NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/2/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
razor-sharp comics Joe Mande, Chris Gethard, and Jenny Slate recreating on stage
Joe's experiences interning for The Maury Povich Show, plus smartly silly sketch comedy
from Sidecar, in Workdays with Maury and This One's for the Losers (8:00 pm),
star comics Dave Hill (HBO, VH1) and Demetri Martin (The Daily Show, Conan O'Brien), superb
stand-up Todd Levin (Comedy Central), and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
brilliant comic Mindy Raf playing her delightfully scary ultra-feminist character Leibya Rogers,
plus stand-ups Stacia Jensen, Justin Gilbert, and Mary Blanchett joining hosts
Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, & Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (8:00 pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with journalist David Sirota about his new book The Uprising:
An Unauthorized Tour of the Populist Revolt, at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
deliciously funny Kate McKinnon performing a one-woman show about pill-popping fairy princesses,
and an improv troupe specializing in political satire, in Disenchanted and The Spin Room (9:30 pm),
and some of the best improvisors in NYC performing in pairs at Couples Skate (11:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
The Unsettling Artistry of Comedy Troupe Quiet Library
Violet Krumbein and Greg Tuculescu
Quiet Library: Chris Cooper, David Hale, Dave Cederquist, & Greg Tuculescu
Parents of Miss Teen South Carolina
Miss Teen South Carolina vs. Bush
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 30+ comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
There are two shows tonight, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Joe Mande creates a mini-play about his internship on The Maury Povich Show...
...and Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler create major silliness with their troupe Sidecar
Mande, Gethard & Slate: Workdays with Maury and Sidecar: This One's for the Losers
Two terrific sketch shows for a mere five bucks.
Kicking off the evening is Workdays with Maury, a comedic memoir about an unpaid internship on The Maury Povich Show. If you've ever wondered what it's like to work on a seedy talk show, don't miss this true-life tale written and starring Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb weekly NYC show Totally J/K).
The mini-play also co-stars these two hilarious and razor-sharp comedic actors:
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York), and
Jenny Slate (VH1; co-host of Brooklyn live comedy show A New Experience with Gabe & Jenny;
for very funny video, please click here).
The double-bill then continues with absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar,
which consists of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
The official description: "A lot of sketch shows are for guys like David Beckham and George Clooney, but not this one. This one's for the rest of us, this one's for you, This One's For The Losers." For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Dave Hill, Demetri Martin, and Liam McEneaney
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 stellar host is Dave Hill (written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; also written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series; host of the monthly NYC live comedy show The Dave Hill Explosion).
And tonight's superb guests are
Demetri Martin (immensely popular stand-up comic with his own segment, Trendspotting,
on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart [13
appearances]; Late Night with Conan O'Brien [4 appearances]; Comedy Central Presents 30-minute
special; Comedy Central 2007 one-hour special Demetri
Martin. Person. [both specials now available
on DVD
Todd Levin (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion, popular blog Tremble,
host of NYC live comedy show Todd Levin's TV Book Club), and
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); free
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z.
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's fine guests
Leibya Rogers (hilarious ultra-feminist played by the brilliant Mindy Raf)
and Stacia Jensen, Justin Gilbert, and Mary Blanchett.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
David Sirota and his new book The Uprising, and STM host Lizz Winstead
Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; and a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night. (She's also a character; e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling her appearance on the live NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)
Tonight's guest is journalist and author David Sirota, who wrote the just-published book The Uprising: An Unauthorized Tour of the Populist Revolt Scaring Wall Street and Washington. For a recent interview about the book on The Colbert Report, please click here.
To get a feel for STM, please view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here
and read a March 2008 New York Times article about the show by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12.50
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Kate McKinnon deconstructing fairy tales; and your tax dollars at work
Kate McKinnon: Disenchanted and The Spin Room
Two unique shows for a mere five bucks.
Disenchanted comes from delightful comedic actress Kate McKinnon, who's a
cast member on the Logo TV series The Big Gay Sketch Show. In a series of vignettes, Kate turns fairy tales upside-down and exposes their dark sides as you "watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma." The quality of the material varies from scene to scene; but Kate's performances are always stellar. This is a sharp, witty actress who "gets" both verbal and physical comedy down to her bones, and is worth keeping an eye on.
