NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/7/08
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),
superb stand-up comics Victor Varnado, Leo Allen, Marjorie Malpass, and Ritch Duncan
at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with bestselling author Luc Sante
(Kill All Your Darlings) at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
the magical Livia Scott delivering a brilliant performance in her one-woman show about OJ Simpson fans,
and smartly silly sketch comedy from Sidecar, in Goodnight, O.J. and This One's for the Losers (9:30 pm),
and a great free show featuring guests Gabe & Jenny, Matt McCarthy, Chris O'Connor of Fearsome,
Aaron Glaser of Blitzkrieg!, sketch troupe Old Rich People, and film director Peter Jackson (sorta)
joining hilarious sketch comedy troupe A Week of Kindness (10:00 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)
Victor Varnado, Leo Allen, and Marjorie Malpass
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 Ritch Duncan (co-founder of humor magazine Jest; former writer for Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update and Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn).
And the superb stand-up comedy guests are
Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City).
Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; for a stand-up sample, please click here), and
Marjorie Malpass (award-winning stand-up, improvisor, theatre performer; voiceover actress for such animated series as Dragon Tales, First Gundam, and Tonka Town).
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 fine guests:
Jenny Rubin, Rachel Parenta, H. Alan Scott, and Chris Sifflet.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Luc Sante, author of Kill All Your Darlings; 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 bestselling author Luc Sante. His latest essay & reviews collection is Kill All Your Darlings: Pieces, 1990-2005, which Booklist described as follows: "Creative social critic Sante has electrifying things to say about intriguing subjects, ranging from New Year's to Walker Evans, but it is his feint-and-jab prose that makes him noteworthy. At once tough in his thinking, empathic in his analysis, and liberated in expression, Sante selects barbed details, tunes in to danger and suspense, and dispenses wry humor and sure insight. In a memoirist mode, he chronicles a precollege stint in a small and brutal plastic factory in New Jersey, and writes evocatively about living in New York during its decline in the 1970s and 1980s and under Giuliani. His passion for music inspires a fresh look at the blues, a sharp assessment of Bob Dylan, and a caustic takedown of the Woodstock myth. Revisiting Victor Hugo and Rene Magritte yields unexpected results, as does an inquiry into the many meanings of dope."
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.
Livia Scott in Goodnight, OJ; and Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar
Livia Scott: Goodnight, O.J. and Sidecar: This One's for the Losers
Two wonderful sketch shows for a mere five bucks.
Brilliant comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
world-class sketch group Meat, Livia's Castle of Enchantment), wrote and performs
this superb ECNY Award-nominated one-woman show, described as follows:
"In 1994, while he was in prison and on trial for murder, O.J. Simpson received
over 300,000 letters. To help pay for his defense and gain public support,
he had them published in a book called I Want to Tell You by O.J. Simpson: My Response
to Your Letters, Your Messages, Your Questions. Alternately humorous, disturbing,
and poignant, Goodnight, O.J. explores the minds of the people who wrote him."
The idea is clever; but Livia's thoughtful choices and hilarious performance make this truly special...and recommended. For a video sample, please click here. Directed by
Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Best Week Ever, Shoot the Messenger).
The double-bill then continues with 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.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Dan Hopper, Mike Still, and Nate Kushner
Hilarious sketch troupe A Week of Kindness—consisting of Dan Hopper, Nate Kushner, and Mike Still—host this new monthly comedy extravaganza. To understand why these guys richly deserve their own show, please 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."
Tonight "famous director Peter Jackson will tell you some things you didn't know about the movies in his master film seminar." Joining the fun are these marvelous guests:
adorable and foul-mouthed Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (co-hosts of monthly Brooklyn live comedy show At Night with Gabe & Jenny; for hilarious Jenny video, please click here),
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),
Chris O'Connor (member of world-class sketch troupe Fearsome, and thoroughly loveable chaotic force of nature who makes anything he appears in special),
Aaron Glaser (member of sketch troupe Blitzkrieg! and improv troupe Raynard),
and sketch troupe Old Rich People.
