NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 12/10/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
hilarious hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande presenting such wonderful comics as
The Daily Show's Demetri Martin and beatbox master Reggie Watts at Totally J/K (8:15ish pm),
one of the most interesting comedic performer/writers in NYC, Mary Theresa Archbold,
doing her new one-woman show What I Did for Love?, plus Rob Lenihan performing
his sobering new one-man show Breathe with Me, at Singles Night: Solo Performances (9:30 pm),
and such comedy giants as Eugene Mirman and Leo Allen, plus brilliant UK star Daniel Kitson,
at one of the funniest stand-up shows in NYC—which just happens to be free—Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
Reggie Watts, hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande, Demetri Martin...
...Ani Raya-Flores, Scott Bateman, and surprise guests
Hosted by quick-witted and enormously funny best buds Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel
(for dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and for other videos,
please click here and here). Tonight's wonderful guests include
Demetri Martin (The Daily Show: Trendspotting, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents special, Comedy Central's Demetri Martin. Person.,
These Are Jokes CD/DVD),
Reggie Watts (winner of 3rd Annual Andy Kaufman Award; scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician who will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com),
Scott Bateman (cartoonist who produced an animated short a day for a year; Plum TV's Scott Bateman Presents Scott Bateman Presents; Salon.com weekly animated series), and
Ani Raya-Flores (member of Zebra comedy troupe).
8:15ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Stand-up comedy hosted by Billy Reno (SNL's Weekend Update,
Caroline's; for video samples, please click here and here).
Tonight's scheduled guests are
RG Daniels, Mike Dobbins, Helen Hong, Rachel Parenta, and Baratunde Thurston.
8:00ish 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)
Anne Meara (with husband & comedy partner Jerry Stiller), and 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 Anne Meara of classic comedy duo Stiller & Meara.
To get a feel for STM, view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here.
To buy tickets online (each $10 plus $2.50 service charge), please click here.
8:30 pm at Ace of Clubs, 9 Great Jones Street (3rd St. between Lafayette and Broadway); $10
This theatre is downstairs from the Acme restaurant. Nearest subway stops are
Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Mary Theresa Archbold: What I Did for Love? and Rob Lenihan: Breathe with Me
Singles Night: Solo Performances
It's cool enough to get two one-person shows for five bucks.
But when one of them is from the luminous Mary Theresa Archbold,
this becomes a can't-miss event.
A few months ago, Mary Archbold proved herself one of the most sharp, engaging,
and endearing performers to grace the 2007 FringeNYC Festival.
In fact, she won a Best Actor Award, beating out literally
hundreds of other terrific talents from around the country.
(For my review of her funny & touching FringeNYC production, please click here.)
Tonight Mary will be performing a brand new show titled What I Did for Love?
The other half of this double-bill is Rob Lenihan performing
his one-man show Breathe With Me. It begins:
"I dreamed one night that my father was still alive...
As I guided him into the bathroom to give him his shower,
like I had so many times before, I felt confused rather than elated at seeing
my father among the living. I thought I didn't have to do this anymore,
I said to myself. I thought I was free..."
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The inventive Sue Galloway (Free to Be Friends, band member
of Stickerbook) will be showing off her solo material;
and a new act called Robert's 2nd
will be filling the second half of this double-bill.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
John F. O'Donnell, Leo Allen, and Eugene Mirman...
...and Daniel Kitson
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun.
Tonight's star comedic lineup includes the great
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 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),
Daniel Kitson (brilliant UK comedic performer; winner of multiple Edinburgh Festival Awards; host of weekly London radio show The Listening Club),
Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City), and
John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him; Comedy Central's Fresh Faces;
host of biweekly Long Island City comedy show The Kingdom of Heaven).
Tonight's show is likely to be one of the flat-out funniest in NYC.
