NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/28/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect comedy show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
luminous actors including Sandy Rustin (Comedy Central's upcoming The Scariest Show on TV)
and Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire and The Sopranos mixing it up with brilliant
improvisors Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Christina Gausas, Anthony King, and more,
as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),
stellar stand-ups at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
delightful stand-up Jackie Monahan and friends at Dykes on Mics (8:00ish pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with author Eric Alterman (Why We're Liberals:
A Political Handbook to Post-Bush America), at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
LOGO's Kate McKinnon doing a one-woman show about pill-popping fairy princesses, and a
smartly silly sketch comedy from Sidecar, in Disenchanted and This One's for the Losers (9:30 pm),
and two of the quickest & funniest stand-ups in the country, John Mulaney and Pete Holmes, plus other
comics TBA, at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC—which just happens to be free—Cavalcade! (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 30+ 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.
Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
There are two shows tonight, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
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 (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Becky Drysdale, Ptolemy Slocum, and Sandy Rustin...
...and Anthony King, Tara Copeland, and Christina Gausas
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 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),
Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; weekly shows include Mother: The Soundtrack, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),
Becky Drysdale (stellar charismatic performer; acclaimed one-woman show
One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),
Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress;
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), and
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Happy Hour,
Let's Have a Ball, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical).
And also starring are some of NYC's top theatre & TV actors: Jeremy Bobb (Is He Dead?),
Nick Offerman (American Body Shop, FOX's 24), Sandy Rustin (Neil Simon's Hotel Suite,
Comedy Central's The Scariest Show on TV), Sarah Saltzberg (The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee), and Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire; improv troupe Neutrino).
Gravid Water is directed, hosted, and co-stars 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.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Liam McEneaney
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 lineup hasn't been announced, but it's usually stellar.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); free
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z.
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's terrific guests:
Susan Alexander, Tara Devlin, Chesslee Calloway, and Danny Leary.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Author Eric Alterman & his new book Why We're Liberals, and STM host Lizz Winstead
Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; and a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night. (She's also a character; e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling her appearance on the live NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)
Tonight's guest is Eric Alterman, who runs the popular political blog Altercation, is a professor of English and Journalism at CUNY, and is the author of seven books including the brand new Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook to Post-Bush America.
To get a feel for STM, please view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here
and read a March 2008 New York Times article about the show by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12.50
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.
Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar; and Kate McKinnon in Disenchanted
Sidecar: This One's for the Losers and Kate McKinnon: Disenchanted
Two sketch shows about folks not entirely reaching their potential.
First up is absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar, which consists
of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
The official description: "A lot of sketch shows are for guys like David Beckham and George Clooney, but not this one. This one's for the rest of us, this one's for you, This One's For The Losers." For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
The double-bill then continues with actress Kate McKinnon, who's
a cast member on LOGO TV's series The Big Gay Sketch Show.
The official description: "Watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood
pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma."
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Concerned citizens, and world-class stand-ups Pete Holmes and John Mulaney
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun...and free.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for John's two Conan appearances, please click here and here),
Pete Holmes (like John, lightning-fast mind and one of the best stand-ups in the country;
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 extravaganza Gutbucket),
and more comics not yet announced.
Tonight's show—produced by Jeremy Levenbach—is likely to be one of the funniest in NYC.
And have I mentioned it's free?
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/29/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
stand-up comics (most of them taller than their hosts) offering non-mainstream voices
at Helen Hong's and Maria Shehata's Little Ethnic Girls and Friends (7:30 pm),
lively & fun discussions about comic books—with the best Batman ever, the actor behind
the voice of the Batman animated TV shows & films, Kevin Conroy—at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
comedy giant Horatio Sanz (Saturday Night Live cast member 1998-2006), brilliant stand-up comic
Pete Holmes (Comedy Central), acclaimed improvisor Peter Grosz (staff writer for The Colbert Report),
world-class storyteller Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Stripped Stories), and more at one of the finest comedy shows
in NYC, hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (just back from entertaining our troops): Sweet (9:00 pm),
typically terrific stand-up comics at Carol Hartsell & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (9:00 pm),
and a gathering of fun quirky comics—Pangea 3000 (sketch comedy troupe), Brandy & Sara
(The Kissing Booth), Adam Newman, Jon Lang, and Sam Grittner—at Her Majesty's Stand-Up (9:30 pm).
