Back by popular demand, and drawing inspiration from Abraham Lincoln’s legendary humor and self-deprecation, President Lincoln’s Cottage and The DC Improv are again partnering to present Two Faces Comedy, the first comedy series to transform Lincoln’s living room into a comedy den ! Each show is meant to be inspired by some aspect, silly or serious, of Lincoln’s legacy or the history of the cottage. Tickets here!
For November’s show, we’re bringing a different kind of battle to Lincoln’s war-time home. Comedy Kumite is the DC Improv’s one-night stand-up tournament. Comics take turns performing in each match, with the crowd deciding who advances to the next round. Since Kumite shows started in 2015, more than 30 champions have been crowned – but it’s the audience that always wins. This edition features Winston Hodges, Sandi Benton, Max Wolfson, Gigi Modrich, Christian Escoto and Chris White.
Comedy Kumite was first organized by Chris White around 2005 at venues in D.C. and Northern Virginia. 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 showroom and sometimes even filling up the club’s main showroom.
Sandi Benton is a Washington, DC-based comic from Atlanta. Her whimsical, high-pitched comedy touches on everything from ponies to prison. She has performed all over the East Coast.
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 has performed multiple times at the DC Improv, the Howard Theater and has opened for the national touring improv troupe the Groundlings.
Winston Hodges is from DC by way of Richmond, Virginia. He has worked comedy clubs up and down the east coast and is known for his southern charm and edgy wit. His debut album will be released in October 2021 by Helium Comedy Records, and his award winning comedy special “Grieving Productively” is available for free on YouTube. He is the host of the podcasts “Host Battle” and “Dead Dad Comedy Pod.” He has performed in the Asheville Comedy Festival and New York Underground Comedy Fest.
Gigi Modrich is a Washington, DC based comic originally from New Mexico. She was a part of the First Nations Comedy Experience now available on Amazon Prime, and has performed all across the country. She’s sarcastically optimistic and tells jokes that are thoughtful enough to provoke thought, but won’t prompt a hate crime.
Max Wolfson is a comedy and also regular person who migrated to DC from the wild mountains of Radford, Virginia. Often considered the “Max” of the group, he joined the Midnight Gardener’s League to further his goal of spending less time with his family. Blending a quick wit with outside-the-box ideas that are either very smart or very dumb, Max has smarmed and charmed audiences at the DC Improv and many other venues around town.
Chris White has been part of the DC comedy scene for more than a decade, both as a performer and as the guy who runs dcstandup.com. Working with the DC Improv, he produces and hosts The Other Side podcast, Happy Hour Trivia, the “Make Up Party” game night and Comedy Kumite stand-up tournaments. His comedy writing on the U.S. presidents has been featured on McSweeney’s, and he has two stand-up albums available on iTunes: “I Take Requests” and “Forbidden Style.”