The double-bill then continues with The Spin Room, which takes a current political news story chosen by the audience and then improvises scenes about it. The troupe consists of Jeremy Bent, Beth Cartier, Guy Cohen, Timothy Cooper, Eric Hollerbach, Barry Lank, Beth Newell, David Siegel, Matt Stillman, and John Robert Wilson, with direction by Doug Moe.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Chris Gethard, Jon Daly, and Chelsea Clarke
In this new show, some of the best improvisors in NYC are paired up
and perform, often for the first time, as duos.
Hosted by Sean Clements (30 Rock) & Brandon Gardner (for sample sketch, please click here).
Tonight's superb lineup consists of
Jon Daly (member of superstar improv group Mother; recently wrapped acting in feature comedy films College Road Trip and Stick It Detroit; for samples of Jon's unique work with partner Brett Gelman, please click here and here, and also check out their hip-hop
parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out for their just-completed
Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central) with
Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006),
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York;
The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York) with
Nate Lang (member of improv troupe Beatrice), and
Porter Mason (cartoonist of national weekly comic strip Bassist Wanted) with
Chelsea Clark (member of improv troupes Kid Dervin, The Fist Kisses, Ikarus, and Bombardo).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/3/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
stand-up comic Bob Powers reading from his reportedly hilarious new humor book
(endorsed by such giants as Zach Galifianakis), an interactive adventure for adults full
of dark moral choices: You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero (6:30ish pm),
veteran comedians Al Lubel (David Letterman, Jay Leno), Lee Camp (MTV), Maria Shehata (TLC),
and Josh Homer (Comedy Central), plus four folks randomly selected from the audience,
battling it out on stage for your vote in the biweekly stand-up competition Eric I's Comedy Showdown (7:30 pm)
four skilled comics performing deliciously long sets at Ken Zimlinghaus' Fat Tuesday (8:00 pm),
comics journalist Brian Heather (The Daily Crosshatch) and writer/artist Liz Baillie (My Brain Hurts)
chatting about their work, previewing the upcoming Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival,
and joining in on a lively & fun discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
an improv troupe that uses an audience suggestion to create a comic book tale,
and another troupe that makes up scenes by riffing off of international shortwave radio broadcasts,
in The Incredible Comic Book and 30,000 kHz of Sound (8:00 pm),
superb storytellers, including Andy Christie (The New York Times, The Liar Show) and
Margot Leitman (Conan O'Brien, Stripped Stories) at SpeakEasy (8:30 pm),
stellar stand-up comics John Oliver (The Daily Show), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central),
Joe Mande (Totally J/K), Todd Levin (Comedy Central), and a special celebrity guest at one of
the finest & funniest shows in NYC, the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
multi-talented actress Kimmy Gatewood in her one-woman show The Engagement (9:30 pm),
and one of the top comedians in the country doing a show with his pals: Demetri Martin and Friends (10:00 pm).
You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero Book Release Party & Reading
NYC stand-up comic Bob Powers reads from his just-released second book (above), an darkly comedic interactive adventure for adults. As Powers describes it:
"You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero is a choose-your-own-ending book aimed at ambivalent thirty-year-olds who are terrified of making choices.
"The main character in this book is you, a 33-year-old actor/waiter with very little hope of ever being successful. With every day you are that much closer to giving up on your dreams and going to grad school, and every choice feels weighted with the possibility that it will send you down a path to failure. So you've been doing all you can to make no choices whatsoever.
"When the girl you went on a first date with last night has been kidnapped, it's up to you to save her. Each chapter ends with a pair of choices as to how the story should progress. Do you want to burst into the kidnappers' hideout and kill everyone in sight? Or do you want to just unplug your phone and get really drunk? It's your choices and your story, with over 30 different endings!
"This is the first book in the Just Make A Choice! Adventure Series, with Book 2, The Terrible, Horrible, Temp-to-Perm Debacle coming in June of 2009."
6:30ish 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.
Maria Shehata and Lee Camp
This new biweekly extravaganza is a comedy competition hosted by Eric I.
Four established NYC comics, plus four up-and-coming comics selected at the show's start
from the audience, each get 8 minutes on stage to be funny. The audience then votes
on who it believes was most hilarious. The winner receives an additional 5 minutes
of stage time to make comedic fun of the losers; and also moves on to a semi-final round later this month to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).
