NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 2/9/09
Zach Galifianakis (Whiplash) and Kristen Schaal (Tell Your Friends and Whiplash)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] magical comedy duo Kristen Schaal (co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords, correspondent for The Daily Show) & Kurt Braunohler (Penelope, Princess of Pets; ECNY Award winner), Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), guitar comic Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1), ventriloquist Carla Rhodes, star songwriter Eytan Mirsky, and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
three hours of fresh new sketch comedy by talented young UCBT writer/performers at Maude Night (8:00 pm & 9:30 pm),
charismatic, sexy comedic singer/songwriter Jessica Delfino (I Wanna Be Famous YouTube star), Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report), Pat Stango (Don't Touch Me There), Charles Star (Adult Education), and more performing at a free weekly variety show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—who tonight include movie & TV comedy stars Zach Galifianakis (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, Comedians of Comedy), Kristen Schaal (co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords, correspondent for The Daily Show...and racing over from her gig at tonight's Tell Your Friends), Eugene Mirman (HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
Ochi's Motel is hosted at 6:30 by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry:
...and at 9:00 pm by Aalap Patel and Matteson Perry:
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Carla Rhodes & friend, Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler, and Wyatt Cenac
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's hosts are comedy couple Moe & Mary (for a video sample, please click here).
And the wonderful guests are
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
thoroughly delightful correspondent and shining star on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; writer for MTV's Human Giant;
AMC's Mad Men; upcoming feature film Cirque du Freak (with Salma Hayek);
co-star of Web video series Penelope: Princess of Pets; winner of numerous comedy awards, including the prestigious 2nd Annual Andy Kaufman Award and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up; to read about Kristen's killer set headlining at Comix, please click here),
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable; co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director; and Kurt's nominated for a 2009 ECNY Award for his one-man show A Meditation on Dum Dums and B-holes),
Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of upcoming indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here),
Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; frequently opened for George Carlin on tour;
to watch Rob's hit videos, including Pachelbel Rant which has been viewed by
over 4.5 million people on YouTube, please click here),
Carla Rhodes ("rock 'n roll ventriloquist;" for shout-out from David Letterman, please click here; for act with "Keith Richards," please click here),
plus musical guest Eytan Mirsky (whose songs are on the soundtracks of such classic indie films as American Splendor, Happiness, and The Tao of Steve).
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); free
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z
UCBT's four house sketch comedy groups try out their latest material at this monthly extravaganza. Tonight features these two double-bill slots:
at the 8:00-9:15 pm show, The Skuntz and mixtape '98;
and at the 9:30-10:45 pm show, 27 Kidneys and Stone Cold Fox.
Not every routine will hit the mark; but these are talented young comics and, if you're patient, worth catching for the bits that score, and for their charismatic comedy performances.
8:00 pm & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show
Pat Stango, Jessica Delfino, and Jena Friedman
Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman
Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success...
Tonight's superb guests are
Jessica Delfino (brilliantly funny and stunning writer/singer; enjoys singing songs
about her vagina, as demonstrated by her acclaimed CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; toured the country with the wonderful Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players;
was a big hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival; has a cool MySpace page),
Peter Grosz (still a staff writer for The Colbert Report; star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials; member of Chicago's Second City acclaimed improv troupe 4 Square, and half of the current UCBT improv show 2 Square),
Pat Stango (co-host of NYC live comedy show Don't Touch Me There; "It creeps me out when I visit my parents' house and listen to them say what a great sex life they still have. It especially freaks me out because they died in a car accident 10 years ago"),
Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog, Laughing Liberally,
host of Brooklyn monthly comedic lecture show Adult Education at Union Hall), and
Mike Lawrence (Florida's Nerd Comics).
8:30 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street
Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Schaal...
...and Eugene Mirman and Leo Allen
Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free
Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, Whiplash is produced by Jeremy).
Tonight's lineup is as good as it gets. The thoroughly wonderful guests are
Zach Galifianakis (flat-out comedy genius, and one of the giants of the biz; numerous credits include Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
ABC's Jimmy Kimmel; film & tour Comedians of Comedy; Comedy Central's Dog Bites Man,
Reno 911!, and The Sarah Silverman Program; Adult Swim's Tim and Eric Awesome Show
and Tom Goes to the Mayor; FOX's Boston Common and Tru Calling; feature films include Out Cold and What Happens in Vegas..., and the upcoming G-Force, Little Fish, Strange Pond, and Hangover; for video samples, please click here),
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
thoroughly delightful correspondent and shining star on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; writer for MTV's Human Giant;
AMC's Mad Men; upcoming feature film Cirque du Freak (with Salma Hayek);
co-star of Web video series Penelope: Princess of Pets; winner of numerous comedy awards, including the prestigious 2nd Annual Andy Kaufman Award and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up; to read about Kristen's killer set headlining at Comix, please click here),
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and
En Garde, Society!; award-winning co-host of hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),
and more.
