NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/4/09
The Prodigal Sons from LA: comedy geniuses Aziz Ansari, Nick Kroll, and Sean Conroy at tonight's blowout edition of Whiplash
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows
the perfect show for short attention spans, open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—tonight including Emily Epstein, Amy Beckerman, Chelsea White, Karen Batista, Hilary Schwartz, RG Daniels, Josh Comers, Charlie Kasov, Dan Mahoney, Dan Upham, Dan Cartwright, Sean Donnelly, Blaine Perry, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents) performing what's likely to be a mesmerizing comedic one-man show: Supernormal (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] comedy star Greg Giraldo (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, Root of All Evil), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, Rejected!), stand-ups visiting from Britain and Ireland, and more at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
fresh sketch comedy from UCBT house groups Gorilla Gorilla and Stone Cold Fox at Maude Night (8:00 pm),
[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] and a gala blowout consisting of genius NYC comics who moved to LA but are back for a visit—Nick Kroll (one of the funniest humans alive; new feature film I Love You Man; co-star of HBO's The Life & Times of Tim, FOX's Sit Down, Shut Up, CBS' Worst Week, ABC's Cavemen), Aziz Ansari (one of the finest stand-ups ever; NBC's Parks and Recreation, MTV's Human Giant), and Sean Conroy (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, brilliant member of legendary improv troupe The Swarm)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (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 25 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.
There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm, with entirely different groups of stand-ups.
Tonight's 6:30 lineup include Amy Beckerman, Chelsea White, Hilary Schwartz, Mona Cooper, Rose Hienz, RG Daniels, Charlie Kasov, Dan Mahoney, Dan Upham, Dan Cartwright, Sean Donnelly, and Blaine Perry.
And the 9:00 pm lineup includes Emily Epstein, Karen Batista, Cassandra Zaree, Jill Twiss, Josh Comers, Mike Pomranz, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry.
Ochi's Motel is hosted at 6:30 by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry:
...and at 9:00 pm by Aalap Patel and Matteson Perry:
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Tom Shillue
Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue had done a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; does storytelling podcasts; hosts acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork; and has a comedy CD, Overconfident!. For stand-up samples, please click here and here.
Tonight Tom performs a theatrical one-man show. It's likely to be mesmerizing; and, sight unseen, is recommended. To order tickets online, please click here.
7:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $15
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.
Jon Friedman, Greg Giraldo, and Liam McEneaney
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's host is Mike Birch (partner with Rick Homan of comedic singer/songwriter duo Fish & Chips).
And tonight's superb guests are
Greg Giraldo (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; host of The Stand-Up Show with Greg Giraldo; was regular on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Comedy Central Roasts of such celebrities as William Shatner, Pamela Anderson, Howard Stern, Jeff Foxworthy, and Flavor Flav; Comedy Central's Root of All Evil; frequent guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late Show with David Letterman; regularly contributes to a "rant" segment to NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly; comedy album Good Day to Cross a River),
Jon Friedman (staff blogger for Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel; host of the superb NYC live comedy extravaganza The Rejection Show; author of the book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled),
Aidan Bishop (comic visiting from Ireland),
Mark Olver (comic visiting from Britain),
plus house band A Brief View of the Hudson.
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); tickets are $5
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z
UCBT's house sketch comedy groups try out their latest material at this monthly extravaganza. Tonight features two troupes, Gorilla Gorilla and Stone Cold Fox. (For cast bios, please click here and then click the photo of whoever interests you.)
Not every routine will hit the mark; but these are talented young comics and, if you're patient, worth catching for the bits that score, and for their charismatic comedy performances.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show
Aziz Ansari and Nick Kroll...
....and Leo Allen and Sean Conroy
Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free
Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, Whiplash is produced by Jeremy).
Tonight's blowout couldn't be better guests are
Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics alive;
co-star of new feature film I Love You, Man and upcoming film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy; star of HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim and co-star of FOX animated series Sit Down, Shut Up; co-starred, and was clear highlight, of ABC's ill-fated Cavemen sitcom; co-star of CBS' Worst Week; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a bunch of memorable videos, please click here),
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet—Aziz's razor-sharp mind and fluid, down-to-earth style, honed by extensive improv and sketch training, are unmatched by almost any other comic working today; Aziz co-starred with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer in MTV hit sketch comedy series Human Giant; has performed on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; and currently co-stars in the prime-time NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation), and
Sean Conroy (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, legendary improv group The Swarm; for stand-up video about moving from NYC to LA, please click here).