And it's free.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 12/11/07
Heather Fink, Jackie Monahan, and Raquel D'Apice
Carolyn Castiglia hosts a lineup of talented female stand-up comics.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Heather Fink (host of monthly NYC live comedy show Street Meat),
Jackie Monahan (Dykes on Mics at Rubyfruit, Lesbians of Laughter Tour;
for sharp stand-up video, please click here),
Raquel D'Apice (writes blog titled The Ugly Volvo; for touching video
about lesbians who met in Eastern Europe, please click here),
Jacquetta Szathmari (for stand-up video, please click here).
Brooke Van Poppelen (for a video sample, please click here), and
Robin Cloud (for a blue Q&A about eating out, please click here).
8:00 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)
Green Lantern writer Ron Marz; and cover of Green Lantern: Rebirth #5, drawn by Ethan Van Sciver
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are controversial comics writer Ron Marz
(Green Lantern, Silver Surfer, Witchblade); and, via phone,
illustrator Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern, Superman/Batman).
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—
Twelve Thousand Dollars, Tantrum, 1985, fwand, 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
John Morrison, Kristen Schaal, and John Oliver...
...and Joe DeVito, Mike Drucker, and Thomas Middleditch
John Morrison (host of NYC weekly open mic show Ochi's Motel)
welcomes thoroughly wonderful star comics
Kristen Schaal (one of the most talented and inventive comedy performers around;
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; co-host of NYC biweekly Hot Tub Variety Show) and
John Oliver (brilliant stand-up comic, wonderful news correspondent for
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, co-writer/star of The Department for BBC Radio 4); plus
Mike Drucker (winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition
and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; for Drucker's explanation of
how life is like video games and comic books, please click here; and to learn
why Drucker's girlfriend wouldn't give him a gold star, please click here),
Joe DeVito (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; written for MTV, FUSE, film Super Size Me;
for Last Comic Standing video, please click here),
Eric Alexander (Showtime at the Apollo, Last Call With Carson Daly, Spike TV;
for stand-up video that asks WWTDD? [What Would Tony Danza Do?], please click here),
Thomas Middleditch (improv at Second City and Baby Wants Candy;
for cartoon that prompted the comment "wow i think i actually feel
my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here), and
Nick Cobb (AMC's Date Night, member of sketch troupe Turn Left).
8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
$10 ticket plus one item (food or drink) minimum
Three couples, three situations, six degrees of separation—all improvised.
Starring Megan Gray, Mark Grenier, Corey Grimes,
Louis Kornfeld, Leanne Linsky, and Charles Whitcroft.
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Krompf and Outlook of the Poet
Krompf is one of NYC's finest comedy troupes: Neil Casey (member of UCBT's weekly hit show Death by Roo Roo), Ryan Karels, Amey Goerlich, and Joe Wengert (member of UCBT's weekly hit show Reuben Williams). At a recent appearance at Cage Match, these improvisors took the kickoff suggestion Christendom to heights of delicious absurdity, in which young children about to be initiated into Catholicism are made to wear suits of armor and engage in swordplay while a voracious winged monster (played memorably by Ryan Karels) perches ready to gobble up the head of any who show hints of wavering. And in another subplot, Neil Casey was hilarious as a perpetually grieving cab driver who tells every passenger about his bride dying on their wedding day. At the end, we learn that as he backed up the cab preparing to drive them both to the Church, he accidentally ran her over...
Outlook of the Poet was the runner-up of last month's thrilling 2007 3-on-3 Improv Tournament. The troupe consists of Jonathan Gabrus (fwand), Ben Rodgers (1985), and Gavin Speiller (1985).
With two such great teams performing, this show promises to be memorable.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 12/12/07
Tonight is overflowing with great shows.
Recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a fascinating free view of a sketch troupe constructing material via entertaining anecdotes
and improv, featuring superb talents such as Elna Baker and Pat Shay, at Red (6:00 pm),
great writers including as Colin Jost of SNL, Annabelle Gurwitch of Fired!, and
cartoonist David Rees telling very funny tales of woe at Jon Friedman's The Rejection Show (8:00 pm),
all-star sketch & stand-up comedy, featuring such wonderful talents as Biz Ellis & Livia Scott,
Leo Allen, Olde English, and Family Guy's John Viener at Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
Eugene Mirman's & Bobby Tisdale's usually superb stand-up showcase Invite Them Up (9:00 pm),
mind-blowing mix of stand-up, sketch, and comedic music, from such awesome talents as
beatboxer Reggie Watts, singer/writer Jessica Delfino, stand-up comics John Mulaney and
Chelsea Peretti, and hosts Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler at their Hot Tub Variety Show (9:30ish pm),
the delightful Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack, and Tricia McAlpin of Penny, along with
duo Rubin & Munoz, in the sketch double-bill White Orphans/The Lance and Ray Show (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Due to some cosmic quirk, there are enough amazing shows tonight to fill an entire week.
If forced to choose only one, I'd personally pick Kristen's & Kurt's Hot Tub Variety Show.
But whatever your preference, for goodness sakes, go out tonight and enjoy hours of laughter...
Pat Shay and Elna Baker
Comedy troupe Red tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises scenes
based on the tales; and also perform sketches from material they improvised the previous week.
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, Elna Baker, Chris Caniglia, Scott Eckert, Sarah Lowe, Sarah Nowak, Pat Shay, Nate Starkey, Shelly Stover, and Kevin Townley.
6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
great writers including as Colin Jost of SNL, Annabelle Gurwitch of Fired!, and
cartoonist David Rees telling very funny tales of woe at Jon Friedman's The Rejection Show (8:00 pm),
Jon Friedman, Annabelle Gurwitch, and David Rees
Jon Friedman hosts a delightful parade of rejected material
by exceptional writers and performers. Tonight's guests include
Colin Jost (writer for Saturday Night Live),
Annabelle Gurwitch (author of both book and documentary Fired!;
host of TBS TV series Dinner and a Movie),
David Rees, who creates political cartoon series and books
such as Get Your War On (to read some of his cartoons, please click here;
to view a fun interview with Lizz Winstead, please click here), and
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1; US Magazine's Fashion Police).
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
Hayes Hargrove, hosts Jenny Rubin & Matt McCarthy, and Giulia Rozzi
Stand-up comedy hosted by the very funny Jenny Rubin and Matt McCarthy.
Tonight's stand-up guests are
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;
delightful co-host of monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here),
Hayes Hargrove (This Is Spinal Tap, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Larry Sanders Show,
The Muppets, The Office (UK), gobeyondthepale.com),
Mike Burns (contributor to Blerds.com),
Carla Rhodes and her dummy Cecil (The Cutting Room), and
Eliot Glazer (co-author of UCBT's High School Talent Show).
To get a feel for the show overall, please click here.
8:00 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)
Ready to tackle your holiday anxieties are Paul Downs, Alan Fessenden, Elana Fishbein, Marcy Jarreau, Leslie Korein, Louis Kornfeld, and Peter McNerney, who improvise a show based on "an audience member's confession."
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Sketch troupe Olde English...
...and Biz Ellis & Livia Scott, Leo Allen, and host Seth Herzog
Hosted by the razor-sharp & witty Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Please note: This weekly show is usually on Tuesdays. It's been shifted to
Wednesday for this evening only (to accommodate a Slipper Room Christmas party...).
Tonight's all-star guests include
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),
Leo Allen (writer for /Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City),
Olde English (sketch troupe and prodigious generator of funny videos;
ABC's Good Morning America, MSNBC, hosts UCBT variety show Very Fresh;
on Entertainment Weekly's" Must See" list; members are Caleb Bark,
Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg), and
John Viener (staff writer & VO actor for FOX's Family Guy; HBO's Entourage,
NBC's Law & Order, The Gilda Radner Story TV movie [playing Chevy Chase],
and upcoming feature film The Untitled Onion Movie).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Hosted by comedy greats Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale (above).
The lineup—which is usually stellar—tends to be posted late afternoon
on the day of the show. To check whether the Web page
has been updated yet, please click here.
9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Reggie Watts, Chelsea Peretti, and Jessica Delfino...
