NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/26/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
luminous actors including Sandy Rustin (Comedy Central's upcoming The Scariest Show on TV)
mixing it up with brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland, Michael Delaney, Becky Drysdale, Christina Gausas,
and Anthony King as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),
sharp stand-ups Laura Mannino, Paul Case, and Joe Powers, plus Andrew Singer
as "soce, the elemental wizard," joining delightful hosts Jackie Monahan,
Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, & Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (8:00 pm),
and typically stellar stand-up comics at one of the finest comedy shows
in NYC—which just happens to be free—Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 30+ comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
There are two shows tonight, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Becky Drysdale, Christina Gausas, and Sandy Rustin...
...and Anthony King, Tara Copeland, and Michael Delaney
Classic theatre scenes performed by professional actors who stay on book—
and an improv comic who hasn't read the play and has to make up lines on the fly.
Starring world-class improvisers (in alphabetical order):
of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel),
Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; weekly shows include Mother: The Soundtrack, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),
Michael Delaney (genius improvisor, actor, and improv instructor; Late Night with Conan O'Brien; member of UCBT star troupe The Stepfathers and legendary troupe The Swarm),
Becky Drysdale (stellar charismatic performer; acclaimed one-woman show
One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),
Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Al Franken Show, Let's Have a Ball, Dorff & Gausas), and
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Happy Hour,
Let's Have a Ball, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical).
And also starring are some of NYC's top theatre & TV actors: Jeremy Bobb (Is He Dead?),
Jenn Gambatese (Is He Dead?, Tarzan, All Shook Up, Hairspray), Jared Gertner (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Nick Offerman (American Body Shop, FOX's 24), and Sandy Rustin (Neil Simon's Hotel Suite, Comedy Central's The Scariest Show on TV).
Gravid Water is directed, hosted, and co-stars Stephen Ruddy—
and is one of the finest comedy productions in New York.
If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.
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 fine guests
Laura Mannino, Paul Case, Joe Powers, and Andrew Singer (as soce, the elemental wizard).
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Bobby Tisdale, Leo Allen, and Christian Finnegan...
...and concerned citizens eyeing nerdcore rapper MC Chris at Disneyland
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun.
Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced yet (probably because of Memorial Day); but as indicated by the comics above from the May 5th show, the guests are typically superb.
If updated info comes in, I'll list it here ASAP. But otherwise, come and take a chance on this show produced by Jeremy Levenbach that's consistently superb...and always free.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/27/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
stand-up comics taller than their hosts at Helen Hong's and Maria Shehata's Little Ethnic Girls and Friends (7:30 pm),
brilliant comedic character actors & weekly show hosts Larry Murphy (Adult Swim) and Brett Gelman
(Conan O'Brien, Colbert Report), plus stand-up comics Adam Lowitt (The Daily Show, host of It Is It!)
and Jay Bois, performing deliciously long sets at Ken Zimlinghaus' Fat Tuesday (8:00 pm),
comics artist Joe Infurnari (Caveman Robot, The Process) and stand-up Selena Coppock (Boston Comedy
Festival) joining in on a lively & fun discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
improv troupe Stray following the twists & turns of an audience-selected object, and the acclaimed
Adrianne Frost creating a unique show based on improvised character monologues, at Thread and Be (8:00 pm),
superb stand-ups Jeff Ross (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien,Comedy Central roastmaster),
Baron Vaughn (MTV, VH1, NBC, Shoot the Messenger), Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing,
Comedy Central, VH1), Jay Larson (Comedy Central, CBS' Craig Ferguson), and more
at one of the finest & funniest shows in NYC, the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
fine stand-ups comics Dan Bialek, Sean Patton, Pat Stango, and Blaine Perry at
the last installment for a while of Carol Hartsell's & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (9:00 pm),
ace stand-ups John Mulaney (Conan O'Brien, VH1), Joe Mande (Totally J/K), Baron Vaughn
(MTV, VH1,Shoot the Messenger), and Lizz Winstead (The Daily Show, Shoot the Messenger), plus
comedic filmmaker Oren Brimer—and a post-show party with $1 PBRs—at Her Majesty's Stand-Up (9:30 pm),
and one of the top comedians in the country doing a show with his pals: Demetri Martin and Friends (10:00 pm).
