NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/27/09
Saturday Night Live icon Chevy Chase performs improv tonight at Gravid Water
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows
the perfect show for short attention spans, open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents) performing what's likely to be a mesmerizing comedic one-man show: Supernormal (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] luminous Broadway actors Katie Finneran (Tony winner), Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Jonathan Kaplan, Sandy Rustin, and Amy Rutberg mixing it up with some of the best improvisors in the world—Michael Delaney, Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Anthony King...and tonight, also comedy icon Chevy Chase!—as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] terrific stand-ups Christian Finnegan (two Comedy Central specials and a third airing soon, commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Bobby Miyamoto (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson, Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN), John Morrison (beloved producer of comedy shows Ochi's Motel and Morrison Motel), and musical guest The Fools at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
[FREE] a free comedy show hosted by Jon Friedman featuring sharp NYC stand-ups Sean Patton, Becky Ciletti, Mark Normand, Tom McCaffrey, Peter Kassnove, and Neal Stastny at Chelsea Market's Comedy Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] two of the most beloved comics in NYC performing deliciously long stand-up sets in a 45-minute block at an acclaimed music hall: Joselyn Hughes & Brooke Van Poppelen at Rockland (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and Anthony Jeselnik (writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Kumail Nanjiani (Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report), Sean Patton (VH1), and more at a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country: Whiplash (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm, with entirely different groups of stand-ups.
Tonight's 6:30 lineup include Livia Scott, Emily Epstein, Hilary Schwartz, Maribeth Mooney, Sean Crespo, Mark Normand, Eric I, Matt Maragno, Josh Comers, Matt Ruby, Jay Bois, Matteson Perry, and Aalap Patel.
And the 9:00 pm lineup includes Marianne Schaberg, Doug Adler, John Clark, Pat O'Sullivan, Tim Ryan, and John Morrison.
Ochi's Motel is hosted at 6:30 by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry:
...and at 9:00 pm by Aalap Patel and Matteson Perry:
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Tom Shillue
Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue had done a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; does storytelling podcasts; hosts acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork; and has a comedy CD, Overconfident!. For stand-up samples, please click here and here.
Tonight Tom performs a theatrical one-man show. It's likely to be mesmerizing; and, sight unseen, is recommended.
7:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $15
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Anthony King, Michael Delaney, and Chevy Chase
Classic theatre scenes performed by professional actors who stay on book—
and an improv comic who hasn't read the play and has to make up lines on the fly.
Starring these world-class improvisers (in alphabetical order):
Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel),
Chevy Chase (Saturday Night Live icon, and one of the few comics who helped define his generation),
Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; currently co-starring in new improv troupes Sleepover and The Scam; previous improv shows have included Mother, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),
Michael Delaney (genius improvisor, actor, and improv instructor; Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Will Ferrell Broadway Bush comedy You're Welcome America; member of UCBT star troupe The Stepfathers and legendary troupe The Swarm),
Becky Drysdale (stellar charismatic performer; acclaimed one-woman show
One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Happy Hour,
Let's Have a Ball, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical), and
Frank Spitznagel (genius piano improvisor who works with top musical groups).
And also starring some of NYC's top theatre actors:
Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Tony nominee for Avenue Q)
Katie Finneran (Tony winner for Noises Off),
Jonathan Kaplan (Tony nominee for Falsettos),
Sandy Rustin (Don't Quit Your Day Job, Neil Simon's Hotel Suite), and
Amy Rutberg (The Jazz Age).
Gravid Water is directed and hosted by Stephen Ruddy,
and is one of the finest comedy productions in New York.
If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.
With Chevy Chase, Tony winners and nominees, and some of the best improvisors on the planet, this performance quickly sold out of seats. If you don't mind standing, though, come and enjoy what's sure to be a memorable event.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Christian Finnegan, Liam McEneaney, and John Morrison
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's host is Nick Stevens (VH1's All Access; Boston fan Fitzy on ESPN; hosted 2001-2007 NYC live comedy production The Shark Show).
And tonight's superb guests are
Christian Finnegan (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; upcoming hour-long Comedy Central special Au Contraire; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show, host of TVLand's Game Time, former staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; comedy CD Two For Flinching; for stand-up videos on how to get rid of a boring guy and what your movie choices say about you, please click here and here),
John Morrison (beloved host of weekly NYC open mic stand-up show Ochi's Motel and monthly NYC live comedy showcase Morrison Motel),
Bobby Miyamoto (Comedy Central's Premium Blend; Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; for
stand-up about educational opportunities in Dallas and dating Tori Spelling, please click here),
plus musical guest The Fools.
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); tickets are $5
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z
Sean Patton, Jon Friedman, and Becky Ciletti
Comedy Night at Chelsea Market
One of New York's great shopping institutions is the Chelsea Market,
which plays host to a wide range of nourishing foods and additively delicious snacks.
(Be sure to try the Fat Witch brownies, which are half-price from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm;
and Eleni's irresistible cupcakes and cookies, which are half-price from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.)