Why miss this Oprah-tunity to catch this terrific free show?
10:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/8/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
lively & fun discussions about comic books, with guest Farel Dalrymple, at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
genius world-class comics Zach Galifianakis, Victor Varnado, and Jon Daly, and more,
at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC—and which you shouldn't miss, because afterwards
wonderful host Seth Herzog will be away for a few weeks entertaining troops in Iraq—Sweet (9:00 pm),
five women performing an improvised, and possibly tipsy, parody of The View at Focus (9:30 pm),
and two of the most hilarious improv troupes in the country: C, C + C Improv Factory and Derrick (11:00 pm).
Comics creator Farel Dalrymple
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is comics creator Farel Dalrymple, whose both wrote & drew Pop Gun War, and has illustrated such series as Jud Winick's Caper and Matt Wagner's Grendel.
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—
Tantrum, Bastian, fwand, 1985, and Raynard—
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
genius world-class comics Zach Galifianakis, Victor Varnado, and Jon Daly, and more,
at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC—and which you shouldn't miss, because afterwards
wonderful host Seth Herzog will be away for a few weeks entertaining troops in Iraq—Sweet (9:00 pm),
Zach Galifianakis and Victor Varnado...
...and Nato Green, Seth Herzog, and Jon Daly
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight will be Seth's last Sweet for several weeks because
he's headed to Iraq to entertain our troops. (Seriously.)
If you haven't been to this extravaganza for a while,
don't miss this special bon voyage party.
(If it wasn't for my Tuesday screenwriters workshop, I'd be there myself...)
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Zach Galifianakis (flat-out comedy genius, and one of the giants of the biz;
numerous credits include Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
ABC's Jimmy Kimmel; film & tour Comedians of Comedy; Comedy Central's Dog Bites Man,
Reno 911!, and The Sarah Silverman Program; Adult Swim's Tim and Eric Awesome Show
and Tom Goes to the Mayor; FOX's Boston Common and Tru Calling; upcoming
feature films What Happens in Vegas..., G-Force, and Little Fish, Strange Pond),
Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; for a stand-up sample, please click here),
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), and
Nato Green (San Francisco comic who bills himself as "brainy, liberal, and Jewish;"
for a stand-up video about politics, please click here).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
This new weekly comedy show is a parody of The View that's mostly improvised by performers
Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela.
The official description:
"Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel
of five of New York's most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week's events,
and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more.
This show will keep you in Focus. Let's talk about issues, over drinks!"
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
and 
C, C + C Improv Factory and Derrick
Two brilliant improv troupes for a mere five bucks.
The hilarious C, C + C Improv Factory—consisting of Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams)—was the 2008 winner of Cage Match, a weekly event that's one of the most entertaining comedy shows in NYC. Cage Match is super-competitive, with almost every NYC improv troupe of note participating over the course of the year. That Charlie, Charlie, and Chuck came out on top says volumes about their witty inventiveness, talent, and determination.
Derrick is a star sketch & improv comedy troupe—consisting of Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson—that last year won a breathtaking 11 improv battles in a row at Cage Match...and broke several all-time records while at it. These three young performers have amazing careers ahead of them. To sample their wildly popular YouTube videos, please click here and here and here.
These are two of the best improv groups in the country.
Expect a show that's special and memorable.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/9/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
exceptionally talented writers and performers telling very funny tales of woe about their television
rejections—with video clips from Survivor, American Idol, The Tyra Banks Show, and more—
at the wonderful Jon Friedman's The Rejection Show (8:00 pm),
NYC political comics offering the lighter side of the news in Laughing Liberally (8:30 pm),
open mic stand-up in Queens' LIC at John F. O'Donnell's The Kingdom of Heaven (8:30 pm),
delicious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
some of the coolest gals and guys they know for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (9:00 pm),
an unsettling sketch troupe and a soap opera improv troupe in the double-bill
Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles and Hot Lather (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
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
Jon Friedman
Jon Friedman hosts a delightful parade of rejected material
by exceptional writers and performers.