If you love comedy, make a habit of attending this stellar free weekly extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 2/10/09
Wyatt Cenac (Sweet), Eugene Mirman (The Will to Whatevs Book Release Party), and Todd Barry (Morrison Motel)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),
a dozen NYC stand-ups—including Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, and Chelsea Calloway—
competing for audience laughs and votes at Eric I's Comedy Showdown (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] comic book writer Tony Lee (Dr. Who, Spider-Man) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes
Ragnaröck, The Law Firm, Bastian, The Scam, and Bangs—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] genius TV & film comedy stars John Oliver (correspondent of The Daily Show, Comedy Central special Terrifying Times), Kristen Schaal (co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords, correspondent for The Daily Show), and more brilliant comics come to Brooklyn to celebrate Eugene Mirman's just-published humor book at The Will to Whatevs Book Release Party! (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] brilliant star stand-ups Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central, The Wrestler), Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), Thomas Middleditch (rising star improv & character performer), Lee Camp (Comedy Central), DJ Hazard (American Misfits), and more at John Morrison's Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),
fine NYC stand-ups joining delightful hosts Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, and Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and superb comics David Wain (member of legendary MTV sketch show The State and comedy group Stella), Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), Claudia Cogan (downtown comic icon), and Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central) at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to motelme@gmail.com.
6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum
This biweekly comedy competition is hosted by Eric I.
A dozen or so stand-ups, including Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, and Chelsea Calloway, will each perform a short set.
The audience will then vote on which of the comics was the most hilarious. The two winners will receive additional stage time to make comedic fun of the losers; and also move on to a final round later this year to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).
7:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is writer Tony Lee (Dr. Who: The Forgotten, Spider-Man). The guys will probably also be discussing this past weekend's New York Comic-Con.
To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.)
Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
Ragnaröck, The Law Firm, Bastian, The Scam, and Bangs—
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
Eugene Mirman's The Will to Whatevs Book Release Party!
Eugene Mirman is a comedy giant. He's performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim. He's released two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society!. He's the award-winning co-host of the hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya.
And he's now the author of the brand new humor book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life—which tonight has its gala release party. (To learn about the book, please click here and here and here.)
Helping to celebrate will be some of the finest TV & film comedy stars around, including
John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;
delightful & hilarious star news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
superb 2008 hour-long Comedy Central special Terrifying Times; co-writer/star
of The Department for BBC Radio 4; host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
thoroughly delightful correspondent and shining star on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; writer for MTV's Human Giant;
AMC's Mad Men; upcoming feature film Cirque du Freak (with Salma Hayek);
co-star of Web video series Penelope: Princess of Pets; winner of numerous comedy awards, including the prestigious 2nd Annual Andy Kaufman Award and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up; to read about Kristen's killer set headlining at Comix, please click here),
and more brilliant stars TBA.
This show will probably sell out. To buy tickets in advance online, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Bell House, 149 7th Street (bet. 2nd & 3rd Avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn; $15
Take the M/F/R train to 9th Street - 4th Avenue Union Street, and walk 2 blocks to 7th Street
and 1 1/2 avenues (between 3rd & 2nd Avenues)
Todd Barry, John Morrison, and Leo Allen
John Morrison, a wise & razor-sharp comic who produces the NYC weekly
open mic show Ochi's Motel, welcomes a mix of veteran & rising stand-up talents in this monthly showcase.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Todd Barry (wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz;
Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Lucky Louie, and Sex in the City;
Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties;
Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Tom Goes To The Mayor;
acted in the acclaimed Darren Aronofsky hit film The Wrestler;
check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),
Leo Allen (one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC; writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005; performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; host of NYC weekly live comedy show Whiplash),
Thomas Middleditch (quick-witted organic talent and rising star who honed his improv skills at Second City and iO Chicago, and is a member of acclaimed improv troupes Baby Wants Candy, Improvised Shakespeare, and Broad Shoulders; one-man show Littlebitch; co-host of NYC comedy show about video games Game Bros. Live!; wildly popular character performer at Morrison Motel; for cartoon that prompted the comment "wow i think i actually feel my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here),
Lee Camp (Comedy Central’s Fresh Debate, MTV’s Walk Of Shame; Sometimes Funny Hurts DVD; SharkBaby Comedy News Webcast; Spike TV, E!, Law and Order: SVU; for stand-up video on political hypocrisy, please click here),
DJ Hazard (cast member of Fuel TV's American Misfits; film When Stand-Up Stood Out),
and more.
8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
no cover if you mention HyReviews.com (otherwise $5), plus $7 food or drink minimum
Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, and Jackie Monahan
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the superb gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus guest comics.
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
David Wain and Wyatt Cenac...