There are no seats left for this show; but if you're okay with standing, come and enjoy what promises to be a memorable event, harkening back to just a few years ago when Aziz hosted this time-slot as Crash Test and Nick was a frequent guest...before they both became prime-time network TV stars.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/5/09
Hannibal Buress (Punch Up Your Life), Nick Kroll (Punch Up Your Life and Sweet), and David Wain (Sweet)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] witty writers offering delightfully silly lectures about "ambivalent parenting" in the Brooklyn comedic show Adult Education (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] writer Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Witchblade) and comedian Mike Lawrence joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Ragnaröck, Badman, Penthouse Riot, Bastian, and DeCoster—plus a small mob of sharp female improvisors at 11:00 pm for a show titled Suck My Dick, all at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Nick Kroll (one of the funniest humans alive; new feature film I Love You Man; co-star of HBO's The Life & Times of Tim, FOX's Sit Down, Shut Up, CBS' Worst Week, ABC's Cavemen), Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), Matt Goldich (Comedy Central, VH1), and more performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Nick Kroll (one of the funniest humans alive; new feature film I Love You Man; co-star of HBO's The Life & Times of Tim, FOX's Sit Down, Shut Up, CBS' Worst Week, ABC's Cavemen), David Wain (member of legendary MTV sketch show The State and comedy group Stella), Dave Hill (brilliant alt comic; HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), and more at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 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, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 25 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.
Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to motelme@gmail.com.
6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum
Adult Education: Ambivalent Parenting 101
This monthly comedy show hosted by Charles Star tackles a subject with humorous "lectures." Tonight's topic is Ambivalent Parenting 101.
The lectures are
TV, Education, & Kids: Three Of These Things Belong Together?: Forty years ago, researchers created Sesame Street to tap the vast educational power of television for the benefit of "ghetto kids." How's that working out? A brief, illustrated history from Greg Allen.
Widespread Abuse of the "Put the Oxygen Mask on Yourself First" Metaphor Among Contemporary American Parents: Gary Drevitch discusses how a small but critical piece of the standard airplane-safety lecture has been expanded upon and embraced as the foundation of a popular parenting philosophy. But will Mommy really be a better Mommy after she has her daily glass of merlot?
Upper-Class Upbringing as Seen Through the Lens of a Middle-Class Jew: This presentation by Ilana Glazer will explore the upper-class attempted anti-snob movement in Manhattan compared to the culture vacuum that is growing up in the suburbs of Long Island. We will also discover the inadequacies of trusting a college student with your children.
The Guilt-Free Guide to Parenting: Raising a child can be a stress on one's social life, physical fitness and emotional well-being. But, argue Andrew Hanelly and Mike McCarthy, parenting done right can be a blissful experience and allow you to focus on the truly important aspects of life, such as yourself.
Mothers of Invention—A Brief Guide to Child-Rearing Devices: A survey of American patent literature from Daniel Wright reveals parents' desire... not to be parents.
This promises to be smart, witty, and lots of fun.
Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue
in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $5
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.
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are writer Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Witchblade) and comedian Mike Lawrence (for stand-up video about chicken choices and aging heroes, please click here).
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 two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.) Please also check out the YouTube version of the show by clicking here.
Also be sure to watch a tale about Wolverine's powers from sketch duo Greg & Lou by clicking here; and a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking 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, Badman, Penthouse Riot, Bastian, and DeCoster—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
And at 11:00 pm, a small mob of sharp female improvisors will perform
at a show titled Suck My Dick.
For details on the latter, please click here.
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.
Tonight's show is sold out of seats; but if you're okay with standing,
come
and laugh with a boisterous packed house.
8:00-midnight pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Nick Kroll and Hannibal Buress...
...and brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein
This free weekly stand-up show is a spectacular addition to NYC Tuesday night comedy. Its hosts are two of the finest comics in the country:
Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star—and now also proving to be, along with Pete, among the finest comedy hosts in NYC; Rolling Stones' comedy "Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade; voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil; for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here) and
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life,
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics alive;
co-star of new feature film I Love You, Man and upcoming film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy; star of HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim and co-star of FOX animated series Sit Down, Shut Up; co-starred, and was clear highlight, of ABC's ill-fated Cavemen sitcom; co-star of CBS' Worst Week; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a bunch of memorable videos, please click here),
Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy), and
Matt Goldich (writer for VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NY1's The Call, contributor to book Bar Mitzvah Disco; for a stand-up sample, please click here),
Please note: This show virtually always delivers a great time. But if you don't want to stand through it, arrive early; because it attracts a large crowd, the available chairs fill quickly...