Maria Shehata and Helen Hong
Little Ethnic Girls and Friends
This new biweekly comedy show is hosted by two petite women,
one Korean-American and the other Arab-American, who like to make you laugh:
Helen Hong (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), and
Maria Shehata (Comedy Central's The Watch List, TLC, Women's Entertainment Network, numerous appearances on Sirius Satellite Radio; for a stand-up video about Maria's parents' arranged marriage, please click here).
Their mostly-taller-than-them guests tonight include
Jackie Monahan (delightful co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Dykes on Mics at RubyFruit and monthly show Doris Yeltsin at Karma Lounge; Lesbians of Laughter Tour;
for sharp stand-up video, please click here),
Ruby J. Wendell (former New Yorker, now LA comic with cable access show
You Know What I Mean;" for brief stand-up videos about Ruby's tendency to hug
and a peak into her inner world, please click here and here),
Daniel Siegel (co-host of the twice-weekly NYC live comedy show
Donkey Punch at the Village Lantern), and
Joe Pontillo (Joe Franklin's, Broadway Comedy Club).
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
The wonderful animated version of Batman (by far the best of all the media adaptations)...
...and by far the best Batman: Kevin Conroy
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is Kevin Conroy, the magnificent actor
who's brought Batman to life more effectively
(by leaps and bounds) than any other TV or film performer...
and has done so working exclusively behind the camera.
Since 1992, Conroy has been the voice of Batman for the wonderful animated
TV shows Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures,
Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Superman: The Animated Series
(and, yes, the painful Batman Beyond and Static Shock...).
Conroy has also been Batman for several animated feature films:
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero,
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
Not only has Conroy played Batman far better than anyone else,
he's also played him more often—over the past 16 years, tackling the role
more times than Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney,
and Christian Bale combined.
And he's done so once again recently, for the new animated
direct-to-DVD release Batman: Gotham Knight.
This evening offers a rare chance to meet the man behind the voice.
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.
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—
DeCoster, Bastian, fwa, 1985, and Tantrum—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
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.
8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
A new sketch comedy show by Lizzie Goldberg-Redner, Dave Maulbeck,
Lauren Olson, and Jana Schmieding. The official description:
"Inept characters and human folly give rise to this original compilation of sketches.
Employing witty transitions and the occasional dance number, Les Encompentent
is a fresh reminder of how silly sketch can become. "
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Horatio Sanz and Seth Herzog...
...and Pete Holmes, Giulia Rozzi, and Peter Grosz
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever)...
who's just back from a couple of weeks of entertaining our troops in the Middle East
and will have stories to tell.
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Horatio Sanz (comedy giant who was a cast member of Saturday Night Live
from 1998 through 2006, appearing in 160 episodes; founding member of the
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; numerous films include School for Scoundrels,
The Smiths, Road Trip, Boat Trip, and the upcoming May the Best Man Win),
Pete Holmes (lightning-fast mind and one of the best stand-ups in the country;
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 extravaganza Gutbucket),
Peter Grosz (staff writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, member of Chicago's Second City acclaimed improv troupe 4 Square), and
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 monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Carol Hartsell and Sean Crespo
Weekly show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo
(stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).
The lineup often isn't announced until the day of the show.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Adam Newman, Pangea 3000, and Brandy & Sara
Hosted by Jon Bander, Dan Gregor, and Lucas Held.
Tonight's enjoyably off-beat comics are
Brandy & Sara (hosts of the NYC live comedy show The Kissing Booth),
Pangea 3000 (sketch troupe consisting of Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein, Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss; to view two of their surreal tales of games guys play, involving whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here),
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, The Tyra Banks Show;
co-host of monthly NYC live comedy shows Street Meat and biweekly Faux Show;
host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show Blowtorch Slaughter;
half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal),
Jon Lang (for stand-up about learning his brother is gay, please click here), and
Sam Grittner (for stand-up about the gayness of Heaven, please click here).
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/30/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
an extended showing off of both veteran comics and new faces at the
world-famous Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, starting at an extra early time:
UCBT's Spring Showcase (5:00 pm),
Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage,
tackling eight wildly different characters, plus the understated Nick Zimmerman performing
a mini-play, in Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Out of Africa My Mind (8:00 pm),
stellar comics Aziz Ansari (co-star of hit MTV comedy series Human Giant), Heather Lawless
(HBO, Comedy Central, Variety SHAC), Kurt Braunohler (Hot Tub Variety, Penelope Princess of Pets),
and Death by Roo Roo (brilliant improv comedy group) joining comedic chameleon Brett Gelman
(Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report) for the weekly extravaganza men call Gelmania (8:30 pm),
one of NYC's wittiest naughty singer/songwriters raisin' the roof
with her band, the outrageous Shayna Ferm and the Upper Decks (9:00 pm),
delicious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
a few of the coolest gals and guys they know for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (9:00 pm),
some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—including
Chris Gethard, John Flynn, Dave Martin, and John Mulaney—telling fascinating personal tales
about sports at one of the flat-out finest shows in NYC, The Nights of Our Lives (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
For details, please click here.