...and Claudia Cogan, Seth Herzog, and Craig Baldo
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's wonderful guests include
David Wain (member of seminal MTV sketch show The State and legendary comedy group Stella; writer/director whose work includes the feature films Little Big Men, The Ten,
and Wet Hot American Summer),
Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of upcoming indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here),
Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here),
Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, E!, The Onion;
for Craig's 2008 stand-up set on Conan O'Brien, please click here),
and possibly some surprise guests.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 2/11/09
Deliciously unique & hilarious Adira Amram is likely to blow socks off tonight at Adira Amram is an American Idol
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
five free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (7:00 pm-midnight),
[TOP PICK] stellar storyteller Adam Wade and comic Jake Goldman hosting a show in which
top writers and comedians—who tonight are Kambri Crews (Comix, Family Hour, The Moth), Margot Leitman (Conan O'Brien, Stripped Stories), and Rob Lathan (Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report)—share their favorite campus anecdotes in Real Tales of College (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] brilliantly funny, sexy rising star Adira Amram combining hilarious original songs, dancing, and spoofing of female sexuality with incredible physical energy—and tonight featuring backup dancers and rockin' band The Experience—at Adira Amram is an American Idol (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of the finest concept comics around, Dave Hill tonight apparently spoofs Tyler Perry's new feature film in Dave Hill's Madea Goes to Jail (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a comedic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, and more) as shared by their original authors in the hit storytelling show Mortified (8:00 pm),
stellar comedic singer/songwriter Shayna Ferm, plus stand-ups Dan Hirshon, Colin Dempsey, Emmy Rivera, Paul Oddo, and Jermaine Fowler, at the free Shrink (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest stand-ups in NYC—Anthony Jeselnik, Andrea Rosen, Todd Levin, and Chris Jurek—performing in Brooklyn at a free show hosted by the hilarious Joe Mande & Noah Garfinkel: Totally J/K (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
For details, please click here.
Also, set your TiVo or VCR tonight for Comedy Central's...
HyReviews.com's Videos of the Month:
Pete Describes a Problem with His Enormous Balls
Pete Gets Animated About Being Manly
Pete and Joselyn Hughes Go On a Wine Date
Pete and Jenny Slate Go On an Honest Date
Pete Discusses the South Beach Diet
Dr. Pete: The Conversation No Easy Way Baseball Whooping Cough Down Syndrome
Ray Romano Sings, Christmas Edition
Pete Holmes has one of the most lightning-fast and hilarious comedic minds in the country. Pete combines the organic energy of improv with the precision of a great wordsmith and split-second timing of a world-class performer. Pete's razor-sharp observations have warmed up audiences for The Daily Show, lit up such such series as VH1's Best Week Ever and Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and illuminated the cartoon sections of such magazines as The New Yorker. A 6'6" teddy bear, Pete has the accessibility of a Ray Romano—and is genuinely one of the nicest guys in show biz—but can also be as surreal and silly as a young Steve Martin. Please check out the videos above to enjoy this genius comic's range; and then catch this rising star live on stage as often as possible.
HyReviews.com's Comedy Interview of the Month:
To read the complete interview, please click here.
And please look for a new stand-up comedy interview in late February.
Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay
The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
For four hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. The Wilhelm and Tomahawk perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Mrs. Esterhouse go on at 8:00 pm; The Baldwins and Punch show their stuff at 9:00; and Party Lights and The Faculty (consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, Chris Grace, and Rebekka Johnson) round out the evening at 10:00.
If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.
7:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Adam Wade and friend
Adam Wade: Real Tales of College
This new show invites comics to tell their true tales of college.
It's hosted by comic Jake Goldman, and world-class storyteller Adam Wade (Moth 2006 GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 8-time StorySlam Champion; fiction story in The New York Times Magazine; columnist for ReallySmallTalk.com; for his Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here).
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here; and keep an eye out for Kambri's first autobiographical book in late 2009),
Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV; co-host of red-hot comedy show Stripped Stories; for Margot's fun reel, please click here), and
Rob Lathan (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, MTV, VH1; plays comedic characters such as Lanny Lathan and "Quick Lips" Lathan; performs in the UCBT shows Get Psyched! and High School Talent Show; for Rob's reel, please click here).
7:30 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Adira Amram is an American Idol
Sexy, sly, subversive, and adorable, Adira Amram celebrates her sensuality and pokes fun at it simultaneously in a show crammed with her witty, thoughtful, and hilarious comedic songs...and a performance brimming with a wry yet joyful zest for life. Adira is a Jane Magazine Editor's Choice; co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; and opens for such stars as comedy genius Maria Bamford. To read a Backstage article about an earlier version of the show, please click here. To read a couple of interviews with Amram, please click here and here. And to play some of her songs and videos, please click here.
8:00 pm at the Ars Nova Theatre, 511 West 54th Street (off 10th Avenue); tickets are $15;
get a free drink at the bar by saying SlimJim
Dave Hill and Madea
Dave Hill's Madea Goes to Jail
Dave Hill has written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues. Dave has also written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; starred in the MOJO Network TV series The King of Miami; creates comedic short films for both SuperDeluxe.com and Bud.com; and hosts this monthly extravaganza (to learn more, please click here). Dave says, "Sometimes I miss being able to walk into the free clinic and stuff without being harassed by people who watch television really late at night, but for the most part I gotta say this 'fame thing' suits me well. Really, really well." Indeed it does; Dave is an enormously witty, razor-sharp comic.
Tonight Dave is apparently recreating, live on stage, the already-infamous 2009 feature film Madea Goes to Jail written, directed, and starring Tyler Perry.
Aiding and abetting will be Laura Krafft, Joe Mande, Sandra Bauleo, and more.
