NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/24/08
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—celebrating its move to Mondays with two full events
at Comix's elegant main showroom: John Morrison's Comix Motel (6:30 pm & 9:30 pm),
five superb female comics who are also a terrific experimental cover band rockin' the house and interviewing
newest Saturday Night Live cast member Casey Wilson and former In Living Color member Kelly Coffield Park;
plus, on the second half of this double-bill, a complete one-woman show: Stickerbook and Leslie Miesel (8:00 pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with Curb Your Enthusiasm star and ace stand-up comic Susie Essman, at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:30 pm),
and typically superb stand-up comics at the free show Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
Ochi's Motel has been a wonderful open mic stand-up event hosted by John Morrison (above)
every Saturday since October 2007. It's now moving to Mondays...and tonight celebrates
that transition by holding the extravaganza in the main showroom upstairs!
There will be two shows: one at 6:30 pm and the other at 9:00 pm.
Each is likely to cram a breathtaking 30+ comics into a 2½ slot.
No cover charge, but there's a two-item minimum; with tax & tip, figure on paying $13 or up.
That's a reasonable price for enjoying this lottery-style open mic for comics trying out material
on the elegant Comix stage. Because of the frenetic pace—4½ minutes per performer—John Morrison has described it as "comedy on crack." If you're seeking consistent laughs, look elsewhere. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride. To reserve tickets, please email kcrews@comixny.com with your name, the number in your party, and whether you'll be attending at 6:30 or 9:00 pm.
And if you're a performer, it's a golden opportunity to nab a Comix credit.
For a chance at the lottery-style selection process, email John at comixmotel@gmail.com.
If chosen, you'll be required to kick in a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(The kitty and other prizes at the end of the show are designed to make you
stick around and be a good audience member for your fellow comics.)
In addition, the two-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, two-item drink or food minimum (with tax & tip, figure on paying $13 or up)
Stickerbook (above) is a terrific all-gal experimental cover band whose members include some of the funniest women in NYC: Jen Hammaker (theremin, keys, vocals), Becky Poole (saw, accordion, guitar), Eliza Skinner (drums, accordion, vocals), Sue Galloway (guitar, keys, vocals), and Becky Yamamoto (keys, tambourine, vocals). Please sample their stuff via their MySpace page, and then come see them perform live tonight for a mere five bucks.
And just in case that's not enough, Stickerbook will be interviewing two esteemed comedy guests: Casey Wilson, the newest cast member of Saturday Night Live; and Kelly Coffield Park, one of the original cast members of In Living Color!
And in case that's not enough (and franky, it really is), there's a second half to this double-bill: Leslie Miesel performing a complete one-woman show!
Start your week out right with this female-powered Monday evening party.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guests:
Derik Boik, Paul Case, Robin Cloud, Hilary Schwartz, and H. Alan Scott.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Curb Your Enthusiasm star Susie Essman, 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 Susie Essman, who plays wife Susie Greene on HBO's wonderful Curb Your Enthusiasm...and who is also a highly respected and in-demand stand-up comic.
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.
Special Talents! and Ham on the Bonel
Two comedy shows for five bucks.
Special Talents! is a one-woman show starring Kristen Shea
(aided by the voice of Pam Christenson)
and written by playwright Jeannine Coulombe.
The official description:
"Penelope is not your typical actor and this isn't a typical audition.
No one said an acting career was going to be easy,
but Penelope's 23rd audition this week may have raised the bar on crazy.
Penelope may be forced to pull out a few special talents she didn't know she had."
The other half of this double-bill is Ham on the Bone, about which I know nothing;
but it's a fine title...
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun...and free.
Tonight's scheduled guests haven't been announced,
but they're usually stellar.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/25/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
lively & fun discussions about comic books, with three creators of delightfully odd series—
Bizarro Comics, Milk & Cheese, and Teen Boat—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),
brilliant star comics including Michael Showalter and Andres du Bouchet
at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC, the fabulous Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
and rounds 3 & 4 of an annual contest in which stand-up comics compete for
audience votes at Carolines' March Comedy Madness (9:30 pm).
Chris Duffy's Bizarro Comics, Evan Dorkin's Milk & Cheese, and Dave Roman's Teen Boat
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese), Chris Duffy (Bizarro Comics),
and Dave Roman (Teen Boat).
I wasn't aware of the latter, by the way; but the Teen Boat poster (above right)
has instantly become one of my all-time favorites. This promises to be an
especially silly and fun show.
