Kinfolk + Baggage Claim + Lena Dunham

WIT is excited to welcome Kinfolk, Baggage Claim, and Lena Dunham back to our stage following their hugely successful performances at July 2024’s sold-out edition of The Cookout: A Celebration of Black Improv in the DMV.

Kinfolk

Forged in the adversity of competition, the 2024 Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament champions have become “forever family” to each other. This incredibly funny, all-Black group asks an audience member to share a little bit about the folks they “belong to” and then brings them to life through improvisation.

Cast: Krystal Ali, Samiyyah Ali, Kendall Hollimon, Jamal Newman

Baggage Claim

This all-Black indie troupe is a popular fixture of the DC improv scene. In 2023, they opened for the headliners at the District Improv Festival. They love unpacking an audience member’s emotional baggage to find inspiration for their improv.

Cast: Samiyyah Ali, Precious Jenkins, Namakau Ombaba, Clyde Thompson, and Eddison Wilkinson

Lena Dunham

Created by WIT teaching artist and long-time performer Jamal Newman, Lena Dunham is the OG of all-Black improv ensembles in DC. The cast interviews a (volunteer) audience member about the most recent conversation they’ve had with a Black friend. Then, they draw inspiration from that discussion to create a montage of hilarious scenes.

Cast: Krystal Ali, Bam Alston, Darnell Eaton, Eva Lewis, Jamal Newman, Erica Mysc, Nic Small, Simone Webster, Bobby Williams

Frequently Asked Questions

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COVID safety

Masks are recommended, but not required for WIT shows. Learn more on our COVID Safety page.

Accessibility information

WIT Presents will take place in Studio Theatre’s Victor Shargai Theatre. Patrons using wheelchairs or with accessibility issues are given priority for front-row seating, which is on the floor level. To learn more about Studio Theatre’s accessibility, including wheelchair seating visit their accessibility page. If you have accessibility questions, please email wit@witdc.org.

Photo of Baggage Claim and Lena Dunham members at the Kennedy Center by Mikail Faalasli.