I can't begin to imagine how utterly silly this will be. Expect something dreadful or magical—there's no room here for anything in between.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Mortified has been hailed as a "cultural phenomenon" by Newsweek, and celebrated by This American Life, The Today Show, The Onion AV Club, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and Daily Candy. The show is a comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) as shared by their original authors before total strangers. As the largest and longest-running project of its kind, its grassroots comedy collective has spent years sifting through hundreds of otherwise forgotten notebooks on a mission to celebrate the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Mortified is co-produced in New York by Brandy Barber & Anne Altman.
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)
by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum
This free weekly show tonight includes stellar & hilarious singer/songwriter Shayna Ferm, plus stand-up comics Dan Hirshon, Colin Dempsey, Emmy Rivera, Paul Oddo, and Jermaine Fowler.
8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and
Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.
(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; for their
recent appearance on The McLaughlin Group, please click here;
and for other videos, please click here and here.)
Tonight's wonderful guests are top stand-ups Anthony Jeselnik, Andrea Rosen, Todd Levin, and Chris Jurek.
9:30 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform 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.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.
Please note that while it costs nothing to get in, if you have a good time (which is likely), you should drop a dollar or two into the contribution bucket on your way out. It's the only way this beloved show—which has been running for five years—can stay alive as a vibrant showcase.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 2/12/09
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
Leslie Goshko debuting a one-woman show focused around an award-winning memorable character, plus a second premiere about which I know nothing, in the double-bill S.C.A.B.S. Stick Together and Slam Dunk Michael Jordan (6:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Ann Carr doing a one-woman show about the crap New York actresses endure, and brilliant Dominic Dierkes (member of star comedy troupe Derrick) performing a one-man sketch show, in the double-bill Use It and Adventure River (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] top NYC comics Kurt Braunohler, Matt McCarthy, Jiwon Lee, Greg Johnson, and Craig Baldo at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),
[TOP PICK] Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central, AMC, ESPN), and stellar singer/songwriter Ben Lerman as guests on the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC: Margot Leitman's & Giulia Rozzi's Stripped Stories (9:30),
sexy & hilarious singer/songwriter Jessica Delfino hosting a monthly comedy show, with tonight's guests including brilliant stand-up Victor Varnado, ventriloquist Carla Rhodes, Rosie Rebel, and more at The Jessica Delfino Dirty Folk Rock Show (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Hot Sauce and Bangs, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Leslie Goshko
Leslie Goshko: S.C.A.B.S. Stick Together and Slam Dunk Michael Jordan
Leslie Goshko is an exceptionally sharp, energetic, and delightful comedic actress/writer. This evening Leslie debuts a one-woman show based on a character she created for the 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam—and which earned her the title of Champion. To view Leslie's award-winning scene, please click here. (And for another bit, on "the End Times Awareness Carnival," please click here.) Be sure to also visit Leslie's stellar monthly storytelling show, Sideshow Goshko, at Ochi's Lounge; the next installment is February 18th at 7:30 pm.
Also on this double-bill is the premiere of a show titled Slam Dunk Michael Jordan...about which I know nothing. But it sounds fun.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Ann Carr and Dominic Dierkes
Ann Carr: Use It and Dominic Dierkes: Adventure River
Two comedies from veteran comedic performers for a mere five bucks.
The evening kicks off with a one-woman show written and performed by Ann Carr (VH1's The Winners Circle, Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding, UCBT's High School Talent Show,The Pit's Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour) dealing with the darker side of the biz: "If you find yourself crying openly in a Starbucks about the webisode audition you just went on, you need to find a way to channel that shit. Ann Carr bites the hand that feeds her (well, almost feeds her) and draws upon her host of experiences as an actress in New York by making fun of the industry and the people who fuel it." Directed by improv genius Eliza Skinner.
The double-bill then continues with Dominic Dierkes, one of the three quick-witted and razor-sharp members of star improv/sketch troupe Derrick. (For a sample of the group's wildly popular YouTube videos, please click here and here and here; and to see the trailer for their feature film Mystery Team, which recently premiered at Sundance, please click here.) Tonight Dominic will be performing a series of inventive solo comedy sketches "packed with new characters, videos, and lip syncing." Directed by Dom's brilliant Derrick teammate DC Pierson.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Matt McCarthy and Kurt Braunohler...
...and Greg Johnson, and the hosts
Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for hilarious Jenny video, please click here) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show.
Tonight's superb guests are
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable; co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director; and Kurt's nominated for a 2009 ECNY Award for his one-man show A Meditation on Dum Dums and B-holes),
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; national TV ads for Verizon Fios, Guinness, etc.; for stand-up videos about unsolicited advice and measuring love, please click here and here),
Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, E!, The Onion;
for Craig's 2008 stand-up set on Conan O'Brien, please click here),
Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic who co-hosts the weekly NYC live comedy show President Johnson), and
Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central's Root of All Evil, AMC, ESPN, co-host of 50 First Jokes).
8:00ish pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street
Margot & Giulia are two fun-lovin' gals...who are world-class storytellers
Sexual storytelling with a comedic slant.