To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
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—
T.R.U.C.K.S., fwand, Tantrum, 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
Andres du Bouchet, Michael Showalter, 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 stellar guests are
Michael Showalter (a rare original and, at his best, comedy genius; 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, co-host of acclaimed Brooklyn weekly live comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya),
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 Andres' comedy videos),
Jordan Carlos ("Alan" on The Colbert Report, VH1's Best Week Ever, co-host of Nickelodeon's Me TV, upcoming comedy feature film Ghost Town),
and unique raunchy singer Cock Lorge.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
In this annual event, stand-up comics compete for audience votes.
The first two rounds were on March 11th (with 64 comics getting 1 minute each)
and March 18th (with the surviving 32 comics getting 2 minutes each).
Tonight features two rounds. First, the remaining 16 comics will get 3 minutes each;
and then the eight surviving comics will get 4 minutes each.
The final rounds will be on April 1st, featuring four comics at 7 minutes each,
and then two comics going head to head at 10 minutes each.
It's sort of like Last Comic Standing without the intrigue.
Hosted by Bryan Kennedy and Josh Filipowski.
9:30 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$16.25 cover charge, plus two-drink minimum (with tip, figure an additional $12 or up)
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 3/26/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
delicious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
some of the coolest gals and guys they know—including brilliant comedic character performers
Larry Murphy and Mindy Raf—for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (8:00 pm),
Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage, tackling
eight wildly different characters, plus the delightful Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack, and Tricia McAlpin of comedy
troupe Penny, in Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Penny: White Orphans (8:00 pm),
some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny comics in the country—Anthony Atamanuik,
Chris Gethard, Sara Schaefer, and Reggie Watts—telling fascinating true stories about
"breaking the rules" at one of the flat-out finest shows in NYC, The Nights of Our Lives (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
Your party hosts Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen...
...and Larry Murphy and Mindy Raf
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 thoroughly wonderful guests are
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;
co-host of great NYC weekly comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show;
for an animated VO reel, please click here),
Mindy Raf (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer;
VH1's Best Week Ever, relationship columnist for CollegeHumor.com,
comedy writer for WABC, actor on SuperDeluxe.com's The Post Show,
plays popular character Leibya Rogers: "When I sing, your soul jumps out
of your body and nestles in between my legs;" for video sample, please click here),
Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (quick-witted best buds who host the superb NYC weekly comedy show Totally J/K Thursdays at Rififi; Joe is the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; for dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and
for other videos, please click here and here),
Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report; member of acclaimed Chicago improv troupe 4 Square and superb UCBT show Happy Hour; star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials),
and Vince Averill (co-host of weekly Sunday show Beauty Bar 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)
Lennon Parham; and Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack & Tricia McAlpin of Penny
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Penny: White Orphans
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 Lennon burns up the stage with an array of characters ranging from an unsettling radio DJ to a sweet little girl to Freddy Kruger...and will likely have you helpless with laughter.
The extravaganza is directed by the brilliant Jason Mantzoukas, who should take a bow for helping Lennon really show off what she can do in this solo outing.
Stop by and fall in love with one of the finest comedic actresses in New York.
The other half of this double-bill is sketch troupe Penny,
consisting of the adorable & very funny trio
Amber Petty, Trisha McAlpin, and Jessie Schupack. In tonight's show, the gals
promise to "guide you through their wonderful world of art, music, and laughter.
You'll laugh till you cry, cry till you laugh, and be moved enough that you too
will want a white orphan for your very own." Directed by Susannah Beckett.
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
The Nights of Our Lives: Breaking the Rules
This is one of the best shows in New York.
The format is simple: A bunch of razor-sharp writer/performers tell stories
about themselves revolving around the evening's theme—
which tonight is "Breaking the Rules."
The only rules to the show itself are that the tales must be true, and must be funny.
The brutal honesty, and jarring bravery, of some the participants can be hair-raising.
What they offer aren't merely jokes, but resonant, humane perspectives on life.
At the same time, there are very few shows, on or off Broadway,
that will make you laugh as consistently and as loud.
Enormous kudos go to host David Martin; and to brilliant storytellers
Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Chris Gethard, Curtis Gwinn,
Anthony King, Margot Leitman, Adam Pally, and the other comedy soldiers
who've bared some of their darkest and funniest secrets on the Nights of Our Lives stage.
This evening's yarn-spinners are some of most brilliant and hilarious comics in the country:
Anthony Atamanuik, Chris Gethard, Sara Schaefer, and Reggie Watts.