But with the aim of also being a cultural institution, Chelsea Market
plays home to a variety of fun events...including a Comedy Night.
In charge of the latter is Jon Friedman, host of the superb monthly NYC live comedy extravaganza The Rejection Show and author of the book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled.
Jon's lineup tonight includes Sean Patton, Becky Ciletti, Mark Normand, Tom McCaffrey, Peter Kassnove, and Neal Stastny.
The show takes place near the waterfall...and is entirely free.
8:00 pm at Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue (between 15th &16th Streets); free
Joselyn Hughes & Brooke Van Poppelen at Rockland
Tonight at the famed Rockland Music Hall, you can enjoy two deliciously long stand-up comedy sets from two delightful, razor-sharp comics who are among the most beloved in NYC's comedy scene:
Joselyn Hughes (Comedysmack.com, Maxim Radio; half of sketch duo Macho!; for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here) and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Comix; other half of sketch duo Macho!; Chicago Public Radio, Cosmo Radio, Maxim Radio; popular blog NYisretarded.blogspot.com; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here).
The show starts with a musical act at 7:00 pm. The gals will go on stage from 8:30 to 9:15 pm.
Admission is free except for a one-drink minimum.
If you're a fan of Joselyn and Brooke, this is a great opportunity to see them shine.
8:30 pm at Rockland Music Hall, 196 Allen Street (between Houston & Stanton Streets);
no cover, 1-drink minimum; show starts with musical act at 7:00 pm
Kumail Nanjiani, Anthony Jeselnik, and Sean Patton
Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free
Leo Allen is pursuing fame and fortune this evening, so guest-hosting will be
Sean Patton (VH1, 2008 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival; for stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here; for stand-up videos about drugs & weapons and Sean's crackhead aunt, please click here and here),
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of
my favorite stand-ups ever; staff writer for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO's Down & Dirty, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players; for hilarious stand-up videos, please click here) and
Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer of upcoming Michael Black & Michael Showalter Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues; appeared on Saturday Night Live, and repeatedly on The Colbert Report; Comedy Central's The Hot List and Open Mic Fight; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for both Best Male Stand-Up and Best One-Person Show (Unpronounceable; for my review, please click here); to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/28/09
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Wyatt Cenac (Punch Up Your Life) and Adira Amram (Sweet)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] Jeff Rubin & Patrick Cassels (Bleep Bloop) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Badman, Penthouse Riot, The Law Firm, The Scam, and Bastian—plus a small mob of sharp female improvisors at 11:00 pm for a show titled Suck My Dick, all at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), Adam Lowitt (producer for The Daily Show, host of This Is It!), James Bewley, and more performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker), Adira Amram (brilliantly fresh, funny, sexy singer/songwriter), Bobby Tisdale (legendary co-host of the seminal and much-beloved former NYC comedy show Invite Them Up), Gil Ozeri (SNL, Hot Sauce), and more at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
and NYC stand-ups Tom Ragu, Paul Case, and Adam Lehman joining delightful hosts Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, and Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (9:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to motelme@gmail.com.
6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are Jeff Rubin & Patrick Cassels (Bleep Bloop).
To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.) Please also check out the YouTube version of the show by clicking here.
Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
Badman, Penthouse Riot, The Law Firm, The Scam, and Bastian—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
And at 11:00 pm, a small mob of sharp female improvisors will perform
at a show titled Suck My Dick.
For details on the latter, please click here.
Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show is designed
more for students of improv than the general public.
But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you
a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.
Tonight's show is sold out of seats; but if you're okay with standing,
come
and enjoy with a boisterous packed house.
8:00-midnight pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Wyatt Cenac and Adam Lowitt...
...and brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein
This free weekly stand-up show is a spectacular addition to NYC Tuesday night comedy. Its hosts are two of the finest comics in the country:
Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star—and now also proving to be, along with Pete, among the finest comedy hosts in NYC; Rolling Stones' comedy "Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade; voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil; for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here) and
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life,
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here), and
Adam Lowitt (producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show
It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here).
Please note: This show virtually always delivers a great time. But if you don't want to stand through it, arrive early; because it attracts a large crowd, the available chairs fill quickly...
8:30 pm at Housing Works’ Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street (bet. Prince & Houston); free
Nearest subway stops are Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the B/D/F/V
Pete Holmes and Adira Amram ...
...and Bobby Tisdale and Craig Baldo
Normally hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is in LA this week, though, so his guest host will be
Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, E!, The Onion;
for Craig's 2008 stand-up set on Conan O'Brien, please click here).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life,
which he'll be racing from to get to the end of tonight's Sweet;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here),
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;
co-star of Get Psyched!, one-woman show Adira Amram is an American Idol at Ars Nova; upcoming second album Hot Jams 4 Teens; for sample songs & videos, please click here).