TV Alert: South Park is one of the funniest shows in TV history, and this season
has been especially superb—which, considering the series is in its 11th year,
is little short of astonishing. On tonight's repeat, Cartman contracts a terrible disease...and then
does something shockingly wrong, even for him. If you aren't already tuning in, for goodness sakes,
set your TiVo for Comedy Central at 10:00 pm and discover the latest catch-phrase
South Park has contributed to our culture: "I'm not only sure, I'm HIV-positive..."
Comedy DVD of the Month (April 2008):
It's notoriously difficult to make pure stage improv work on film.
That's why this ASSSSCAT! DVD is so special...and exhilarating.
As far as I know, it's the best state-of-the-art improv comedy
ever captured by a camera and available for enjoyment & scrutiny at your leisure.
The direction is so unobtrusive that you almost feel like
you're there in the theatre watching it happen live.
It was performed in 2007 by the comedy geniuses of the Upright Citizens Brigade—
Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh—
along with some friends at the UCB Theatre in LA.
If you've ever wondered why there's so much interest in improv—
or, conversely, have tried to explain the appeal to a friend or loved one—
this DVD is the answer.
For further details and/or to purchase a copy, please
click here
To learn more about the Upright Citizens Brigade—
as well as about its newest cool Web site—please click here.
& 
Both seasoned pros and less experienced talents strut their stuff today at UCBT
This extra-early event is a showcase for both established UCBT performers
and newer talents...and, I'm guessing, a sneak peak at upcoming shows.
Considering it's starting at 5:00 pm, I'm also guessing this will run for quite a while.
There's no telling how enjoyable the showcase will be; but if (like me) you appreciate
seeing a whole bunch of funny NYC performers back to back, and getting a feel
for what's currently happening in NYC comedy, this is a great opportunity.
5:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
As Sparks Fly Upward: Stories->Improv->Sketch
This comedy troupe tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises
scenes based on the tales...which may later turn into scripted sketches.
It's a clever way of crafting a sketch show organically, week by week—and you can
watch the whole process, at no charge. The group consists of Kevin Allison,
Chris Caniglia, Scott Eckert, Sarah Nowak, Nate Starkey, and Shelly Stover.
6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Adam Newman and Shawn Pearlman
Weekly comedy show hosted by
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of
monthly NYC live comedy show Street Meat; host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show
Blowtorch Slaughter; half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal) and
Shawn Pearlman ("If you're in a bad neighborhood, blowing a rape whistle
is like ringing a dinner bell;" for stand-up videos, please click here and here).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're likely to be
highly talented stand-up comics.
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Lennon Parham and Nick Zimmerman
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Out of Africa My Mind
There are few performers, comedic or otherwise, as appealing as
the sexy, laid-back, wry, and hilarious Lennon Parham.
Whether she's playing Nomi Malone (see my review of her Showgirls parody), author JK Rowling (as the clear highlight of a Harry Potter parody, in which Rowling reveals all the novels are based on actual events in her life), Sandy Michaelson as a Solid Gold Dance understudy, or zillions of characters while delivering world-class improvisation every Saturday night as part of stellar troupe Reuben Williams, watching the wonderful Ms. Parham is always a treat.
Tonight Lennon burns up the stage with an array of characters ranging from an unsettling radio DJ to a sweet little girl to Freddy Kruger...and will likely have you helpless with laughter.
(And if you don't want to take just my word for it, Jane Borden has written in Time Out New York that Lennon's antics "will leave you wondering why she isn't famous yet;" and writes in this week's edition, "Attention Lorne Michaels, please give Lennon Parham a job." )
The extravaganza is directed by the brilliant Jason Mantzoukas, who should take a bow for helping Lennon really show off what she can do in this solo outing.
Stop by and fall in love with one of the finest comedic actresses in New York.
The other half of this double-bill is Out of Africa My Mind, a one-man show written and performed by Nick Zimmerman. The material didn't quite resonate with me,
but Zimmerman's gentle and unsettling style makes him a performer worth keeping an eye on.
(And TONY's Jane Borden found it "a candid and hilariously awkward monologue...")
