NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/17/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
sharp comics including Andres du Bouchet (Conan, FOX), Eric Drysdale (writer for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report), Erin Foley (Comedy Central, film Almost Famous), plus questionably Irish musical group The Leprechaunquistadors, at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses in NYC tackling eight wildly different characters,
plus a memorably silly play about a celebrity feud: Lennon Parham and Jen & Angie (8:00 pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:30 pm),
an entirely improvised musical from magical duo Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner as I Eat Pandas (9:30 pm),
and the improvised annual and rather dangerous St. Patrick's Day Drunken Throwdown (11:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
Human Giant is back with Season 2!
And it's great.
Reviews to come when I can grab the time...but be sure
to watch one of the funniest sketch shows in TV history.
New episodes air Tuesdays at 11:00 pm on MTV.
And if you missed the first one from last week—or, for that matter, any episodes
from Season 1—you can catch these comedy gems online by clicking here.
Shayna Ferm is an enormously talented comedic singer/songwriter.
To learn more about the sexy and hilarious Shayna, please click here.
To hear sample tracks from and/or order Shay's debut CD Blonde, please click for her MySpace page.
One of the funniest men on the planet, Todd Barry is a stand-up master.
For a recent interview with Todd, please click here.
To order his new comedy CD From Heaven, please click here.
Eric Drysdale, Andres du Bouchet, and Erin Foley
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend, former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's hosts are Andres du Bouchet (writer for & performer on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten; Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, Cheap Seats;
hosts monthly NYC live comedy show Andres du Bouchet Has Been Expecting You;
please click to check out his comedy videos), and Mike Birch (partner with Rick Homan
of comedic singer/songwriter duo Fish & Chips).
And the guests are
Eric Drysdale (writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 2000-2005; writer for
The Colbert Report 2005-2008; winner of five Emmy Awards),
Erin Foley (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comics Unleashed; movie Almost Famous; Montreal Comedy Festival; for stand-up video, please click here),
Fiona Walsh (bona fide Irish stand-up comic),
and special musical guest The Leprechaunquistadors.
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.
Lennon Parham, and Christina Casa & Sara Chase in Jen & Angie
Lennon Parham Goes Solo and Jen & Angie
There are few performers, comedic or otherwise, as appealing as
the sexy, laid-back, wry, and hilarious Lennon Parham.
Whether she's playing Nomi Malone (see my review of her Showgirls parody), author JK Rowling (as the clear highlight of a Harry Potter parody, in which Rowling reveals all the novels are based on actual events in her life), Sandy Michaelson as a Solid Gold Dance understudy, or zillions of characters while delivering world-class improvisation every Saturday night as part of stellar troupe Reuben Williams, watching the wonderful Ms. Parham is always a treat.
Tonight she takes the stage to play eight wildly different characters in a show
directed by the razor-sharp Jason Mantzoukas. Stop by and fall in love with
one of the finest comedic actresses in New York.
The other half of this double-bill is Jen & Angie, a comedic play that imagines
what would happen if Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie were
stranded together on a desert island. It's a cute idea that's gotten the show some press.
Considering how fascinating and complex the real-life celebrities are,
I had problems with the shallowness of the script, which all too often made
easy and obvious choices. That said, it might've since been improved.
And there's definite pleasure to be had in the silliness of Christina Casa's portrayal
of Jolie as a husky-voiced android who speaks in short declarative sentences,
never uses contractions, and always calls her rival by her full name
(e.g., "Have some condor, Jennifer Aniston. It is good for you, Jennifer Aniston.").
The show co-stars Sara Chase as Aniston, and is directed by Susanah Becket.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Stand-up comedy hosted by Billy Reno (SNL's Weekend Update,
Carolines; for video samples, please click here and here).
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Sean Donnelly, Mike Drucker, Adrienne Iapalucci, Mike Lawrence,
Sean Lynch, Joe Pontillo, and Elon James White.
8:00ish pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Paul Rieckhoff's book Chasing Ghosts, 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 Paul Rieckhoff, founder and Executive Director of the organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. According to his official bio, Rieckhoff's Army platoon "conducted over 1,000 dismounted and mounted combat patrols, and was centered in the Adamiyah section of central Baghdad." Rieckhoff will be discussing his 2006 book Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq—A Soldier's Perspective. To view his February 2008 appearance on Bill Maher's HBO show Real Time, please click here.
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.