8:30 pm at Housing Works’ Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street (bet. Prince & Houston); free
Nearest subway stops are Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the B/D/F/V
David Wain and Nick Kroll...
...and Seth Herzog and Dave Hill
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 wonderful guests include
Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics alive;
co-star of new feature film I Love You, Man and upcoming film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy; star of HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim and co-star of FOX animated series Sit Down, Shut Up; co-starred, and was clear highlight, of ABC's ill-fated Cavemen sitcom; co-star of CBS' Worst Week; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a bunch of memorable videos, please click here),
David Wain (member of seminal MTV sketch show The State and legendary comedy group Stella; writer/director whose work includes the feature films Little Big Men, The Ten,
and Wet Hot American Summer),
Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here),
and more.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 5/6/09
Jenny Slate and Nick Kroll (Big Terrific)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),
[TOP PICK] an hour-long play made up on the spot by razor-sharp, passionate improvisors Scott Adsit (30 Rock, Moral Orel) and Christina Gausas (Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report) at Adsit & Gausas (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] some of the funniest humans alive—Nick Kroll (new feature film I Love You Man; co-star of HBO's The Life & Times of Tim, FOX's Sit Down, Shut Up, CBS' Worst Week, ABC's Cavemen), Pete Holmes (genius stand-up; Comedy Central, VH1, Punch Up Your Life, The New Yorker), and Joe Mande (winner of 2008 ECNY Award for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of Totally J/K)—at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),
[FREE] Baron Vaughn (Comedy Central, MTV, Cloverfield, Shoot the Messenger), Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1, host of Tell Your Friends), Matt Ruby, Jay Nog, Dan Mahony, and Aalap Patel at a free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),
[FREE] Star Trek improv troupe Start Trekkin’, and NYC stand-ups EJ Murphy, Seth Madej, Daniel Michael, Emmy Rivera, and Malaika Gordon at a free show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] an entirely improvised musical from a genius comedy duo, and an improvised soap opera,
in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay
The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
For five hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Party Lights and Ali Farahnakian kick things off at 6:00 pm; The Wilhelm and Tomahawk perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Mrs. Esterhouse go on at 8:00 pm; The Baldwins and Punch show their stuff at 9:00; and Halfbear and The Faculty (consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, Chris Grace, and Rebekka Johnson) round out the evening at 10:00.
If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.
6:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Christina Gausas and Scott Adsit
Adsit & Gausas: Improvised One-Hour Play
A dynamo improv duo creates a one-act play on the spot "that can be hilarious and physical and heart-breaking and still—come and see for yourself."
The superb performers are
Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) and
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).
Where else are you going to see a razor-sharp play for just five bucks?
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Nick Kroll and Pete Holmes
Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for Jenny's dating tips, please click here and here) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show.
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics alive;
co-star of new feature film I Love You, Man and upcoming film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy; star of HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim and co-star of FOX animated series Sit Down, Shut Up; co-starred, and was clear highlight, of ABC's ill-fated Cavemen sitcom; co-star of CBS' Worst Week; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a bunch of memorable videos, please click here),
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here), and
Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here).
8:00ish pm at Cameo, 93 North 6th Street (behind Lovin' Cup) in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk two blocks; between Berry & Wythe
Baron Vaughn and Liam McEneaney
This fun new weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment (who's pursuing fame and fortune in LA this week), and character-based comic Matt Maragno.
Tonight's terrific guests are
Baron Vaughn (rising star comic (whose most recent triumph was directing Carolyn Castiglia's hit one-woman show Brown Ambition at Ars Nova); Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger; feature film Cloverfield, upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a radio interview, please click here; for stand-up videos about the KKK and cell phones, please click here and here),
Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo, host of weekly NYC live comedy show Tell Your Friends).
Matt Ruby, Jay Nog, Dan Mahony, and Aalap Patel.
8:00 pm at Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street); free
This free weekly show tonight features Star Trek improv troupe Start Trekkin’, and NYC stand-ups EJ Murphy, Seth Madej, Daniel Michael, Emmy Rivera, and Malaika Gordon.
Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.
8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
Glennis & Eliza: I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns
Two unique improvisation shows for a mere five bucks.
Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses
at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating
an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,
immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist
Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;
what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.
You don't have to take my word for it, either:
the duo won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group; and they
recently starred in the Fringe festival hit Gem! A Truly Outrageous Parody,
which won two FringeNYC 2008 Awards.
Eliza will soon be moving to LA. Don't miss one of your final chances
to enjoy these comedic wizards at play on an NYC stage.
