NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 12/6/10
World-class stand-up Ted Alexandro (Whiplash) and brilliant musical improvisor Jeff Hiller (Diamond Lion)...
...and Brenna Palughi (left) and Daliya Karnofsky (right)
tonight may once again subtly express skepticism
at the plans of the breathtaking Lauren
Seikaly at the wonderful theatrical improv show Naked
in a Fishbowl
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!) hosts this free open mic show for storytellers, in which you can put your name in a hat for the chance to tell a five-minute true story...and if it's a good one, possibly be included in Kevin's popular podcasts on the Web: Risk! Storyslam
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm ($15 at the door on $18.50 online with discount code FISHFAN): 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, Lauren Seikaly, and Molly Knefel, 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 & nuanced improvised shows you'll ever see.
In last week's episode, Brenna Palughi provided an unforgettable description of her experience drinking a liter of salt water to achieve a "master cleanse." With that warning, watch the video and be forever altered...
Although every episode is a wonderful theatrical event, readers of this site no longer have to pay theatrical prices; you can see this show for a mere $15 by mentioning code FISHFAN at the door. Check out some videos of previous episodes here; and then get in the habit of attending the Soho Playhouse to experience the always fresh and surprising Naked in a Fishbowl
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Fine NYC stand-ups Roger Hailes (Comedy Central), Mark Normand (Last Comic Standing; co-host of We're All Friends Here), Myka Fox (Comical Radio), Mara Herron (Sirius Radio), and Kevin Barnett (College Humor) performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy
7:00 pm ($5): An all-gal improv troupe consisting of Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell, with tonight's guest guy improvisor Paul Wielunski (Bad Luck Rising), performing as Goldie and the Hawns
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 online or $8 at the door): Myq Kaplan (finalist on this summer's Last Comic Standing; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special), Adam Lowitt (Producer at The Daily Show, co-host of stand-up show It Is It), and musical guest Amy Miles (Michael Showalter's The Baxter, David Wain's The Ten, Children's Hospital) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety
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
8:00 pm ($5): Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever), Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel), and Ben Kissel (Roundtable of Gentlemen) performing at the White Rabbit (145 East Houston Street) for John Szeluga's Not Friday
8:00 pm ($5): "Best friends Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell created an Internet phenomenon by challenging pairs of women to double date them and documenting the hilarious results for YouTubers everywhere. Two hundred dates later, their experiences were translated into reenactments, educational songs, and valuable lessons in everything from dancing to kissing. Tonight, these dating experts employ audience-recounted horror stories as inspiration for improvised scenes, in an attempt to enlighten you on the art of romance:" Dating Coaches
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Some of the finest improvisors in the country—Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Jeff Hiller, Mike Still, Ashley Ward, and tonight's guest Jon Gabrus (The Law Firm)—making up a musical on the spot along with virtuoso improv pianist Frank Spitznagel: Diamond Lion
10:00 pm ($5): Hip hop musical improv from Nick Brown, Don Romaniello, and Michael Short pretending to be NYC police officers: Rap Crimes Division
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials, recent perfect set at Carnegie Hall opening for Louis C.K.), Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; Louie, Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson), and more—guest-hosted by the wonderful Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1) at Whiplash
[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills on this new stand-up open mic hosted by Michelle Wolf and Erin Lennox: Fresh
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 12/7/10
Morgan Murphy, Sara Schaefer, and other staff writers of Jimmy Fallon perform tonight at Tell Your Friends...