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 just won this year's ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.
Don't miss any chance to enjoy these comedic wizards at play.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
A celebration of St. Patrick's Day written by BJ Gallagher, with music by Chris Caniglia, and performed by John Flynn, Jacob Brown, Yang Miller and Kirk Damato. The official description:
"In 1963 Irish folk band The Irish Peddlers was formed...in Canada! Join brothers Paddy, Maddy, Laddy, and the boys for a look at their rollicking career from rainbow's beginning to pot o' gold ending. Watch and listen as The Irish Peddlers themselves enchant you with original music and tales spun in traditional Irish yarn. One lucky audience member will win a Potato Surprise!"
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The St. Patrick's Day Drunken Throwdown
No words of mine can match the official description: "Some of your favorite UCBT improvisers will drink all day long on St. Patrick's Day and then take to the stage to show off how friggin' awesome they are at improv. Drinking only makes them stronger."
This promises to be rather special.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/18/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
brilliantly talented musical comics Shayna Ferm, Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas,
plus Ann Carr, Darlene Rae Heller & Jason B. Schmidt of The Parodivas—and someone
performing stand-up for the very first time—at Carolyn Castiglia's Chicks & Giggles (8:00 pm),
lively & fun discussions about comic books, with guests David Gallaher & Steve Ellis of the Web-based
High Moon (a comic about cowboys vs. werewolves), at the laugh-packed Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
five women performing an improvised, and possibly tipsy, parody of The View at Focus (8:00 pm),
and three top comics who all happen to be Irish—the superb Tom Shillue, John Mulaney, and Matt McCarthy
—at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC, the fabulous Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
Shayna Ferm, Carolyn Castiglia, and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas
The wonderful Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio,
The Huffington Post) hosts a lineup of talented female comics.
In a fun twist, tonight's guests—who are extraordinary—will be performing anything
but stand-up...with the sole exception of Jen MacNeil, who's never performed stand-up before!
The spectacular lineup consists of
Shayna Ferm (one of the sharpest and finest comedic singer/songwriters in the biz; recently released her first album, Blonde; member of world-class sketch group Fearsome; for samples of Shay's songs, please click here),
Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas duo, who are 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...which is why they won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group),
Ann Carr (Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding, UCBT's High School Talent Show,
The PIT's Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour),
Darlene Rae Heller & Jason B. Schmidt (musical comedy duo The Parodivas "who specialize in butchering songs until they are funny enough to knock you off your bar stool and/or make you drunk-text your friends, 'OMG you've gotta seeb deez diva peeples!' in the middle of the show. They have written and starred in five full-length NYC comedy variety shows, as well as their very own experimental poetry piece Onomatopoeia"), and
Jen MacNeil (for her In the New project, MacNeil does something she's never done before every day for a year; tonight, she'll be performing stand-up for the very first time).
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)
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are writer David Gallaher & artist Steve Ellis, the creators
of Zuda Comics High Moon, a comic book that's published on the Web.
(To read the comic, please simply click here.)
To get a feel for the smart, fun vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
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!"
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—
DeCoster, Twelve Thousand Dollars, fwand, 1985, and Bastian—
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
Tom Shillue, John Mulaney, Matt McCarthy, and Seth Herzog
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
This is one of the finest comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's superb—and all-Irish!—lineup consists of
John Mulaney (one of the best stand-up comics around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for video stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Tom Shillue (acclaimed comedic storyteller; former The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
correspondent; Comedy Central Presents ½-hour special; Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
storytelling podcasts; host of NYC monthly comedy show Moonwork;
comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here), and
Matt McCarthy (very funny stand-up, and host of NYC live comedy show Max!).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 3/19/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
TV writers for such hit shows as Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,
and Saturday Night Live at Todd Levin's TV Book Club (8:00 pm),
NYC political comics marking the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq in Laughing Liberally (8:30),
open mic stand-up in Queens' LIC at John F. O'Donnell's The Kingdom of Heaven (8:30),
a wonderful show combining storytelling, alcohol, and improv, with players from 30 Rock,
The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Mad TV, and more: Happy Hour (9:30 pm),
and comedy giant & Upright Citizens Brigade member Matt Besser offering a myriad of
hilarious routines he's developed over the years at Matt Besser's Magical Sack of Dump (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
CBS/NYC Presents: Todd Levin's TV Book Club
Stand-up and other funny business from television's top comedy writers,
hosted by Todd Levin (above, reading pile of books with his fingers).