Tonight's four battling veteran comics are
Al Lubel (Late Show with David Letterman [5 appearances], The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; for stand-up about aging performed on Letterman, 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),
Maria Shehata (Comedy Central's The Watch List, TLC, Women's Entertainment Network, numerous appearances on Sirius Satellite Radio; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Little Ethnic Girls and Friends; for a stand-up video about Maria's parents' arranged marriage, please click here), and
Josh Homer (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham).
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)
Adam Lowitt, Brett Gelman, and Larry Murphy
This weekly show allows a few talented comics to perform long comedy sets, just as if they —and you—were in a swanky comedy club. It's hosted by Ken Zimlinghaus, who can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo; and the best bits from this evening will probably end up getting broadcast on Sirius as well.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced; but as you can see from last week's comics (above), some wonderful talent gets booked for this show.
8:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Poster for this weekend's Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight will offer a preview of this weekend's festival/fundraiser
for the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art via guests
Brian Heater, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Crosshatch,
a Web news magazine about alternative comics, and
Liz Baillie (writer/artist of My Brain Hurts, a comic book "about a couple of queer punk rock kids in NYC;" and of Freewheel, a Web comic about "a young girl with an active imagination.").
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 current fave, a delightful show with Kevin "Batman" Conroy, please click 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—
Whorenado, Law Firm, The Scam, Bastian, and The F*cking Kennedys—
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
The Incredible Comic Book and 30,000 kHz of Sound
Two unique improv shows for just five bucks.
First, a gang of improvisors turn an audience suggestion into a complete comic book tale. I'd probably love this show if the Magnet had the sense to schedule it at any time other than directly opposite the only other live comedy show about comics in New York (see Comic Book Club above). What were they thinking...?
Anyway, don't blame the intrepid performers, who consist of Megan Gray, Corey Grimes, Steve Horak, Ethan Kaye, Alan Lidogoster, Michael Short, Chet Siegel, with direction from James Eason.
The double-bill then continues with 30,000 kHz of Sound, an innovative show that creates improvisations inspired by shortwave radio broadcasts from around the world. (To learn more, please click here.) The troupe is made up of Brigid Boyle, Kevin Cragg, Eden Gauteron, Ernie Privetera, Joe Randazzo, and Ashley Ward, with direction from Shawn Wickens.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
SpeakEasy: Stories from the Back Room
There is little as satisfying as a well-told funny story...
that is, unless you can have an entire evening packed with them.
Sherry Weaver hosts this lovely show, which she says she created because
"she couldn't convince people to climb into bed with her at night and tell her stories."
Tonight's yarn-spinners are Andy Christie, Margot Leitman, Faye Lane, Brad Lawrence, Terence Mickey, Cyndi Freeman, and Michele Carlo. For the highly impressive performer bios, please click here.
8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
$10 ticket plus one item (food or drink) minimum
Todd Levin, John Oliver, and Victor Varnado...
...and Seth Herzog and Joe Mande
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 thoroughly wonderful guests are
John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;
delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
recently aired a superb hour-long Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times; is co-writer/star
of The Department for BBC Radio 4, and host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),
Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; for a stand-up sample, please click here),
Joe Mande (2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic;
writer/co-star of new autobiographical comedic play Workdays with Maury at UCBT;
co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K),
Todd Levin (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion, popular blog Tremble,
host of NYC live comedy show Todd Levin's TV Book Club),
and a special celebrity guest who asked to not be named.
How can you resist?
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
One of the finest talents in NYC is Kimmy Gatewood, who produces, directs, writes, acts, sings, dances, performs improv & sketch comedy—and tonight is doing this one-woman show.
The scenario: "Kim's getting married! It's the rehearsal dinner, and everyone is there—family, friends, co-workers...everyone, that is, except her husband-to-be. Kim runs into the coat room and refuses to come out. The whole family rallies: her best friend, her sister Val, her mother, her stepmother, her Youtubing younger cousin, and even Monkey the family dog. Things only get worse when the best man tries to hit on her..."
Frankly, the idea is better than the actual script, which needs a few rewrites.
But Kimmy's performance of the material is at times magical, and well worth catching.