Bobby Tisdale (comedy giant who for five years co-hosted the seminal
NYC weekly live comedy show Invite Them Up with Eugene; Comedy Central album;
film Junebug; HBO's Hysterical Blindness; show on SuperDeluxe.com),
Gil Ozeri (SNL; brilliant member of ace improv/sketch troupe Hot Sauce; animator and creator of Team Gibba),
and more.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, and Jackie Monahan
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the superb gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guest comics:
Tom Ragu, Paul Case, and Adam Lehman.
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/29/09
Jenny Slate (The Nights of Our Lives), John Oliver (The Daily Show and Friends), and Dave Attell (ComedyJuice)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),
[TOP PICK] new improv duo Peter Gwinn (The Colbert Report) and Thomas Middleditch (genius improv troupes Baby Wants Candy and Improvised Shakespeare), and new stand-up/storytelling/sketch comedy duo Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, VH1's Best Week Ever) and Dan Ahdoot, (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central) in the double-bill Gwindleditch and Triple S (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] Daily Show star correspondent John Oliver (Comedy Central's Terrifying Times),
world-class hilarious stand-up Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1, The New Yorker),
Daily Show producer Adam Lowitt (host of This is It!), and more at this extravaganza created by The
Daily Show's Co-Executive Producer Rory Albanese: The Daily Show and Friends (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] brilliant comedic singer/songwriter/actor Micah Bucey performing a tour de force series of parodies in the form of mini-musicals for his intimate and joyful monthly show The Gay Agenda (8:00 pm),
[FREE] Mike Drucker (freelance writer for Saturday Night Live and The Onion), Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central, VH1; recently released his first comedy CD, Lou Diamond Phillips?), Ross Hyzer (23/6.com), Ben Kissel, and Molly Knefel at a free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno & the luminous Margie Kment: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),
[FREE] typically terrific NYC stand-up comics at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),
[FREE] superb NYC stand-ups Mike Drucker, Becky Yamamoto, Sean Crespo, Mark Normand, Sue Funke, and Dan Curry at a free show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—tonight including Anthony Atamanuik, Curtis Gwinn, Joe Mande, and Jenny Slate—telling memorable tales of "Illness" at one of the finest shows in NYC, Dave Martin's The Nights of Our Lives (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] a killer lineup of comedy stars—Dave Attel, Judah Friedlander, Rich Vos, Joe DeRosa, Jay Larson, and James Smith—at the NYC debut of a stand-up series that's been immensely popular in LA and is now making a home at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: ComedyJuice (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay
The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
For five hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Halfbear and Ali Farahnakian kick things off at 6:00 pm; The Wilhelm and Tomahawk perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Mrs. Esterhouse go on at 8:00 pm; The Baldwins and Punch show their stuff at 9:00; and Party Lights and The Faculty (consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, Chris Grace, and Rebekka Johnson) round out the evening at 10:00.
If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.
6:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Thomas Middleditch and Peter Gwinn
Two superb shows starring comedic duos for a mere five bucks.
The festivities kick off with Gwindleditch, an improv duo consisting of two stellar talents:
Peter Gwinn (writer for The Colbert Report; founder of genius musical improv group Baby Wants Candy) and
Thomas Middleditch (quick-witted organic talent and rising star who honed his improv skills at Second City and iO Chicago, and is a member of acclaimed improv troupes Baby Wants Candy, Improvised Shakespeare, and Broad Shoulders; one-man show Littlebitch; wildly popular character performer at Morrison Motel; for cartoon that prompted the comment "wow i think i actually feel my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here).
The double-bill then continues with Triple S, a new show consisting of three foundations of NYC comedy: Stand-up, Sketch, and Storytelling. Delivering the goods will be another comedy duo:
Jordan Carlos ("Alan" on The Colbert Report, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, VH1's
Best Week Ever, co-host of Nickelodeon's Me TV, comedy feature film Ghost Town;
for stand-up video about preppy R&B, please click here) and
Dan Ahdoot, (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend);
plus a musical guest!
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
John Oliver, Rory Albanese, and Pete Holmes
The Daily Show's co-executive producer & multiple Emmy Award winner Rory Albanese produces this monthly show, which features Daily Show performers & staffers.
Tonight's lineup is subject to change, but the scheduled comics include
John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;
delightful & hilarious star correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
superb 2008 hour-long Comedy Central special Terrifying Times; co-writer/star
of The Department for BBC Radio 4, and host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here),
Adam Lowitt (producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show
It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here).
This comedy club show has a $20 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To learn more and/or to order, please click here.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$20 ticket plus two-item food or drink minimum
Brilliant singer/songwriter/actor Micah Bucey
Micah Bucey is a brilliant & award-winning actor, singer, and writer who possesses the charisma of a young rock god, managing to convey sweetness, vulnerability, and menace all at the same time.
Micah also has a terrific feel for wording and timing, a powerful and expressive singing voice, and never-ending energy.
All that is evident in Micah's monthly show The Gay Agenda (performed with his composer & pianist partner Nicholas), in which Micah belts out an astonishing number of original comedic parodies back to back in the form of mini-musicals. (Most of which actually have nothing to do with being gay...)