Tonight's brilliant guests are
Michael Koman (writer & sketch performer since 2001 for Late Night with Conan O'Brien),
Laura Krafft (superb stand-up comic who's also a staff writer for The Colbert Report, former writer
for Comedy Central's Crossballs, acted on such shows as on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm,
and performs live comedy Saturday nights at UCBT's hit improv show Let's Have a Ball),
Andres du Bouchet (writer & performer for FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten.;
Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, Cheap Seats;
hosts monthly NYC live comedy show Andres du Bouchet Has Been Expecting You;
please click to check out his comedy videos), and
Simon Rich (writer for Saturday Night Live; author of the 2007 book
Ant Farm And Other Desperate Situations).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $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
Laughing Liberally: The Iraq War 5th Anniversary Comedy Hour
Political humor, New York style, tonight focused on the 5th Anniversary
of the war in Iraq. And "while wood is the traditional gift,
we're delivering laughter instead...We laugh liberally to keep from crying."
Scheduled comics are Lee Camp, Negin Farsad, Katie Halper,
Harry Terjanian, Baratunde Thurston, and Roger Weaver.
Hosted by and Elon James White.
8:30 pm at The Tank, 279 Church Street (bet. Franklin & White Streets); tickets are $10
John F. O'Donnell and Sean O'Connor
Free open mic stand-up comedy show in Queens' Long Island City
(just one stop from Manhattan on the #7 train).
Hosted by John F. O'Donnell (Comedy Central's Fresh Faces; for stand-up video, please click here),
a wild man who will make you love him...and who genuinely loves comedy and fellow comics.
If you're looking for stage time, John makes this a very friendly place to perform.
Sign-up for the open mic is at 7:30.
Tonight's guest headliner is Sean O'Connor (VH1; New York Posts Top 20 Entertainers to Watch For in 2006;
upcoming album Shmeat is Shmurder; for hilarious stand-up samples, please click here and here).
8:30 pm at The Creek and The Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; free
From Manhattan, take the #7 subway to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop (one stop after Grand Central);
exit on Jackson Avenue and walk one block north to 49th Avenue.
Becky Drysdale, Thomas Middleditch, Miriam Tolan, Tami Sagher...
...and Anthony King, Chris Gethard, and Jason Mantzoukas
This new show is a wonderful blend of storytelling and improv.
A group of stellar comics take an audience suggestion and, while sipping beers, start telling personal tales related to it—with an emphasis on the ribald and ridiculous, just like what you'd want to hear from your friends while hanging out at a bar. Helping enormously with this is Chris Gethard, who's one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers in New York.
The yarn spinning is great fun; but on top of that, when the performers hear a story that especially tickles them, they jump up and instantly create scenes revolving around it. And because these talents are razor-sharp improvisors, the results are hilarious.
The players include
Deb Downing (improv at Second City),
Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces,
Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),
Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York),
Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report; famed for performing numerous Sonic commercials),
Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Let's Have a Ball,
Gravid Water, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical),
Jason Mantzoukas (Mother: The Soundtrack, We Used to Go Out, The Mantzoukas Brothers),
Thomas Middleditch (Second City, 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),
Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and
Miriam Tolan (sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien 1993-1994, correspondent on The Daily Show 2000-2001, acted on The Office as "fake Tina Fey").
At one of its first productions, Becky Drysdale asked audience members to "please spread the word if you liked the show; and if you didn't, well, why are you talking about it?"
No worries, Becky. You're a treasure; and this show is a winner.