...while Slang is tonight's topic at the smart, witty comedic lecture show Adult Education
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] 8:00 pm ($5): A special show devoted to stand-up from the staff writers of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon—in alphabetical order, David Angelo, Patrick Borelli, Eric Ledgin, Morgan Murphy, Jon Rineman, Sara Schaeffer, and Justin Shane—performing in the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about this month's topic "Slang"—e.g., filmmaker Heather Quinlan exploring the immigrant contribution to NYC slang, playwright Jason Grote providing a tour of the great double-entendres of the Silver Age of comics, The Nation blogger Leslie Savan examining the role of pop language in our lives, and tour guide Mark Roberts making you blush with salty nautical origins of everyday words—at Brooklyn's Union Hall for Charles Star's comedic show Adult Education
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Eliot Chang (Comedy Central Presents, Chelsea Lately), Dave Waite (Comedy Central), Nore Davis (MTV), Lane Moore (The Onion), Jon Savoy, Shatara Curry, and Lianna Carerra performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome
8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Robber Baron, Bastian, Ragnaröck, DeCoster, and Badman, followed by small groups of UCBT students each performing long scenes that seem to have nothing in common with each other but magically converge at the end, all at Harold Night
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Amazing musical improv troupe Free Love Supreme, stand-up Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), plus music from Camille Harris (creator of FringeNYC 2009's Muffin Man), and comedic opera singers Carla Wesby and Nick Packard performing at Brooklyn's The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show
[FREE] 9:00 pm: Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, headliner at Caroline's), Ryan Hamilton (Last Comic Standing), Yannis Papas, and "secret special guests" performing at the Ace of Clubs (9 Great Jones Street, underneath Acme Bar & Grill) hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, comedy CD The Depression Auction) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Aasif Mandvi (correspondent for The Daily Show), Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; Louie, Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet
[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open mic stand-up show hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 12/8/10
UCBT is the place to be tonight, with the official debut of Dan St. Germain's & Jared Logan's sketch show They Hated Each Other...
...the second installment of 30 Rock stars Scott Adsit & John Lutz performing as exciting new improv duo John & Scott...
...and Shannon O'Neill trying out something titled Tron the Musical at the free and always deliciously surprising School Night
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 ($5): Justin Tyler, Matt Fisher, and Alden Ford performing their favorite sketches (for a sample, please click here) as comedy troupe Sidecar: The Immaculate Collection
[TOP PICK] 7:30ish pm ($10 at the door or $12.75 online): Top storytellers telling a personal tale that in some way incorporates a lesson learned at college (for a write-up of the amazing debut, please click here)—with tonight's lineup consisting of host Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Liar Show), Carter Edwards, Katherine Wessling, Peter Aguero, and Michele Carlo—performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall for producer Adam Magazine's You Went to College For That?
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.): A finalist on this summer's Last Comic Standing, and who's also performed on Jay Leno and his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, headlining tonight at Carolines: Myq Kaplan
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Very smart and very funny comics Dan St. Germain (MTV; quick-witted rising star) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill) teaming up to debut a two-man sketch show about history's most infamous rivalries; and an indescribable multimedia sketch show from Peter Blomquist and Jeff Wiens, in the double-bill They Hated Each Other and Franco & Billy: Diamonds of Fire
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Delightful comedic singing/songwriting duo Tim Ellis and Matthew Park performing their best songs for an hour at music venue National Underground (159 East Houston Street, between Eldridge & Allen Streets): Ellis & Park
8:00 pm ($5): Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant stand-up, writer, and storyteller; blogger for trutV; TLC; popular blogs NYisretarded.blogspot.com and RockBottom; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here) and Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Stripped Stories) hosting this free weekly NYC stand-up comedy show (lineup not yet announced) at Brooklyn's Hank's Rootin' Tootin' Saloon (46 Third Avenue at Atlantic): Dive Comedy
8:00 pm ($5; includes copious homemade treats): Mindy Raf (brilliant musical & sketch comic), Nick Vatterot (Jimmy Fallon), Sean Donnelly (host of Lil' Seany Boy), Evan Jacobs, and Mara Herron performing stand-up at at Karma Lounge (51 First Avenue, off 3rd Street) with hosts Aalap Patel and the delightful Chelsea White (MTV, College Humor) at It's Not That Serious
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Sean Crespo, Sue Funke, Jarret Berenstein, Kara Klenk, Peter de Giglio, and Nate Min performing at this free weekly show hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Larry Murphy (genius voiceover/character comic; Adult Swim's Delocated, Assy McGee, Bob's Burgers), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; MTV, Comedy Central), and Greg Johnson (Sirius Radio) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Adsit & Gausas have virtually become legends as one of the most brilliant and passionate duos in improv comedy for making up theatrical scenes on the spot with breathtaking skill. They recently decided to refresh their palettes via other couplings; for example, Christina Gausas last month paired with Becky Drysdale, and will likely do so again early next year (keep an eye on the UCBT schedule). Meanwhile, Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) tonight buddies up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live), forming what's likely to be another magical improv pair: John & Scott
[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 12/9/10
The breathtakingly talented Pamela Murphy performs
a one-woman show about disease and triumph in The
C Word,
and master sketch comic Kurt Braunohler practices his one-man show for the
Edinburgh Festival in
The Amish Guide to Fucking
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
a
a
6:30 pm ($5): Comedy troupe Sandino performs a sketch show that has something to do with reading in The Sandino Book Club: Catcher in the Rye, plus comedy troupe MADCAR performs a sketch show titled Dave n' Brenda's Wedding, at tonight's double-bill installment of the audition series Spank
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): Top comics and comedic storytellers—who tonight include Aasif Mandvi (correspondent for The Daily Show), Ryan Paulson (one-man shows Pentecostal Wisconsin and I'm Uncomfortable), Lee Camp (The Huffington Post, The Green Room with Paul Provenza), Benjamen Walker (WFMU's Too Much Information), Jo Weldon (The Burlesque Handbook), and Gemma Clarke—joining brilliant sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State) to share tales on tonight's theme "Eye of the Beholder" at one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk!