If you've never seen Micah perform, stop depriving yourself and buy tickets to this zero-budget, super-intimate, magical show.
Please Note: Tickets are normally $15, but you can purchase them for just $10 (plus a $2 service charge) by buying in advance online and using discount code TGAFriend. This is highly recommended, because the show regularly (and deservedly) sells out.
8:00 pm at The Players Loft (directly to the right of The Players Theatre), 115 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets); $10 online using discount code TGAFriend
Margie Kment, Mike Drucker, and Ross Hyzer
This fun new weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment, and character-based comic Matt Maragno.
Tonight's guests are
Mike Drucker (freelance writer for Saturday Night Live, The Onion, McSweeney's, 23/6, Black20; winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; for Drucker's explanation of how life is like video games and comic books, please click here; and to learn why Drucker's girlfriend wouldn't give him a gold star, please click here),
Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Shorties Watchin' Shorties, and Secret Stash Movie; VH1's All Access; The Onion; just released his first comedy CD, Lou Diamond Phillips?),
Ross Hyzer (23/6.com, host of NYC live extravaganza County Fair Comedy Show;
for stand-up videos, please click here and here),
Ben Kissel, and Molly Knefel.
8:00 pm at Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street); free
Co-hosts Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate
Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for hilarious Jenny video, please click here) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically...well, terrific.
8:00ish pm at Cameo, 93 North 6th Street (behind Lovin' Cup) in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk two blocks; between Berry & Wythe
Leslie Goshko
This free weekly show tonight features superb NYC stand-ups Mike Drucker, Becky Yamamoto, Sean Crespo, Mark Normand, Sue Funke, and Dan Curry.
Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.
8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
The Nights of Our Lives: Illness
This is one of the best shows in New York.
The format is simple: A bunch of razor-sharp writer/performers tell stories
about themselves revolving around the evening's theme—which tonight
is "Illness."
The only rules of the show are that the tales must be true, and must be funny.
The brutal honesty, and jarring bravery, of some the participants can be hair-raising.
What they offer aren't merely jokes, but resonant, humane perspectives on life.
At the same time, there are very few shows, on or off Broadway,
that will make you laugh as consistently and as loud.
Enormous kudos go to host David Martin; and to brilliant storytellers
Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Chris Gethard, Curtis Gwinn, Anthony King,
Margot Leitman, Adam Pally, and the other comedy soldiers who've bared
some of their darkest and funniest secrets on the Nights of Our Lives stage.
To hear complete audio versions of previous shows, please visit BreakThruRadio.com and then click the Nights of Our Lives showdate that interests you.
This evening's yarn-spinners are stellar regulars Anthony Atamanuik, Curtis Gwinn, and Dave Martin, plus
Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; writer/star of comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here) and
Jenny Slate (co-host of Brooklyn weekly live comedy show Big Terrific; co-star of comedic play Workdays with Maury; for hilarious video, please click here).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Rich Voss, Judah Friedlander, and Dave Attell
ComedyJuice NYC Debut: Dave Attell, Judah Friedlander, Rich Voss, and More
ComedyJuice is a popular & long-running comedy series in LA. Tonight it makes its NYC debut at the elegant Comix Comedy Club. And it's doing so with a bang: the scheduled lineup consists of some of stand-up comedy's most hilarious stars:
Dave Attell, Judah Friedlander, Rich Vos, Joe DeRosa, Jay Larson, and James Smith.
Expect to laugh...a lot.
Please Note: You can get $10 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay just $10 per ticket) by ordering online using discount code LMCJ. There's also a two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To learn more and/or to order, please click here.
10:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
tickets are $10 online using discount code LMCJ, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly—but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.
Please note that while it costs nothing to get in, if you have a good time (which is likely), you should drop a dollar or two into the contribution bucket on your way out. It's the only way this beloved show—which has been running for over five years—can stay alive as a vibrant showcase.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 4/30/09
Scott Adsit (Adsit & Gausas), comedic musings on Bob Seger (Downtown Superstar), and Neil Casey (Cage Match)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] an hour-long play made up on the spot by razor-sharp, passionate improvisors Scott Adsit (30 Rock, Moral Orel) and Christina Gausas (Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report) at Adsit & Gausas (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] acclaimed sketch, improv, and storytelling comics writers gather to create 10-minute odes to a pop star—who tonight is Bob Seger—in The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:30 pm),
typically superb NYC comics at a free weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] star comics Dave Attell, Colin Quinn, Ted Alexandro, Judah Friedlander, Anthony Jeselnik, and more performing—though not all on the same lineups—at Comedy Cellar (9:00 pm & 11:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] three superb NYC sketch troupes—Harvard Sailing Team, A Week of Kindness, and Sidecar—each performing one of their most popular bits and one of their personal favorites in the very fun sketch revue A-Side/B-Side (9:30 pm),
[$] a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, tonight headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and Badman, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Christina Gausas and Scott Adsit
Adsit & Gausas: Improvised One-Hour Play
A dynamo improv duo creates a one-act play on the spot "that can be hilarious and physical and heart-breaking and still—come and see for yourself."