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
Matt Besser's Magical Sack of Dump
Matt Besser, one of the four members of the acclaimed Upright Citizens Brigade—
and co-owner of UCBT—shares selections from several years of his comedy material. These might include Matt's hilarious parody of MySpace Tom; Q&As with the Pope, and with Mark Dunn ("King of the Three-Way"); highlights from Matt's TV show Crossballs; and excerpts from his parody of Last Comic Standing that include Jason Yellow, the blind, deaf, armless comedian.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 3/20/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Kumail Nanjiani and Rob Cantrell performing stand-up while Matt Ruby types comments projected behind
their backs, plus sketch duo Spellman & Clements: Scrolling Ticker and Ultimate Roommates (6:30 pm),
one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC, fresh off a sold-out three-city tour and winning
the ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act, debuting an Irish-themed show: The Apple Sisters (8:00 pm),
UK comics famed for their special mix of stand-up & sketch, joined by stellar guests
Dave Hill, Leo Allen, and singer Andrew Thompson: Bishop and Douch (8:00 pm),
Dave Hill demonstrating he's one of the sharpest, freshest, funniest comics around, with guests Moby
(yes, music superstar Moby) and Ira Glass (host of This American Life) at The Dave Hill Explosion (9:30 pm),
disturbingly odd sketch comedy from inventive troupes Rue Brutalia and Murderfist (9:30 pm),
and two of the most brilliantly hilarious improv troupes in the country, The Stepfathers and
Reuben Williams, competing for audience laughs & votes at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
VCR/TiVo Alert: Comedy Central will be airing three episodes of
The Upright Citizens Brigade series tonight from 2:30 am through 4:00 am;
and also UCB's 2005 comedy special A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv
on Friday night from 1:00 am through 2:30 am. Worth checking out.
Rob Cantrell and Kumail Nanjiani
Scrolling Ticker with Matt Ruby and Ultimate Roommates
Two comedy shows for five bucks.
This evening kicks off with Scrolling Ticker, a stand-up comedy party in which
Matt Ruby spontaneously types funny comments that are displayed
on a screen behind the superb performing comics. The latter include
Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, CBS's Late Late Show, VH1), and
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).
The other half of the double-bill is a new sketch show titled Ultimate Roommates,
written and performed by comedy duo Joe Spellman & Sean Clements.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
Photo on right: Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Apple Sisters: Irish You Luck
The delicious Apple Sisters—Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe, with Tom Thomsen on keyboard—have sung, danced, and naughtily joked their ways into New York City's heart. This homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters has been one of the great successes of 2007, having done nine original shows, sold-out performances at comedy festivals around the country, and recently winning the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act.
Tonight debuts Irish You Luck, a St. Patrick's Day homage featuring booze and little green men.
From the official description: "The Apple Sisters are Candy, Cora, and Seedy. Their mother, Ms. Reddy Apple, was a vaudeville star and she passed down the legacy to her three girls! The trio present their live show, broadcast on WXYZ AM Radio, straight to the troops in Germany, and present the show on stage at the Peoples Improv Theater in their first and favorite home, the Big Apple! Be a chum and always use Doramad Toothpaste, now with Thorium!"
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
The show consistently sells out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket
online ($9.19, including service charge) by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $8 at the door
UK comics Bishop and Douch show off their special mix of stand-up and sketch comedy.
Joining them will be guests Dave Hill (see below),
Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City),
and musical guest Andrew Thompson.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th 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)
Dave Hill and Moby
Dave Hill has written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues. Dave has also written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series. Dave says, "Sometimes I miss being able to walk into the free clinic and stuff without being harassed by people who watch television really late at night, but for the most part I gotta say this 'fame thing' suits me well. Really, really well."
Indeed it does; Dave is an enormously witty, razor-sharp comic.
During Dave's last two shows of 2007, he invited on-the-fringe guests...and they both walked out during his opening comedy routine. (For a write-up of the first such incident, please click here.)
Tonight Dave goes in the polar opposite direction by inviting superstars:
Moby (musical giant; to check out Moby's latest doings, which include an upcoming
Degenerates Party to celebrate the release of his new album Last Night, please click here), and
Ira Glass (host & producer of radio and TV show This American Life).
Understandably, advance seats are sold out. But if you're willing to
watch the show standing (which I recommend), come and enjoy.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
A double-bill of bizarre sketch troupes.
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 as the poster on the right indicates, sketch group Murderfist makes Rue Brutalia
seem almost normal. For a somewhat grueling tale of an unlikely gay couple
done in the style of a silent film, please click here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: The Stepfathers vs. Reuben Williams
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...).
Cage Match is always fun.
But tonight is extra special.
The defending champion is The Stepfathers, consisting 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.
And the challenger is another phenomenal troupe: Reuben Williams, consisting of Eugene Cordero, Anthony King, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. These comedy titans are on the UCBT stage dazzling audiences every Saturday night at 10:30.
Two of the finest improv troupes of our time...going head to head.
It just doesn't get better than this.
