NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/10/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a group of top comedy writers: Brian Kiley (genius writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1994),
Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live; previously written for Chappelle's Show and Mad TV), Roger Hailes (written for Comedy Central and MTV), and Caroline Waxler (written for VH1 and The New York Times) at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
delightfully unique free comedy show from the sexy Heather Fink & Adam Newman that includes
Timmy Williams and Sam Brown of comedy troupe & IFC TV show The Whitest Kids U' Know,
Mike Drucker (SNL), Jamie Lee (VH1), Sean Patton, and street performers Gil & and Jill Bumby—who
provide "a fair and honest appraisal of your appearance" for $2—at Street Meat (8:00ish pm),
political sketch comedy, plus New York Times bestselling author Craig Unger being interviewed about his new book The Fall of the House of Bush, at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:30 pm),
and comedic chameleon Brett Gelman hosting stand-up comics at the free show Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
From the creators of Centralia comes this series of sketches, monologues, and short films exploring "the end of the road: love, loss, losing grip, holding onto hope, seeking revenge, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Breaking up is hard to do, so why not enjoy it?"
The scheduled performers are Kevin Allison, Jeremy Brisel, Chris Caniglia, Centralia (Matt Highins, Jay Rhoderick, and Kevin Scott), Daiva Deupree, Scott Eckert, Ali Farahnakian, Brendan Gallagher, Kimmy Gatewood, Becca Greene, Grace Helbig, Rebekka Johnson, Megan Neuringer, Will Nunziata, Matt Oberg, Stephanie Silver, Ptolemy Slocum, Nate Starkey, Shelly Stover, Maryln Torrez, Ashley Ward, and Tracey Wilson.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Roger Hailes, Caroline Waxler (with Norman Baker), and Brian Kiley
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 host is 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),
and the superb guests are
Brian Kiley (brilliant writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1994; has performed on Late Show with David Letterman, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents),
Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live; previously written for Comedy Central's
Chappelle's Show and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, as well as Mad TV and
The Chris Rock Show; performed on Comedy Central's Premium Blend;
for a stand-up video sample, please click here), and
Caroline Waxler (written for VH1's Best Week Ever, The New York Times,
Forbes, Newsweek, Glamour, The Huffington Post; author of book Stocking Up on Sin).
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.
Mike Drucker, Timmy Williams & Sam Brown of Whitest Kids, and street performers Gil & Jill Bumby...
...and hosts Adam Newman & Heather Fink
Street Meat is a free monthly comedy show in which
superb NYC comics are on the same lineup as quirky street performers.
It's hosted by Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog; co-host of
weekly NYC live comedy show Faux Show; host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show
Blowtorch Slaughter; half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal) and
Heather Fink (sly & sexy nominee for this year's NY Emerging Comic Award;
for videos demonstrating Heather's acting skills, please click here and here).
Joining the fun are some of the freshest comics in NYC:
Timmy Williams & Sam Brown (members of popular comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know,
which stars in its own TV show on IFC; hosts of weekly free NYC live comedy show
Scum and Villainy Sundays at Pianos),
Mike Drucker (SNL; McSweeney's; 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),
Sean Patton (LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival;
for a stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here),
Jamie Lee (VH1's Best Night Ever, Archers of Ha), and
Gil and Jill Bumby (street performers who promise to provide
"a fair and honest appraisal of your appearance" for $2).
8:00ish pm at Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street (between Rivington & Stanton); free
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus different guest comics every week.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Student writers, performers, and directors at UCBT try out their sketch comedy routines.
Tonight features four groups:
At the 8:00-9:15 pm show, Stone Cold Fox and mixtape '98; and
at the 9:30-10:45 pm show, The Skuntz and 27 Kidneys.
Some of the material will probably be very funny.
And a lot of it probably won't.
But if you enjoy the raw energy of young artists trying out bits,
come and support tonight's experiments, live on stage.
8:00 pm & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show
Craig Unger, author of The Fall of the House of Bush, 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 Craig Unger, the New York Times bestselling author of House of Bush, House of Saud and the new book The Fall of the House of Bush.
To get a feel for STM, view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here.