Tonight's theme is "On-Air Television Rejections, Volume 1,"
featuring rejections, humiliations, eliminations, and failed footage, with
live tales and video clips from Survivor, American Idol, VH1, The Tyra Banks Show, and more.
There'll also be music from fabulous comedic rockabilly band The Defibulators.
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
Laughing Liberally: The Iraq War 5th Anniversary Comedy Hour
Political humor, New York style, tonight focused on the 5th Anniversary
of the war in Iraq. And "while wood is the traditional gift,
we're delivering laughter instead...We laugh liberally to keep from crying."
Scheduled comics are Lee Camp, Nato Green (visiting from San Francisco),
Katie Halper, Jamie Kilstein, Baratunde Thurston, and Roger Weaver.
Hosted by and Elon James White.
8:30 pm at The Tank, 279 Church Street (bet. Franklin & White Streets); tickets are $10
John F. O'Donnell
Free open mic stand-up comedy show in Queens' Long Island City
(just one stop from Manhattan on the #7 train).
Hosted by John F. O'Donnell (Comedy Central's Fresh Faces; for stand-up video, please click here),
a wild man who will make you love him...and who genuinely loves comedy and fellow comics.
If you're looking for stage time, John makes this a very friendly place to perform.
Sign-up for the open mic is at 7:30.
Tonight's guest headliner hasn't been announced, but it's usually a well-respected stand-up comic.
8:30 pm at The Creek and The Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; free
From Manhattan, take the #7 subway to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop (one stop after Grand Central);
exit on Jackson Avenue and walk one block north to 49th Avenue.
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 they're typically superb.
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)
Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles and Hot Lather
Two intriguing comedy shows for five bucks.
First up is sketch group Pangea 3000 performing a new set of routines that promise to at least partially (and oddly) 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 Hot Lather, an improv group that specializes
in the soap opera format. Its members include some powerhouse performers:
Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher, Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova, Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen, and Paul Welsh,
with direction by Rob Webber.
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 4/10/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
world-class storytellers Kumail Nanjiani, Adam Wade, and Kambri Crews, and superb stand-up comics
Claudia Cogan, Adam Newman, Becky Donohue, and John F. O'Donnell, telling funny
and sometimes poignant tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC, recently off a sold-out three-city tour and winning
the ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act, performing a show about April Fools: The Apple Sisters (8:00 pm),
Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo bringing their hit UCBT-LA show to NY: Ronna & Beverly's All Jew Revue (8:00 pm),
world-class stand-up John Mulaney, brilliant storyteller Chris Gethard, and others who might include
a comedy celeb, at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
guest comics Wendy Ho and MC Chris, and some of the freshest comedy, and finest timing,
in NYC from exceptional writers/performers duo Julie & Jackie (9:30 pm),
and brilliant improv troupe The Stepfathers competing tonight against UCBT Harold team Bastian
for audience laughs and votes at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Adam Wade and happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and Claudia Cogan, Kambri Crews, and Kumail Nanjiani...
...and Adam Newman, John F. O'Donnell, and Becky Donohue
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
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; recently premiered terrific one-man show
about his being an atheist—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),
Adam Wade (stellar storyteller who's an 8-time StorySLAM champ
and 2006 GrandSLAM champ at The Moth),
Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here),
Claudia Cogan (ECNY Award nominee for Best Female Stand-Up;
Logo Network, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be
a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here),
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of
NYC live comedy extravaganzas Street Meat and Faux Show;
host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show Blowtorch Slaughter;
half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal),
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
John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him; Comedy Central's Fresh Faces;
host of biweekly Queens open mic stand-up comedy show The Kingdom of Heaven;
for stand-up video, please click here).