Directed by the wonderful John Flynn (John Flynn Has Terrible Sex, The Nights of Our Lives).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon
This free weekly show features the two PIT improv teams above,
each of which performs for about 30 minutes. For a video sample of Big Black Car,
please click here; and for a video sample of Fancy Dragon, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Kurt Braunohler, Aziz Ansari, and Heather Lawless...
...and Brett Gelman, his commercial doppelgänger Little Bit of Luck, and his ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo
This wonderful weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon
who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads.
Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,
and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. For a recent interview with Brett, please click here; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here,
and also check out their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked.
Tonight's superb guests include
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet, and co-star
with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer of the MTV hit comedy series Human Giant),
Heather Lawless (brilliantly funny and sexy stand-up comic; winner of the 2005 ECNY Award
for Best Female Stand-Up; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
MTV2's Wonder Showzen, 2007 feature film Be Kind Rewind; "I like to wear a neck brace to the gym because it makes my efforts on the treadmill appear heroic;" member of superb female
comedy group Variety Shac; for brief video about Heather's new book, please click here),
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal,
performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable;
co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which
Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director;
co-host of NYC/LA comedy show Hot Tub Variety Hour), and
Death by Roo Roo (arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling,
and Curtis Gwinn; performs every Friday night at 11:00 pm at UCBT).
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); $5
Your hosts Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen at...
This twice-monthly event is "the sort of variety show that happens when three girls
are delirious from staying up all night boozing and slap-happy from crank-calling!"
How can you resist? The lovely & hilarious hosts are
Margaret Champagne (Carolines, UCBT; for acting reel, please click here),
Joselyn Hughes (for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here), and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; for a video sample, please click here).
Tonight's stand-up comedy guests haven't been announced, but these gals have lots of friends and admirers so expect some fine comics to participate in their party.
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Shayna Ferm and the Upper Decks
Comedy goddess Shayna Ferm and her band The Upper Decks
are rockin' the house at the Parkside Lounge tonight.
A brilliant and sexy singer/songwriter,
Shay's hilarious performances are always a treat.
To check out some of her songs and videos, please click here.
And to hear sample tracks from and/or order Shay's
new CD Blonde, please click for her MySpace page.
9:00 pm at Parkside Lounge, 317 East Houston (between Avenues B and C); tickets are $5
Take the F subway to its Second Avenue stop and walk three blocks east.
The Nights of Our Lives: Sports
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 "Sports."
The only rules to the show itself 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.
This evening's scheduled yarn-spinners include the aforementioned Chris Gethard, John Flynn, and Dave Martin, and razor-sharp stand-up comic John Mulaney (Late Night with Conan O'Brien).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous
Some of the PIT's instructors—who include such talents as Ali Farahnakian,
Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott,
Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood—perform improv for around 30 minutes.
And opening for them will be house improv troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,
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 free show makes possible.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/1/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
world-class storyteller Tom Shillue, enormously fun comedic singer/songwriters Stuckey & Murray,
and terrific stand-ups—including Liam McEneaney, Catie Lazarus, and Ruhbin Mehta—telling
funny and sometimes poignant tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
Rob Paravonian, who tours with George Carlin and creates wildly popular YouTube videos
—which are this site's Video Clips of the Month—headlining a Mayday Spectacular (8:00 pm),
two quirky sketch troupes on the double-bill Pangea 3000 and The Lance and Ray Show (8:00 pm),
some of the funniest comics in NYC, including Aziz Ansari (co-star of hit MTV comedy series Human Giant),
Jon Fisch (Last Comic Standing), Kurt Braunohler (Hot Tub Variety, Penelope Princess of Pets),
and Todd Levin (Comedy Central) at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
fine stand-ups Katina Corrao, Lisa Kaplan, Jenny Rubin, and more in The Back Room (9:00 pm),
Jon Glaser (long-time writer/performer for Conan O'Brien) and Greg Johnson (co-host of red-hot
Friday comedy show at Rififi) joining the fresh, sexy, and razor-sharp gals of Variety Shac (9:30 pm),
and vibrant improv troupes Bastian and Bad Data competing for audience laughs & votes at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
Rob Paravonian
Life as a Comic: College Conventions
Life as a Comic: Downtown Comedy
Life as a Comic: Guitar Comics
Tom Shillue, and happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and Liam McEneaney, Catie Lazarus, and Stuckey & Murray
A stand-up comedy show in which everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to
their family. Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign;
host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com; for video sample, please click here).