The double-bill then continues with Hot Lather, an improv group that specializes
in the soap opera format. Its members include some powerhouse performers:
Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher, Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova, Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen, and Paul Welsh,
with direction by Rob Webber.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, sketch, 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 uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.
Please note that while it costs nothing to get in, if you have a good time (which is likely), you should drop a dollar or two into the contribution bucket on your way out. It's the only way this beloved show—which has been running for over five years—can stay alive as a vibrant showcase.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/7/09
Jenny Slate (Dead Millionaire), Dave Hill (Entertainng the Bartender), and Anthony Atamanuik (Cage Match)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] the debut of a one-woman show from Jenny Slate (one of the most unique and intriguing comics in NYC, who co-hosts acclaimed weekly comedy show Big Terrific), plus an SF-themed show from sketch comedy duo BriTANicK, in Dead Millionaire and The Infinity Prison (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] Dave Hill (brilliant alt comic; HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Roger Hailes (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chappelle's Show, VH1), Taylor Williamson (Craig Ferguson, VH1, Lifetime), Katina Corrao (VH1's Best Week Ever, HBO, Comedy Central), and more at a free weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),
[$] star comics Ted Alexandro, Anthony Jeselnik, Greg Giraldo, Jessica Kirson, Paul Mercutio, and more performing—though not all on the same lineups—at Comedy Cellar (9:00 pm & 11:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] red-hot comics Kumail Nanjiani (Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report) and Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, The Matt and Katina Show, Verizon FIOS Guy) joining the fresh, sexy, and razor-sharp gals of Variety SHAC (9:30 pm),
[$] a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, tonight headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and The Bishop, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Jenny Slate
Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire and BriTANicK: The Infinity Prison
Jenny Slate is a sly, sexy, hilarious comic who's the co-host of acclaimed Brooklyn weekly live comedy show Big Terrific and the co-star of Joe Mande's superb comedic play Workdays with Maury. For some of Jenny's video dating tips, please click here and here.
Tonight Jenny debuts a one-woman show which "takes place during my funeral, if I died right now as an eccentric millionaire and left 300 million dollars to my dog. Who will be at my funeral? Who will inherit my dog and his money? Don't you love a good funeral party?" Directed by the witty and razor-sharp John Flynn (The Nights of Our Lives).
Also on this double-bill is SF-themed sketch comedy show BriTANicK: The Infinity Prison.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
James Eason and Tara Copeland
A group of stellar improvisors, some of whom are former members of legendary improv troupe Mother, perform long-form improv based on an audience suggestion. This new group's members are Tara Copeland, James Eason, Jessica Allen, Paul W. Downs, Jesse Falcon, and Rachel Hamilton.
Please note: Paying $5 actually entitles you to see shows at The Magnet for the entire evening, which includes several improv shows following this one. For details, please click here and then scroll down to Thursday's listings.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Katina Corrao, Dave Hill, and Taylor Williamson
Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman
Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success...
Tonight's superb guests are
Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, IFC, Smoking Gun TV; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion; for sample videos, please click here),
Roger Hailes (exceptionally sharp, personable stand-up; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chappelle's Show, VH1's All Access; writer for VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV, Bravo, E!; for sample videos, please click here and here),
Taylor Williamson (quirky, fun, extremely likeable stand-up with zen-like appeal; CBS' Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; VH1, Lifetime; for stand-up video about a pregnant mannequin, please click here; for stand-up video about who's the funniest in Taylor's family, please click here),
Katina Corrao (VH1's Best Week Ever, HBO's Daddy, Comedy Central; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for video samples, please click here and here),
Scott Rogowsky (The Onion), and
Dave Rispoli (CoolTableComedy.com).
8:30 pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); tickers are $5
Take the F subway to 2nd Avenue & Houston stop or the L subway to 1st Avenue & 14th Street stop
Ted Alexandro and Anthony Jeselnik
Tonight's two lineups at the Comedy Cellar club feature some superb talent.
The 9:00 show includes Anthony Jeselnik, Greg Giraldo, and Jessica Kirson.
And the 11:00 show includes Ted Alexandro and Paul Mercutio.
To see the complete lineups for the shows at 9:00 pm (doors at 8:30) and 11:00 pm (doors at 10:30), please click here, click the Lineup link near the top, click today's date, and click the Go button. To make an online reservation, please click here.
This comedy club show has a $12 cover and 2-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up).
9:00 pm & 11:00 pm at Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal Street (between 3rd St. & Minetta Lane); $12 cover plus two-item minimum
Matt McCarthy and Kumail Nanjiani...