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)
Ronna & Beverly's All Jew Revue
Hosted by Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo (above) playing) Ronna Glickman & Beverly Kahn, the bestselling authors of You'll Do a Little Better Next Time: A Guide to Marriage and Remarriage for Jewish Singles. To get a feel for the act, please visit ronnaandbeverly.com.
Reservations for seats are sold out; but if you're okay with standing, come enjoy
this UCBT-LA hit make its debut in the city where it really belongs.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
Photo on right: Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Apple Sisters: It's April, Fool
The delicious Apple Sisters—Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe, with Tom Thomsen on keyboard—have sung, danced, and naughtily joked their ways into New York City's heart. This homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters has been one of the great successes of 2007, having done 10 original shows, sold-out performances at comedy festivals around the country, and recently winning the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act.
Tonight the gals perform It's April, Fool, a show likely to be full of fun and surprises.
From the official description: "The Apple Sisters are Candy, Cora, and Seedy. Their mother, Ms. Reddy Apple, was a vaudeville star and she passed down the legacy to her three girls! The trio present their live show, broadcast on WXYZ AM Radio, straight to the troops in Germany, and present the show on stage at the Peoples Improv Theater in their first and favorite home, the Big Apple! Be a chum and always use Doramad Toothpaste, now with Thorium!"
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
The show tends to sell out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket
online ($9.19, including service charge) by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $8 at the door
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 superb guests include
John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York;
The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York),
Rory Scovel (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),
and possibly "a special guest."
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
Gay-themed comedy, hosted by Jenny Rubin.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Nato Green (San Francisco comic who bills himself as "brainy, liberal, and Jewish;"
for a stand-up video about politics, please click here),
Anne Neczypor (MAC Award Nominee, LOL Tour),
Mike Singer (here! tv.com),
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)
Julie Klausner & Jackie Clarke
Julie Klausner and Jackie Clarke are writer/performers
creating some of the freshest & most hilarious material in NYC—
please check out their recent short films by clicking here.
Tonight's guests are
MC Chris (hilarious musician/rapper) and
Wendy Ho (raunchy comedic singer/performer; for her music video
Bitch, I Stole Yo' Purse, please click here).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: The Stepfathers vs. Bastian
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 champion is The Stepfathers, consisting of some of the sharpest & funniest improv comics in the country—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas, Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols, and Zach Woods.
Some of these folks are comedy geniuses; and they're on stage practicing their craft
in front of rapt audiences every Friday at 9:30 pm at UCBT.
They're also a juggernaut this season, winning six Cage Match bouts in a row...
and typically beating their skilled opponents by a country mile.
This evening's challenger is Bastian, which consists of Brian Barrett, Maggie Carey, Adam Frucci, Brandon Gardner, Lydia Hensler, Molly Lloyd, Oscar Magallanes, and John Murray. The troupe performs most Tuesdays at UCBT's Harold Night.
These are both talented groups, 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 4/11/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the debut of the intriguingly titled Library of Horror: An Original Sketch Comedy Horror Anthology (6:30 pm),
Kumail Nanjiani performing a superbly written, gripping, and witty one-man show
about his struggle with Islam growing up in Pakistan: Unpronounceable (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),
a musical made up on the spot from magical Chicago improv group Baby Wants Candy (10:00 pm),
and one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).
Kick off your evening with two sketch shows for five bucks.
First up is the debut of Library of Horror: An Original Sketch Comedy Horror Anthology
written by Dan Bookbinder, directed by Mo Fathelbab, and performed by
Dan Bookbinder, Kate Chamuris, Jill Donnelly, Jon Gutierrez, and Kevin Hines.
When done well, there's little as delicious as a blend of comedy and horror,
so this has the potential to be special.
The double-bill then continues with comedy group SOS...about which I know nothing.
But if you Google "SOS comedy," one of the sites listed is the Sumatran Orangutan Society.
If there's any connection between the latter and this troupe,
that'd automatically make for a fine show...