Tonight's superb guests include
Stuckey & Murray (singing duo who write and perform hilarious songs;
have appeared on The Discovery Channel, E!, VH1, Fuse, The College Sports Network, and done two comedy music series for NBC Digital Media and Heavy.com; also create wildly popular comedy videos for YouTube, Funnyordie.com, and their own Web site),
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show
with Jon Stewart; storytelling podcasts; host of NYC monthly comedy show Moonwork;
comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo, producer of
weekly NYC live comedy show Tell Your Friends),
Catie Lazarus (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, AMC, FOX News; former editor
of Heeb Magazine; written for Time Out New York, New York Post, Gawker.com;
host of live comedy shows Fresh Meat and Stand for Peace;
for video on STDs & men talking more than women, please click here),
Ruhbin Mehta (for very fun video on how to handle a job interview, please click here),
Mo Mandel (for stand-up set on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, please click here),
Emily Epstein (Laugh Lounge, SpeakEasy: Stories from the Back Room), and
Eric Vetter (No Name & a Bag O' Chips).
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Rob Paravonian's Mayday Spectacular
Rob Paravonian is a sharp, likeable stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central's
Premium Blend and VH1; regularly opens for George Carlin on tour;
and creates wildly popular shorts on YouTube. To watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant,
which has been viewed by over 4.5 million people, please click here; and to view his
hilarious explanation of why nooners are roughly a comic's version of Hell, please click here.
Tonight Rob will be headlining an evening of comedy and music.
To purchase advance tickets online ($8 plus $1.19 service charge), please click here.
8:00 pm at Karma Lounge, 51 1st Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets); tickets are $8
Pangea 3000, and Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz in The Lance & Ray Show
Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles and The Lance & Ray Show
Two sketch comedy shows for five bucks.
First up is sketch group Pangea 3000 performing a set of routines that in odd ways
involve The Beatles. The troupe consists of Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein,
Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss. To view two of their surreal tales of games guys play,
involving whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here.
The double-bill then continues with The Lance & Ray Show, which is sketch comedy
in a stream-of-consciousness style from funny duo Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz.
I liked the comedic intentions more than the actual material, but the audience
I saw this with seemed to enjoy the whole package. Either way,
these guys are talented and promising.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and
Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.
(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and
for other videos, please click here and here.)
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet, and co-star
with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer of the MTV hit comedy series Human Giant),
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal,
performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable;
co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which
Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director;
co-host of NYC/LA comedy show Hot Tub Variety Hour),
Jon Fisch (Last Comic Standing 4, nabbing Audience Favorite award;
Comedy Central's Fresh Faces of Comedy; designated one of "10 Standout Stand-ups"
by Backstage Magazine; for LCS stand-up video, please click here),
Todd Levin (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion, popular blog Tremble,
host of NYC live comedy show Todd Levin's TV Book Club), and
Ruby J. Wendell (former New Yorker, now LA comic with cable access show
You Know What I Mean;" for brief stand-up videos about Ruby's tendency to hug
and a peak into her inner world, please click here and here).
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach...
...and Lisa Kaplan and Katina Corrao
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay and straight comics), hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin.
Tonight's fine guests are
Katina Corrao (HBO's Daddy, Comedy Central; for video samples, please click here and here),
Lisa Kaplan (Carolines, The LOL Tour).
Robert Keller (Logo Network),
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! tv.com), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! tv.com).
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Greg Johnson; SHAC gals Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, & Shonali Bhowmik; and Jon Glaser
The hard-to-resist members of this hilarious group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik,
and superbly quirky comics Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen.
The show features songs, brilliant stand-up comedy, and funny short films
made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Jon Glaser (long-time writer & sketch performer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
writer/performer for ESPN's Cheap Seats; frequent performer on Human Giant;
voiceover actor for such animated series as David Cross' Freak Show, and
Cartoon Network's Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Stroker & Hoop (as Stroker),
and, with Eugene Mirman, Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil (playing Jesus);
writer/star of Comedy Central's online show Tiny Hands; writer/filmmaker
partner with stellar VO actor/comic Jon Benjamin in Midnight Pajama Jam;
and—with Todd Barry, Jon Benjamin, James McNew, and Tom Shillue—
member of NYC comedic band A Matter of Trust), and
Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic who co-hosts the weekly
NYC comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show,
which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Broad Shoulders: Chicago Improv
The six members of improv troupe Broad Shoulders met while performing at the
famed I.O. Theater and The Second City in Chicago, and they'll be showing off their stuff at this one-night-only NYC performance. The group consists of the acclaimed Thomas Middleditch, Mackenzie Condon, Mary Grill, James Harris, Scott Markman, and Steve Pasieka.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Current champion Bastian
vs.
Cage Match: Bastian vs. Bad Data
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.)