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Demetri Martin
This weekly show, which is slated to run for only another month or so, is hosted by star Demetri Martin, an immensely popular stand-up comic with his own segment, Trendspotting,
on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart [13
appearances]. Demetri has also been on Late Night with Conan O'Brien [4 appearances]; performed a Comedy Central Presents 30-minute
special, and a Comedy Central 2007 one-hour special titled Demetri
Martin. Person. [both specials now available
on DVD
Rumor is this show is helping Demetri test out material for his TV series...which is why its run is limited. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to catch one of the sharpest talents in the biz perform live on stage along with some of his stellar fellow comics.
10:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 6/4/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
razor-sharp stand-ups Mike Birbiglia (Comedy Central Presents, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien), Patrick Borelli
(Conan O'Brien, ESPN), Laurie Kilmartin (VH1, Comedy Central), and Mike Albo (The Underminer)
plus comedy videos from Web site 236.com, at 23/6: The Web Comes to You (8:00 pm),
superb comics God's Pottery (currently stars on NBC's Last Comic Standing), Baron Vaughn (VH1, MTV,
Shoot the Messenger), Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing), and more at FatSmiles (8:00 pm),
superb comics, plus a reprise of a hysterical one-man musical titled 1000 Cats performed by host
and comedic chameleon Brett Gelman (Conan O'Brien, Colbert Report), at Gelmania (9:00 pm),
an entirely improvised musical from genius duo Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner, a soap opera
improv troupe, and a sports humorist in the triple-bill I Eat Pandas, Hot Lather, and Kenny Mayne (9:30 pm).
For details, please click here.
TV Alert: South Park is one of the funniest shows in TV history, and this season
has been especially superb—which, considering the series is in its 11th year,
is little short of astonishing. On tonight's repeat, the Internet stops working, sending
our nation into frenzied panic. How will guys get their porn now? Set your TiVo to 10:00 pm
or midnight at Comedy Central to learn the jaw-dropping answer.
Laurie Kilmartin and Mike Birbiglia
Popular comedy Web site 236.com extends to a live stage tonight, showing off
some of its favorite videos and performers. Tonight's stellar comics include:
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS),
Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
ESPN's Cheap Seats, Video Power Hour),
Laurie Kilmartin (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, CBS' The Late Late Show,
for stand-up video about hookers and dating, please click here), and
Mike Albo (writer for Gawker.com, author of The Underminer).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Baron Vaughn and God's Pottery
This new show aims to combine the best of US and UK comedy.
Tonight's scheduled guests include
Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and
Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger;
for a radio interview, please click here),
God's Pottery (Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson's delightful parody of a Christian folk singing duo who are currently shining stars on NBC's Last Comic Standing),
Craig Baldo (performed over 30 sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, The Onion),
and a video from British sketch group Straitjacket.
8:00 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)
Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon
This free weekly show features the two PIT improv teams above,
each of which performs for about 30 minutes. For a video sample of Big Black Car,
please click here; and for a video sample of Fancy Dragon, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
This magical weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon
who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads.
Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,
and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. For a recent interview with Brett, please click here.
For samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here;
please also explore their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out
for their just-completed Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central.
Tonight will include one of the wildest comedy bits to appear on any stage.
Perhaps it's an exaggeration to claim you haven't lived until you've seen
Brett Gelman in tight black shorts, a black tank top, and cat ears
performing his one-man musical 1000 Cats.
But then again, perhaps not.
Suffice to say, Brett received a rousing standing ovation
when I saw him do this show a few months ago...
and none of us will ever be the same.
If you have any appreciation for the odd,
catch this evening's 1000 Cats.
9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); $5
Kenny Mayne: History of Sports and Glennis & Eliza: I Eat Pandas...
...and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns
and
Two unique improvisation troupes and a very funny writer, all for a mere five bucks.
Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses
at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating
an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,
immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist
Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;
what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.
You don't have to take my word for it, either;
the duo won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.
Don't miss any chance to enjoy these comedic wizards at play.
The fun then continues is As The Diamond Turns from Hot Lather,
an improv group that specializes in the soap opera format.
Its members include some powerhouse performers:
Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher, Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova,
Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen,
and Paul Welsh, with direction by Rob Webber.