Maria Shehata and Helen Hong
Little Ethnic Girls and Friends
This biweekly comedy show is hosted by two petite women,
one Korean-American and the other Arab-American, who like to make you laugh:
Helen Hong (TLC's What Not to Wear; E!'s Exposed: 25 Most Notorious Fashion Week Moments; Helen says " I love it when people ask me 'Where are you from?' and I say 'New York' and they say 'No, where are you really from???' I know they want me to name some Asian country like Japan or Korea. Instead I just stab them in the eye with a chopstick and scream 'I'm from the Land of Deadly Chopsticks, you evil Round Eye!' And then I shuffle away like a dainty geisha...;"
for Helen's hilarious stand-up video about false assumptions
and verbal misunderstandings, please click here), and
Maria Shehata (Comedy Central's The Watch List, TLC, Women's Entertainment Network, numerous appearances on Sirius Satellite Radio; for a stand-up video about Maria's parents' arranged marriage, please click here).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but will probably be taller than their hosts
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)
Adam Lowitt, Brett Gelman, and Larry Murphy
This weekly show allows a few talented comics to perform long comedy sets, just as if they —and you—were in a swanky comedy club. It's hosted by Ken Zimlinghaus, who can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo; and the best bits from this evening will probably end up getting broadcast on Sirius as well.
Tonight's wonderful guests—nearly all hosts of popular NYC comedy shows—are
Larry Murphy (genius comedic chameleon & 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 the 2008 ECNY Award-winning The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show;
for an animated VO reel, please click here),
Brett Gelman (another brilliant comedic chameleon, currently ubiquitous as Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report; ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; host of NYC weekly live comedy show Gelmania; for recent interview, please click here; for samples of mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here, and also check out their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
Adam Lowitt (staffer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here), and
Jay Bois (Drink at Work).
8:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Images from Caveman Robot and The Process by comics artist Joe Infurnari
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's industry guest is comics artist Joe Infurnari
(Caveman Robot, digital comic The Process); and
tonight's funny guest is stand-up comic Selena Coppock
(Boston Comedy Festival, one-woman show Seriously?).
To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
(And for my current fave, a delightful show with Kevin "Batman" Conroy, please click here).
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
RAGNARÖCK, DeCoster, Bastian, The Scam, and Whorenado—
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
Two unique improv shows for just five bucks.
First, improv troupe Stray performs a show titled Thread: "After getting a physical, tangible object from the audience, Stray follows this object as though a camera were trained on it, catching the action that happens around it. Whether the object stays in one place or moves through a variety of different people and places, you're along for the ride." The group consists of Jill Farris, Wendy Herlich, Kristy Kershaw, and Stefan Schick.
The double-bill then continues with a one-woman improvised show by veteran comic Adrianne Frost, who'll use suggestions from the audience to craft complex and unique character monologues on the spot. Frost has previously performed similar show to great acclaim at the Toronto Improv Festival. Her many credits include The Daily Show, VH1s Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the book I Hate Other Peoples Kids.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Baron Vaughn, Joe Schiappa, and Craig Baldo...
...and Seth Herzog and Jay Larson
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's superb comics are
Jeff Ross (Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central roastmaster),
Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and
Best Week Ever, BET's Shades of Black special, NBC's Law & Order; co-star of weekly NYC live comedy show Shoot the Messenger; for a radio interview, please click here),
Craig Baldo (performed over 30 sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, The Onion),
Jay Larson (Variety's "Comics to Watch;" Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, CBS' Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; upcoming Web series The Steamer;
for stand-up video about uncomfortable anniversaries, please kick here), and
Joe Schiappa (sketch/improv actor; half of comedy duo Project: Projekt; director of numerous comedic productions, including the off-Broadway play Matt and Ben).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Carol Hartsell and Sean Crespo
Weekly show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo.
Tonight's guests are stand-up comics Dan Bialek, Sean Patton, Pat Stango, and Blaine Perry.
Please note this will be the last Drink at Work for a while; Carol & Sean are pursuing other activities this summer and so taking a break from the show during June, July, and August.
9:00 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)
Baron Vaughn, Lizz Winstead, and John Mulaney
Biweekly show hosted by Jon Bander, Dan Gregor, and Lucas Held.
Tonight's superb stand-up guests are
John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Joe Mande (2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic;
writer/co-star of new autobiographical comedic play Workdays with Maury at UCBT;
co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K),
Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and
Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger;
for a radio interview, please click here),
Lizz Winstead (co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; HBO's Women of the Night; host & star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger), and
Oren Brimer (writer/director/producer of short funny films for SuperDeluxe.com
and YouTube.com; for numerous samples, please click here).