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Master sketch comic Kurt Braunohler "relates how he destroyed a 13-year relationship in the dumbest, most complicated way possible, with bar fights, naked men, walruses, and an audition for Sasha Baron Cohen" in the one-man show The Amish Guide to Fucking
8:00 pm ($8): The Magnet's co-owner Armando Diaz performs monologues on the spot and improvisors then act out scenes based on them at The Armando Diaz Experience
8:00 pm ($5): Lennon Parham demonstrates her comedy genius by utterly stealing this show with just a few minutes of performance time—via Skype video from LA!—while other talented performers on stage struggle with a sadly underdeveloped script...though Marcy Jarreau somehow manages to rise above the material, and is the other standout to look for (in the scene with the mirror...); plus young talents perform a loud and mildly amusing sketch show about cops, in the double-bill Oh My God, I Heard You're Dying! and The Sit Down and Shut Up NYPD Variety Hour
[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1): Comedy as a Second Language
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Hari Kondabolu (John Oliver's New York Standup Show, Jimmy Kimmel), Mark Normand (co-host of We're All Friends Here), and Ken Schultz performing at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for a show hosted & produced by just-engaged couple Sean Crespo & Carol Hartsell: Lasers in the Jungle
[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($15): A comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) are shared by their original authors before total strangers at Mortified
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Comedy genius Pam Murphy proving herself to be a star in this not-to-be-missed autobiographical show that's the best-scripted one-act to grace UCBT this year, performed with wit, grace, and pitch-perfect comedic timing (for video samples of Murphy's work, please click here); and Nicole Shabtai performing a one-woman show about "an illustrious 13-year-old socialite and notorious Upper East Side private schooler we all love to hate," in the double-bill Pam Murphy: The C Word and Citizen Rothstein
9:30 pm ($8): "An improvised spoof on the process of rehearsing and performing a play takes the audience through the table read, bits of one of the rehearsals, and the opening night performance of a production that's never been performed before and never will be again:" The Play Format
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Star improv troupe Reuben William and UCBT Harold Night troupe Badman competing for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 12/10/10
D.
L. Hughley will be drawing crowds through Sunday headlining
at Carolines, and Chicago-based improv star Joe Bob
will be making a rare NYC appearance tonight
at a Magnet mashup titled, for no particular reason, Lights
Out, Shirley!
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] 7:00 pm ($7): Comedy veterans Laura Krafft (former writer for The Colbert Report), Jodi Lennon (Exit 57), and Miriam Tolan (The Daily Show) perform an improvised play in What a Year!
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): "John Haskell and Arthur Meyer are two men who like to have fun. Sometimes they sing songs and sometimes they talk loudly, but they always have fun. In this sketch comedy show, they don't just have regular boring fun, but they have FUN TIME BABY OH YES!!" in the debut of Two Fun Men; plus a show I haven't seen but have heard good things about, The Paul Downs Syndrome
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Star comics Wyatt Cenac, Christian Finnegan, Joe Mande, Costaki Economopoulos, Mara Herron, Louis Katz, Rob Cantrell, and more performing at Brooklyn's Happy Ending for wonderful stand-up/comedic rapper host Carolyn Castiglia's Splurge!