Tonight's theme is "Sex Gone Wrong."
Expect shocking and highly entertaining yarns from stellar guests
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; storytelling podcasts; host of acclaimed NYC monthly comedy show Moonwork; comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central's Root of All Evil, AMC, ESPN, co-host of 50 First Jokes).
Ryan McKee (co-founder of Modest Proposal magazine), and
hilarious, razor-sharp singer/songwriter Ben Lerman.
Plus there'll be hilarious tales from the two sensual hosts, Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts) and Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV); and "audience interviews, sex games, and hookups...hopefully."
Come to laugh, to get turned on, and to make choices you'll regret in the morning.
This is a wonderful show, and highly recommended.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Jessica Delfino Dirty Folk Rock Show
Jessica Delfino is a brilliantly funny and stunning writer/singer who enjoys singing songs
about her vagina, as demonstrated by her acclaimed CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; toured the country with the wonderful Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players;
was a big hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival; and has a cool MySpace page, and an even cooler blog. To get a feel for Jessica's amazing range and talent, please click here.
Tonight Jessica hosts a comedy show with superb guests Victor Varnado, Carla Rhodes, Rosie Rebel, and more.
10:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: Hot Sauce vs. Bangs
This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the
atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows
as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.
(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)
Tonight features star group Hot Sauce, the winner of the 2006 Cage Match Championship, and one of the quickest and sharpest troupes in the country. The trio consists of
Gil Ozeri (SNL; animator and creator of Team Gibba),
Adam Pally (written for ABC; performs for MTV, Comedy Central,
UCBT's The Nights of Our Lives), and
Ben Schwartz (freelance writer for SNL's Weekend Update and
Late Show's David Letterman monologues;
staff writer for Adult Swim's wonderful Robot Chicken;
short filmmaker for SuperDeluxe.com; co-author of upcoming humor
postcard book Grandma's Dead: Breaking Bad News with Baby Animals).
Their opponent is Harold team Bangs, a formidable foe because its members are both highly skilled and adorable. They are the invaluable Pat Baer, Jennifer Bartels, Chelsea Clarke, Sean Clements, good pennies Tricia McAlpin & Amber Petty, Craig Rowin, and super-powered but kind Mike Still.
There's no telling what'll 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 2/13/09
Star stand-up Judah Friedlander (Headlining at Comix), and genius beatboxer Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (The BEATdown)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
a world-class improvisor and utterly unique comic trying out his special brand of silliness in a solo show (on a double-bill with character comic Nick Ross): Eugene Cordero (6:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a star stand-up comic who's a cast member on the smash hit sitcom 30 Rock, has also performed on Jay Leno, HBO, VH1, and MTV, and is headlining tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Judah Friedlander (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
stand-ups Amy Beckerman, H. Alan Scott, Michael Brill, Bob Smith, and Soce the Elemental Wizard at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a comedic freestyle rap contest, tonight including brilliant comics Jessica Delfino, Livia Scott, Victor Varnado, Rob Cantrell, and Billy Scafuri, hosted by genius comedic musical hosts Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme) and Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas), at The BEATdown (11:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously odd things
tend to happen around 1:30 am, hosted by lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes
(Comedy Central, VH1; one of the finest comics in the country) at Gutbucket (12:20ish am).
Eugene Cordero is a brilliant improvisor who performs in troupes Reuben Williams, The Buffoons, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company.
Tonight, however, Eugene goes solo with a try-out show demonstrating his stand-up and sketch comedy skills.
Eugene is a delightfully unique comic who combines silliness and surrealism in bold ways that no one else would even think of. Part Steven Wright, part four-year-old, and wholly original, Eugene is always a perfomer worth catching.
Also trying out material on this double-bill is Nick Ross.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Judah Friedlander is a hilarious stand-up and occasional agent of chaos.
Judah is a cast member of 30 Rock, and has also performed on VH1’s Best Week Ever, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, MTV’s Wonder Showzen, and NBC's The Tonight Show.
In addition, Judah has acted in over 20 films, including such hit comedies as Meet the Parents, Zoolander, and Full Grown Men. Judah was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his role in American Splendor.
When asked in an interview about his influences, Judah responded: "Audiences. They are often the forgotten ingredient in stand-up comedy. Stand-up is live entertainment, and a live audience is needed. Also, whatever is happening at the moment. I play off of that. The moment is a big influence. If you’re not playing the moment you’re not doing stand-up comedy–someone just reciting material but not responding with what’s going on in the room is not stand-up comedy."
Come out tonight to have fun with this playful, anarchic, in-the-moment comedy veteran.
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $32 cover tonight or $27 cover before day of show on Saturday (i.e., pay $27 or $22 per ticket) by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
Tonight & Saturday at 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between
8th & 9th Avenues); $27 per ticket tonight or $22 for Saturday
if you order online today using discount code HyReviews
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).
Tonight's comics include
Amy Beckerman, H. Alan Scott, Michael Brill, Bob Smith, and Soce the Elemental Wizard,
plus
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Back: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil
Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
Just to give you a feel for the talent involved, Delaney and Secunda are members of legendary improv troupe The Swarm; Gethard is a storytelling genius; and Moynihan (who still comes by on Fridays when he can steal the time) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.