...and Michael Portnoy (to the right of Bob Dylan), Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler, and John Mulaney
Hosted by Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler, who are phenomenally talented
and inventive comedic performers. The lovely & brilliant Kristen is
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; and she and Kurt
co-star in such stuff as the Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets
and sketches that are hilariously indescribable.
Tonight's flat-out awesome lineup includes
Reggie Watts (scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, musician, and expert improvisor
who will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com),
Jessica Delfino (brilliant & stunning singer/songwriter/stand-up; to get
a sense of what Jessica can do, please click here),
John Mulaney (razor-sharp stand-up who's a favorite on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
and VH1's Best Week Ever; for video samples, please click here and here),
Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; member of great
comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,
blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990),
Michael Portnoy (famed performance artist/dancer/singer/comic),
Todd & Adam Stone (twins comedy duo whose signature style is double breasted blazers),
Jon Benjamin (maker of hilarious and potentially offensive videos;
for samples, please click here and here and here and here), and
Jesse Novak (musician who specializes in scoring funny videos).
9:30ish pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; tickets are $8
Comedy troupe Penny (Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack and Tricia McAlpin) in White Orphans...
...and Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz in The Lance & Ray Show
Penny: White Orphans and The Lance & Ray Show
Sketch/improv group Penny consists of the adorable & very funny comedy trio
Amber Petty, Trisha McAlpin, and Jessie Schupack. In tonight's show, the gals
promise to "guide you through their wonderful world of art, music, and laughter.
You'll laugh till you cry, cry till you laugh, and be moved enough that you too
will want a white orphan for your very own." Directed by Susannah Beckett.
The double-bill then continues with Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz,
who perform sketch comedy as The Lance & Ray Show.
Tonight's bits reportedly include "a spin-off of The West Wing,
a visit to Seal World, Lance's work with an acting coach on a monologue
for a big audition, an interpretive ballet to the soulful sounds of Nick Lachey,
and a super-huge fight between Lance and Ray! On stage! Seriously!"
Plus DVD commentary.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Pat Shay and Kimmy Gatewood
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.
Afterwards, house improv troupe The Baldwins takes the stage.
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 12/13/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
an entirely improvised musical from genius duo McMurray & Skinner as I Eat Pandas (8:00 pm),
some of the freshest comedy in NYC from stellar writers/performers Julie & Jackie (9:30 pm),
and some of the finest improvisors in the world at tonight's Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses
at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating
an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,
immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist
Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;
what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.
Kudos to UCBT for giving them a stage; and don't miss
this chance to enjoy these comedic wizards at play.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Santa Claus, Julie & Jackie, and Reggie Watts
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 scheduled guests are
Reggie Watts (winner of 3rd Annual Andy Kaufman Award; scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician who will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com), and
Santa Claus (credits too numerous to mention...don't get on his shit list).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: Omlette Vision vs. The Brothers Hines
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...).
Tonight features two awesome improv troupes.
Omlette Vision consists of Michael Delaney, Billy Merritt and Andy Secunda,
who are members of the legendary group The Swarm. Each of these guys
is a comedy genius...and among the most talented and experienced improvisers alive.
And since Billy Merritt is now mostly in LA pursuing his writing/performing career, it's an
extra special treat to get to see these amazing talents perform together on the UCBT-NY stage.
The Brothers Hines consists of Will Hines and Kevin Hines—who really are brothers. Considering improv involves being able to "read" your partner's thoughts and go with his flow, growing up together and sharing DNA gives these siblings some natural advantages. In addition, they're razor-sharp performers.
Both of these teams have impressive histories of winning at Cage Match.