Stick around afterwards for a post-show party with $1 PBRs.
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Demetri Martin
This weekly show, which is slated to run for only another month or so, is hosted by star Demetri Martin, an immensely popular stand-up comic with his own segment, Trendspotting,
on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart [13
appearances]. Demetri has also been on Late Night with Conan O'Brien [4 appearances]; performed a Comedy Central Presents 30-minute
special, and a Comedy Central 2007 one-hour special titled Demetri
Martin. Person. [both specials now available
on DVD
Rumor is this show is helping Demetri test out material for his TV series...which is why its run is limited. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to catch one of the sharpest talents in the biz perform live on stage along with some of his stellar fellow comics.
10:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 5/28/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
one-man shows from Nate Lang and stellar improv/sketch performer Adam Pally (7:00),
smartly silly sketch comedy from the three guys of Sidecar, plus the understated Nick Zimmerman
performing a mini-play, in This One's for the Losers and Out of Africa My Mind (8:00 pm),
a blow-out spectacular featuring genius stand-up John Oliver (The Daily Show), genius beatbox improvisor
Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award), sly & sexy Jenny Slate (Gabe & Jenny), Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock),
John Gemberling (Adult Swim), Neil Casey (Death by Roo Roo), and Violet Krumbein (Comedy Central)
at comedic chameleon Brett Gelman's (Conan O'Brien, Colbert Report) Gelmania (9:00 pm),
delicious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
a few of the coolest gals and guys they know for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (9:00 pm),
some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—including Chris
Gethard, Anthony Atamanuik, Curtis Gwinn, and Joe Mande—telling fascinating personal tales about intimacy issues at one of the 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).
TV Alert: South Park is one of the funniest shows in TV history, and this season
has been especially superb—which, considering the series is in its 11th year,
is little short of astonishing. On tonight's repeat, Cartman finds his calling as a teacher
of the underprileged; and a lab-grown penis runs rampant through town. The penis pausing a moment
to sing on a moonlit back alley fence is one of the most hilarious scenes you'll see anywhere this year.
Set your TiVo to 10:00 pm or midnight at Comedy Central...and enjoy the magic.
Two one-man shows for five bucks.
Adam Pally is a wonderful sketch/improv member of star troupe Hot Sauce, as well as a
storyteller on ace comedy show The Nights of Our Lives and a Cage Match champion. Tonight he performs a solo show that's likely to be something special.
The double-bill then continues with Nate Lang, who's a member of improv troupe Beatrice; but chances are tonight he'll be performing a sketch show.
7:00 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.
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)
Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar; and Nick Zimmerman
Sidecar: This One's for the Losers and Out of Africa My Mind
Two comedy shows about folks who haven't quite reached their potential.
First up is absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar, which consists
of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
The official description: "A lot of sketch shows are for guys like David Beckham and George Clooney, but not this one. This one's for the rest of us, this one's for you, This One's For The Losers." For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
The double-bill then continues with Out of Africa My Mind, a one-man show written and performed by Nick Zimmerman. The material didn't quite resonate with me,
but Zimmerman's gentle and unsettling style makes him a performer worth keeping an eye on.
(And Time Out NY's Jane Borden found it "a candid and hilariously awkward monologue...")
Directed by the wonderful John Flynn (John Flynn Has Terrible Sex, The Nights of Our Lives).
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
Jenny Slate, John Oliver, Reggie Watts, and Violet Krumbein...
...and Brett Gelman, Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, and John Gemberling
This magical weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon
who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads.
Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,
and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. For a recent interview with Brett, please click here.
For samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here;
please also explore their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out
for their just-completed Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central.
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
John Oliver (delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;
recently aired a superb hour-long Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times; is co-writer/star
of The Department for BBC Radio 4, and host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award;
scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you;
to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; and for video samples of what Reggie does,
Anthony Atamanuik (actor on NBC's 30 Rock; hilarious reporter who recently covered the New Hampshire primaries for The Huffington Post; ace storyteller on NYC monthly comedy show
The Nights of Our Lives; member of great NYC Friday night improv show Death by Roo Roo),
Neil Casey (sharp, hilarious, multi-talented comic; member of wonderful improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and Krompf; periodic panelist for Shut Up! I Hate You!; superb substitute co-host for Cage Match),
John Gemberling (co-creator and co-star of TV series Fat Guy Stuck in Internet,
MTV's Human Giant; member of genius improv troupe Death by Roo Roo),
Jenny Slate (co-host of monthly Brooklyn live comedy show At Night with Gabe & Jenny; for hilarious video, please click here), and
Violet Krumbein (Comedy Central, Adult Swim; UCBT Harold Night improv troupes Tantrum and Whorenado).