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kumail Nanjiani: Unpronounceable
Kumail Nanjiani is a rising stand-up comedy star. (To get a feel for his usual material, please check out Nanjiani's routines about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here.) But in this autobiographical one-man show, Nanjiani demonstrates that he's also a thoughtful, witty writer who can effectively mix laughter with poignancy.
Nanjiani begins by describing his growing up in Pakistan, where religion dictates virtually every thought and action:
You know how when you do arts and crafts and you use glitter, and when you're done you look around and you've got glitter everywhere? It's on your hands. It's on the carpet. It's in your hair. It's in your ears. That's how Islam is. It's all over everything.
That's especially difficult considering the high standards Islam sets:
In the afterlife you're taken to the edge of a cliff. Across the way is Heaven. But it's a ways off, not like "Hey, I'm gonna pop over to Heaven to borrow some sugar. Be back in 10." And there's a rope you have to balance yourself on to get to the other side. But this isn't just any rope...it's thinner than the thinnest human hair and sharper than the sharpest knife in the world. And you have to balance yourself and cross this rope—barefoot—to get to Heaven. And below you...is Hell.
That's a lot to deal with for an 8-year-old boy.
When he got a bit older, Nanjiani got hold of videotapes from America, and...
I watched mostly horror films—even though I was never scared of them. I imagined myself standing over Hell five times every day. When you hear that much about molten lead in your ears and mountains flying at you, Saw is like a Disney movie.
In the first half of his show, Nanjiani makes a compelling—and, at times, hair-raising—case against religious zealotry, an emphasis on the afterlife over the here-and-now, and blindly following the crowd.
In the second half, he describes how his experiences at a college in Iowa slowly changed him. Eventually Nanjiani abandoned Islam; religion in general; and even belief in God.
This is effectively where his show ends. And frankly, I wish there was a third act.
Because while Nanjiani's rebellion against the rules he grew up with is wholly understandable, he doesn't make clear what he's found to replace them (aside from some references to favoring love for people over love for God...as if it must be an either-or decision).
Also not clarified is why getting disillusioned with one's childhood religion—or, for that matter, any organized religion—translates to becoming an atheist. If you're appalled by how a group has interpreted or twisted a concept, you can reject the group but still embrace the concept.
For these reasons, I feel the tale is incomplete; but hey, so is life at Nanjiani's age of 29.
And in fairness, I had the same problems with a one-man show Matt Besser performed at UCBT a couple of years ago titled Woo Pig Sooie! Besser was brought up Judeo-Christian; but at core he told the same story, and with the same conclusion. A young writer can do a lot worse than be compared to comedy giant Besser.
Kumail Nanjiani's show is at times gripping, insightful, shocking, and hilarious...and crammed with fascinating observations and anecdotes. Unpronounceable is well worth catching, and is highly recommended.
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
Baby Wants Candy is a Chicago-based troupe that has wowed audiences around the world with their skill at creating a completely improvised hour-long musical. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment; even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are made up on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. For brief scenes from previous shows, please click here.
Note: This two-night NYC run ends tomorrow.
10:00 pm at Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street (on 7th Avenue, south of Christopher).
Tickets are $15 (versus $20) if you use discount code BCBST36; for details, please click here.
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
Girly Girl Burleskapades and Naked Boys Improvising
This double-bill begins with traditional burlesque—that is, woman stripping—
though with the emphasis a bit more on the side of laughter than titillation.
The show then continues with five guys who seem very nice and sharp but
perform only so-so improvisation and, in the process, invent reasons to take off articles
of clothing. By the last couple of minutes, they're completely naked.
