NYC Comedy Picks for Week of August 9, 2010

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 8/9/10

Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal tonight resurrect their legendary weekly comedy show: Hot Tub Variety

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!) hosts this free open mic show for storytellers, in which you can put your name in a hat for the chance to tell a five-minute true story...and if it's a good one, possibly be included in Kevin's popular podcasts on the Web: Risk! Storyslam

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A monthly storytelling show from the wonderful Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 15-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of Real Tales of College; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), with guest storyteller Brad Lawrence and improv illustrator Sharon Spell at Under St. Marks: The Adam Wade from New Hampshire Show: Tales of Life, Love, and Little League

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm ($17.50 online with discount code NIFF): My #1 pick for the 2007 FringeNYC Festival, this wonderful group of actresses/improvisors portray characters as if they were in a play, but improvise everything they say and do. The luminous performers include Katharine Heller, Brenna Palughi, Lynne Rosenberg, and Lauren Seikaly, each of whom is immensely appealing and quick-witted. Further, they have an intimate, lovely chemistry with each other; and they've all committed to baring their personal lives, thinly disguised via their characters (hence the title's Naked). As a result, this is one of the most honest and nuanced improvised shows you'll ever see. Check out some videos of previous episodes here; and then nab tickets for tonight's 10th installment at the Soho Playhouse of what's been extended to a 12-week Monday night run: Naked in a Fishbowl

[FREE] 7:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Julia Segal, Louis Katz, Gregg Zehentner, Scott Moran, and Laura Prangley performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson (Last Comic Standing): Case of the Mondays Comedy

7:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street)—at John Morrison's Motel Luca

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal (one of the funniest women alive; shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-author of new bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex) and master sketch comic Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central Presents; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets) tonight bring back their legendary weekly sketch & stand-up comedy show, with guests Eugene Mirman, Andea Rosen, Mike Lawrence, and John Roberts performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): Hot Tub Variety

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Hannibal Buress (Variety's 2010 Top 10 Comics to Watch; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, George Lopez; 2010 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up; new comedy CD My Name is Hannibal), Morgan Murphy (brilliant stand-up; The Comedians of Comedy; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, former staff writer for Jimmy Kimmel and Crank Yankers), Joe Derosa (Comedy Central Presents special), Mike Birch, Asie Mohtarez—plus musical guest Scott Gibson—performing in the Lolita Bar for producer Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: John Mulaney (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Ali Waller (writer for Jimmy Fallon), Julian McCullough (Comedy Central), and Kevin Bartini (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at a free weekly LES show at Pianos hosted by Adam Lowitt (producer of The Daily Show) and Matt Goldich (Comedy Central, VH1): It Is It

8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's fine house sketch comedy troupes, Stone Cold Fox and Gorilla Gorilla, trying out new bits at Maude Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Some of the finest improvisors in the country—Thomas Middleditch, Eliza Skinner, Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Jeff Hiller, Mike Still, and Kevin Hines—making up a musical on the spot at Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the country—tonight including TV & film star T.J. Miller (David Letterman, Opie & Anthony; co-star of ABC sitcom Carpoolers; co-star of numerous movies including Cloverfield and Get Him to the Greek), Jesse Popp (Comedy Central, co-host of Beauty Bar Comedy), and Mike Drucker (before leaving NYC)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 8/10/10

Ted Alexandro and Adira Amram perform tonight at Punch Up Your Life

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central, Variety SHAC, The Nights of Our LIves), Julian McCullough (Comedy Central Presents), Sean O'Connor, Jamie Lee, and James Harris performing at Brooklyn's Bell House Front Lounge guest-hosted by the gorgeous Brooke Van Poppelen: Get Off Your Knees

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Monstro, Badman, DeCoster, Bastian, and Robber Baron; and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students improving scenes taking place simultaneously—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Rob Cantrell, Becky Yamamoto, Ben Kissel, Dan Hirshon, Todd Montesi, and Jc Coccoli performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($3): Adira Amram (fresh, sexy, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; CD Hot Jams for Teens), Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials), Christian Finnegan (three Comedy Central specials, commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), and Mike Drucker (writer for SNL) performing at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for an almost-free weekly show hosted by Joe DeRosa (new comedy CD The Depression Auction) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Punch Up Your Life

9:30 pm ($5): Stellar storyteller Leslie Goshko, plus Darcy Burke, Amy Dixon, Joel Jones, and Jay Dixit, spin yarns at Campfire Stories

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Free open mic stand-up show that's seldom much fun for audience members but is a nice opportunity if you want 4-5 minutes to test out your comedy material on stage: Bring It

