Washington’s only nonprofit improv theater is getting a stage of its own. Washington Improv Theater is planning a permanent home in NoMa, with an opening targeted for January 2027, bringing its classes, performances and corporate training program WIT@Work under one roof for the first time. Leaders say the new space will let the company scale its classes, host on-site corporate workshops and act as a cultural anchor in the fast-growing neighborhood.
In a press release shared with the Washington Business Journal, WIT reported that its education program already draws roughly 1,200 adult registrations a year and that WIT@Work has teamed up with clients including Boeing, the Brookings Institution, Deloitte, the FBI and Google. The release highlighted client feedback on its applied-improv style, with one attendee calling 90 minutes of training “more usable, resonant content” than other workshops. WIT is framing the NoMa move as a way to host and expand those trainings on home turf.
New NoMa Home and Design
According to WIT, the theater will take over 1222 3rd St. NE, filling about 10,000 square feet split between a street-level performance space and a lower-level classroom complex. Plans call for a 110-seat theater, seven training rooms, a green room and a café, along with a digital marquee aimed at promoting shows and corporate events. WIT says construction and permitting are in progress, with the goal of opening the doors in January 2027.
Design And Neighborhood Impact
The project is being designed by DMArchitects, whose founder Matt Alexander, himself a WIT performer, led the concept renderings and layout, according to officials quoted in local coverage. Theatre In DC reports that WIT has signed a long-term lease and estimates the build-out at about $4 million. NoMa business leaders say the venue is expected to bring more evening audiences and new daytime foot traffic to nearby restaurants and shops, which would add a little extra punch to the neighborhood’s street life.
WIT@Work Brings Improv To The Boardroom
WIT@Work offers workshops for groups ranging from five to 500 participants, both in-person and online, and also provides keynote speakers and event facilitation for organizations across the country, according to the program details on WIT. The page lists John Windmueller, Ph.D., as director, noting that he has more than two decades of experience designing and delivering professional training, along with a doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Corporate clients have used WIT’s applied improv to practice communication, negotiation and leadership in interactive settings, according to the Washington Business Journal release.
What This Means For Audiences And Businesses
Once the new space opens, WIT expects to triple its number of performances to roughly 450 shows per year and to nearly double adult class enrollment to about 2,200 students annually, a shift organizers say will turn the site into a busy cultural and training hub. DC Theater Arts notes that dedicated classrooms in the building will also let WIT@Work run full retreats and daylong workshops on-site instead of sending participants to third-party venues. Organizers have launched a capital campaign and say a mix of foundation support and donor contributions is part of the financing plan.
Timeline And Fundraising
According to local reporting, WIT has already begun fundraising and has announced foundation backing to help reach the roughly $4 million target for the fit-out, with organizers aiming to start construction this year and hit a January 2027 opening. HillRag notes that WIT has been conducting community outreach about its future programming and intends the new space to function as a neighborhood resource, not just a ticketed venue. In the meantime, the company will keep performing in residence at Studio Theatre while it prepares the NoMa site.