With art and grace, these quick-witted comedy stars will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied
by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as
Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,
Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
This lively show is a comedic freestyle rap competition.
(Think 8 Mile, only way funnier.)
It's hosted by two comedic musical geniuses:
Shockwave (Chris Sullivan, cast member of PBS' The Electric Company
and amazing human beatbox of Freestyle Love Supreme;
The Age wrote he "uses his mouth like a sound effects program that
no computer could possibly match for depth of stored data or
instantaneous retrieval." And Seth Herzog wrote, "One of the most entertaining
sound effect/comedic artists you'll ever see. He stole the show at the
closing night of Mo Pitkins," referring to a 3-hour blowout that Seth hosted
and that featured such artists as Moby!), and
Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas
and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook;
MTV's Damage Control).
Tonight's contestants are some of the sharpest and most talented comics in NYC:
Jessica Delfino (brilliantly funny and stunning writer/singer; enjoys singing songs
about her vagina, as demonstrated by her acclaimed CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; toured the country with the wonderful Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players;
was a big hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival; has a cool MySpace page, and
an even cooler blog; to get a feel for Jessica's amazing range and talent, please click here),
Livia Scott (brilliant comedic chameleon who's a stellar stand-up and sketch comic, and also an extraordinary actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, world-class sketch groups Meat and Dirty Jeans & Thunderchief, host of NYC comedy show Livia's Castle of Enchantment, 2008 ECNY Award-nominated one-woman show Goodnight, O.J.),
Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim's Fat Guy Stuck in Internet, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; acted in such films as Pluto Nash, End of Days, and A Guy Thing; recently taped concert film
The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a stand-up sample, please click here),
Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, CBS's Late Late Show, VH1; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues),
Billy Scafuri (founding member of world-class sketch comedy troupe The Harvard Sailing Team),
and an audience volunteer!
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th 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;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Pete's 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.
On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:20 am to 2:00 am
adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something
weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.
For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both
patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 2/14/09
Breaking up on Valentine's Day: Judah Friedlander (Headlining at Comix), and audience member at The Rejection Show
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
three improv duos—including superb married couple Ptolemy Slocum and Shelly Stover-Slocum—making up scenes in CoupleProv (7:00 pm),
talented NYC stand-ups at Sean Sean Donnelly's Lil Seany Boy (7:00 pm),
an exciting new NYC show developed at Chicago's legendary iO theatre in which veteran
improvisors create a play on the spot based on audience suggestions: New Play (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily Show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a star stand-up comic who's a cast member on the smash hit sitcom 30 Rock, has also performed on Jay Leno, HBO, VH1, and MTV, and is headlining tonight at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Judah Friedlander (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell relating their YouTube-documented romantic adventures
live on stage—possibly accompanied by visits from some of the gals—on Double Date Us (8:00 pm),
sharp NYC comics at a free stand-up comedy show hosted by star sketch/improv troupe Derrick in Queens' Long Island City: This Is New York (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and recently delivered a magnificent performance to capture the 2009 Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),
[$] an unlikely matchmaker that's resulted in actual marriages,
and even a baby: The PIT Dating Game (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] a spectacular Valentine's Day celebration of rejection and mortification, featuring some of the funniest comedic storytellers, stand-ups, and sketch comedy performers in NYC, at Jon Friedman's The Rejection Show's Valentine's Day Heartbreak Haven (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] and Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm).
Ptolemy Slocum and Shelly Stover-Slocum
In honor of Valentine's Day, improvised scenes are performed by three couples—one of which is Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire and The Sopranos; Wonder Showzen; improv troupe Neutrino) and his wife Shelly Stover-Slocum (member of sketch troupes We Kate Shelly and As Sparks Fly Upward; improv troupe Neutrino).
The other two improv duos are Yang Miller & Sarah Saltzberg, and Justin Zell & Kasey Daley.
Please note: A ticket to this show buys you entree to The PIT's Valentine's Day Party at 11:00 pm (which otherwise costs $5).
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Sean Donnelly (co-host of weekly NYC open mic live comedy show Ochi's Motel; member of sketch comedy & funny short film troupe Don't Touch Me There; for a stand-up video, please click here) emcees this showcase for talented stand-ups.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced; but if you arrive early for Judah Friedlander 's 8:00 pm extravaganza in the Comix main showroom, why not pop down here and check out the lineup?
7:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
New Play: Improvised Theatre in One or Two Acts
Chicago's legendary iO Theatre developed an improv form called Play in which comics took an audience suggestion and then created "a play of two acts or less" on the spot. Bringing this exciting comedic game to NYC are Chicago-trained improv veterans Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, member of acclaimed Chicago improv troupe 4 Square, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials), Deb Downing, Ed Herbstman, Katie Caussin, Melanie Hoopes, Jonathan Karpinos, and Kelly Haran, with direction by Sandy Marshall.