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/11/10

A stellar cast, including Chris Gethard and Kristen Schaal, read Joe Mande's screenplay of Glenn Beck's novel The Overton Window

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—with two installments running back to back every Wednesday at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "Seven family members, friends, coworkers and a neighbor of seven weeks accidentally ruin their final goodbyes," performed by such stellar talents as Lennon Parham and Leslie Meisel; and "seemingly unrelated or meaningless episodes of multiple personalities, bizarre delusion, and general perversion, suggesting a deranged mind," co-written and performed by Paul W. Downs, in the double-bill Oh My God, I Heard You're Dying! and The Paul Downs Syndrome

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: TV & film star T.J. Miller (David Letterman, Opie & Anthony; co-star of ABC sitcom Carpoolers; co-star of numerous movies including Cloverfield and Get Him to the Greek), superb storyteller Cyndi Freeman, and NYC stand-ups Ray Devito, Myka Fox, Bruce Cherry, Garry Hannon, and Dave Ritz performing at this free weekly show hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Jenny Slate (cast member of Saturday Night Live), Ali Wong (comedy dynamo; MTV), Mike Lawrence, and Jake Young performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:30 pm ($5): "Glenn Beck's new bestselling political thriller, The Overton Window, was so inspiring to comedian Joe Mande that he sat down and rewrote the story for the big screen. Come watch as Mande and a few of his friends read the script on stage for the first time in hopes of getting a movie deal"—with such stellar talents as Kristen Schaal, Chris Gethard, John Gemberling, John Mulaney, Hannibal Buress, and Will Hines: A Reading of Joe Mande's Screenplay Adaptation of Glenn Beck's Novel

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) providing as many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 8/12/10

Phenomenal talents Elna Baker and Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan perform tonight on Stripped Stories

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

7:30 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors directed by James Eason "take an audience suggestion and break it into a million funny pieces," and veteran improvisors play with "elements of monoscene, deconstruction, and La Ronde," in the double-bill The Deconstruction and Sleepover

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Genius Death by Roo Roo improvisors Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik create an epic film on the spot based on an audience suggestion; and young talents do a sketch show about cops, in the double-bill The Two-Man Movie and The Sit Down and Shut Up NYPD Variety Hour

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday ($39.50 online or at the box office using discount code PPBBOX): This is a show for which I have enormous affection; although my joy came from watching not only what occurred on stage, but the faces of the women in the audience turning stonier and stonier as they visibly projected the thought, "Dick tricks? This entire show really consists of dick tricks? All my suspicions about men have just been confirmed..." If you cherish bravery in performers, go forth to the 45 Bleecker Theatre (right next to the #6 subway's Bleecker Street stop) and experience Puppetry of The Penis

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($12): John Mulaney (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Joe Mande (Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Totally J/K; author of new book Look at This F*cking Hipster), Hari Kondabolu, Greg Walloch, and musical guest Corn Mo Central), Rory Scovel (Comedy Central), Scott Moran, and Andy Haynes performing at 92Y Tribeca's Comedy Below Canal

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Elna Baker (brilliant storyteller, talented cartoonist, and bestselling author of the comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance) and stand-up Jamie Kilstein tell tales on tonight's theme "Celebrities" at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC, with awesome human beatbox Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, The BEATdown), hosted by the sensual Margot Leitman (VH1, Spike TV) and Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1.com): Stripped Stories

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($19.33 online if you use code VIPAUG, plus 2-item minimum): A popular stand-up and friends performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Colin Kane Unzipped

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Two vibrant troupe troupes, Doppelganger and Zamboni, competing for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/13/10

Streeter Seidell (Hot Soup) and Thomas Middleditch (The Law Firm and Beneath Gristedes)

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): A delightful tale of heartbreak by Leslie Meisel—who manages the impressive feat of being adorable, sexy, and hilarious all at the same time, and is a sharp comedic talent very much worth keeping an eye on—quite ably abetted by co-writer Megan Neuringer in one of the smartest theatrical shows to grace UCBT this year: Love Can Suck a Dick...and So Can I

The other half of this double-bill is a one-man show that walks a challenging line between gay confessional and comic nerd celebration...and unfortunately ends up falling short on both sides. For example, I adored the name-dropping of my favorite Superman artist Wayne Boring, yet not a moment was spent following it to explain what made him so special. Plus who wants to see a show about someone "liking" Superman? If you aren't passionately in love with the fiction—and commited to saying so, and to clearly articulating why—what's the point? The production is nonetheless a laudable try at mixing the worlds of mainstream and genre; and if you're not as comics-obsessed as I am, maybe the skim-the-surface approach won't be an issue for you at So I Like Superman: A One-Nerd Show