The superb performers are
Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) and
Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Al Franken Show, Let's Have a Ball, Dorff & Gausas).
Where else are you going to see a razor-sharp play for just five bucks?
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour: Bob Seger Edition
The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour "brings together some of the city's best comedic minds and forces them to be inspired by a common suggestion. Tonight's show asks Free Love Forum (sketch comedy troupe), Centralia (NYC improv pioneers), John Flynn (raconteur, The Nights Of Our Lives), and short form improv savant Nate Starkey to address nothing less than THE GREATEST HITS OF BOB SEGER. Like a Rock, Turn the Page, Old Time Rock n' Roll, and much, much more!"
Also featured are "the hard rocking and heavy breathing of renowned Bob Seger tribute band Bob Zeigler" and host Matt Oberg. " Ain't it funny how the night moves?"
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
James Eason and Tara Copeland
A group of stellar improvisors, some of whom are former members of legendary improv troupe Mother, perform long-form improv based on an audience suggestion. This new group's members are Tara Copeland, James Eason, Jessica Allen, Paul W. Downs, Jesse Falcon, and Rachel Hamilton.
Please note: Paying $5 actually entitles you to see shows at The Magnet for the entire evening, which includes two improv shows following this one. For details, please click here and then scroll down to Thursday's listings.
8:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Sean Crespo, Adira Amram, Shayna Ferm, and Becky Yamamoto
Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman
Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success...
Tonight's guests haven't been announced but, as you can see from last week's lineup (above), they're usually superb NYC comics.
8:30 pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); tickers are $5
Take the F subway to 2nd Avenue & Houston stop or the L subway to 1st Avenue & 14th Street stop
Ted Alexandro, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, and Judah Friedlander
Tonight's two lineups at the Comedy Cellar club feature some heavy-duty talent.
The 9:00 show includes Greg Giraldo and Marina Franklin.
And the 11:00 show includes Dave Attell and Big Jay Oakerson.
To see the complete lineups for the shows at 9:00 pm (doors at 8:30) and 11:00 pm (doors at 10:30), please click here, click the Lineup link near the top, click today's date, and click the Go button. To make an online reservation, please click here.
This comedy club show has a $12 cover and 2-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up).
9:00 pm & 11:00 pm at Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal Street (between 3rd St. & Minetta Lane); $12 cover plus two-item minimum
Stellar sketch groups A Week of Kindness...
...Harvard Sailing Team, and Sidecar
Harvard Sailing Team, A Week of Kindness, and Sidecar: A-Side/B-Side
Three top NYC sketch comedy groups each show off a bit that's most popular with audiences (A-Side) and then a personal oddball favorite (B-Side).
Tonight's superb troupes are
Harvard Sailing Team (won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group;
special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy that turns familiar rituals on their head; for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here; the very talented troupe consists of Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor),
A Week of Kindness (hilarious trio Dan Hopper, Nate Kushner, and Mike Still; check out their videos on tiny folk The Thumblettes, a gripping science fiction saga, and Purple People Eater implants by clicking here, here, and here; also consider Mike Still's motto: "When Oprah gives me opportunities, I call them Oprah-tunities. And life is the greatest Oprah-tunity of all"), and
Sidecar (talented & brave trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler; for a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here).
The proceedings are hosted by delightful comedy duo—and real-life cousins—Aaron Kheifets (sketch troupe Classy) & James Eason (brilliant improvisor of legendary troupe Mother and new troupe Sleepover), whose banter is typically among the most entertaining parts of the show.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight and late Friday night.)
10:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
vs.
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Badman
This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the
atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows
as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.
(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)
Tonight's defending troupe is arguably the gutsiest improv team in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Liz Cackowski, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller.
DBRR was by far the winning-est group last season, trouncing 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! It went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace. And it's repeating history this season, steamrolling over opponents with apparent ease—for example, it won last week's bout 135-22.
Tonight's challenger is UCBT Harold Night troupe Badman, consisting of Corey Brown, Chelsea Clarke, Sean Clements, Tricia McAlpin, Craig Rowin, David Siegel, Nate Smith, and the super-hilarious Mike Still.
There's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/1/09
Rich Vos (Headlining at Comix), Colin Quinn (Headlining at Gotham Comedy), and Shockwave (The BEATdown)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] acclaimed sketch, improv, and storytelling comics writers gather to create 10-minute odes to a pop star—who tonight is Bob Seger—in The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] stellar comics Kevin Allison, Sean Patton, Eric Andre, Vince Averill, Chris O’Connor, and John Knefel at this free weekly show in Brooklyn hosted by Cassidy Henehan and Nick Turner: Too Cool for School (8:00 pm),
[$] a stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and currently on the Opie & Anthony radio show: Rich Vos Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[$] a stand-up star who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live and served "cringe" comedy nightly on national television on his unforgettable Comedy Central show Tough Crowd: Colin Quinn Headlining at Gotham Comedy (8:30 pm & 10:30 pm),
Claudia Cogan (Logo's Gayest Week Ever), Ian Harvie (ABC's Byron Allen Comics Unleashed), Roy Cruz (Logo's Outlaugh), Cara Killduff (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics), and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
clever, inventive sketch comedy from Chocolate Cake City (9:30),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a comedic freestyle rap contest featuring some of the funniest & sharpest comics in NYC—who tonight are Pete Holmes, Laura Krafft, Ann Carr, Michael Kayne, and Andrew "Soce" Singer—plus a volunteer from the audience, hosted by genius comedic musical hosts Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme) and Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas), at The BEATdown (11:00 pm),
[FREE] a free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage (12:20ish am),
[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).