Improv group Bastian has battled impossible odds three weeks in a row: first beating
genius troupes The Stepfathers and Mother, and then fellow Harold Night troupe 1985.
In each case, Bastian won by razor-thin margins—respectively, 9 votes, 4 votes, and 8 votes!
(Which means if you ever feel your vote doesn't make a difference,
come to Cage Match, where it most assuredly does...)
Can the skin-of-their-teeth champions of Bastian—Brian Barrett, Maggie Carey,
Adam Frucci, Brandon Gardner, Lydia Hensler, Molly Lloyd, Oscar Magallanes,
and John Murray—score another victory tonight?
Their challenger is yet another formidable foe: Bad Data, consisting of Patrick Clair,
Kim Ferguson, Melanie Hamlett, Katey Healy-Wurzburg, Brett White, and Jess Wyant.
If you've ever had computer problems, you can imagine just how dangerous this group is.
Plus those who attended last year's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament are likely to remember
Katey Healy-Wurzburg, who came in via lottery as a member of a wildcard team but
instantly proved herself a spitfire who could challenge anyone with her raw energy and courage.
Tonight promises to be a lively match, and there's no telling what will 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 5/2/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Logo TV's Kate McKinnon performing a one-woman show about pill-popping fairy princesses,
and Katie Schorr becoming four teens with issues, in Disenchanted and Take Me. Seriously. (8:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics at one of the funniest productions in NYC—and winner of
the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show—The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show (8:30 pm),
some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
silly concepts, clever wordplay, and terrifically fun sketch comedy from Elephant Larry (9:30 pm),
an improvisation show that uses audience suggestions to create a new episode of Star Trek (10:00 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),
and stellar sexy storytellers Margot Leitman & Giulia Rozzi (Stripped Stories)
as guests at a show still trying to define itself: Girly Girl Burleskapades (11:00 pm).
Katie Schorr celebrating her recent 25th birthday; and Kate McKinnon finding other ways to celebrate
Katie Schorr: Take Me. Seriously. and Kate McKinnon: Disenchanted
Two new one-woman sketch shows for a mere eight bucks.
Disenchanted comes from comedic actress Kate McKinnon, who's a
cast member on the Logo TV series The Big Gay Sketch Show.
The official description: "Watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood
pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma."
The fun then continues with comedic actress & improvisor Katie Schorr,
who "gets inside the heads and hearts of four 17-year old girls
who all want one thing: They want to be taken. Seriously."
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show
This is one of the best comedy shows in New York.
Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)
and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the
key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include
Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;
for an animated VO reel, please click here).
Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced yet, but it's usually stellar.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Elephant Larry (above) is a NYC-based sketch group consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alex Zalben (former artistic director of The PIT, co-host of the Comic Book Club, and co-producer of the spectacular annual SketchFest NYC). The troupe specializes in conceptual humor, silliness, and wordplay—for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For videos about a sci-fi version of Beckett
and using Adobe Photoshop, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Manhattan Comedy Collective: Star Trek Improv
If you'd like to experience a gentler, more relaxed, but still quite smart type of improv,
visit the Manhattan Comedy Collective run by the wonderful Stacy Mayer
(who's quick as lightning, but much funnier).
Tonight's show is a monthly feature titled Start Trekkin', in which
improvisors make up a Star Trek episode on the spot. The official description:
"Eight improvisers take the stage in full Federation uniform and, based on audience suggestions, create an entirely original 'episode' set in the Star Trek universe. Expect melodramatic acting, pointy sideburns, aliens in bad wigs, paper-maché rocks and transparent social commentary. But don't expect James T. Kirk or the USS Enterprise; this is a different ship and a new captain every week." The performers are Kate Caldwell, Topping Haggerty, Karie Hunt, Phil Ristaino, Aaron Saenz, Ben Sterling, Kenneth Scott Thompson, and Joyce Trotta.
10:00 pm at the Sage Theatre, 711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (between 47th and 48th Streets);
tickets are $10 online (with no service charge) and $10 at the door
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
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story
via improvised scenes. Sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Margot Leitman and Giulia Rozzi
This extravaganza in search of identity began as a showcase for top women comics,
then rapidly devolved into a strip show...and now returns as I'm-not-sure-what.
But the guests tonight include two world-class raunchy storytellers
who host the red-hot monthly NYC live comedy show Stripped Stories:
Margot Leitman (sketch performer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
VH1, ESPN, new Spike TV show The Team; for Margot's fun reel, please click here), and
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; for a video sample, please click here).
This duo is alone worth the price of admission.
As for the rest of the production...crossed fingers.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
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.