Finally, this triple-bill features Kenny Mayne of ESPN, who's published a book titled An Incomplete & Inaccurate History of Sport. His description of it begins as follows: "Painstakingly faithful to its title, the book is neither complete nor is it particularly accurate. Ostensibly an A-to-Z encyclopedia of all known sports, many sports are never mentioned. There's not a word about rugby, volleyball, Roller Derby, swimming, or (shockingly) Basque pelota or shinty. There is a chapter about sliding, but none about skiing. Competitive eating and rhythmic gymnastics will have to wait for another book. However, there are roughly eight chapters about tackle football—'the greatest sport in the world, and everyone knows it'—and a good four or five about horse racing, so quit complaining before you've even read the book. There will be plenty of time for complaining after you've finished it (about an hour from now—tops)." It goes on like that.
For a video of Kenny preparing for his book tour, please click here.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous
Some of the PIT's instructors—who include such talents as Ali Farahnakian,
Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott,
Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood—perform improv for around 30 minutes.
And opening for them will be house improv troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/5/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
world-class storytellers Tom Shillue and Kambri Crews, and sharp stand-up comics—including Greg Johnson, Carmen Lynch, Gilad Foss, and supplier of mouth-watering free cookies H. Alan Scott—telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
a clever comedy troupe's sketches about suicidal presidents & sentient mustaches: Secret Hospital (8:00 pm),
star stand-up Mike Birbiglia (Comedy Central Presents, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien), hilarious author
Bob Powers, Jacqueline Novak, and more at Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
stand-up comedy at gay-themed show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
stellar stand-ups Mike Birbiglia (Dave Letterman, Conan O'Brien), Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show),
and John Roberts (YouTube star) joining the fresh, sexy, and razor-sharp gals of Variety Shac (9:30 pm),
and energetic & inventive improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and DeCoster
competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Greg Johnson and "Auntie" Sara Benincasa...
...and Tom Shillue, Kambri Crews, and Carmen Lynch
A stand-up comedy show in which everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to
their family. Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign;
host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com; for video sample, please click here).
Plus expect the most delicious free cookies you'll ever taste, courtesy of stand-up H. Alan Scott.
Tonight's superb guests are
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show
with Jon Stewart; storytelling podcasts; host of NYC monthly comedy show Moonwork;
comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
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),
Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic who co-hosts the weekly
NYC comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show,
which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show),
Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend;
for stand-up video about being tall, please click here),
Gilad Foss (for a stand-up video ending with an impression of
Miss Piggy taking the SATs, please click here),
H. Alan Scott (Dykes on Mics; provider of tonight's exquisitely tasty free cookies; for stand-up video about being Mormon and gay, please click here), and
Mara Herron (The Lighthouse, Housewives With Attitude; for views on drugs, please click here).
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Secret Hospital: Live From Budapest
Secret Hospital returns tonight with an all-new sketch comedy show.
The troupe consists of old-timers Michael Hartney, Rachel Korowitz,
Dan McInerney, and Jeff Scherer, and brand new members Rory Scholl and Ann Scobie. (For performer bios, please click here).
And the bits include street urchins, presidential suicides, and sentient mustaches.
To get a feel for SH, check out its fun video about how you should never shake a baby by clicking here; and its hilarious parody of oddball Larry Sinclair by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and
Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.
(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and
for other videos, please click here and here.)
Tonight's superb guests are
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS),
Bob Powers (reading from his just-released darkly comedic interactive adventure for adults You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero, which is a choose-your-own-ending book aimed at ambivalent 30-year-olds who are terrified of making choices: "The main character in this book is you, a 33-year-old actor/waiter with very little hope of ever being successful. With every day you are that much closer to giving up on your dreams and going to grad school, and every choice feels weighted with the possibility that it will send you down a path to failure. So you've been doing all you can to make no choices whatsoever. When the girl you went on a first date with last night has been kidnapped, it's up to you to save her. Each chapter ends with a pair of choices as to how the story should progress. Do you want to burst into the kidnappers' hideout and kill everyone in sight? Or do you want to just unplug your phone and get really drunk? It's your choices and your story, with over 30 different endings! This is the first book in the Just Make A Choice! Adventure Series, with Book 2, The Terrible, Horrible, Temp-to-Perm Debacle coming in June of 2009"),
Jacqueline Novak (for "response to heckler" video, please click here),
and maybe a surprise or two.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay and straight comics), hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're likely to include
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics).
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)
SHAC gals Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, & Shonali Bhowmik
The hard-to-resist members of this hilarious group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik,
and superbly quirky comics Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen.