9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); $5
Your hosts Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen at...
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 stand-up comedy guests haven't been announced, but these gals have lots of friends and admirers so expect some fine comics to participate in their party.
9:00 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)
The Nights of Our Lives: Intimacy Issues
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 the highly enticing "Intimacy Issues."
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, Anthony Atamanuik,,
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 scheduled yarn-spinners include the aforementioned Chris Gethard, Anthony Atamanuik, and Dave Martin, plus razor-sharp comics Curtis Gwinn (Adult Swim's Fat Guy Stuck in the Internet, ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo) and Joe Mande (2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; writer/co-star of new autobiographical comedic play Workdays with Maury at UCBT; co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K).
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 5/29/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
brilliant & sexy singer/songwriter Adira Amram (Jane), master comic Kurt Braunohler
(SuperDeluxe.com, Hot Tub Variety), Rob Neill (Neo-Futurists), and Dangaru guitarist Phil Yanos
at a show mixing comedy and music: Tim Ellis' & Matthew Park's Of the Moment (7:00 pm),
world-class storyteller Kambri Crews, and a small mob of talented comics—including Joselyn Hughes, Brooke Van Poppelen, Liz Miele, and Charles Star—telling funny and sometimes poignant tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage,
tackling eight wildly different characters, plus an unsettling sketch troupe in the double-bill
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles (8:00 pm),
acclaimed comedy duo Joe Schiappa & Nathan Phillips performing improv in Project:Projekt (8:00 pm),
ace stand-up comics John Mulaney (Conan O'Brien, VH1), Adam Lowitt (The Daily Show, host of It Is It!),
and more at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
delightful stand-up Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio), Tom Ragu, Laura Mannino,
and more at a weekly gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
witty comics having fun with the news: brilliant improvisors Jason Mantzoukas, Becky Drysdale,
and Brett Gelman, plus Tristan Taormino (Village Voice sex columnist, and author of such books as The
Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women) at Anthony King's & Scott Brown's Shut Up! I Hate You! (9:30 pm),
and energetic & inventive improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and Daystallion
competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Kurt Braunohler, Adira Amram, and hosts Tim Ellis & Matthew Park
Tim Ellis & Matthew Park host this show mixing comedy and music
(for the duo's unique version of "The Sound of Silence," please click here).
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy songwriter/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;
co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal,
performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable;
co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which
Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director;
co-host of NYC/LA comedy show Hot Tub Variety Hour),
Rob Neill (member of The Neo-Futurists), and
Phil Yanos (guitarist for the band Dangaru).
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Liz Miele, and happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and Joselyn Hughes, Brooke Van Poppelen, 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 superb 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),
Joselyn Hughes (Second City; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here),
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for a video sample, please click here),
Liz Miele (Comedy Central; took third place at the March Comedy Madness competition;
for 12-minute set at Carolines, please click here),
Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog, Laughing Liberally,
Adult Education at Union Hall),
Ellen Karis (Greek Greek Gods of Comedy, Greek Chicks Rule),
Kevin Tor (for popular YouTube videos "Hey There, Delilah" and ad for Dentyne, please click here and here), and
Morgan Venticinque (for stand-up video, please click here).
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Lennon Parham, and sketch troupe Pangea 3000
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles
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.
(And if you don't want to take just my word for it, Jane Borden has written in Time Out New York that Lennon's antics "will leave you wondering why she isn't famous yet;" and writes in this week's edition, "Attention Lorne Michaels, please give Lennon Parham a job." )
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 double-bill then continues with comedy group Pangea 3000 performing a series of sketches that promise to at least partially (and oddly) involve the Beatles. The troupe consists of Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein, Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss. To view two of their surreal tales of games guys play, involving whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Respected improv comedy duo Project:Projekt consists of Joe Schiappa (comedic actor, and director of numerous fun productions including the off-Broadway comedy Matt and Ben) and Nathan Phillips (CBS, CNN, BBC; one-man show Bill the Billboard).
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and
Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.
(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and
for other videos, please click here and here.)
Tonight's superb guests are
John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; to watch John's two Conan performances, please click here and here),
Adam Lowitt (staffer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here),
Ross Hyzer (host of NYC live extravaganza County Fair Comedy Show;
for stand-up videos, please click here and here), and
Jena Friedman (creator of Chicago's The Refugee Girls).