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 12/14/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Holidoozy Christmess Special, a lively musical comedy with singing, dancing, and sexual innuendo
from one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC, The Apple Sisters (7:00 pm),
one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses in NYC, tonight going solo: Lennon Parham (7:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics at Greg Johnson's & Larry Murphy's Power Hour (8:30 pm),
and some of the finest improv comedy in NYC from The Stepfathers (9:30 pm) and Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
Photo on right: Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Apple Sisters: Holidoozy Christmess Special
The lovely Kimmy Gatewood, who is an exceptionally talented writer, director, and comedic performer, demonstrates that she's also great at singing and dancing—partnered beautifully with Sarah Lowe and Rebekka Johnson, and Tom Thomsen on keyboard—in this homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters. 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!"
In October, the Apples celebrated Halloween getting pursued by a serial killer, learning the joys of gal-on-gal wrestling, and (unforgettably) spitting massive amounts of corn in each other's faces. In November, they paid homage to Thanksgiving by drinking hideous-looking gravy and proclaiming it dee-licious, having Kimmy dress as a turkey and perform a hot strip-tease, and teaching a wheelchair-bound President Roosevelt how to dance. And this month the sisters do a show about the joys of Christmas—and considering the possibilities, the mind boggles...
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
And for the amazing Ms. Gatewood's latest video—her profile on the
revolutionary matchmaking service Ché-Date—please click here.
The show consistently sells out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket
online ($9.19, including service charge) by clicking here.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $8 at the door
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 she takes the stage for a solo outing. Stop by and fall in love with one of the finest comedic actresses in New York.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and guests Eliot Glazer & Ilana Glazer, Jenny Rubin, and Kambri Crews
Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (for hilarious video sample,
please click here). Tonight's stand-up comic guests are
Jenny Rubin (co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Max!),
Kambri Crews (fabulous comedy publicist & producer, actress, and stand-up;
for video of Kambri reading her jailed deaf dad's wedding toast, please click here),
Eliot Glazer & Ilana Glazer (writers of UCBT's High School Talent Show),
Ann Carr (Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding),
Helen Hong (for a video stand-up sample, please click here), and Becky Ciletti.
7:00 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)
Daiva Deupree & Cathleen Carr relaxing before their show
Carr & Deupree: Two Girls for Five Bucks
Two Girls For Five Bucks is very funny sketch comedy duo Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree,
who perform frequently in both NYC and Boston. These luminous women
offer a smart and wittily dark view of life and relationships,
and are well worth catching (yes, even at eight bucks...).
For a few sample MP3 audio clips—most notably, the top one in which
Daiva chats with Cathleen's vagina—please click here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Larry Murphy & Greg Johnson
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
Dave Rubin, Allen Warnock, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy hosted by Shawn Hollenbach, Dave Rubin, and Allen Warnock.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him; Comedy Central's Fresh Faces;
host of biweekly Long Island City comedy show The Kingdom of Heaven),
Claudia Cogan (Logo Network, Sirius OutQ), and
Eddie Sarfaty (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Logo's Wisecracks).
8:30 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)
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
According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Stacy Mayer, Laura Dillman, and Jeremiah Murphy
Manhattan Comedy Collective: Halloween Show
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). Every Friday features Character Dogville, in which performers dress up as odd characters and spontaneously interact with each other.
10:00 pm at the Sage Theatre, 711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (between 47th and 48th Streets);
tickets are $8 online (with no service charge) and $10 at the door
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
Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience, improvisors
George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans
create group scenes that send four characters down different paths...
but end up making the characters collide into each other.
11:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Pete Holmes
UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.
If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be
lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.
But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity
to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.
And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of
a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments
about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (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).
Holmes' lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks
in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.
Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;
and this show is free.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/15/07
Lottery-style open mic for comics doing stand-up, sketch, improv, etc.,
with 5 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.
If you simply want to laugh, this might not be the best way to kick off your evening.
But if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for the show's performers,
please email host John Morrison (above) at ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
6:00 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)
World-class sketch group Fearsome: Shayna Ferm, Chris O'Connor, Alex Goldberg, and Katherine Bryant
One of the best sketch comedy troupes in the country is Fearsome, consisting of four hilarious performers who are each star-calibre and could carry a show on his/her own: Katherine Bryant (sexy, wry, and razor-sharp, with impeccable timing and a personality that's irresistible), Shayna Ferm (sexy, sly, one of the best poker-faces in the business, and a phenomenal comedic singer/songwriter), Alex Goldberg (brilliant comedic mind, stellar timing, perfect straight man, and award-winning playwright), and Chris O'Connor (thoroughly loveable chaotic force of nature who makes anything he appears in special).