8:30 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.
Concerned citizens, and the many faces of Brett Gelman
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun...and free.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Brett Gelman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here, and also check out their new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
Matt Braunger (Mad TV; for sample stand-up video, please click here),
Hannibal Buress, and Raj Desai.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/11/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Jess Wood, Claudia Cogan, and other sharp stand-ups at Carolyn Castiglia's Chicks & Giggles (8:00 pm),
a lively & fun discussion about the state of the comic book industry by four top comics journalists—
Heidi MacDonald, Brian Heater, John DiBello, and Kiel Phegley—at the laugh-packed Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
an improvised parody of The View, with actual book author Marty Beckerman as tonight's guest, at Focus (8:00 pm),
Pat Dixon (Comedy Central, CBS, FOX), Eric Drysdale (The Daily Show, The Colbert Report), Thomas
Middleditch (Baby Wants Candy), and other terrific comics at John Morrison's The Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),
and genius comedy stars, including Kristen Schaal (HBO, NBC, MTV, 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up),
TJ Miller (co-star of ABC's Carpoolers and recent hit movie Cloverfield), Brett Gelman (The Colbert Report,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo, and the New York Lottery's ubiquitous
Little Bit of Luck guy) at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC, the fabulous Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
Jess Wood, Carolyn Castiglia, and Claudia Cogan
The wonderful Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio,
The Huffington Post) hosts a lineup of talented female stand-up comics.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Jess Wood (smart, brassy, very funny stand-up; HBO's Def Jam Comedy;
for documentary about her, please click here),
Claudia Cogan (ECNY Award nominee for Best Female Stand-Up;
Logo Network, 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),
Raquel D'Apice (writes blog titled The Ugly Volvo; for touching video
about lesbians who met in Eastern Europe, please click here),
Shane Webb (Carolines; for stand-up video about the gym, please click here),
Jessimae Peluso, and Mariko Star Shine.
8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Acclaimed comic book journalists Brian Heater, Heidi MacDonald, and Bully the Little Stuffed Bull
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's show is a State of the Industry Summit with some of
the comic book biz's most knowledgeable and respected journalists:
Heidi MacDonald, daily reporter on comic books for Publishers Weekly: The Beat,
co-editor of PW Comics Week, and writer of the monthly column
Hey Kids! Comics! for the Comics Buyer's Guide,
Brian Heater, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Crosshatch,
a Web news magazine about alternative comics,
John DiBello, who runs the comics blog Bully Says in the guise of a stuffed bull doll
(along with the motto "Comics Oughta Be Fun!"),
and Kiel Phegley, writer for Wizard Universe.
If you want to know what's going on in comics, and what's likely
to happen in the near future, this is a great event to attend.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
This new 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!"
Tonight's guest is Marty Beckerman, author of the books Generation S.L.U.T.: A Brutal Feel-up Session with Today's Sex-Crazed Adolescent Populace, Death to All Cheerleaders: One Adolescent Journalist's Cheerful Diatribe Against Teenage Plasticity, and the upcoming—and mercifully short-titled—Dumbocracy.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
Twelve Thousand Dollars, Tantrum, fwand, 1985, and Raynard—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show
is designed more for students of improv than the general public.
But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you
a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.
8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
John Morrison, Pat Dixon, and Eric Drysdale
John Morrison, a wise & razor-sharp comic who produces the NYC weekly
open mic show Ochi's Motel, welcomes exceptional stand-up talents in this monthly showcase:
Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents ½-hour special, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, E!, FOX, syndicated movie reviews on radio),
Eric Drysdale (writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 2000-2005; writer for
The Colbert Report 2005-2008; winner of five Emmy Awards),
Thomas Middleditch (member of the renowned Second City and genius musical improv troupe Baby Wants Candy; for cartoon that prompted the comment "wow i think i actually feel my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here),
Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend;
for stand-up video about being tall, please click here),
Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog,
host of monthly Brooklyn live comedy show Pant-Hoot), and
Lisa Kaplan (Carolines, The LOL Tour).
Discount Note: Please mention HyReviews.com at the door for $5 off the $10 cover.
