NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 11/26/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
stellar comics & actors crashing improvisation into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00),
razor-sharp hosts Joe Mande & Noah Garfinkel, and a lineup that includes
one of the most hilarious comics in the country, star Nick Kroll, at Totally J/K (8:15ish pm),
the return of improv greats Dan Bakkedahl, Peter Grosz, and John Lutz in 3 Square (9:30 pm),
and a breathtaking collection of genius comedic talent, including Human Giant, John Mulaney,
Dave Hill, Seth Herzog, and maybe "a special guest" at the free stand-up show Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
Ellie Kemper, Elizabeth Laime, and Megan Neuringer are...
The Darlings of Cell Block 6 and Cool Your J
Tonight kicks off with a fun double-bill.
Terrific comedic performers Ellie Kemper (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Onion, McSweeney's), Elizabeth Laime (SNL, one-woman show Dear Diary, UCBT sketch troupe Gunderson), and Megan Neuringer (improv troupes Creep and DeCoster) are "three bitches in prison" in their new comedic play The Darlings of Cell Block 6. Directed by Joe Schiappa.
And the other half of this production features Nick Philip Ross (improv troupes Wilder, Sidework, and T.R.U.C.K.S.) performing his one-man show Cool Your J. Directed by Nate Smith.
6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Anthony King, Christina Gausas, 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 genius improvisers: Dan Bakkedahl (correspondent for The Daily Show, 3 Square), Tara Copeland (Mother, Ms. Jackson, The Tiny Spectacular), Michael Delaney (The Stepfathers, The Swarm), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers), Peter Gwinn (The Colbert Report), and Anthony King (UCBT Artistic Director, Shut Up! I Hate You!, Reuben Williams).
And also starring some of NYC's top actors: Jared Gertner (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Kate Hess (UCBT sketch comedy show We Kate Shelly), Jonathan Kaplan (Tony Award nominee), Joel Karie (The Lion King), and Sarah Saltzberg (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, producer and co-star of NYC live show Don't Quit Your Night Job).
Gravid Water is directed and hosted by 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
Hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande, Nick Kroll, and Tom McCaffrey
Hosted by quick-witted and enormously funny best buds Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel
(for dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and for other videos,
please click here and here). Tonight's guests include the wonderful
Nick Kroll (one of the most brilliant and hilarious comics around;
widely agreed to be the highlight of ABC's Cavemen; VH1's Best Week Ever;
conducts very funny interviews for MTV, etc. as Fabrice Fabrice; has a permanent spot
on this Web page, which you're encouraged to visit by clicking here),
Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Shorties Watchin' Shorties;
for a memorable video on how to pick up women by being a jerk, please click here),
Jack Kukoda (Onion News Network, maker of funny videos), and
Jason Kanter (for a stand-up clip about a personal ad, please click here).
8:15ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Stand-up comedy hosted by Billy Reno (SNL's Weekend Update,
Caroline's; for video samples, please click here and here).
Unfortunately, tonight's guests haven't been announced;
to check for a last-minute update, please click here.
8:00ish pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
John Lutz, Peter Grosz, and Dan Bakkedahl
Brilliant comics Dan Bakkedahl (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart),
Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials),
and John Lutz (writer & occasional actor on SNL since 2004; recurring character on 30 Rock)
perform a three-man improv show (a version of their previous long-running and acclaimed
Chicago show 4 Square, which then also included Rob Janas).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
All-female improv group Frank consists of Elizabeth Blue, Leslie Collins, Julie Dulude, Caroline Goldrick, Mary Jacobson, Desiree Nash, and Abigoliah Schaumaun.
In addition to performing, the gals typically play host to another talented comedy group.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
John Mulaney, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer, Aziz Ansari, and Dave Hill...
...and Seth Herzog, and—who knows?—maybe a special guest
Tonight's awesome Cavalcade! features some of the finest comedic performers in the biz:
Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet),
Paul Scheer (genius improvisor), and Rob Huebel (brilliant jack-of-all-comedy-trades),
who are the writers & stars of MTV hit sketch comedy series Human Giant;
John Mulaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
for stand-up samples, please click here and here);
Dave Hill (Variety Magazine's 2007 pick for 10 Comics to Watch; written for The New York Times,
Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & performed for VH1,
Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series;
hosts the always-surprising monthly UCBT extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion);
Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever; razor-sharp host of one of the very best live
comedy shows in NYC, Sweet, Tuesday nights at The Slipper Room),
Taylor Williamson (Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Fuel TV's The Daily Habit,
for a stand-up video, please click here);
and, according to the show listing, possibly a special guest.