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay and straight comics), hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin.
Tonight's guests are
the wonderful Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio; writer for The Huffington Post; host & co-producer of NYC live comedy show Chicks & Giggles),
Tom Ragu (Tom Ragu's Comedy Revue),
Laura Mannino (WE's CinemaTherapy),
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics).
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Brett Gelman; Tristan Taormino with one of her popular books...
...and Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Scott Brown, and Jason Mantzoukas
A funny look at the news, with lots of amusing video clips,
hosted by Anthony King (brilliant UCBT Artistic Director; Reuben Williams,
Let's Have a Ball, Gravid Water, Happy Hour)
and Scott Brown (writer for Entertainment Weekly, and
co-writer with Anthony of Gutenberg: The Musical).
Tonight's razor-sharp panelists are
Jason Mantzoukas (one of the finest improvisors in the country; Mother: The Soundtrack, First Date, The Mantzoukas Brothers; recent Amy Poehler &Tina Fey film Baby Moma),
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon, currently ubiquitous as Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report; ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Gelmania; for recent interview, please click here; for samples of mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here...and also explore their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked, and keep an eye out for their just-completed Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central),
Becky Drysdale (stellar charismatic performer; acclaimed one-woman show
One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), and
Tristan Taormino (Village Voice sex columnist; author of four books, including The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, which Salon.com declared "The bible of female anal sex;" self-described pornographer; niece of iconic novelist Thomas Pynchon).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs. 
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Daystallion
This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the
atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows
as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.
(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)
The current reining champ at Cage Match is arguably the gutsiest improv group in NYC: Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn. This 800-pound gorilla doesn't merely defeat opponents, it pounds them into near-oblivion. So far this season, DBRR has trounced three troupes, winning audience votes of 82-24, 101-19, and 117-18...which means even some friends of the challengers ended up voting for Roo Roo...
Tonight's contender is Daystallion, consisting of Lauren Adams, Emily Axford, Paul Briganti, Andrea Jones-Rooy, Chris Mann, and Rory Panagotopulos. This group favors the shows Mr. Ed and My Little Pony Season 1: Magic of Chincoteague. And as the photo above indicates, it'll be coming armed to the teeth...literally.
There's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/30/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Logo TV's Kate McKinnon performing a one-woman show about pill-popping fairy princesses,
and Katie Schorr becoming four teens with issues, in Disenchanted and Take Me. Seriously. (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),
an attempt to say something fresh about theatre while making you laugh at The Event (9:30 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
brilliant comics John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Brett Gelman, and more
celebrating the upcoming premiere of their new Adult Swim TV series Fat Guy Stuck in Internet (11:00 pm),
the very odd but intriguing sketch troupe Murderfist (11:00 pm),
and a small mob of talented comics pretending to be in a High School Talent Show (12:20ish am).
Katie Schorr celebrating her recent 25th birthday; and Kate McKinnon finding other ways to celebrate
Katie Schorr: Take Me. Seriously. and Kate McKinnon: Disenchanted
Two fine one-woman sketch shows for a mere eight bucks.
Disenchanted comes from comedic actress Kate McKinnon, who's a
cast member on the Logo TV series The Big Gay Sketch Show.
The official description: "Watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood
pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma."
The fun then continues with comedic actress & improvisor Katie Schorr,
who "gets inside the heads and hearts of four 17-year old girls
who all want one thing: They want to be taken. Seriously."
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show
This is one of the best comedy shows in New York.
Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)
and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the
key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include
Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;
for an animated VO reel, please click here).
The lineup is typically announced on the day of the show
—and is almost always stellar.
To check for news on tonight's show, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Matt Oberg
A comedic dissection of theatre. The official description:
"What starts as a straightforward, hilarious deconstruction of the one-man show transforms into an honest attempt at communion with those gathered. Dealing directly and humorously with the technician, the stage manager, the critics, and the audience, the actor moves into dangerous and slippery territory. Armed only with his memorized words, can an actor say something else? Matt Oberg (Goner, Fatboy, Americana Absurdum) stars. Written and directed by John Clancy. "
This could be terrific...or pompous claptrap. But either way, it's a potentially interesting evening for the adventurous.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th 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
Series creators, writers, and co-stars Curtis Gwinn and John Gemberling...