It's not great comedy; but if you're in the right mood, it's harmless fun
that provides something of visual interest to both men and women.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 4/12/08
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),
Liam McEneaney, the Found Footage Festival, and Hannibal Buress
at a free stand-up comedy show hosted by The Daily Show's Adam Lowitt, It Is It! (8:00 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
a musical made up on the spot from magical Chicago improv group Baby Wants Candy (10:00 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 pm),
and stellar stand-up comic Tom McCaffrey, comedic chameleon Brett Gelman, sketch troupe
Pangea 3000, and the Found Footage Festival performing all-new material on a show hosted by
world-class sketch troupe Olde English: Very Fresh (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
Adam Lowitt, and poster for a previous star-packed night of his free show
Adam Lowitt (staffer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; for a video stand-up
sample, please click here) hosts this free comedy shindig.
Tonight's scheduled guests include
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),
Found Footage Festival (sharing odd, funny videos), and
Hannibal Buress (Chicago's Finest).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
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
Baby Wants Candy is a Chicago-based troupe that has wowed audiences around the world with their skill at creating a completely improvised hour-long musical. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment; even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are made up on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. For brief scenes from previous shows, please click here.
Note: This two-night NYC run ends tonight.
10:00 pm at Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street (on 7th Avenue, south of Christopher).
Tickets are $15 (versus $20) if you use discount code BCBST36; for details, please click here.
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
Tom McCaffrey, Pangea 3000, and Brett Gelman...
...and hosts Olde English
Very Fresh with Olde English
Hilarious sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English
(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)
host this wonderful show consisting of sketch, stand-up, short films, and more.
Tonight's superb guests are
Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Shorties Watchin' Shorties),
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Gelmania; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, 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 new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
Found Footage Festival (sharing odd, funny videos), and
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).
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 4/13/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a blowout fundraising event packed with celebrities, and that you can attend live or
enjoy in the comfort of your home via Comedy Central: Night of Too Many Stars (8:00 pm),
UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (7:30 & 9:30 pm),
stand-up comics Matt McCarthy, Dan Mintz, Brent Sullivan, and more
at Timmy Williams' & Sam Brown's free show Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter
for their weekly shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
and Leslie Collins performing what appears to be a charming one-woman show
based on her memories of growing up in Texas: Poteet Girls (9:30 pm).
Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit for Autism Education
This celebrity-packed fundraiser hosted by Jon Stewart
will be held tonight at the Beacon Theatre.
Tickets are around $100 and up; but you can
alternatively watch the live show via Comedy Central
(and donate by phone or Web whatever you can manage to give).
Comedy giants and other stars scheduled to appear include:
Fred Armisan
Will Arnett
Matthew Broderick
Tom Brokaw
Steve Carell
Stephen Colbert
Susie Essman
Will Ferrell
Tina Fey
Will Forte
Kelsey Grammer
Jonah Hill
Kevin James
Maroon 5
Conan O'Brien
Rosie O'Donnell
Amy Poehler
Chris Rock
Roots
Adam Sandler
Sarah Silverman
Ben Stiller
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
In other words, this is likely to be spectacular.
For more information—including highlights of last year's show—please click here.
8:00 pm both on-stage at the Beacon Theatre and on your TV screen via Comedy Central
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)
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 scheduled guests are
Matt McCarthy, Dan Mintz, Brent Sullivan, Hannibal Buress, and Moses Robinson.
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
Michael Showalter and Eugene Mirman
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 guests haven't been announced, but they're usually stellar.
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.
Leslie Collins (VH1's Best Night Ever) performs a one-woman show based on the memorable folks she met growing up in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. Her characters deal with situations ranging from science fair projects clashing with religious beliefs to a "Miss Junior Poteet" beauty contest. BroadwayWorld.com praises Collins' acting, saying her characters are "all handled with a gentle, realistic humor that's very funny while remaining sincere and affectionate." The director is Broadway performer & fellow Texan Erick Devine.
To get a feel for both Collins and the show, please click here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Adam Sank (former TV news producer for FOX and WABC-TV; written
for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, and The San Francisco Sentinel)
hosts this free gay-themed stand-up comedy show.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Claudia Cogan, Jaffe Cohen, Vicky Kuperman, and Zach Toczynski.
To get a feel for the show, please click here.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
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