8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
$5 per ticket (vs. $10) if you mention HyReviews.com at door, plus $7 food or drink minimum
Brett Gelman, Little Bit of Luck, TJ Miller, and Kristen Schaal...
...and Seth Herzog, Nick Stevens, and Craig Baldo
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
This is always one of the finest comedy shows in NYC;
but tonight is extra special, even for Sweet. The awesome lineup includes
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
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; co-host of NYC live Hot Tub Variety Show with Kurt Braunohler; 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),
TJ Miller (co-star of ABC's Carpoolers; co-star of recent hit movie Cloverfield; razor-sharp
stand-up who's performed on Late Show with David Letterman and Opie & Anthony;
co-host with Pete Holmes of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket),
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, 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, and also check out their new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
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
Nick Stevens (VH1's All Access; Boston fan Fitzy on ESPN; hosted 2001-2007 NYC live comedy production The Shark Show).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
A new sketch comedy show by Lizzie Goldberg-Redner, Dave Maulbeck,
Lauren Olson, and Jana Schmieding. The official description:
"Inept characters and human folly give rise to this original compilation of sketches.
Employing witty transitions and the occasional dance number, Les Encompentent
is a fresh reminder of how silly sketch can become. "
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 3/12/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
sketch shows from fine comedic actress Aubrey Plaza and sharp duo Greg Burke & Lou Perez (6:30 pm),
delightful & hilarious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
some of the coolest gals and guys they know—including Livia Scott (Late Night with Conan O'Brien) and
Adam Lowitt (The Daily Show)—for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (8:00 pm),
book authors Susan Shapiro and Matthew Vescovo, stand-up comics Jenny Rubin and Hannibal Buress,
and more telling very funny tales of woe at the wonderful Jon Friedman's The Rejection Show (8:00 pm),
smartly silly sketch comedy from Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
As Sparks Fly Upward: Stories->Improv->Sketch
This comedy troupe tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises
scenes based on the tales...which may later turn into scripted sketches.
It's a clever way of crafting a sketch show organically, week by week—and you can
watch the whole process, at no charge. The group consists of Kevin Allison,
Chris Caniglia, Scott Eckert, Sarah Nowak, Nate Starkey, and Shelly Stover.
6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Lou Perez & Greg Burke, and Aubrey Plaza
Two fine sketch shows for five bucks.
Kicking off this double-bill is smart writing and committed performances from Greg & Lou:
Greg Burke (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Law & Order, Guiding Light) and
Lou Perez (co-star with Greg in sketch comedy group The Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz;
also a talented short story writer & contributor to Fiction Magazine as Luis Amate Perez).
For a video sample, please click here.
The fun then continues with comedic actress & improvisor Aubrey Plaza.
To get a feel for this young performer, check her out playing Liz Cackowski's daughter
on the hilarious YouTube series The Jeannie Tate Show (in an episode co-starring
SNL's Bill Hader) by clicking here; and to see her as a sex-crazed teen in
a parody of MTV's insipid dating show Next!, please click here.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Your party hosts Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen...
...and Adam Lowitt and Livia Scott
This twice-monthly event is "the sort of variety show that happens when three girls
are delirious from staying up all night boozing and slap-happy from crank-calling!"
How can you resist? The lovely & hilarious hosts are
Margaret Champagne (Carolines, UCBT; for acting reel, please click here),
Joselyn Hughes (for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here), and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; for a video sample, please click here).
Tonight's superb guests are
Livia Scott (brilliant, magical comedic chameleon; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
world-class sketch group Meat, acclaimed one-woman show Goodnight, O.J.,
Livia's Castle of Enchantment; will be spilling the beans tonight about a very recent
trip to Las Vegas with her dad, which is a tale I'm guessing is not to be missed),
Adam Lowitt (staffer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of twice-monthly NYC
live comedy show It Is It! at Pianos; for a stand-up video, please click here),
Deb Downing (improv at Second City, Happy Hour at UCBT), and
Andy Ross (Onion News Network, founding member of Chicago Underground Comedy).
