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A South Carolina native who cut his teeth in D.C.’s comedy scene in the middle of the last decade, Rory Scovel specializes in pushing the limits of a gag’s logical expiration. He starts his 2011 album Dilation by thanking the audience for their applause for a good 90 seconds after they’ve stopped clapping. In recent performances, he’s rattled off material while climbing scaffolding and affected a German accent that he retains long after he delivers the joke that required one. His ability to improvise has made him unpredictable, but in the middle of all the silliness, Scovel will insert moments of shockingly brilliant insight. A lot of pieces can replace the thimble in a Monopoly game! Step Up 3D isn’t terribly relatable if you’re sober! Rory Scovel performs at 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. $17. (202) 296-7008. dcimprov.com.