...and SHAC hosts/stars Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, & Shonali Bhowmik
The hard-to-resist members of this hilarious group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik,
and superbly quirky comics Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen.
The show typically features songs, brilliant stand-up comedy, and funny short films
made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer of upcoming Michael Black & Michael Showalter Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues; appeared on Saturday Night Live, and repeatedly on The Colbert Report; Comedy Central's The Hot List and Open Mic Fight; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for both Best Male Stand-Up and Best One-Person Show (Unpronounceable; 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) and
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; won 2009 ECNY Award for Best Performance in a Commercial for his work as the Verizon FIOS Guy; co-host of NY live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for stand-up videos about unsolicited advice and measuring love, please click here and here).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight and late Friday night.)
10:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
vs.
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. The Bishop
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.)
Tonight's defending troupe is arguably the gutsiest improv team in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Liz Cackowski, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller.
DBRR was by far the winning-est group last season, trouncing 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! It went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace. And it's repeating history this season, steamrolling over opponents with apparent ease—for example, it won last week's bout 107-33.
Tonight's challenger is UCBT Harold Night troupe Adam Bozarth, Dan Gurewitch, Cecilia Lederer, Christine Nangle, Zhubin Parang, Tony Rodriguez, Jessica Stickle, and Will Storie.
While the odds heavily favor Roo Roo, there's really 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 5/8/09
The magical Kimmy Gatewood directs the revival of the acclaimed comedic play Kidnapped by Craigslist
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] the revival of an acclaimed comedic play, directed by the super-talented Kimmy Gatewood, about an Internet phenomenon: Kidnapped by Craigslist (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a famously sarcastic and quick-witted TV comedy star who's also a superb stand-up, delivering a deliciously long set tonight through Sunday: Norm MacDonald Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[FREE] NYC stand-up comics RG Daniels, C.H.R.I.S. the Robot (Brad Steuernagel), Giulia Rozzi, Pat Stango, Jesse Popp, and Matt Maragno celebrating Nick Turner's 29th birthday at this free weekly show in Brooklyn hosted by Cassidy Henehan and Nick: Too Cool for School (8:00 pm),
stand-up comics David Hodorowski, Garry Hannon, Scott Ryan, and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
clever, inventive sketch from two talented groups on a comedy double-bill: Chocolate Cake City and The Chris and Paul Show (9:30),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] genius stand-up Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker), popular sketch/improv comedy group Audience of Two, and more joining ace sketch troupe Olde English to perform all-new material for a show that's Very Fresh (11:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously odd things
tend to happen around 1:30 am, hosted by lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes
(Comedy Central, VH1; one of the finest comics in the country) at Gutbucket (12:20ish am),
[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).
Want to buy a couch? Find a date? Complain about your roommate? This 90-minute play "explores the carnivalistic, cult-like phenomenon that is Craigslist. Combining actual postings from the New York Web site with scripted material and live music, the play tells the true stories that are locked inside an online community that has shaped and inspired today's Internet generation."
This was a wildly successful show during its original PIT run two years ago...which led to a national tour. The Los Angeles Times called it "a freewheeling specialty piece with insidious verve." It's now been updated for this revival.
Written by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez, and directed by the brilliantly talented Kimmy Gatewood. For brief samples, please click here and here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue);
tickets are $13.29 in advance online or $15 at the door
Norm MacDonald: Headlining at Carolines
Hilarious, quick-witted Norm MacDonald got the biggest laugh ever out of Conan O'Brien when he began by declaring that if Carrot Top is the star of a guest's new movie, a good title for the film would be "Box Office Poison." Conan then asked the guest for the actual title, and she responded Chairman of the Board. Conan turned to Norm and said, "Do something with that, you freak." Without missing a beat, Norm replied, "I bet Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D." Conan, and the audience, went into hysterics.
Norm was a popular cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the anchor of Weekend Update for three seasons. In addition, Norm has written for Roseanne, acted on such prime-time sitcoms as ABC's The Drew Carey Show and NBC's NewsRadio, and even starred in his own ABC sitcom The Norm Show, which ran for three seasons.
Norm is also a razor-sharp and acclaimed stand-up comic, and well worth catching.
This New York comedy club show has a $38 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Norm is headlining at Carolines through Sunday.)
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$38 ticket plus two-drink minimum
Cassidy Henehan and Nick Turner
This new & free weekly comedy show is hosted by
Cassidy Henehan (for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and
Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).