8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Jenny Rubin, Jon Friedman, and Susan Shapiro
Jon Friedman hosts a delightful parade of rejected material
by exceptional writers and performers. Tonight's guests include
Susan Shapiro (author of the books Lighting Up, Secrets of a Fix-Up Fanatic, Five Men Who Broke My Heart, and Only As Good As Your Word, and co-editor of Food for the Soul),
Matthew Vescovo (author of the books Life and Death of Bling Bling and
Instructoart: Informative Yet Aesthetically Pleasing),
Jenny Rubin (host of NYC live comedy shows Max! and The Back Room),
and Hannibal Buress (Chicago's Finest).
There'll also be music from fabulous comedic rockabilly band The Defibulators.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar
Two shows for five bucks.
The top half of this double-bill is absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar,
which consists of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
The other half of this show is Disenchanted...about which I know absolutely nothing.
But Sidecar alone is well worth your five bucks, so consider whatever
Disenchanted offers to be a happy bonus.
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
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,
and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly—
but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this free show makes possible.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 3/13/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
sketches from Matt & Dave DiLoreto and Joshua Sidis that include a Star Wars tribute in The Uncles (6:30 pm),
two memorable sketch shows, Chris Coxen's League of Characters and BLITZKRIEG! (8:00 pm),
brilliant & sexy comedic singer/songwriter Adira Amram, stellar comedic chameleon Brett Gelman
(currently famous as "Little Bit of Luck"), fearless & hilarious Johnny Conroy, and some of
the freshest comedy, and finest timing, in NYC from exceptional writers/performers duo Julie & Jackie (9:30 pm),
and genius improv troupe The Stepfathers versus tonight's challenger, The Stamp and Coin Club,
battling for audience laughs & votes at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Matt DiLoreto, Dave DiLoreto, and Joshua Sidis of The Uncles
Two comedy shows for five bucks.
This evening kicks off with sketch troupe The Uncles, consisting of Matt DiLoreto,
Dave DiLoreto, and Joshua Sidis. These guys are sharp comedic performers, so it's a bit disappointing their material often doesn't live up to their talent. However, a running gag that culminates in a memorable showdown will probably make you forgive the weaker material.
The other half of the double-bill is Drift On...about which I know nothing.
But as a fictional character once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates."
So you might consider sampling Drift On to see if it's to your tastes.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Time traveling sketch troupe BLITZKRIEG!...
...and Chris Coxen with a sampling of his League of Characters
Chris Coxen's League of Characters and BLITZKRIEG!: A Sketch Show From the Future
Two imaginative sketch shows for five bucks.
Chris Coxen makes you laugh via a bizarre and varied League of Characters. These include Future Queer (above left), a gay time-traveler who offers shocking revelations from the year 2912; Ripps McCoxen (above right), who keeps in shape by bench pressing air conditioners, transmissions, and even holidays such as Thanksgiving; Danny Morsel, a performer combining dance and combat; Barry Tattle, a Bermuda crooner and lover; and Stever Pate, a self-help speaker known as "The Man Bomb of Motivation." Says the show description, "Mix these elements with some videos, and live music from Nick D'Amico and Pete Tentindo, and you're looking at a show filled to the brim with jazziness and edible synergy." For a video of Danny Morsel being speedily rejected by NBC's Last Comic Standing, please click here; and for a brief video overview of Coxen's show, please click here.
The fun then continues with BLITZKRIEG!: A Sketch Show From the Future.
Two of the sketches—involving a pot-head being recruited to save the future, and a father who demonstrates remarkably poor parental skills—are hilarious instant classics. The other sketches need work, making this a mixed bag. But if you're patient, it's worth sitting through the lesser material to get to the gold. As the official description accurately states,
"When you are called from the future to defend the human race against destruction, will you be ready?
Blitzkrieg! ensures you are."
Written & performed by Matt Cady, John Frusciante and Aaron Glaser; featuring Molly Lloyd.
Directed by Dominic Dierkes (Derrick).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Secret Hospital: Blood and Sparkles
Secret Hospital returns tonight with an all-new sketch comedy show.
The troupe consists of Michael Hartney, Patrick Inglis, Rachel Korowitz,
Dan McInerney, and Jeff Scherer (for performer bios, please click here).