12:15ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/3/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs
at the Magnet's signature improv show, The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
stellar stand-ups, including Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show), Leo Allen (Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, Saturday Night Live), Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1), and Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1) at Canadian comic Kevin Janus' The Comedy Igloo (10:30 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
three sketch troupes—Bacivo Nuggets, Walker & Cantrell, and Slightly Known People—
joining together to make you laugh in Random Hookups with SKP (10:30 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 pm),
world-class sketch troupes including The Apple Sisters, Drop Six, and host Party Central USA
each performing one new or favorite sketch in Sketchubator NYC (11:00 pm),
and nerdcore rapper mc chris (Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Brak Show, etc.) digging deep
to perform songs about pizza, ninjas, and masturbation from his new album mc chris is dead (Midnight).
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Peter Gwinn, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
The players typically include 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), Peter Gwinn (writer for The Colbert Report), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Rob Riggle (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Saturday Night Live, The Office).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Magnet instructors & Second City veterans such as Rachel Hamilton, Ed Herbstman, Abby Sher, and Miriam Tolan, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack (see below) Jason Mantzoukas, Tara Copeland, James Eason, Christine Walters, plus occasional special guests (such as superstar Mike Meyers), turn a tiny suggestion into larger-than-life improvised scenes.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jason Mantzoukas leads a vibrant team of improv comics—Scot Armstrong, Tara Copeland, Jon Daly, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Doug Moe, and Christine Walters—who make up scenes based on CD tracks contributed by the audience. One of UCBT's most beloved shows.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: A Hundred Years of Song and Dance
The Harvard Sailing Team, which just won the 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.
This new collection of sketches, titled
A Hundred Years of Song and Dance, covers such topics
as Melissa Etheridge, Duck Tales, and American Gladiators.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Canadian comic Kevin Janus hosts an evening of top stand-up comics
(some of whom are also Canadian). Tonight's superb guests are
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show
with Jon Stewart; storytelling podcasts; host of NYC monthly comedy show Moonwork;
comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City),
Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo, producer of
weekly NYC live comedy show Tell Your Friends),
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever,
E!; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly; plus she's Canadian), and
Robert Keller (Logo's Can't Get a Date; off-off-Broadway's The Best Party Ever;
finalist for The Second City's Next Comedy Legend; plus he's Canadian too).
10:30 pm at UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place (bet. 1st Avenue & Avenue A); tickets are $10
Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV
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, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. Together, they interview an audience member, and then use the answers as the basis for a new TV show...which this fiercely talented comedy troupe creates & performs for you on the spot.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
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.
10:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
SKP's Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone
Random Hookups with Slightly Known People
Slightly Known People—Erik Bowie, Mel DeLancey, Stu Luth,
Dan Maccarone, and Josh Mertz—performs funny songs and sketch comedy.
In this weekly show SKP invites other talented comics
to come play along with it for an evening.
Tonight's guests are sketch troupe Bacivo Nuggets,
consisting of Andy Kleiman, Jake Serlen, and Marcus Terry,
and sketch duo Walker & Cantrell.
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
10:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12
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.
Biz Ellis & Livia Scott of Dirty Jeans..., Party Central USA, and Jason Kalter & Jon Pack of Rue Brutalia...
...and Katina Corrao, Murderfist, and Matt McCarthy
Sketchubator is a popular monthly show that allows a bunch of terrific comedy groups to each perform one new or favorite sketch. It's hosted by Party Central USA, a hilarious troupe that consists of Mike Condrick, Patrick Dall'Occhio, Brianne Halverson, and Michael Terry,
and whose motto is "Life is a fluffy buttermilk pancake filled with glass dust."
(For PCU's sharply written & performed videos about father-son chats, trying to get fired,
and a special bachelor party, please click here and here and here.)
Tonight's superb visiting sketch groups are
the wonderful Biz Ellis & Livia Scott (half of world-class sketch group Meat,
and now also their own spin-off sketch duo Dirty Jeans and the Thunder Chief),
Rue Brutalia (comedy duo Jon Pack and Jason Kalter, who create quirky, unsettling
sketches you may have trouble getting out of your head; to obtain a feel for their odd work,
check out a saga about a cartoon character with no balls, and
another about two guys who are the same man, by clicking here and here),
Murderfist (for a somewhat grueling tale of an unlikely gay couple
done in the style of a silent film, please click here),
Matt McCarthy & Katina Corrao (Matt's a razor-sharp stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; Katina's performed on Comedy Central and in HBO's Daddy—for video samples, please click here and here), and
The Impending Moustache (Katie Hartman, Daniel Kelley, Gabriel Pacheco, and Leah Rudick:
"We attack our material with a joyous and infectious theatricality. We send our audiences home shaken with laughter so constant, it gives them nightmares. Beautiful, vivid nightmares.").