Tonight's superb guests—celebrating Nick's 29th birthday—are RG Daniels, C.H.R.I.S. the Robot (Brad Steuernagel), Giulia Rozzi, Pat Stango, Jesse Popp, and Matt Maragno.
8:00 pm at Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn; free
Take the G subway to Greenpoint Avenue stop
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).
Tonight's comics include
David Hodorowski (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics),
Garry Hannon Garry Hannon (SRSLY LOL), and
Scott Ryan (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics),
plus
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Back: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil
Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
Just to give you a feel for the talent involved, Delaney and Secunda are members of legendary improv troupe The Swarm; Gethard is a storytelling genius; and Moynihan (who still comes by on Fridays when he can steal the time) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.
With art and grace, these quick-witted comedy stars will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Chocolate Cake City and The Chris and Paul Show
Two comedy shows for 10 bucks.
Chocolate Cake City began as a sketch troupe from Boston's Emerson College in 2003. It's since expanded to a second troupe in New York specializing in thematic, story-based comedy.
To get a feel for CCC's wit and talent, please check out a hilarious video showing George Lucas' digitally remastered "Special Edition" version of Singin' in the Rain by clicking here.
The double-bill then continues with The Chris and Paul Show, consisting of superb comedic partners Chris O'Neill and Paul Valenti with an act that has vaudeville roots. The duo have performed at the 2008 SkitSkat Comedy Festival and 2009 Sacramento All Sketch Festival, and won the Audience Choice Award and Best Sketch Group Award at the 2008 Chicago Snubfest."
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied
by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as
Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,
Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
Pete Holmes and Audience of Two...
...and ace sketch troupe Olde English
World-class sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English
(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)
host this extravaganza mixing sketch, stand-up, short films, and more—
and that asks comics to perform material that's all-new (i.e., Very Fresh).
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here) and
Audience of Two (popular comedy team that since 2001 has created improv, sketches, and behind-the-scenes tales of the cast).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Pete Holmes
UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.
If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be
lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.
But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity
to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.
And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of
a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments
about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Pete's lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks
in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.
Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;
and this show is free.
On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:20 am to 2:00 am
adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something
weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.
For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both
patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines through Sunday.)
12:30 am at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/9/09
Paintball Punishment, Mary Theresa Archbold of ace sketch comedy troupe Drop Six, and Lee Eddy (Kidnapped by Craigslist)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] a world-class sketch troupe specializing in physical comedy and music: Drop Six (7:00 pm),
NYC stand-ups Joselyn Hughes, Dan Mahoney, Mike Weingartner, George Gordon, Rob O’Reilly, and more at Sean Donnelly's Lil' Seany Boy (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Roman Rimer telling the true story of transitioning from gal to guy in this new one-person show: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trannies * But Were Afraid to Ask (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a famously sarcastic and quick-witted TV comedy star who's also a superb stand-up delivering a deliciously long set on Sunday (tonight's shows are sold out): Norm MacDonald Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm),
[$] the revival of a popular comedic play, smartty directed by the wonderful Kimmy Gatewood and with a standout performance from actress Lee Eddy: Kidnapped by Craigslist (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),
[MEGA-TOP PICK] what promises to be a very funny and somewhat scary event—top improvisors, including brilliant UCBT Artistic Director Anthony King, being challenged to tell jokes made up the spot and, if they fail to entertain, being savagely pummeled with paintballs at my top pick for tonight, The First Annual Paintball Punishment Stand-Up Challenge (midnight),
[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).
Drop Six is a superb NYC-based sketch troupe that makes great use of physical comedy and music. The group consists of Mary Theresa Archbold (for my review of this star's funny & touching 2007 FringeNYC show Jazz Hand, please click here), Tim Girrbach, Jason Salmon, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen. This group's honors include Best of the Fest selection 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). For a brief medley of memorable Drop Six moments, please click here.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Joselyn Hughes and Sean Donnelly
Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; co-host of weekly NYC open mic live comedy show Ochi's Motel; member of sketch comedy & funny short film troupe Don't Touch Me There; for a stand-up video, please click here) emcees this showcase for sharp stand-ups.
Tonight's guests include Joselyn Hughes, Dan Mahoney, Mike Weingartner, George Gordon, and Rob O’Reilly.
7:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
Among the players often performing are 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), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), and Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Roman Rimer: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trannies * But Were Afraid to Ask
Roman Rimer performs a one-person show that asks "What happens when an anxious, unassuming girl realizes she's more of an anxious, unassuming guy?" Rimer tells the true tale of his funny, surprising, and painful journey of transitioning.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Norm MacDonald: Headlining at Carolines
Hilarious, quick-witted Norm MacDonald got the biggest laugh ever out of Conan O'Brien when he began by declaring that if Carrot Top is the star of a guest's new movie, a good title for the film would be "Box Office Poison." Conan then asked the guest for the actual title, and she responded Chairman of the Board. Conan turned to Norm and said, "Do something with that, you freak." Without missing a beat, Norm replied, "I bet Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D." Conan, and the audience, went into hysterics.
Norm was a popular cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the anchor of Weekend Update for three seasons. In addition, Norm has written for Roseanne, acted on such prime-time sitcoms as ABC's The Drew Carey Show and NBC's NewsRadio, and even starred in his own ABC sitcom The Norm Show, which ran for three seasons.
Norm is also a razor-sharp and acclaimed stand-up comic, and well worth catching.
Tonight's shows are sold out. However, you can still purchase tickets for Sunday.
For Sunday, this New York comedy club show has a $34.75 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for Sunday.
8:00 pm on Sunday at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$34.75 ticket plus two-drink minimum
Want to buy a couch? Find a date? Complain about your roommate? This 90-minute play "explores the carnivalistic, cult-like phenomenon that is Craigslist. Combining actual postings from the New York Web site with scripted material and live music, the play tells the true stories that are locked inside an online community that has shaped and inspired today's Internet generation."
This was a wildly successful show during its original run two years ago. The Los Angeles Times called it "a freewheeling specialty piece with insidious verve." It's now been updated for this revival.
The show is far from perfect; the writing periodically lags, and some of the performances are so-so.
That said, a number of the bits are delightful; and the direction, by the brilliantly talented Kimmy Gatewood, is sharp and inventive.
Further, you're sure to enjoy short-haired dynamo Lee Eddy—who moved to NYC just a few months ago from Texas, where she was voted "Best Actress in Austin" three years in a row. Lee's always funny and electric performances are worth the trip all by itself. Keep an eye on this smart, appealing talent; I'm guessing she has a bright future.
Written by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez. For brief samples from the original run, please click here and here; and for the show's MySpace page, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue);
tickets are $13.29 in advance online or $15 at the door
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. These winners of the prestigious 2009 Cage Match Championship are always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
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.
9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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, Porter Mason, Lennon Parham, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. These improv stars tonight let "the gloves come off in a show that will give you a bloody nose from laughing so hard, and a bruise on your knee from slapping it the way people do when they laugh...Come get your head blown off as some of NYC's funniest improvisers attack the stage."
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer
It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.
The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)
Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!
Tickets are $15 at the door, or $15.50 online using discount code STIX (otherwise $18).
10:30 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15
The First Annual Paintball Punishment Stand-Up Challenge
How can you not love a comedy group willing to put itself through something like this?
The official description of this sure to be memorable event produced by the wonderful Chris Gethard and hosted by the wonderful Ben Rodgers:
"Comedians are not often enough asked to put their skills to the test. In this show, a number of comedians will take the stage with no prepared material. They will be given audience suggestions based on which they will immediately craft stand-up jokes. A panel of audience volunteers will vote on whether or not the jokes are funny.
"If the jokes are funny, everything is cool.
"If they are not, the offending comedian will be mercilessly shot with paintballs, live on stage."
In a Facebook message, Chris Gethard added, "I just bought 500 f*cking paintballs and a shit ton of CO2. When I tested the gun, the balls went straight through four layers of corrugated cardboard I had set up to test it.
"We have the finalized lineup: Anthony King, Adam Frucci, Jesse Falcon, Jim Santangeli, Eugene Cordero, Joe Mande, Noah Garfinkel, and Chris Gethard. With Ben Rodgers hosting and Eli Newell as the Grim Reaper. Should be fun. And painful."
How can you possibly resist?
If you see one show tonight, I suggest this be the one.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)
12:30 am at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 5/10/09
Marc Maron (Veil of Maya), Ophira Eisenberg (Electro Shock Therapy), and Norm MacDonald (Headlining at Carolines)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [FREE] UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors,
ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),
[FREE] typically stellar stand-ups at a free weekly LES show hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a famously sarcastic and quick-witted TV comedy star who's also a superb stand-up delivering a deliciously long set on this last night of his NYC run: Norm MacDonald Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the best comics in the country—Marc Maron (passionate comic's comic; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO special, two Comedy Central specials, co-hosted Air America Radio, off-Broadway show Scorching the Earth), Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central, The New Yorker, host of Gutbucket and co-host of Punch Up Your Life), and Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson)—joining tonight's guest-host Dave Hill (brilliant alt comic; HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times) for a blowout comedy shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
[FREE] razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), Rob O'Reilly (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), Yannis Pappas (VH1's Best Week Ever),and more and more at RG Daniels' free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),
[FREE] typically sharp NYC stand-ups at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
[FREE] brilliant comedic storyteller Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), and sharp stand-up comics Leah Dubie (Comedy Central; co-host of NYC live comedy show Dykes on Mics), Adrienne Iapalucci (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham), and Rachel Parenta at an all-gals evening of free gay-themed comedy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).