And the bits include a doomed middle school couple, the Quarterback Curse,
insanity, blood, and sparkles.
To get a feel for SH, check out its fun video about
how you should never shake a baby by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Adam Newman and Shawn Pearlman
Weekly comedy show hosted by
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of
monthly NYC live comedy show Street Meat; host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show
Blowtorch Slaughter; half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal) and
Shawn Pearlman ("If you're in a bad neighborhood, blowing a rape whistle
is like ringing a dinner bell;" for stand-up videos, please click here and here).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're likely to be
highly talented stand-up comics.
8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Adira Amram, Brett Gelman & Little Bit of Luck, and Johnny Conroy...
...and Julie Klausner & Jackie Clarke
Julie Klausner and Jackie Clarke are writer/performers
creating some of the freshest & most hilarious material in NYC—
please check out their recent short films by clicking here.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editors Choice;
co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, 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, and also check out their new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
Johnny Conroy (fearless, darkly inventive, and relentlessly honest comedic performer who's likely to make you alternative between shock and uncontrolled laughter), and
Stoley (comedic singer/songwriter and member of band Stoley P.T.).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: The Stepfathers vs. The Stamp and Coin Club
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...).
The Stepfathers consists of some of the sharpest & funniest improv comics
in the country—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas, Chris Gethard, Will Hines,
Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols, and Zach Woods.
Some of these folks are comedy geniuses; and they're on stage practicing their craft
in front of rapt audiences every Friday night at 9:30 at UCBT.
The challenger tonight is The Stamp and Coin Club, consisting of Adam Bozarth, Alex Charak, Dustin Drury, Ken Kocses, Jill Morris, Simon Philion, Shane Ryan, and Andrew Yurman-Glaser. The official story: "The Stamp and Coin Club originally disguised themselves as British gentry and ransacked the homes of the aristocratic set...But in the fall of 2004 legendary improv baron Jon Gabrus signed them to a binding contract. In the four years thence, they trained for 20 grueling hours a day, eschewing meals and sometimes sleep."
Could be a fight here.
There's no telling what will happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 3/14/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
superb comics Tom Shillue, Desiree Burch, Kambri Crews, Helen Hong, and more telling
funny, and sometimes poignant, stories about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:00 pm),
Kumail Nanjiani premiering what's likely to be a very funny & memorable
one-man show about his growing up in Pakistan: Unpronounceable (8:00 pm),
the return to The PIT stage of an acclaimed improv troupe—Centralia: Uncle! (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),
and one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).
Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and Tom Shillue, Kambri Crews, and Desiree Burch
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).
Tonight's superb guests include
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),
Desiree Burch (sharp, hilarious stand-up; VH1's Best Night Ever, SMUT reading series
at Galapagos, one-woman show 52 Man Pickup at Ars Nova),
Geoff Wolinetz (co-founder of and writer for online humor magazine Yankee Pot Roast),
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),
Anthony DeVito (Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever, Rescue Me,
one-fifth of NYC live comedy show 500% Italian),
Helen Hong (TLC's What Not to Wear; E!'s Exposed: 25 Most Notorious Fashion Week Moments; for a video stand-up sample, please click here),
Laura Mannino (FOX, WE; Carolines; co-creator of MintyFresh Comedy), and
Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central's 2007 Open Mic Fight, AMC, ImaginAsian TV).
7:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Kumail Nanjiani: Unpronounceable
Kumail Nanjiani is a rising stand-up comedy star.
In his one-man show tonight, he relates "a very personal, eye-opening
and hilarious recounting of Kumail Nanjiani's life growing up in Pakistan."
To get a feel for Kumail, please check out his very funny stand-up
about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways
cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Acclaimed improv troupe Centralia consists of Kevin Scott, Jay Rhoderick, and Matt Higgins (Comedy Central, PSNBC; former improv instructor at Yale School of Drama; also founding member of improv troupe Burn Manhattan; three-time finalist for the Andy Kaufman award; for a stand-up sample, please click here).