According to the official description, "the ensemble writes a play while they are performing it, streamlining the cumbersome and often wasteful 'process' traditionally used to develop scripts. Eliminating rewrites, readings, rehearsals, and other distractions, the cast of New Play harnesses the power of live theatre with no preparation, opening (and closing) a brand new play each week.
"New Play doesn't rehash the stereotypes of well-known theatrical styles or authors for easy laughs. Instead, the cast explores original stories and characters every show, as if in the voice of some yet undiscovered playwright. The results range from poignant to hilarious, and occasionally both at the same time.
"The show may contain strobe lights, loud explosions, nudity, objectionable themes, and gunfire. Or it may not."
If you love both improv and theatre, how can you resist?
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
Among the players often performing 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 (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), 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 Dan Goor (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Judah Friedlander is a hilarious stand-up and occasional agent of chaos.
Judah is a cast member of 30 Rock, and has also performed on VH1’s Best Week Ever, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, MTV’s Wonder Showzen, and NBC's The Tonight Show.
In addition, Judah has acted in over 20 films, including such hit comedies as Meet the Parents, Zoolander, and Full Grown Men. Judah was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his role in American Splendor.
When asked in an interview about his influences, Judah responded: "Audiences. They are often the forgotten ingredient in stand-up comedy. Stand-up is live entertainment, and a live audience is needed. Also, whatever is happening at the moment. I play off of that. The moment is a big influence. If you’re not playing the moment you’re not doing stand-up comedy–someone just reciting material but not responding with what’s going on in the room is not stand-up comedy."
Come out tonight to have fun with this playful, anarchic, in-the-moment comedy veteran.
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $32 cover (i.e., pay $27 per ticket)
by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$27 per ticket if you order online using discount code HyReviews
Dave and Ethan: Double Date Us
Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell challenged pairs of women to double date them,
then documented the results on YouTube. Tonight they relate their tales live on stage...
along with guest appearances. "And possibly even a live date."
Please note: A ticket to this show buys you entree to The PIT's Valentine's Day Party at 11:00 pm (which otherwise costs $5).
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and Dominic Dierkes of Derrick
Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,
Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who are sketch comedy
stars via their wildly popular YouTube videos—
for some samples, please click here and here and here.
The guys also completed a comedy feature film, which they
wrote, composed, and star in—and which recently premiered at Sundance!
(To view the trailer of Mystery Team, please click here.)
In this weekly free show in Queens' Long Island City, these impressively
multi-talented comics host a comedy showcase featuring NYC stand-ups
...and also themselves performing both stand-up and sketch.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically fine NYC comics.
8:00 pm at The Creek and The Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; free
From Manhattan, take the #7 subway to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop (one stop after Grand Central); exit on Jackson Avenue and walk one block north to 49th Avenue
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. These winners of the prestigious 2009 Cage Match Championship are always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,
George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans
perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.
Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.
There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident
if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball
back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending
a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me
to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.
9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The official description:
" This Valentine's Day dump the cliche cards, stale chocolates, and those ridiculous stuffed animals that make noises when you smack them, and head out to The PIT for the annual Valentine's Day PIT Dating Game. Three hot New York singles will ask outrageous questions to determine which of our hilarious PITizens will be their Valentine. The winners get a date and the losers get prizes that are way too inappropriate to mention here!
"Two winning couples from past PIT Dating Games have gone on to get married, one couple has had a baby, and the other couple has a baby on the way!! What will we come up with this year? Only time will tell... But you can bet it's going to be a fantastic night of laughing at other people and ignoring our own relationship problems!"
Please note: A ticket to this show buys you entree to The PIT's Valentine's Day Party at 11:00 pm (which otherwise costs $5).
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $12
The breathtaking Sara Schaefer, audience heartbreak, and host Jon Friedman
The Rejection Show's Valentine's Day Heartbreak Haven
It's almost worth being lonely and unloved to catch this spectacular show.
The Rejection Show presents an evening of best breakup, heartbreak, and
love-related performances...followed by a party with live music, free beer, and whatever hookups may result.
The extravaganza will be helmed by Jon Friedman (host of a delightful monthly NYC comedy show featuring rejected material by exceptional comedic performers and writers...which is now represented by Jon's recently-published book Rejected: Tales of the Failed Dumped and Canceled), and is slated to feature stellar comedic storytellers, stand-ups, and sketch performers including Adam Wade, Sara Schaefer, Baron Vaughn, Ophira Eisenberg, Katina Corrao, Lou Perez, Adrianne Frost, Mandy Stadtmiller, Mike Albo, Gabriel Delahaye, Brandy Barber, Tom McCaffrey, Alan Cross...and possibly surprise guests.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer
It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.
The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)
Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!