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
MC Chris (Christopher Ward) grew up on a steady diet of G.I. Joe, Star Wars, and
rented Betamax tapes. In high school, chris was a big fan of counter culture hip hop
after hearing Public Enemy. That was followed by alternative hip hop acts, the Pharcyde,
De la Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep. chris memorized it all.
After graduating, chris get involved with the then-fledgling Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, working as an animator, voice artist, writer, and/or producer on such series as
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, and the upcoming Cheyenne Cinnamon and the Fantabulous Unicorn of Sugar Town Candy Fudge.
chris then combined his love of pop culture and rap by touring and creating albums with his own special nerdcore slant. Tonight he performs from his newest CD, mc chris is dead,
the result of chris "asking the hard questions and looking deep within himself in hopes of making the most honest album he's ever released. Seeking no frills and the absolute truth, the songs cover a wide range of topics including pizza, ninjas, and masturbation. Come see him perform it live along with some of his friends as he prepares for four months of touring, including the entire run of warped tour."
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 5/4/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (7:30 & 9:30 pm),
stellar comics Aziz Ansari (co-star of hit MTV comedy series Human Giant), Jon Daly (Cracked Out),
and Seth Herzog (VH1, Sweet) joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter
for their weekly shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm).
Kumail Nanjiani, Mike Drucker, Adam Newman, and other fine stand-ups at Writers Room Comedy (8:00ish pm),
and terrific comics Jon Daly (presumably cabbing it to shuttle between this show and Maya),
Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Stripped Stories), Sean O'Connor (VH1), and more at Whitest Kids U' Know's
Timmy Williams and Sam Brown's free show Scum and Villainy (8:00 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 $8; 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 & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Aziz Ansari, Eugene Mirman, and Jon Daly doing his tree thing...
...and best buds Seth Herzog and Michael Showalter
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 these two comedy giants (winners of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Hosts):
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) and
Michael Showalter (Michael Showalter (MTV's seminal sketch show The State, legendary comedy troupe Stella,
writer/director/star of feature film The Baxter, co-writer/co-star of feature film Wet Hot American Summer).
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet, and co-star
with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer of the MTV hit comedy series Human Giant),
Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever; razor-sharp, dynamic host of one of
the very best live comedy shows in NYC, Tuesday night's Sweet),
and presumably racing from his scheduled gig at tonight's Scum and Villainy,
Jon Daly (member of superstar improv group Mother; recently wrapped acting in feature comedy films College Road Trip and Stick It Detroit; for samples of Jon's unique work with partner Brett Gelman, please click here and here, and also check out their hip-hop
parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out for their just-completed
Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central).
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.
Adam Newman, Mike Drucker, and Kumail Nanjiani in...
Stand-ups, sketch writers, and funny authors
read excerpts from their most hilarious material.
Tonight's fine comics are
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; recently premiered terrific one-man show about
his experiences with Islam—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),
Mike Drucker (winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition
and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; 23/6.com contributor; 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),
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, The Tyra Banks Show;
co-host of monthly NYC live comedy shows Street Meat and biweekly Faux Show;
host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show Blowtorch Slaughter;
half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal),
Keith Alberstadt (CMT, XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio),
Ed Murray ("I won the 2006 $10K Laugh-Off at Sal's Comedy Hole. I blew the money in a month.
What? It was a great month..."; Black20.com; for stand-up video, please click here), and
Jon Clarke (YankeePot Roast.com contributor; for stand-up video about the Cookie Monster,
please click here).
8:00ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Timmy Williams and Sam Brown
This free weekly show is hosted by Timmy Williams and Sam Brown, members of
popular comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know (currently starring in a TV show on IFC).
Tonight's fine guests are
Jon Daly (member of superstar improv group Mother; recently wrapped acting in feature comedy films College Road Trip and Stick It Detroit; for samples of Jon's unique work with partner Brett Gelman, please click here and here, and also check out their hip-hop
parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out for their just-completed
Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central),
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 monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here),
David Cope (comedic storyteller; for videos of David relating an encounter with a prophet
and reading his romance novel, please click here and here),
Sean O'Connor (VH1; for fun stand-up videos, please click here and here), and
Pat O'Shea (BCAT TV: Brooklyn vs. Bush).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
A showcase for talented improvisation twosomes.
Tonight's duos haven't been announced,
but some fine scenes usually arise from this show.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2008 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
