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. Read more >>> 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. (Valerie Paschall)
EAT THIS
Chef Frederik de Pue hosts a preview of the market space at his new Penn Quarter restaurant Menu MBK (Market BistroBar, Kitchen) today from 3 to 7 p.m. The ground floor of the restaurant (which replaces Azur) will offer seasonal treats from a number of local vendors, including free hot chocolate and Chapel Hill Farm veal meatballs. Reps from DC Cured, Bounty Hill Farms, and Junius Coffee will be on hand, and other items for sale will include apple cider, soup, holiday cookies, macaroons, sticky buns, candied apples, and Belgian waffles. Menu MBK officially opens mid-January. Menu MBK, 405 8th St. NW. (202) 347-7491. menumbk.com. (Jessica Sidman)
OH AND ALSO
Enjoy holiday tunes from area musicians when Listen Local First takes over the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. 6 p.m. at 2700 F St. NW. Free.
Paint Branch performs with More Humans and Big Hush at Black Cat Backstage. 8 p.m. at 1811 14th St. NW. $12.
Classixx and Oliver bring the Disco to Disco tour to U Street Music Hall tonight. DJ Provoke also performs. 10 p.m. at 1115 U St. NW. $15.
Head to the Dunes for “A Very Serial Killer’s Christmas,” a spooky holiday event presented by the team behind the Encyclopedia Show. 8 p.m. at 1402 Meridian Place NW. $12.
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