The show features songs, brilliant stand-up comedy, and funny short films
made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS),
Roger Hailes (VH1, Chappelle's Show; for sample videos, please click here and here), and
John Roberts (member of acclaimed comedy troupe Pu-Pu Platter, and half of sketch troupe The Dregs...which was recently nominated for a broadband Emmy;
for video samples from this YouTube star, please click here and here and here).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs. 
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. DeCoster
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.)
The current reining champ at Cage Match is arguably the gutsiest improv group in NYC: Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn. This 800-pound gorilla doesn't merely defeat opponents, it pounds them into near-oblivion. So far this season, DBRR has trounced three troupes, winning audience votes of 82-24, 101-19, and 117-18—which means even some friends of the challengers ended up voting for Roo Roo.
Last week was less of a rout, with DBRR winning 76-52.
But garnering 50% more votes still ain't shabby...
Tonight's contender is DeCoster, which consists of highly talented veteran improvisors: Matt DeCoster (Monkeydick, Kill Your Darlings, two-man sketch show 7 Fights), Eric Bernat (Creep), Kirk Damato (Kill Your Darlings, Cagney, Blackout), Ryan Karets, Pamela Murphy (Kill Your Darlings), Megan Neuringer (Creep), Ari Voukydis (Mark & Ari)...and DC Pierson, who was on fire last year as a member of Cage Match champion Derrick.
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 6/6/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
acclaimed comedy duo Joe Schiappa & Nathan Phillips performing improv in Project:Projekt (7:00 pm),
the most dynamic mother-daughter musical duo in NYC, brilliantly funny Adira Amram
and her mom Alana, joining raunchy singer Cock Lorge in Thank Cock It's Friday (7:30 pm),
one of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia (David Letterman,
Conan O'Brien, three Comedy Central specials), performing a deliciously long set
of fresh material in a UCBT showcase: 60 Minutes of New Comedy (8:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics at one of the funniest productions in NYC—and winner of
the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show—The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show (8:30 pm),
some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
an improvisation show that uses audience suggestions to create a new episode of Star Trek (10:00 pm),
the finest sketch comedy duo in NYC, magical Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler (11:00 pm),
and one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).
Respected improv comedy duo Project:Projekt consists of Joe Schiappa (comedic actor, and director of numerous fun productions including the off-Broadway comedy Matt and Ben) and Nathan Phillips (CBS, CNN, BBC; one-man show Bill the Billboard).
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Protect Your Children!—The musical & magical Amram family joins forces with Cock Lorge for a wild night
Unique raunchy singer Cock Lorge tonight invites one of the most
delightful and talented mother-daugther teams in New York: the Amrams.
The host is brilliantly funny and sexy songwriter/singer Adira Amram (VH1.com; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice; co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here).
Adira will be on stage with her mom Alana Amram, the lead singer for band The Rough Gems.
Also performing will be Alex Castle (for ballad to Enrico Corazon "who was never on his own," please click here).
Folks, this show will be wonderful. Go see it.
7:30 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; tickets are $5
Mike Birbiglia: 60 Minutes of New Comedy
Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country.
He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and very funny. (Sample line:
"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")
This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special
titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two
Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.
The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.
Tonight, as his show's on-the-nose title states, Mike will be performing
an entire hour of fresh material...which, if you already know Mike's work, is thrilling.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show
This is one of the best comedy shows in New York.
Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)
and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the
key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include
Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;
for an animated VO reel, please click here).
The lineup is typically announced on the day of the show
—and is almost always stellar.
To check for news on tonight's show, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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
Manhattan Comedy Collective: Star Trek Improv
If you'd like to experience a gentler, more relaxed, but still quite smart type of improv,
visit the Manhattan Comedy Collective run by the wonderful Stacy Mayer
(who's quick as lightning, but much funnier).
Tonight's show is a monthly feature titled Start Trekkin', in which
improvisors make up a Star Trek episode on the spot. The official description:
"Eight improvisers take the stage in full Federation uniform and, based on audience suggestions, create an entirely original 'episode' set in the Star Trek universe. Expect melodramatic acting, pointy sideburns, aliens in bad wigs, paper-maché rocks and transparent social commentary. But don't expect James T. Kirk or the USS Enterprise; this is a different ship and a new captain every week." The performers are Kate Caldwell, Topping Haggerty, Karie Hunt, Phil Ristaino, Aaron Saenz, Ben Sterling, Kenneth Scott Thompson, and Joyce Trotta.