The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour: Bob Seger Edition
The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour "brings together some of the city's best comedic minds and forces them to be inspired by a common suggestion. Tonight's show asks Free Love Forum (sketch comedy troupe), Centralia (NYC improv pioneers), John Flynn (raconteur, The Nights Of Our Lives), and short form improv savant Nate Starkey to address nothing less than THE GREATEST HITS OF BOB SEGER. Like a Rock, Turn the Page, Old Time Rock n' Roll, and much, much more!"
Also featured are "the hard rocking and heavy breathing of renowned Bob Seger tribute band Bob Zeigler" and host Matt Oberg. " Ain't it funny how the night moves?"
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Cassidy Henehan and Nick Turner
This new & free weekly comedy show is hosted by
Cassidy Henehan (for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and
Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).
Tonight's superb guests are Kevin Allison, Sean Patton, Eric Andre, Vince Averill, Chris O’Connor, and John Knefel.
8:00 pm at Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn; free
Take the G subway to Greenpoint Avenue stop
Rich Vos starred on two seasons of Last Comic Standing; has performed a very popular Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; was a regular on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; was the first white comic on Def Jam; wrote for Chris Rock; played Lenny Bruce on NBC's American Dreams; was an unlikely guest on The View; and is a regular on the Opie and Anthony radio show.
This comedy club show has a $26.50 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
If you'd like to save a few bucks, though, you can buy tickets for Saturday night for $21.50, as long as you do so today, by clicking here.
To learn more and/or to order tickets for tonight's show, please click here.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$26.50 ticket (or $21.50 if you buy today for Saturday), plus 2-item minimum
Colin Quinn Headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club
Stand-up star Colin Quinn has been a writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the host of a wildly popular, self-destructive, and unforgettable Comedy Central series that nightly brought "cringe" comedy into homes around the country, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.
Tonight through Sunday, Colin will be performing deliciously long sets at the Gotham Comedy Club.
8:30 pm & 10:30 pm at Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street (bet. 7th & 8th Avenues);
$25 cover, plus 2-drink minimum (figure another $13+)
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).
Tonight's comics include
Claudia Cogan (Logo's Gayest Week Ever),
Ian Harvie (ABC's Byron Allen Comics Unleashed),
Roy Cruz (Logo's Outlaugh), and
Cara Killduff (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics),
plus
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Back: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil
Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
Just to give you a feel for the talent involved, Delaney and Secunda are members of legendary improv troupe The Swarm; Gethard is a storytelling genius; and Moynihan (who still comes by on Fridays when he can steal the time) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.
With art and grace, these quick-witted comedy stars will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Chocolate Cake City began as a sketch troupe from Boston's Emerson College in 2003. It's since expanded to a second troupe in New York specializing in thematic, story-based comedy.
To get a feel for CCC's wit and talent, please check out a hilarious video showing George Lucas' digitally remastered "Special Edition" version of Singin' in the Rain by clicking here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied
by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as
Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,
Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
This lively show is a comedic freestyle rap competition.
(Think 8 Mile, only way funnier.)
It's hosted by two comedic musical geniuses:
Shockwave (Chris Sullivan, cast member of PBS' The Electric Company
and amazing human beatbox of Freestyle Love Supreme;
The Age wrote he "uses his mouth like a sound effects program that
no computer could possibly match for depth of stored data or
instantaneous retrieval." And Seth Herzog wrote, "One of the most entertaining
sound effect/comedic artists you'll ever see. He stole the show at the
closing night of Mo Pitkins," referring to a 3-hour blowout that Seth hosted
and that featured such artists as Moby!), and
Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas
and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook;
MTV's Damage Control).
Tonight's razor-sharp & exceptionally quick-witted contestants are NYC comics Pete Holmes, Laura Krafft, Ann Carr, Michael Kayne, and Andrew "Soce" Singer—plus a volunteer from the audience!
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!
If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.
But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.
Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight, and then again later in May.)