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight through Sunday at Carolines: D.L. Hughley
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here) delivering a brand new collection of sketches titled Ms. Larsen's Class: The Harvard Sailing Team
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
10:30 pm ($10): Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other fine improvisors make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder
[TOP PICK] 11:15 pm ($5): A spectacular collection of veteran improvisors from Chicago and New York performing for one night only—including Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO teacher, Annoyance co-founder), Jodi Lennon (Comedy Central's Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (UCB instructor, VH!'s Best Week Ever), Doug Stoley (Conan O'Brien, UCB), Rick Andrews (Magnet performer), Mark Grenier (Magnet teacher), Jen Sanders (Magnet performer), and Chet Siegel (Magnet performer)— Lights Out, Shirley!
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Cultural pundit Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), musicians Jonah Bayer (Alternative Press, Fuse) and Geoff Garlock (Orchid, Panthers), and more joining "opinionated audiophile John Frusciante hosting 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:" Break Up Your Band
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/11/10
D.
L. Hughley continues his run headlining
at Carolines; Sean Donnelly will struggle to stay awake as he hosts
a free
and spectacular all-night comedy marathon featuring over 25 superb NYC stand-ups
at
Lil' Seany Boy is Up All Night...
...and exceedingly odd holiday comedic wrestling commences at midnight at Hanukkaos
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
7:00 pm ($8): Jessica Marasco and Becky Flaum performing two-gal sketch comedy as Geek Dreams
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Becky Drysdale, and more—including writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: A wild all-night comedy showcase that mixes laughs with insomnia, as Sean Donnelly struggles to stay awake hosting over 25 superb NYC stand-ups including Sean Patton, Victor Varnado, Matt McCarthy, Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, Liz Miele, Julian McCullough, Pat Dixon, Pat Stango, Nick Turner, Mark Normand, Mike Recine, and many more performing at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City for Lil' Seany Boy is Up All Night
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight and Sunday at Carolines: D.L. Hughley
[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 ($7): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!
9:30 pm ($10): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub: Political Subversities
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount code SBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award last year for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event by catching tonight's edition of Baby Wants Candy
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and 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
10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): "It's going to be a Festival of Fights as UCBW MegaStars do battle in Eight Crazy Matches at this annual holiday season spectacular!" Featuring Jay Leno vs. Conan O'Brien, Old Man Winter vs. Beach Cop, Holy Ghost vs. God with special referee Jesus Christ, Helen Keller vs. Annie The Miracle Worker Sullivan, and much much more. As crazy as professional wrestling is, this show takes things to a whole other level. Physical sketch comedy to the extreme, it's UCBW: Hanukkaos
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 12/12/10
"A teeny weeny bean"
who pleads "Eat me! I'll be good for you!" is among the many joys
of this revival of the
smash hit FringeNYC 2010 comedy enjoying a brief run Sundays at 5:00 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 $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 5:00 pm ($18 online using discount code FAYB ): One of the very best shows at FringeNYC 2010 was an award-winning 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—at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this brief revival on Sundays this December to experience the hilarious and unforgettable Faye Lane's Beauty Shop Stories
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight and Sunday at Carolines: D.L. Hughley
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($12 at the door or online—except advance sales have sold out): Annual holiday blowout edition, with thoroughly wonderful comics Kristen Schaal, John Mulaney, Hannibal Buress, Jon Glaser, and more performing at Brooklyn's Bell House hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman. If you already have a ticket, you're set. If not, and you're okay with taking a risk, you can try for a stand-by line at Pretty Good Friends: Holiday Show
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; MTV), Mike Vecchione (Comedy Central Presents), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing), Michael Che (host of Roundtable Of Gentlemen podcast), and Yannis Pappas performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Carolyn Castiglia (Last Comic Standing, VH1), Erin Jackson, Damien Lemon, and more performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (writer for 30 Rock and SNL): Comedy Night
[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Allison Castillo (VH1, Comedy Central), Giulia Rozzi (Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing; co-host of Stripped Stories and Dive Comedy), and M. Dickson performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy tonight hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Copyright © 2010 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