10:00 pm at the Sage Theatre, 711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (between 47th and 48th Streets);
tickets are $10 online (with no service charge) and $10 at the door
Kurt & Kristen: Simply the Best
This magical 50-minute show was recently a hit at the Edinborough Festival.
The world-class comedy duo consists of
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
thoroughly delightful new 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
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen,
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;
co-host with Kristen of NYC/LA comedy show Hot Tub Variety Show).
These two are comedic powerhouses, and tonight's show is likely to be a very special treat.
A sell-out is probable, so it's highly recommended you buy tickets in advance by clicking here.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story
via improvised scenes. Sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!
If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.
But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.
Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/7/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs
at the Magnet's signature improv show, The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),
comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),
inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
three hours of free music, including a solo show from comedic gay rapper soce the elemental wizard (10:00 pm),
world-class sketch troupe Fearsome, and slightly scary sketch troupe The Impending Moustache,
joining in on this evening's Random Hookups with Slightly Known People (10:30 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
a small mob of NYC improv troupes, including superb host Party Central USA,
each performing one new or favorite sketch at Sketchubator (11:00 pm),
and raucous physical sketch comedy in the form of comedic wrestling
at the no-holds-barred action of UCBW: Revengeance III (Midnight).
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Peter Gwinn, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
The players typically include Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Peter Gwinn (writer for The Colbert Report), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Rob Riggle (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Saturday Night Live, The Office).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Magnet instructors & Second City veterans such as Rachel Hamilton, Ed Herbstman, Abby Sher, and Miriam Tolan, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack (see below) Jason Mantzoukas, Tara Copeland, James Eason, Christine Walters, plus occasional special guests (such as superstar Mike Meyers), turn a tiny suggestion into larger-than-life improvised scenes.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase
Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;
stand-up, sketch, and improv comics performing in the buff.
A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian
and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."
For a New York Magazine review, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Jason Mantzoukas leads a vibrant team of improv comics—Scot Armstrong, Tara Copeland, Jon Daly, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Doug Moe, and Christine Walters—who make up scenes based on CD tracks contributed by the audience. One of UCBT's most beloved shows.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: A Hundred Years of Song and Dance
The Harvard Sailing Team, which just won the ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group,
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
This new collection of sketches, titled
A Hundred Years of Song and Dance, covers such topics
as Melissa Etheridge, Duck Tales, and American Gladiators.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Comedic gay rapper Andrew Singer performs solo for an hour,
starting at 10:00 pm, as his character soce the elemental wizard.
(For some odd sample videos, please click here.)
Afterwards, terrific singers Nehedar and Glaser Drive will rock the house
at 11:00 pm and midnight, respectively.
This Parkside Lounge extravaganza is entirely free.
10:00 pm-1:00 am at Parkside Lounge, 317 East Houston (between Avenues B and C); free
Take the F subway to its Second Avenue stop and walk three blocks east
World-class sketch comics Shayna Ferm, Chris O'Connor, Alex Goldberg, and Katherine Bryant of Fearsome
and Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone of Slightly Known People
Random Hookups with Slightly Known People
Slightly Known People—Erik Bowie, Mel DeLancey, Stu Luth,
Dan Maccarone, and Josh Mertz—performs funny songs and sketch comedy.
In this weekly show SKP invites other talented comics
to come play along with it for an evening.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Fearsome, which is one of the best sketch troupes in the country, consisting of four hilarious performers who are each star-caliber and could carry a show on his/her own: Katherine Bryant (sexy, wry, and razor-sharp, with impeccable timing and a personality that's irresistible), Shayna Ferm (sexy, sly, one of the best poker-faces in the business, and a phenomenal comedic singer/songwriter), Alex Goldberg (brilliant comedic mind, stellar timing, perfect straight man, and award-winning playwright), and Chris O'Connor (thoroughly loveable chaotic force of nature who makes anything he appears in special).
And in case that's not enough (and honestly, it is), also visiting tonight is sketch troupe
The Impending Moustache consisting of Katie Hartman, Daniel Kelley, Gabriel Pacheco, and Leah Rudick: "We attack our material with a joyous and infectious theatricality. We send our audiences home shaken with laughter so constant, it gives them nightmares. Beautiful, vivid nightmares."