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($19.33 online if you use code VIPAUG, plus 2-item minimum): Past contestants of NBC's Last Comic Standing—including Marina Franklin, Jon Fisch, and Jessica Kirson—performing tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Still Standing Up: A Last Comic Standing Showcase

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A groundbreaking and surreal improv/sketch troupe performing with new guests each Friday and making a valid complaint: Centralia: We Were Supposed To Have Flying Cars By Now

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00: Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Streeter Seidell (CollegeHumor.com star), John Roberts (YouTube star), Erik Bergstrom, and David Cope performing at O'Hanlon's (14th Street off 1st Avenue), hosted by Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Thomas Middleditch, Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other superb improvisors make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Top UCBT talents—tonight featuring Nate Lang, Kate McKinnon, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Rodgers and Andree Vermuelen as the performers, and Adam Conover, John Frusciante, Kevin Hines, Anthony King, Shannon O'Neill, Craig Rowin, Jim Santangeli, Eric Scott, Nate Smith, Gavin Speiller, Erik Tanouye, and Caitlin Tegart as the writers—creating a one-night-only sketch comedy show directed by comedy genius Gavin Speiller, with musical guest McGinty & White: Beneath Gristedes

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/14/10

Megan Neuringer, MC Chris, and Matt Pinfield descontruct your favorite muscians at John Frusciante's Break Up Your Band

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisor Christina Gausas and friends she originally made in Chicago—which include writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($19.33 online if you use code VIPAUG, plus 2-item minimum): Past contestants of NBC's Last Comic Standing—including Tom Shillue, Amy Schumer, Rachel Feinstein, Jon Fisch, and Calisse Hawkins—performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Still Standing Up: A Last Comic Standing Showcase

7:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups Dan St. Germain (quick-witted, razor-sharp comic), Andy Haynes, Rick Younger, and more performing in Ochi's Lounge at Lil' Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—and the Cage Match Champion for two years in a row!—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($5): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!

9:30 pm ($10): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub: Political Subversities

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King: Reuben Williams

[TOP PICK] 11:00 ($8): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won this year's ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): "Opinionated audiophile John Frusciante hosts a revolving panel of music-loving comedians, writers, and musicians for a live monthly discussion about the state of music past and present, what you should and shouldn't be listening to, and why KISS sucks so much. It is a guarantee that your favorite band will at some point be brought up, dissected, and either praised to the rafters or dismissed with the wave of a hand that knows how to properly handle vinyl." The guests at tonight's debut are Matt Pinfield (MTV's 120 Minutes, WRXP 101.9FM), MC Chris (white rapper; animator & actor for Adult Swim), Geoff Garlock (former bassist for Orchid and Panthers), and Megan Neuringer (HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1): Break Up Your Band

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/15/10

A FringeNYC comedy that's received great buzz debuts today at 1:45 pm: Just in Time: The Judy Holliday Story...

...and a FringeNYC comedy that's one of the very best shows in the Festival, at 7:15 pm: Faye Lane's Beauty Shop Stories

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] [$] 1:45 pm ($18): FringeNYC is one of the most delightful annual events in NYC, and it's happening for the rest of August; to learn lots more, please click here. Be sure to check out the Festival's superb comedy shows—such as today's debut of a play at the Soho Playhouse about a screen legend, which has gotten great buzz for its lead Broadway actress Marina Squerciati: Just in Time: The Judy Holliday Story

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:15 pm ($18): One of the very best shows at FringeNYC 2010 is a comedy from NYC's own Faye Lane, a luminous storyteller and singer who will charm your socks off—and possibly give you a moon pie to boot. Please read my review by clicking here; and don't miss Faye Lane's Beauty Shop Stories

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not yet announced) performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Streeter Seidell (College Humor, MTV, The New York Times), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central), Lil Rel (Last Comic Standing, Russell Simmons Presents), Chuck Burks (writer for Chappelle's Show), Matty Goldberg, David Cope, and Amanda Baramki performing at Calise Hawkins' free weekly show at The Fat Black Pussy Cat (130 West 3rd Street): S'Weird Man

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not yet announced) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (writer for SNL; comedy CD My Name is Hannibal): Comedy Night

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not yet announced) performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free weekly extravaganza Beauty Bar Comedy

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Karith Foster (Comedy Central), Dana Lovecchio (Comedy Central), and Scott Ryan (Here! TV’s Hot Gay Comics) performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy tonight guest-hosted by Adam Sank: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

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