12:30 am at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/2/09
Rich Vos (Headlining at Comix), Colin Quinn (Headlining at Gotham Comedy), and Andy Ofiesh (Naked Comedy Showcase)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
sharp stand-ups Matt McCarthy, Helen Hong, Adam Newman, and more at Sean Donnelly's Lil' Seany Boy (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Roman Rimer telling the true story of transitioning from gal to guy in this new one-person show: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trannies * But Were Afraid to Ask (7:30 pm),
[$] a stand-up star who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live and served "cringe" comedy nightly on national television on his unforgettable Comedy Central show Tough Crowd: Colin Quinn Headlining at Gotham Comedy (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:30 pm),
[$] a stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and currently on the Opie & Anthony radio show: Rich Vos Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] stellar comics Shayna Ferm, Joe Mande, Rozzi, Michael Somerville, Rich Brooks, and more—plus free beer!—at acclaimed monthy comedy showcase Moonwork (9:00 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] and Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm).
Matt McCarthy and Helen Hong
Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; co-host of weekly NYC open mic live comedy show Ochi's Motel; member of sketch comedy & funny short film troupe Don't Touch Me There; for a stand-up video, please click here) emcees this showcase for sharp stand-ups.
Tonight's terrific guests are
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; won 2009 ECNY Award for Best Performance in a Commercial for his work as the Verizon FIOS Guy; co-host of NY live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for stand-up videos about unsolicited advice and measuring love, please click here and here),
Helen Hong (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, TLC's What Not to Wear; E!'s Exposed: 25 Most Notorious Fashion Week Moments; Helen says " I love it when people ask me 'Where are you from?' and I say 'New York' and they say 'No, where are you really from???' I know they want me to name some Asian country like Japan or Korea. Instead I just stab them in the eye with a chopstick and scream 'I'm from the Land of Deadly Chopsticks, you evil Round Eye!' And then I shuffle away like a dainty geisha...;" for Helen's hilarious stand-up video about false assumptions
and verbal misunderstandings, please click here),
Adam Newman, Eliza Faria-Santos, Pat O’Shea, Jessie Richardson, and Steve Bossous.
7:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
Among the players often performing are Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), and Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Roman Rimer: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trannies * But Were Afraid to Ask
Roman Rimer performs a one-person show that asks "What happens when an anxious, unassuming girl realizes she's more of an anxious, unassuming guy?" Rimer tells the true tale of his funny, surprising, and painful journey of transitioning.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Colin Quinn Headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club
Stand-up star Colin Quinn has been a writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the host of a wildly popular, self-destructive, and unforgettable Comedy Central series that nightly brought "cringe" comedy into homes around the country, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.
Tonight through Sunday, Colin will be performing deliciously long sets at the Gotham Comedy Club.
8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:30 pm at Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street
(bet. 7th & 8th Avenues); $25 cover, plus 2-drink minimum (figure another $13+)
Rich Vos starred on two seasons of Last Comic Standing; has performed a very popular Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; was a regular on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; was the first white comic on Def Jam; wrote for Chris Rock; played Lenny Bruce on NBC's American Dreams; was an unlikely guest on The View; and is a regular on the Opie and Anthony radio show.
This comedy club show has a $26.50 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To learn more and/or to order tickets, please click here.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$26.50 for ticket, plus 2-item minimum
Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase, and friend
Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;
stand-up, sketch, and improv comics performing in the buff.
A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian
and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."
For a New York Magazine review, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. These winners of the prestigious 2009 Cage Match Championship are always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Shayna Ferm, Giulia Rozzi, and Joe Mande
This monthly comedy show is acclaimed for its stellar talent and unlimited free beer.
Tonight's wonderful comics include
Shayna Ferm (brilliant, hilarious singer/songwriter; member of world-class sketch group Fearsome; comedic music album Blonde; for samples of Shay's songs, please click here),
Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here),
Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts; monthly video series The Message Board, which makes fun of brides, on ComedyNet.com; co-producer of East coast version of hit national show Mortified; co-host of red-hot comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here),
Michael Somerville, Rich Brooks, and The Carnies.
9:00 pm at Phil Coltoff Center, 219 Sullivan Street (bet. Bleecker & West 3rd);
tickets are $20...which includes free beer
Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,
George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans
perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.
Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.
There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident
if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball
back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending
a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me
to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.
9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harvard Sailing Team, which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group,
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a superb improvisor and actor. Joining him are stellar talents Eugene Cordero, Porter Mason, Lennon Parham, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. These improv stars tonight let "the gloves come off in a show that will give you a bloody nose from laughing so hard, and a bruise on your knee from slapping it the way people do when they laugh...Come get your head blown off as some of NYC's funniest improvisers attack the stage."
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer
It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.
The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)
Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!
Tickets are $15 at the door, or $15.50 online using discount code STIX (otherwise $18).