...and Anthony Atamanuik, Brett Gelman, and Neil Casey
Fat Guy in the Internet Shameless Promotional Screening Extravaganza
Adult Swim will soon be broadcasting its new series Fat Guy Stuck in Internet; and the creators, writers, and many of the performers of the show are members of UCBT's world-class improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. Come join brilliant comics John Gemberling and Curtis Gwinn. (the creators/writers), and show performers Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Brett Gelman, and more in celebrating the upcoming premiere with screenings, interviews, and much fun.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Murderfist: Rabbit Hole Junction
Sketch group Murderfist creates sketches that are very odd and unsettling.
For example, to watch a somewhat grueling tale of an unlikely gay couple done in
the style of a silent film, please click here. And here's the description of tonight's show:
"The most outlandish sketches you will see in NYC. Moments after setting off on their quest for one thousand testicles, Murderfist slipped between the cracks of reality. Somewhere between Seventh Avenue and the gates Hell, late night comedy festered and boiled. Witness as the stars align on the last Friday of every month and brand new sketch material spews from the inter-dimension truck stop that is Rabbit Hole Junction."
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
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.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/31/08
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 wonderful sketch show revolving around physical comedy and music from ace troupe Drop Six (8:00 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
SNL writer Bryan Tucker, terrific storyteller Adam Wade, and fun sketch troupe The Uncles
participating in this evening's Random Hookups with Slightly Known People (10:30 pm),
and organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 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
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).
Tonight features new sketches, plus comedy from guests David Spiecher (stand-up comic, writer for 236.com) and Booth & Pat (deemed "The Smothers Brothers on crystal meth" by BroadwayWorld.com; for video sample, please click here).
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
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
SKP's Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone; Adam Wade; and The Uncles
Random Hookups with Slightly Known People
Slightly Known People—Erik Bowie, Mel DeLancey, Stu Luth,
Dan Maccarone, and Josh Mertz—performs funny songs and sketch comedy.
In this weekly show SKP invites other talented comics
to come play along with it for an evening.
Tonight's terrific guests are
Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live 2005-2008; also wrote for Mad TV, The Chris Rock Show, Chappelle's Show)
Adam Wade (Moth 2006 GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 8-time StorySlam Champion; fiction story in The New York Times Magazine; columnist for ReallySmallTalk.com; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), and
The Uncles (fun sketch troupe consisting of Matt DiLoreto, Dave DiLoreto, and Joshua Sidis),
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
10:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
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
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/1/08
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),
comedic chameleon Brett Gelman (Conan O'Brien, Colbert Report, Gelmania), and stand-ups
Jesse Pop (Comedy Central), Jay Larson (CBS, Comedy Central), and more at Whitest Kids U' Know
Timmy Williams' and Sam Brown's free show Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
and Peter Grosz (Colbert Report), Mike Drucker (Comedy Central), Brooke Van Poppelen (Slumber Party),
Matt Ruby (Flying Carpet), and other sharp stand-ups at Writers Room Comedy (8:00ish 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)
Brett Gelman, Timmy Williams & Sam Brown, and Jay Larson
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 fine guests are
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report; member of ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; for recent interview, please click here; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here; also explore their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out for their just-completed Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central),
Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, co-producer of the
weekly NYC live Beauty Bar Comedy Show for 6 years running),
Jay Larson (Variety's "Comics to Watch;" Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, CBS' Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; upcoming Web series The Steamer;
for stand-up video about uncomfortable anniversaries, please kick here),
John Knefel (for stand-up video about tracking falafel sales to catch terrorists, please click here),
and Ali Waller (writer for Comedy Central's The Showbiz Show with David Spade).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Peter Grosz, Mike Drucker, and Brooke Van Poppelen
Stand-ups, sketch writers, and funny authors
read excerpts from their most hilarious material.
Hosted by Mo Diggs (contributing writer to TheApiary.com and Dead-Frog.com).
Tonight's fine comics are
Peter Grosz (staff writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, member of Chicago's Second City acclaimed improv troupe 4 Square),
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for a video sample, please click here),
Mike Drucker (winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition
and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; 23/6.com contributor; 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),
Matt Ruby (host of monthly NY live comedy shows Flying Carpet and We're All Friends Here),
Ed Murray ("I won the 2006 $10K Laugh-Off at Sal's Comedy Hole. I blew the money in a month.
What? It was a great month..."; Black20.com; for stand-up video, please click here), and
Jon Clarke (YankeePotRoast.com contributor; for stand-up video about the Cookie Monster,
please click here).
8:00ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
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
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2008 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