And 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 3/21/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
comics Michelle Buteau, Ann Carr, and many more telling funny, and sometimes
poignant, stories about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:00 pm),
a Christian folk music duo using their songs to make a difference in God's Pottery Saves The World! (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),
one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),
and my fave pick for the evening: brilliant & sexy comedic singer/songwriter Adira Amram hosting
a spectacular gathering of top female comics—plus five men doffing their clothes to make up funny scenes—
in Girly Girl Burleskapades and Naked Boys Improvising (11:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
VCR/TiVo Alert: Comedy Central will be airing The Upright Citizens Brigade's
2005 comedy special A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv tonight from 1:00 am through 2:30 am.
Matt Walsh pretending to be a student at Inside the Actors Studio and introducing
himself with "Hi, I'm an asshole" makes this worth checking out all by itself.
Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa
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 scheduled guests are Jay Abbondanza, Michelle Buteau, Ann Carr,
DEL, Michael Ennis, Charlie Kasov, and Caroline Waxler.
Please note this will be the last Family Hour on Friday.
Starting next week, the show is moving to Thursdays at 7:30 pm.
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)
Jeremiah Smallchild and Gideon Lamb are on a mission from God
God's Pottery Saves The World!
While visiting NYC last summer, Gideon Lamb and Jeremiah Smallchild got lost on the subway and ended up in Harlem, where they met a small boy named LaVert Washington who informed them he had cancer. They quickly moved to raise money for the lad with their now-famed The Concert for LaVert. It later turned out the boy was healthy and had lied through his teeth; but the incident made Gideon and Jeremiah appreciate the impact they almost had on his life...and the impact they could have on literally millions of more lives if they saved the entire world. Therefore, the duo have created this new show, in which they tackle global issues such as adoption, drug addiction, and Africa in an effort to rescue all mankind through the power of song, true belief, and a PowerPoint" presentation.
According to their Web site,"God's Pottery is a Christian acoustic duo formed to spread the Word (using) their unique blend of music, people-skills and Biblical know-how to inspire all who are willing to listen with open hearts." Some in the secular world have called them Wilson Hall and
Krister Johnson; others have called them harsher things. But most have called them very funny.
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 and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy, hosted by Shawn Hollenbach.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
Claudia Cogan, David Hodorowski, Dave Rubin, Bob Smith,
and Back Room co-producer Paul Case.
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
Girly Girl Burleskapades and Naked Boys Improvising
For some, the draw of this show will be a variation on Naked Boys Singing:
five guys rid themselves of clothes and perform improv.
For my money, though, even more interesting is the other half of the double-bill:
a gathering of some of the funniest women in comedy, hosted by
brilliant & sexy comedic singer/songwriter Adira Amram (Jane Magazine Editors Choice;
co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here).
Adira's wonderful guests are Ann Carr, Brandy & Sara, Carolyn Castiglia, Katina Corrao & Carla Rhodes, Sara Schaefer & Becky Yamamoto, Giulia Rozzi, and Gina Vetro.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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
High School Talent Show's Ilana & Eliot Glazer (left) and Mindy Raf (right)
High School Talent Show is a fun extravaganza from brother-sister duo Eliot & Ilana Glazer
in which "Upper Central High School's brightest stars take to the stage to deliver rabble-rousing performances in song, dance, magic, slam poetry, stilts, and more!" The cast of enormously talented comics playing high school students includes Ann Carr, Carolyn Castiglia, Shawn Hollenbach, Rob Lathan, and brilliant writer/singer Mindy Raf.
12:15ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 3/22/08
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),
a second-anniversary celebration show, with stellar comedic storyteller Tom Shillue,
the delightful and razor-sharp Sara Schaefer, pseudo-Christian folk rock duo God's Pottery,
and much more at Carol Hartsell & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (8:45 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),
lovely & witty Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree turning life's darkness into comedy as Two Girls for Five Bucks (9:30 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
and physical sketch comedy in the form of comedic wrestling at the raucous WrestleSlamMania III (Midnight).
Corrections: I've been super-busy this week, and two mistakes
(that I know of) slipped through the cracks.
First, on Thursday I wrote that brilliant improv troupe Reuben Williams was the champ
in total Cage Match bouts. Believable, but not true; that honor goes to Mother, with 49 wins.
Second, on Friday I reported that the Comedy Central broadcast of A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv
was a repeat of the Bravo special in 2005. It was actually a newer show, simply titled ASSSSCAT!,
that was improvised in 2007 at the LA Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre...and is now available on DVD.
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
Tom Shillue, Sara Schaefer, and Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson as God's Pottery...