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 3/27/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
sketch shows from comedic actress Katie Schorr and sharp duo Greg Burke & Lou Perez (6:30 pm),
the delightful Erin and Her Cello at a show mixing comedy and music: Of the Moment (7:00 pm),
stellar storyteller Kambri Crews, plus nearly a dozen stand-up comics, telling funny and sometimes
poignant tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 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),
two problematic but memorable sketch shows, Jen & Angie and BLITZKRIEG! (8:00 pm),
and brilliant improv troupe The Stepfathers competing tonight against UCBT Harold team Raynard
for audience laughs and votes at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Katie Schorr celebrating her recent 25th birthday; and Lou Perez & Greg Burke
Two 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 Katie Schorr,
who performs a one-woman show.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Erin Hall, and hosts Tim Ellis & Matthew Park
Tim Ellis & Matthew Park host this show mixing comedy and music,
kicking off this evening for a weekly run through April.
Tonight's guests include Erin Hall, a stellar musician and delightfully subtle comedic singer/songwriter. For looped series of videos of her live act Erin and her Cello, please click here; and to hear tracks of Erin's debut CD, please click here.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and Kambri Crews
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 guests are
Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here),
and Kevin Allison, Steve Bossous, Jamie Kilstein, Jeff Kreisler,
Sean Lynch, Larry Poon, Carla Rhodes, and Nick Turner.
7:30 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)
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 tends to sell 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
Christina Casa & Sara Chase in Jen & Angie, and time traveling sketch troupe BLITZKRIEG!
Jen & Angie and BLITZKRIEG!: A Sketch Show From the Future
Two interesting work-in-progress sketch comedy shows for five bucks.
Jen & Angie 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 have problems with the shallowness of the script, which all too often makes
easy and obvious choices. But 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.
The other half of this double-bill is 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
vs.
Cage Match: The Stepfathers vs. Raynard
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 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.
Last week the UCB theatre was crammed with those who love improv and laughter when The Stepfathers went head-to-head with one of the other finest troupes in comedy, Reuben Williams.
Honestly, I thought it was a close match, with both teams demonstrating a great deal of inventiveness, quick wit, and artful grace. (Not to mention, Charlie Sanders threw in a memorable somersault...) But the audience preference was clear: It voted 148 to 67 in favor of the champs, nabbing The Stepfathers its fourth win for the season.
Going up against the juggernaut men call The Stepfathers this evening is Raynard, consisting of John Adam, Robert Cuthill, Spike Friedman, Aaron Glaser, Hallie Haglund, Zhubin Parang, Amber Petty, and Will Storie. This troupe performs virtually every Tuesday at UCBT's Harold Night.
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 3/28/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Kumail Nanjiani performing a superbly written, gripping, and witty one-man show
about his struggle with Islam 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),
one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),
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), and
a free opportunity for you to perform improv with UCBT veterans at Jammin' with Ralph (12:15ish am).
Kumail Nanjiani: Unpronounceable
Kumail Nanjiani is a rising stand-up comedy star. (To get a feel for his usual material, please check out Nanjiani's routines about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here.) But in this autobiographical one-man show, Nanjiani demonstrates that he's also a thoughtful, witty writer who can effectively mix laughter with poignancy.
Nanjiani begins by describing his growing up in Pakistan, where religion dictates virtually every thought and action:
You know how when you do arts and crafts and you use glitter, and when you're done you look around and you've got glitter everywhere? It's on your hands. It's on the carpet. It's in your hair. It's in your ears. That's how Islam is. It's all over everything.
That's especially difficult considering the high standards Islam sets:
In the afterlife you're taken to the edge of a cliff. Across the way is Heaven. But it's a ways off, not like "Hey, I'm gonna pop over to Heaven to borrow some sugar. Be back in 10." And there's a rope you have to balance yourself on to get to the other side. But this isn't just any rope...it's thinner than the thinnest human hair and sharper than the sharpest knife in the world. And you have to balance yourself and cross this rope—barefoot—to get to Heaven. And below you...is Hell.
That's a lot to deal with for an 8-year-old boy.
When he got a bit older, Nanjiani got hold of videotapes from America, and...
I watched mostly horror films—even though I was never scared of them. I imagined myself standing over Hell five times every day. When you hear that much about molten lead in your ears and mountains flying at you, Saw is like a Disney movie.
In the first half of his show, Nanjiani makes a compelling—and, at times, hair-raising—case against religious zealotry, an emphasis on the afterlife over the here-and-now, and blindly following the crowd.
In the second half, he describes how his experiences at a college in Iowa slowly changed him. Eventually Nanjiani abandoned Islam; religion in general; and even belief in God.