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
10:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a superb improvisor and actor. Joining him are stellar talents Eugene Cordero, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. Together, they interview an audience member, and then use the answers as the basis for a new TV show...which this fiercely talented comedy troupe creates & performs for you on the spot.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Party Central USA
Sketchubator is a popular monthly show that allows a bunch of terrific comedy groups to each perform one new or favorite sketch. It's hosted by Party Central USA, a hilarious troupe that consists of Mike Condrick, Patrick Dall'Occhio, Brianne Halverson, and Michael Terry,
and whose motto is "Life is a fluffy buttermilk pancake filled with glass dust."
(For PCU's sharply written & performed videos about father-son chats, trying to get fired,
and a special bachelor party, please click here and here and here.)
Tonight's visiting sketch groups haven't been announced, but expect fun.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
The wonderful folks from Cage Match—
Ben Rodgers, Eric Scott, Charlie Todd, Adam Pally, Pat Baer,
Neil Casey, Eugene Cordero, C. LeMar McLean, Anthony King,
and many more—
bring you a hybrid of old-school wrestling
and cutting-edge comedy, live on stage!
Here's the official description:
"New York's only comedy wrestling league is back with another Pay-Per-View. Don't miss a night of hilarious characters beating the shit out of each other. Will the newly-formed Super Fraternity continue to wreak havoc on the UCBW? Or will fan favorite MegaStars have their ReVengeance? You haven't seen the UCBW until you've seen a Pay-Per-View. To order, call your cable operator, or make a reservation by clicking here!"
In a word: Wow.
To get a taste of what the evening will be like, please visit the UCBW News Center
by clicking here; and also view a couple of fabulous matches from
from previous wrestling extravaganzas—Frat Boy vs. Rock 'n' Roll Kid,
and Bad Medicine vs. John 3:16 and Son—by clicking here and here.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/8/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (7:30 & 9:30 pm),
razor-sharp stand-up comics Todd Barry (HBO, Conan O'Brien, Letterman, Comedy Central, Adult Swim),
Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV), Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central), and more at
Whitest Kids U' Know Timmy Williams' and Sam Brown's free show Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
one of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia (David Letterman,
Conan O'Brien, three Comedy Central specials), performing a deliciously long set
of fresh material in a solo Brooklyn showcase: 60 Minutes of New Comedy (8:00 pm),
and five women performing an improvised, and possibly tipsy, parody of The View at Focus (9:30 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $8; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre
at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into
this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Todd Barry, Timmy Williams & Sam Brown, and Roger Hailes
This free weekly show is hosted by Timmy Williams and Sam Brown, members of
popular comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know (currently starring in a TV show on IFC).
Tonight's smokin' hot 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;
check out his newest comedy CD From Heaven),
Roger Hailes (exceptionally sharp, personable stand-up; Chappelle's Show,
VH1's All Access; writer for Comedy Central and MTV;
for sample videos, please click here and here),
Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Shorties Watchin' Shorties),
Sean O'Connor (VH1; for fun stand-up videos, please click here and here), and
Will Franken (performs slew of eccentric characters in stream-of-consciousness style;
one-man shows Good Luck with It at FringeNYC 2005 and Grandpa, It's Not Fitting at UCBT;
for a sample video, please click here).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Mike Birbiglia: 60 Minutes of New Comedy
Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country.
He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and very funny. (Sample line:
"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")
This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special
titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two
Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.
The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.
Tonight, as his show's on-the-nose title states, Mike will be performing
an entire hour of fresh material...which, if you already know Mike's work, is thrilling.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.
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.
A showcase for talented improvisation twosomes.
Tonight's duos haven't been announced,
but some fine scenes usually arise from this show.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
This weekly comedy show is a parody of The View that's mostly improvised by performers
Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela.
The official description:
"Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel
of five of New York's most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week's events,
and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more.
This show will keep you in Focus. Let's talk about issues, over drinks!"
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Adam Sank (Last Comic Standing; former TV news producer for FOX and WABC-TV;
written for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, and The San Francisco Sentinel)
hosts this free gay-themed stand-up comedy show.
Tonight's guests are
Robin Fox, Daniel Siegel, Yamaneika, and Joe Powers.
To get a feel for the show, please click here.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2008 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
