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Christian Escoto began performing comedy after his high school graduation. Since then, he regularly performs around the DC area and the Baltimore region. Using his quick wit and stage persona, Christian entertains the audience with jokes and stories about growing up in DC area as a Filipino-American. He is a regular at the DC Improv and has opened for Sheng Wang, Steve Byrne, Jason Cheny and Jessica Kirson in the main showroom. Christian has been seen at Skankfest, San Francisco Sketchfest, Asheville Comedy Festival and has showcased at NACA and APCA college conferences. He currently tours colleges all across the country. Christian won Comedy Kumite 34.2 (summer 2022) at the DC Improv.
Instagram: @cgescoto
Kumite History
Comedy Kumite was first organized by Chris White around 2005 at venues in D.C. and Northern Virginia. Eight comedians squared off in a bracketed tournament, with the audience deciding the winner of each match with their cheers. The DC Improv worked with Chris to revive the format in its lounge showroom in the summer of 2015, showcasing the next wave of DMV talent. Kumites have returned every few months since then, always selling out in the lounge and sometimes even filling up the club's main showroom. While the venue was closed in 2020 and early 2021, six editions of the tournament were featured in the club's virtual showroom. More than 30 kumite champions have been crowned. You can see them all in the Comedy Kumite Hall of Fame.