This is effectively where his show ends. And frankly, I wish there was a third act.
Because while Nanjiani's rebellion against the rules he grew up with is wholly understandable, he doesn't make clear what he's found to replace them (aside from some references to favoring love for people over love for God...as if it must be an either-or decision).
Also not clarified is why getting disillusioned with one's childhood religion—or, for that matter, any organized religion—translates to becoming an atheist. If you're appalled by how a group has interpreted or twisted a concept, you can reject the group but still embrace the concept.
For these reasons, I feel the tale is incomplete; but hey, so is life at Nanjiani's age of 29.
And in fairness, I had the same problems with a one-man show Matt Besser performed at UCBT a couple of years ago titled Woo Pig Sooie! Besser was brought up Judeo-Christian; but at core he told the same story, and with the same conclusion. A young writer can do a lot worse than be compared to comedy giant Besser.
Kumail Nanjiani's show is at times gripping, insightful, shocking, and hilarious...and crammed with fascinating observations and anecdotes. Unpronounceable is well worth catching, and is highly recommended.
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
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
"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
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
Girly Girl Burleskapades and Naked Boys Improvising
This double-bill begins with traditional burlesque—that is, woman stripping—
though with the emphasis a bit more on the side of laughter than titillation.
The show then continues with five guys who seem very nice and sharp but
perform only so-so improvisation and, in the process, invent reasons to take off articles
of clothing. By the last couple of minutes, they're completely naked.
It's not great comedy; but if you're in the right mood, it's harmless fun
that provides something of visual interest to both men and women.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Joe Randazzo, Henry Kaiser, and Chris Ryan
Talented improv troupe 3-D 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
To perform improvisation at UCBT, you must spend years taking classes and carefully perfecting your craft...or you can come to this monthly free show, which allows audience members to jump on stage and participate! Hosted by popular long-form improv troupe fwand, consisting of Chelsea Clarke, Dominic Dierkes, Jonathan Gabrus, Sean Hart,
Kevin Hines, Ellie Kemper, Gil Ozeri, and Greg Tuculescu.
12:15ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 3/29/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs
at the Magnet's signature improv show, The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),
a star comic performing routines from his acclaimed comedy CD My Secret Public Journal—Live
twice this evening at Carolines: Mike Birbiglia (8:00 & 10:30 pm),
a wonderful sketch show revolving around physical comedy from ace troupe Drop Six (8:00 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),
and five terrific stand-up comics—Kumail Nanjiani, Mike Drucker, Jamie Kilstein, John F. O'Donnell,
and John Knefel—each explaining why he's an atheist at (D)evangelical Comedy (11:00 pm).
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
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.
Tonight he'll be performing bits from the latter
(and tomorrow night he'll be telling a true story titled Sleepwalk with Me).
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$32.75 cover charge, plus two-drink minimum (with tip, figure an additional $12 or up)
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
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
John F. O'Donnell and Kumail Nanjiani
Based on the notion that "Faith is the great cop-out," this stand-up comedy show
advises "You bring the brimstone; we'll bring the doubt."
The latter is provided by these five funny atheists:
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; recently premiered terrific one-man show
about his being an atheist—for my review, please click here; 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),
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),
Jamie Kilstein (2007 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; has opened for Lewis Black,
Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron),
John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him; Comedy Central's Fresh Faces,
host of Queens bimonthly open mic comedy show The Kingdom of Heaven;
for stand-up video, please click here), and
John Knefel (member of Bare Hand Wolf Chokers Association).
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 3/30/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (7:30 & 9:30 pm),
razor-sharp star comic Mike Birbiglia performing at Carolines a stand-up show
based on a true story he's titled Sleepwalk With Me (8:00 pm),
stand-up comics Colin Jost, Nick Turner, Larry Pool, and Jay Bois
at Timmy Williams' & Sam Brown's Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics joining comedy giants Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter
for their weekly show at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 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)
Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk With Me
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.
Tonight's extravaganza will revolve around a true story Mike's titled Sleepwalk with Me.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this show.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$28.75 cover charge, plus two-drink minimum (with tip, figure an additional $12 or up)
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 scheduled guests are
Colin Jost, Nick Turner, Larry Pool, and Jay Bois.
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
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 funny minds in New York can be found at this weekly show
run by these two comedy giants (winners of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Hosts):
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1,
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums) 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 haven't been announced, but they're usually stellar.
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.
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.
Tonight host Sean Taylor interviews Jen MacNeil.
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
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