Tonight's jaw-dropping lineup makes this best comedy show in NYC.
And it's free.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 11/27/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
an incredible gathering of NYC's top comedic musicians, including up-and-coming star
singer/songwriters Adira Amram, Shayna Ferm, Mindy Raf, and Erin Hall; terrific
singer/actors Becky Yamamoto and Wendy Ho; and stellar stand-ups
Desiree Burch and Carolyn Castiglia; all at this evening's Chicks & Giggles (8:00 pm),
and three uncommonly good-looking stand-up comics—Christian Finnegan,
Rob Lathan, and Clara Bijl...possibly accompanied by the brilliant and gorgeous
comedic performers Livia Scott & Biz Ellis—at sexy Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
Shayna Ferm, Adira Amram, and Mindy Raf...
...and Erin Hall, Desiree Burch, and Becky Yamamoto
Carolyn Castiglia hosts a lineup of female comics.
And tonight's guests are a wow.
They include many of NYC's most awesomely talented funny musicians
...and who are among my all-time favorite comics:
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editors Choice;
co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Shayna Ferm (also brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; member of world-class
sketch troupe Fearsome; lead of band Shayna and the Upper Decks;
for samples of Shay's witty songs, please click here ),
Mindy Raf (also brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer;
VH1's Best Week Ever, relationship columnist for CollegeHumor.com,
comedy writer for WABC, actor on SuperDeluxe.com's The Post Show,
plays popular character Leibya Rogers: "When I sing, your soul jumps out
of your body and nestles in between my legs;" for video sample, please click here),
Erin Hall (stellar musician and delightfully subtle comedic singer/songwriter;
for looped series of videos of her live act Erin and her Cello, please click here;
to preview tracks of Erin's upcoming debut CD, please click here),
Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Times, The New Yorker, etc.
for her recent performance in the play Songs of the Dragon Flying to Heaven;
member of all-female comedic rock band Stickerbook),
Desiree Burch (sharp, hilarious stand-up; VH1s Best Night Ever), and
Wendy Ho (raunchy comedic singer/performer; for her music video
Bitch, I Stole Yo' Purse, please click here).
Again: Wow. Folks, it doesn't get better than this.
Also, a very Happy Birthday to both Nichelle Stephens and host
Carolyn Castiglia, the producers who organized this amazing evening.
8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Writer Dan Slott and two of his graphic novels: She-Hulk—Superhuman Law and Avengers—The Initiative
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is Dan Slott, writer of such popular comics series as
Avengers: The Initiative and She-Hulk.
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—
Raynard, fwand, Tantrum, 1985, and DeCoster
—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
Rob Lathan and Christian Finnegan...
...and Clara Bijl, and Biz Ellis & Livia Scott
Hosted by the razor-sharp & witty Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Tonight's scheduled guests include
Christian Finnegan (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central Presents, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show, host of TVLand's Game Time, former staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; just released first comedy CD, Two For Flinching; for stand-up videos on how to get rid of a boring guy and what your movie choices say about you, please click here and here),
Rob Lathan (plays comedic characters such as Lanny Lathan and "Quick Lips" Lathan,
stars in the UCBT show Get Psyched!; for Rob's reel, please click here),
Clara Bijl (semifinalist in Comedy Central's 2003 Laugh Riots; writer for French hit sitcom Le Petit Silvant Illustré; for stand-up video on replacing an ex with a dildo, please click here),
David Wain (writer/director who just finished shooting the Universal comedy feature Little Big Men; also directed feature The Ten and Comedy Central's Stella), and just maybe
the wonderful Biz Ellis & Livia Scott, who are half of the world-class sketch group Meat and
have just spun off into their own sketch duo named Dirty Jeans and the Thunder Chief.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 11/28/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a fascinating free view of a sketch troupe constructing material via entertaining anecdotes
and improv, featuring superb talents such as Elna Baker and Pat Shay, at Red (6:00 pm),
the best sexy comedy show in NYC, Margot Leitman & Giulia Rozzi's Stripped Stories (8:00),
the delightful & highly talented Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack, and Tricia McAlpin of Penny, and
hilarious sketch duo Matt DeCoster and Will Hines, in the double-bill White Orphans/7 Fights (8:00 pm),
Eugene Mirman's & Bobby Tisdale's star-studded stand-up show, which tonight
includes genius comics Andy Blitz and Nick Kroll, at Invite Them Up (9:00 pm),
the most hilarious storytelling show in NYC (with the possible exception of Stripped Stories)
—tonight's theme is Adventure at 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).