[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (10:00 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 $10; 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 ($10) & 9:30 pm (free) at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Greg Johnson
This is often one of the best comedy shows in New York—and is entirely free.
It's hosted by sharp, quick-witted Greg Johnson (check out his hilarious blog by clicking here) and Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here).
Tonight's stand-ups haven't been announced, but they're usually stellar.
7:30 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Norm MacDonald: Headlining at Carolines
Hilarious, quick-witted Norm MacDonald got the biggest laugh ever out of Conan O'Brien when he began by declaring that if Carrot Top is the star of a guest's new movie, a good title for the film would be "Box Office Poison." Conan then asked the guest for the actual title, and she responded Chairman of the Board. Conan turned to Norm and said, "Do something with that, you freak." Without missing a beat, Norm replied, "I bet Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D." Conan, and the audience, went into hysterics.
Norm was a popular cast member of Saturday Night Live, and the anchor of Weekend Update for three seasons. In addition, Norm has written for Roseanne, acted on such prime-time sitcoms as ABC's The Drew Carey Show and NBC's NewsRadio, and even starred in his own ABC sitcom The Norm Show, which ran for three seasons.
Norm is also a razor-sharp and acclaimed stand-up comic, and well worth catching.
Tonight is the end of Norm's current headlining run at Carolines.
This New York comedy club show has a $34.75 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for Sunday.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$34.75 ticket plus two-drink minimum
Marc Maron, Dave Hill, and Pete Holmes
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 comedy giant, and winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host,
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; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life).
Eugene is currently on tour, so tonight's guest-host is
Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, IFC, Smoking Gun TV; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion; for sample videos, please click here).
And tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Marc Maron (exceptionally passionate and personally revealing star who's a comic's comic highly respected for his observations; frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien; performed solo comedy special for HBO Comedy Half-Hour and two solo specials for Comedy Central Presents; many other TV appearances include being a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; performed a popular off-Broadway one-man show, Jerusalem Syndrome, which he then turned into a 2001 book; co-hosted Morning Sedition on Air America Radio, and hosted The Marc Maron Show on LA's KTLK-AM; recently performed a killer off-Broadway one-man show about his divorce titled Scorching the Earth),
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;
co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here), and
Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy).
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.
Rob O'Reilly and Jena Friedman
Sunday Night Stand-Up with RG Daniels
This free weekly stand-up comedy show features both established talents and up-and-comers. It's hosted by RG Daniels (sweetly quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries; occasionally refers to himself as "Hanukah-face").
Tonight's performers include
Jena Friedman (razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Entertaining the Bartender; playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here; for stand-up video on Sarah Palin's choice of child names, please click here),
Rob O'Reilly (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central's Live At Gotham; took second place out of 64 comics in the March 2008 Comedy Madness stand-up competition at Carolines; for stand-up videos about why you shouldn't trust Trojans and the joys of Chlamydia, please click here and here),
Yannis Pappas (VH1's Best Week Ever),
and more.
8:00 pm at Three of Cups downstairs lounge, 83 1st Avenue (off 5th Street); free
Vince Averill and Jesse Popp
This long-running free weekly comedy show is hosted by Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically sharp NYC stand-ups.
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Ophira Eisenberg, Leah Dubie, and Brad Loekle
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Brad Loekle (cast member of TruTV’s weekly The Smoking Gun Presents, co-host of Sirius Radio’s weekly OUT Q, columnist for monthly magazine Key West Gay Rag) hosts this gay-themed weekly stand-up comedy show. It's entirely free if you're okay with standing; otherwise plan on ordering food or a drink if you prefer sitting at a table.
Tonight's superb stand-ups are
Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever, Showtime's Queer as Folk; The Guardian),
Leah Dubie (Comedy Central, here! TV's Hot Gay Comics; co-host of NYC live comedy show Dykes on Mics),
Adrienne Iapalucci (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),
Rachael Parenta (for audio clip of three hilariously shocking jokes, please click here),
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines
Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.
This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for this Sunday.
10:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