The official description: "Centralia is known as one of the boldest, most inventive, ground-breaking improvisation groups to ever hit a New York stage. See the performers the Daily News called 'the purest form of theatre,' the Chicago Sun said is 'advancing the art of improvisation,' and the Village Voice said watching is 'like having a front row seat at a stranger's dream.'"
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Larry Murphy & Greg Johnson
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).
Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced yet, but it's usually stellar.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Paul Case
Gay-themed comedy, hosted by Laura Mannino (co-creator of MintyFresh Comedy).
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Eddie Sarfaty (Comedy Central's Premium Blend),
Anne Neczypor (here! TV.com),
Adam Lehman (Thursday Brew-Ha-Ha),
Kyle Supley (UCBT), and
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV).
8:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
"They're all street, all the time." Ms. Jackson is five funny women—pictured left to right,
Jessica Allen, Bayne Gibby, Stephanie Kasen, Caitlin Miller, and Tara Copeland
—who won the 2004 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.
The other half of this double-bill is Surf n' Turf, consisting of
Improv performers Bob Acevedo, Dave Furfero, and Ernie Privetera:
"Three men with no fear of intimacy or injury...who create
spontaneous theater that is physical, intense, moving, and occasionally funny."
As the official description indicates, Surf 'n Turf's style's not laugh-a-minute,
so isn't for every taste; to get a feel for it, please click here.
8:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); 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
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
Stacy Mayer, Laura Dillman, and Jeremiah Murphy
Manhattan Comedy Collective: Au Revoir, Laura Dillman
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). Almost every Friday features Character Dogville, in which performers dress up as odd characters and spontaneously interact with each other.
Tonight features the final appearance for a while of Laura Dillman (middle photo above),
who's going on hiatus from improv to pursue other adventures. A party is likely to follow.
10:00 pm at the Sage Theatre, 711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (between 47th and 48th Streets);
get $5 off the $15 tickets (i.e., pay only $10) by mentioning the Character Dogville blog.
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
Joe Randazzo, Henry Kaiser, and Chris Ryan
Talented improv troupe 3D Beard—consisting of Joe Randazzo, Chris Ryan, and Henry Kaiser—brag that they are "Robot-free since 2006...We are proud to say that we haven't used
an android, cyborg, or automaton in our improv in almost two years!
We still have to fight a bunch of dinosaurs, though."
They're also quite funny.
11:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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.
12:15ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 3/15/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect comedy 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 (6:00 pm),
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),
a wonderful sketch show revolving around physical comedy from ace troupe Drop Six (8:00 pm),
terrific stand-up comics Kumail Nanjiani, Sean O'Connor, and more at Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (8:45 pm),
star stand-up comics Mike Birbiglia, Baron Vaughn, and more at Tom Shillue's acclaimed Moonwork (9:00 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
disturbingly odd & memorable sketch comedy from sharp troupes Rue Brutalia and Party Central USA (11:00 pm),
and stellar guest comics performing all-new material on a show hosted by
world-class sketch troupe Olde English in Very Fresh (Midnight).
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; host
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to kick off
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.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for the show's performers,
please email host John Morrison (above) at ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
6:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
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
Drop Six is a superb NYC-based sketch troupe that makes great use of physical comedy.
The group—consisting of Marcus Bonnée, Tim Girrbach, Alicia Levy, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen—was awarded Best of the Fest by Second City at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. And their Drop Six: Mr. Lucky show killed at last year's FringeNYC, placing in my top 15 of the festival (out of 188 wildly diverse & competitive productions).
If you like sketch comedy, or simply enjoy laughing, I recommend Drop Six.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Carol Hartsell, Kumail Nanjiani, and Sean Crespo
Comedic variety show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo
(stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).
This evening's superb guests include
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; just premiered terrific one-man show
Unpronounceable at UCBT about "a very personal, eye-opening and hilarious recounting
of life growing up in Pakistan;" to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his
very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways
cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here),
Sean O'Connor (VH1; New York Posts Top 20 Entertainers to Watch For in 2006; upcoming album Shmeat is Shmurder; for fun stand-up videos, please click here and here),
Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog,
host of monthly Brooklyn live comedy show Pant-Hoot), and
Brent Sullivan (for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here).