10:30 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 5/3/09
Wyatt Cenac (Veil of Maya), the breathtaking Sara Schaefer (Beauty Bar Comedy), and Aziz Ansari (Veil of Maya)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [FREE] UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors,
ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),
[FREE] Sean Patton, Tom McCaffrey, Jesse Pop, and other sharp stand-ups at a free weekly LES show hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the best comics in the country—Aziz Ansari (one of the funniest stand-ups alive, and TV & movie celebrity who co-stars in MTV's Human Giant and NBC's Parks and Recreation), Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Emerging Comic)—joining guest-host Jon Benjamin (FOX, Adult Swim, Comedy Central, MTV's Human Giant) for a stellar weekly shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
[FREE] sharp comics Katina Corrao (HBO, VH1, Comedy Central), Vince Averill (Comedy Central, Beauty Bar Comedy), Pat O'Shea, and more and more at RG Daniels' free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),
[$] a stand-up star who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live and served "cringe" comedy nightly on national television on his unforgettable Comedy Central show Tough Crowd: Colin Quinn Headlining at Gotham Comedy (8:30 pm),
[FREE] razor-sharp & delightful Sara Schaefer (Jimmy Fallon), C.H.R.I.S. the Robot (Brad Steuernagel), Phil Hanley (upcoming comedy special on CTV), and Brent Sullivan at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
[FREE] and superb stand-ups Becky Donohue (Comedy Central), Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Lisa Kaplan (Carolines, LOL Tour), and Adam Lehman (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics) at a free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $10; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm ($10) & 9:30 pm (free) at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Greg Johnson and Sean Patton
This is often one of the best comedy shows in New York—and is entirely free.
It's hosted by sharp, quick-witted Greg Johnson (check out his hilarious blog by clicking here) and Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here).
Tonight's fine stand-ups include Sean Patton, Tom McCaffrey, and Jesse Pop.
7:30 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Aziz Ansari, Jon Benjamin, and Wyatt Cenac
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops beyond Manhattan,
some of the best funny minds in New York can be found at this weekly show
run by comedy giant, and winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host,
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1,
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life).
Eugene is currently on tour, so tonight's guest-host is
Jon Benjamin (superb voiceover actor for FOX's Family Guy,
Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil, Home Movies, Assy McGee,
and Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz; played talking can of
vegetables hooked on autofellatio in film Wet Hot American Summer
was thoroughly hilarious as Bruce Willis impersonator in classic Human Giant sketch).
And tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet—Aziz's razor-sharp mind and fluid, down-to-earth style, honed by extensive improv and sketch training, are unmatched by almost any other comic working today; Aziz co-starred with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer in MTV hit sketch comedy series Human Giant; has performed on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; and currently co-stars in the prime-time NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation),
Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here), and
Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; writer/star of comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here).
It's highly recommended you arrive early; this show is very likely to sell out.
8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $7
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
Vince Averill and Katina Corrao
Sunday Night Stand-Up with RG Daniels
This free weekly stand-up comedy show features both established talents and up-and-comers. It's hosted by RG Daniels (sweetly quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries; occasionally refers to himself as "Hanukah-face").
Tonight's performers are
Katina Corrao (VH1's Best Week Ever, HBO's Daddy, Comedy Central; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for video samples, please click here and here),
Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival, co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Beauty Bar Comedy),
Pat O'Shea (contributor to upcoming book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Joke Writing; for stand-up video about naming a restaurant Statutory Crêpe, please click here),
Jason Saenz (for stand-up video about Facebook, please click here).
and maybe "a few surprises."
8:00 pm at Three of Cups downstairs lounge, 83 1st Avenue (off 5th Street); free
Colin Quinn Headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club
Stand-up star Colin Quinn has been a writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the host of a wildly popular, self-destructive, and unforgettable Comedy Central series that nightly brought "cringe" comedy into homes around the country, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.
Tonight Colin will be performing a deliciously long set at the Gotham Comedy Club.
8:30 pm at Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street (bet. 7th & 8th Avenues);
$22 cover, plus 2-drink minimum (figure another $13+)
Vince Averill, Sara Schaefer, and Jesse Popp
This long-running free weekly comedy show is hosted by Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
Tonight's superb stand-ups are
Sara Schaefer (delightful quick-witted comic; blogger for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks, Union Hall's Name That Tune, Video Gaga),
Phil Hanley (visiting from Vancouver; appearing in this year's Just for Laughs festival; upcoming comedy special on CTV),
C.H.R.I.S. the Robot, a.k.a. Brad Steuernagel (ImprovOlympic, shows Ice Cream Before Bed and Local Comedian; for video with Brad as scary-hilarious magazine subscription salesman posing the memorable question "Do you like information, sir?", please click here), and
Brent Sullivan (Funny.com; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here).
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Carmen Lynch, Becky Donohue, and Brad Loekle
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Brad Loekle (cast member of TruTV’s weekly The Smoking Gun Presents, co-host of Sirius Radio’s weekly OUT Q, columnist for monthly magazine Key West Gay Rag) hosts this gay-themed weekly stand-up comedy show. It's entirely free if you're okay with standing; otherwise plan on ordering food or a drink if you prefer sitting at a table.
Tonight's superb stand-ups are
Becky Donohue (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and Shorties Watchin' Shorties; TLC's Trading Spaces; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly), and
Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend;
for stand-up video about being tall, please click here), and
Lisa Kaplan (Carolines, The LOL Tour), and
Adam Lehman (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics; for stand-up video about pole-dancing child, please kick here).
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