10:30 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 2/15/09
Baron Vaughn (Sunday Night Stand-Up), Mike Drucker (Five for $5), and Jessi Klein (Tearing the Veil of Maya)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors,
ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] razor-sharp stand-ups Joe DeRosa (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Carson Daly), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, Verizon FIOS guy), Myq Kaplan (Comedy Central), Matt Drucker (freelance writer for Saturday Night Live and The Onion), and Karith Foster (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1) at the Comix Comedy Club's inexpensive Sunday comedy show Five for $5 (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] stellar comics Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), and Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents) joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter—winners of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Hosts—for their weekly shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
typically superb stand-ups at what's often among the funniest free productions in NYC
from hosts Greg Johnson and Jacqueline Novak: President Johnson (8:00 pm),
rising star comic Baron Vaughn (Comedy Central, MTV, Cloverfield, Shoot the Messenger), J-L Cauvin (Craig Ferguson), Mo Diggs (writer for The Apiary), Nick Turner, and Ryan McKee at RG Daniels' free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] unique stream-of-consciousness comic Mike Dobbins, plus stand-ups Chris Jurek, Mike Turner, and Jay Bois at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
and brilliant storyteller Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend), and stand-ups Amy Beckerman (Dykes on Mics), Adam Lehman (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics), and Keith Price at a free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $10; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm ($10) & 9:30 pm (free) at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Matt McCarthy, Myq Kaplan, and Joe DeRosa
Five for $5 at Comix Comedy Club
This new weekly show at the elegant Comix Comedy Club lets you watch a mix of five veteran and rising stand-up comics for a mere $5 cover, plus a two-item minimum (with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up).
Tonight's scheduled lineup includes
Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, Insomniac Tour with Dave Attell, Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival; for stand-up video about why Joe hates weddings, please click here),
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; national TV ads for Verizon Fios, Guinness, etc.; for stand-up videos about unsolicited advice and measuring love, please click here and here),
Myq Kaplan (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; for superb stand-up video about religion, gay marriage, and dumplings, please click here),
Mike Drucker (freelance writer for Saturday Night Live, The Onion, McSweeney's, 23/6, Black20; 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), and
Karith Foster (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's All Access).
7:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); $5 plus two-item minimum
Michael Showalter & Eugene Mirman
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops beyond Manhattan,
some of the best funny minds in New York can be found at this weekly show
run by these two comedy giants (winners of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Hosts):
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1,
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life) and
Michael Showalter (MTV's seminal sketch show The State, legendary comedy troupe Stella,
writer/director/star of feature film The Baxter, co-writer/co-star of feature film Wet Hot American Summer).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star; Rolling Stones' comedy
"Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn;
VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade;
voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil;
for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save
the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here),
Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here), and
Leo Allen (one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC; writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005; performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; host of NYC weekly live comedy show Whiplash).
8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $7
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
J-L Cauvin, Baron Vaughn, and Mo Diggs
Sunday Night Stand-Up with RG Daniels
This free weekly stand-up comedy show features both established talents and up-and-comers. It's hosted by RG Daniels (quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries).
Tonight's fine guests are
Baron Vaughn (rising star comic (whose most recent triumph was directing Carolyn Castiglia's hit one-woman show Brown Ambition at Ars Nova); Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger; feature film Cloverfield, upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a radio interview, please click here; for stand-up videos about the KKK and cell phones, please click here and here),
J-L Cauvin (Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, comedy CD Racial Chameleon; for stand-up video about his multi-racial background, please click here),
Nick Turner (for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here),
Mo Diggs (contributing writer to TheApiary.com and Dead-Frog.com), and
Ryan McKee (for animated video about his 2009 Superbowl experience, please click here).
8:00 pm at Three of Cups downstairs lounge, 83 1st Avenue (off 5th Street); free
Greg Johnson and Jacqueline Novak
This is one of the best comedy shows in New York—and is entirely free.
It's hosted by sharp, quick-witted Greg Johnson (check out his hilarious blog by clicking here) and Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but the lineup usually includes some of the finest stand-up comics in New York.
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Chris Jurek, Mike Dobbins, and Nick Turner...
...and hosts Vince Averill and Jesse Popp
This long-running free weekly comedy show is hosted by Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
Tonight's superb guests are
Mike Dobbins (2008 ECNY Award nominee for one-man show A Stand-Upish Set of Koo Koo,
about which Time Out New York's Jane Borden wrote, "His singular point of view, wholly
unique voice and completely disarming performance style hook fans and fellow comics
instantly. Rather than telling jokes, he turns his ideas into tiny one-act plays
where he is every character, the director and, at times, the orchestra,
while flying through nonsensical premises that somehow land on their feet."),
Chris Jurek (Comedy Central; for video samples, please click here and here),
Nick Turner (for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here), and
Jay Bois (Drink at Work).
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Ophira Eisenberg and Brad Loekle
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Brad Loekle (cast member of TruTV’s weekly The Smoking Gun Presents, co-host of Sirius Radio’s weekly OUT Q, columnist for monthly magazine Key West Gay Rag) hosts this gay-themed weekly stand-up comedy show. It's entirely free if you're okay with standing; otherwise plan on ordering food or a drink if you prefer sitting at a table.
Tonight terrific stand-up comics are
Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever, Showtime's Queer as Folk; The Guardian),
Amy Beckerman (Dykes on Mics; for a stand-up video, please click here),
Adam Lehman (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics), and Keith Price.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 8th & 9th 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 $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
And to learn about three fine low-cost productions
that are revivals of FringeNYC 2008 shows, please click here.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
