Live, professional improv comedy every week at National Comedy Theatre. Every performance is created onstage from audience suggestions, so no two shows are ever the same.
National Comedy Theatre has been performing in San Diego since 1999, with more than 7,000 performances to date. Choose from our professional Mainstage show, Sunday Company and House Team performances, with shows Thursday through Sunday.
National Comedy Theatre presents live improv comedy throughout the week, with different casts and styles depending on the night.
NCT’s professional Mainstage cast creates a fast-paced, audience-interactive comedy show completely live from audience suggestions. Every performance is unscripted, unpredictable and completely different.
Sunday Company features NCT’s next generation of performers in a high-energy mix of short-form and long-form improv. Every show is completely unscripted and inspired by audience suggestions.
NCT’s House Teams feature advanced former students performing in rotating ensembles. See the next generation of NCT performers experimenting with different improv styles and formats.
National Comedy Theatre has been creating live improv comedy in San Diego for more than 25 years. Our shows are performed by experienced improvisers, created live from audience suggestions and never repeated.
NCT has presented more than 7,000 improv performances since opening in San Diego in 1999.
National Comedy Theatre has grown into one of San Diego’s most established live comedy institutions.
NCT’s professional company has performed weekly for San Diego audiences and visitors for more than a quarter century.
NCT performers have toured internationally with Armed Forces Entertainment, performing for U.S. service members around the world.
National Comedy Theatre has repeatedly been voted Best Comedy Show in San Diego, with awards from San Diego Magazine, the San Diego Reader and the San Diego A-List.
See Awards & Press →
Dinner is great. Dinner followed by 100 minutes of people making things up in front of you is better.
National Comedy Theatre is an easy choice for a date night, a night out with friends, a birthday or just an excuse to do something different. Because every show is created live from audience suggestions, you never know exactly what you’re going to see.
And don’t worry, audience participation doesn’t mean we’re going to drag you onstage. You can offer suggestions if you want to, sit back and watch if you don’t, and let the cast do the dangerous part.
See Upcoming Shows →New to improv? Here are a few things to know before your first National Comedy Theatre show.
Improv comedy is performed without a script. At National Comedy Theatre, the performers use suggestions from the audience to create scenes, characters and comedy live onstage. Because the suggestions and performances change every night, no two NCT shows are ever the same.
No. The performers ask the audience for suggestions, but participating is completely voluntary. You can call out ideas if you want to, or simply sit back and enjoy the show. Audience members are not required to come onstage or perform.
National Comedy Theatre shows are appropriate for a wide range of audiences. Because every performance is improvised, the exact content changes from show to show. We generally suggest NCT for ages 12 and older.
Most National Comedy Theatre performances run approximately 100 minutes, including an intermission.
National Comedy Theatre is located at 3717 India Street in San Diego, conveniently situated between Little Italy and Old Town. Shows are presented Thursday through Sunday evenings, with the current schedule and tickets available on our show calendar.
View Show Calendar →Every National Comedy Theatre show is created live from audience suggestions, which means the only way to know what happens is to be there when it does.
Join us Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 PM for live improv comedy in San Diego.
View Show Calendar & Buy Tickets