8:45 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Mike Birbiglia, Tom Shillue, and Baron Vaughn
Acclaimed monthly comedy show hosted by Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, storytelling podcasts;
for stand-up samples, please click here and here), who demonstrates his storytelling prowess via an extended witty monologue at the end of the show.
Tonight's stellar guests are
Mike Birbiglia (razor-sharp stand-up comic who just performed an hour-long Comedy Central special titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing; 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;
for sample stand-up videos, please click here and here),
Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and
Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live comedy show Shoot the Messenger;
for a radio interview, please click here),
Carol Hartsell (producer of NYC weekly comedy show Drink at Work and
staffer at NYC weekly comedy show Shoot the Messenger),
Mark Douglas (for a stand-up audio clip, please click here), Hannibal Buress,
and musical group The Wolfe Brothers String Band.
9:00 pm at Phil Coltoff Center, 219 Sullivan Street (between Bleecker & West 3rd); tickets are $20
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
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
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.
10:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jason Kalter & Jon Pack: Rue Brutalia; Mike Condrick, Patrick Dall'Occhio, Michael Terry, & Brianne Halverson: Party Central USA
Rue Brutalia and Party Central USA
Rue Brutalia is comedy duo Jon Pack and Jason Kalter, who create
quirky, unsettling sketches you may have trouble getting out of your head.
To obtain a feel for their odd work, check out a saga about a cartoon character with no balls,
and another about two guys who are the same man, by clicking here and here.
And Party Central USA is a hilarious troupe that hosts the popular monthly show Sketchubator. The group consists of Mike Condrick, Patrick Dall'Occhio, Brianne Halverson, and Michael Terry,
and their motto is "Life is a fluffy buttermilk pancake filled with glass dust."
For sharply written & performed videos about father-son chats, trying to get fired,
and a special bachelor party, please click here and here and here.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Olde English
Very Fresh with Olde English
Hilarious sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English
(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)
host this wonderful show consisting of sketch, stand-up, short films, and more.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically great.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 3/16/08
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),
superb comics Dave Hill, Craig Baldo, Mike Drucker, Catie Lazarus, and RG Daniels
at Timmy Williams' & Sam Brown's Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
the hilarious Chelsea Peretti, Hannibal Buress, and more joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman
and Michael Showalter at their Brooklyn stand-up show Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
a star comic performing his solo stand-up show in Brooklyn: Mike Birbiglia (9:30 pm).
and a talk show that interviews someone who's appeared on TV and then creates
improvised scenes based on the interview at The Spotlight with Sean Taylor (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)
Dave Hill, RG Daniels, Mike Drucker, and Craig Baldo...
...and hosts Timmy Williams & Sam Brown
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 superb comic guests include
Dave Hill (written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie
Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV,
The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly
UCBT extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—to learn more, please click here), and
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),
Mike Drucker (SNL; McSweeney's; 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),
Catie Lazarus (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, AMC, FOX News; former editor
of Heeb Magazine; written for Time Out New York, New York Post, Gawker.com;
host of live comedy shows Fresh Meat and Stand for Peace;
for video on STDs & men talking more than women, please click here), and
RG Daniels (quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
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
Chelsea Peretti, Michael Showalter, and Eugene Mirman
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops beyond Manhattan,
some of the best comedy minds in New York can be found at this weekly show hosted by
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central 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) 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 guests include
Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; member of superb
comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,
blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990), and
Hannibal Buress (Chicago's Finest); for stand-up video about logic issues with a TV ad,
please click here).
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.
Mike Birbiglia is a razor-sharp stand-up comic who 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.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo stand-up show.
9:30 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.
The Spotlight with Sean Taylor
A talk show with a guest who's had 15 minutes of fame by briefly appearing on TV.
Talented improvisors then act out scenes based on the interview.
For a video providing details about tonight's guest and improvisors, please click here.
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 (former TV news producer for FOX and WABC-TV; written
for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, and The San Francisco Sentinel)
hosts this free gay-themed stand-up comedy show.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Michelle Buteau, Kendra Cunningham, Zach Rhinier, and Diana Saez.
To get a feel for the show, please click here.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2008 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