...and Carol Hartsell 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).
Celebrating tonight's two-year anniversary are these superb guests:
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, storytelling podcasts; host of acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork;
for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
the delightful Sara Schaefer (VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks;
UCBT's Video Gaga; host of Brooklyn live comedy show Name That Tune with Sara Schaefer),
God's Pottery (Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson's delightful parody of a Christian folk singing duo),
Mark Douglas (for a stand-up audio sample, please click here),
Bryan Olsen (Chappelle's Show),
Daniel St. Germaine, and Barry Rothbart.
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)
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
Daiva Deupree & Cathleen Carr relaxing before their show
Carr & Deupree: Two Girls for Five Bucks
Two Girls For Five Bucks is very funny sketch comedy duo Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree,
who perform frequently in both NYC and Boston. These luminous women
offer a smart and wittily dark view of life and relationships,
and are well worth catching...and for a great deal more than five bucks.
The official description: "When exactly are you supposed to look at a man's you-know-what? This and other important questions will be explored as Deupree and Carr kick the chick flick cliché in the balls with their darkly hilarious collage of lonely ladies who do desperate things. Weaving their sketches, stories, and songs into a cozy quilt of delightful shame, Two Girls For Five Bucks makes falling out of love sexy...again."
For a few sample MP3 audio clips—most notably, the top one in which
Daiva chats with Cathleen's vagina—please click here.
9:30 pm at the Zipper Theatre, 336 West 37th Street (bet. 8th and 9th Avenues); tickets are $15
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
I'm not familiar with this show, but it sounds terrific. The official description:
"New York's best musical comedians perform the cheesiest, funniest, and sweetest hits from Broadway. Songs you love the way we want you to love them. Featuring performers from The Pearl Brunswick, Blue Man Group, I Eat Pandas, Off-Broadway, and beyond."
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
The wonderful folks from Cage Match—
Pat Baer, Neil Casey, Eugene Cordero, Anthony King, C. LeMar McLean, Adam Pally,
Ben Rodgers, Eric Scott, Charlie Todd, and many more—
bring you a hybrid of old-school wrestling and cutting-edge UCBT comedy, live on stage!
Here's the official description:
"It's the biggest Pay-Per-View event of the year! All of your favorite UCBW MegaStars will be here for an awesome night of REAL wrestling. Marz, Pu Kang Kang, ConEdison, Fratboy, The Pledge, and tons more are scheduled to appear. You don't want to miss this hilariously awesome Pay-Per-View extravaganza. To order, call your cable operator, or simply make a reservation by clicking here!"
In a word: Wow.
To get a taste of what the evening will be like, please view a couple of
fabulous matches 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 3/23/08
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),
top stand-up comic John Mulaney, UK stars Bishop & Douch, TV comedy writer Daniel Dratch,
and more at Timmy Williams' & Sam Brown's Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
razor-sharp star Todd Barry and other comics joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman
and Michael Showalter at their Brooklyn stand-up show Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
and improvisor/actor hybrids smashing theatre characters against each other in
one of the most interesting improv shows in NYC: Trainwreck (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)
Timmy Williams & Sam Brown, John Mulaney, and Bishop & Douch
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 terrific guests include
John Mulaney (one of the best stand-up comics around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for video stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Bishop and Douch (UK comics famed for their special mix of stand-up and sketch comedy),
Daniel Dratch (writer for The Chris Rock Show, The Man Show, Monk),
and Joe Machi.
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
Todd Barry, 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 (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
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 and Lucky Louie;
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;
new comedy CD From Heaven).
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.
This is one of the most interesting and fun improv shows in NYC.
It appears rarely, though, because it requires quite a bit of rehearsal
to pull off a single performance.
With the help of director David Levin, each of four groups of improv comics
act out a memorable scene from a classic play.
To maintain spontaneity, every group knows only its own scene and has
no idea what plays the other three groups are tackling.
After all the scenes are acted, the performers abandon scripts but maintain
their roles...and proceed to "smash" their characters from the different plays
against each other via improvised scenes.
The results tend to be deliciously entertaining.
Tonight's show is being performed by actor/improvisors Kevin Cragg, Mark Grenier,
Roy Koshy, Desiree Nash, Adam Nowak, Ashley Ward, Jamie Cummings, and Justin Zell.
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
Jay D'Ercola, Robin Fox, Peter K, and Daniel Siegel.
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