Starting tonight, the gang launches a monthly show—which will be different each time,
so you shouldn't miss any of them.
Tonight's theme is, for no particular reason, St. Patrick's Day.
And guests slated to join in the fun are another top-notch sketch group, A Week of Kindness;
stand-up comic Claudia Cogan (Logo Network, Sirius OutQ);
and "the titillating burlesque of Dizzy Swank."
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
Tonight's scheduled participants are Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (One Woman in Several Pieces, HBO.com's upcoming 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
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 this year's spectacular SketchFest NYC). The troupe's memorable bits have included a demonstration that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For odd sample videos, please click here and here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
SKP's Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone, and storyteller Adam Wade
Slightly Known People Is Seeing Other 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 blow-out extravaganza (the last before Xmas) features a slew of guests:
stellar storyteller Adam Wade (8-time StorySLAM champ and 2006 GrandSLAM champ at The Moth),
stand-up comic Rob Gorden (for an ad for a flat-rate phone sex service, please click here)
sketch troupe Lolabrigada (for a bit about being handicapped vs. Andy Capp, please click here),
sketch duo Walker & Cantrell, and sketch duo Barrett & Goldman.
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Comedic variety show produced by Carol Hartsell (above left) and hosted by Sean Crespo
(above right; stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).
Tonight's scheduled guests include Will Vought, Sean O'Connor, and Nick Rutherford.
8:30 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)
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 and Drop Six
This is a magical double-bill, featuring two of
the best sketch comedy troupes in the county.
The Harvard Sailing Team (which was superb in SketchFest NYC 07)
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative sketch 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.
Equally stellar is Drop Six, a sketch troupe that distinguishes itself from the pack
by its great use of physical comedy. Drop Six was awarded Best of the Fest by
Second City at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival; and its show Mr. Lucky
killed at the August 2007 New York International Fringe Festival.
Its members are Marcus Bonnée, Tim Girrbach, Alicia Levy, Rodney Umble,
and director Larry Rosen.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Reuben Williams: Your Office Christmas Party
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. Tonight, in the spirit of the holidays, they simulate an office Christmas party.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Olde English hosts an old-fashioned variety show
Very Fresh with Olde English
Comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English
(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)
host a variety show with sketches, stand-up, short films, and more.
Tonight's guests are Anthony Jeselnik, Tushar Singh, Emily Flake, and Uber Luber.
12:00 midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 12/16/07
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),
and star comics, including David Cross, Daniel Kitson, Aziz Ansari, and Jon Glaser
joining host Eugene Mirman in Brooklyn's Tearing the Veil of Maya (7:45ish 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. 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 Glaser
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops
beyond Manhattan, some of the best comedy minds in New York can be found
at this weekly show hosted by Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 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).
Tonight's blow-out holiday show features an all-star guest list, including:
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);
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);
Mike Birbiglia (Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, two Comedy Central Presents specials; for sample stand-up videos, please click here and here);
and "special guests."
7:45ish 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.
Post-Show Note: As it turned out, the "secret" guests
were indeed very special: David Cross and Daniel Kitson,
both of whom performed deliciously long and
semi-improvised set...and were hysterically funny.
An amazing evening.
A showcase for talented improvisation twosomes.
Tonight's duos are
Michelle Laikowski & Jeff Scherer,
Jon Bander & Rylan Morrison,
Bjorn Thorstad & David Levin, and
Samantha Gurewitz & Ernie Privetera.
Hosted by Alex Marino.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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
Steve Hofstetter (for a stand-up video about child obesity, please click here),
Helen Hong (for a stand-up video, please click here),
Adam Lehman, and Sharon "Mama" Spell.
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 © 2007 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