Pat Shay and Elna Baker
Comedy troupe Red tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises scenes
based on the tales; and also perform sketches from material they improvised the previous week. It's a clever way of crafting a sketch show organically, week by week—and you can watch the whole process, at no charge. The group consists of Kevin Allison, Elna Baker, Chris Caniglia, Scott Eckert, Sarah Lowe, Sarah Nowak, Pat Shay, Nate Starkey, Shelly Stover, and Kevin Townley.
6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Margot & Giulia are two fun-lovin' gals...who are world-class storytellers
Sexual storytelling with a comedic slant.
Tonight's theme is sexual hubris: moments of ill-advised sexual confidence.
Offering frank confessions will be comedy guests Craig Baldo and Julia Miller; plus the two sensual hosts, Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts) and Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)—or, as Margot likes to describe it, "newly married Giulia Rozzi and the eternal bridesmaid Margot Leitman." In addition, there'll be raunchy songs from unique singer Cock Lorge, "a spontaneous audience interview, sex games, and hookups...hopefully."
Cost is normally $10 plus a two-item food or drink minimum.
However, if you buy online and use code SS1128, the ticket is a mere $5.
This is a wonderful show, and recommended.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 online with code SS1128, plus 2-item minimum
Comedy troupe Penny (Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack and Tricia McAlpin) explore white orphans...
...and Matt DeCoster & Will Hines portray combative relationships
Penny: White Orphans and Hines & DeCoster: 7 Fights
One of the things we should all be thankful for is sketch/improv group Penny, consisting of the adorable & very funny comedy trio Amber Petty, Trisha McAlpin, and Jessie Schupack. In tonight's show, the gals promise to "guide you through their wonderful world of art, music, and laughter. You'll laugh till you cry, cry till you laugh, and be moved enough that
you too will want a white orphan for your very own." Directed by Susannah Beckett.
7 Fights is a hilarious sketch show written and performed by Will Hines & Matt DeCoster, formerly of acclaimed improv group Monkeydick (plus Will burned up the stage a few months ago with sibling Kevin as The Brothers Hines at UCBT's Cage Match).
The show includes such scenes of contention as a political debate in which a guy with a bloody harpoon through him blithely denies he's been impaled. In a word, fun.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosts Jenny Rubin and Matt McCarthy
Stand-up comedy hosted by the very funny Jenny Rubin and Matt McCarthy.
Tonight's scheduled guests include
Pat Candaras, Roger Hailes, Collette Hawley, and Sean Crespo.
To get a feel for the show overall, please click here.
8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Ready to tackle your holiday anxieties are Paul Downs, Alan Fessenden, Elana Fishbein, Marcy Jarreau, Leslie Korein, Louis Kornfeld, and Peter McNerney, who improvise a show based on "an audience member's confession."
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Nick Kroll and Andy Blitz
Hosted by comedy greats Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale.
Tonight's star guests include
Andy Blitz (comedy genius best known for being a writer and performer for
Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1999; for Andy's memorable hosting
of Crash Test a couple of weeks ago, please click here), and
Nick Kroll (one of the most brilliant and hilarious comics around;
widely agreed to be the highlight of ABC's Cavemen; VH1's Best Week Ever;
conducts very funny interviews for MTV, etc. as Fabrice Fabrice; has a permanent spot
on this Web page, which you're encouraged to visit by clicking here).
For the full lineup, please click here.
9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
the most hilarious storytelling show in NYC (with the possible exception of Stripped Stories)
—tonight's theme is Adventure at The Nights of Our Lives (9:30 pm),
Tonight's theme is The Most Adventurous Nights of Our Lives.
But whatever the subject, this is flat-out 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.
The only rules are that the tales must be true, and must be funny.
The brutal honesty, and jarring bravery, of some the participants can be hair-raising.
What they offer aren't merely jokes, but resonant, humane perspectives on life.
At the same time, there are very few shows, on or off Broadway,
that will make you laugh as consistently and as loud.
Enormous kudos go to host David Martin; and to brilliant storytellers
Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Chris Gethard, Curtis Gwinn,
Anthony King, Margot Leitman, Adam Pally, and the other comedy soldiers
who've bared some of their darkest and funniest secrets on the Nights of Our Lives stage.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
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.
Afterwards, house improv troupe The Baldwins takes the stage.
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 11/29/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the delightful Kate Hess & Shelly Stover dancing and singing for laughs,
and Livia Scott delivering a brilliant performance in her one-woman show
about OJ Simpson fans, in We Kate Shelly and Goodnight, OJ (8:00 pm),
razor-sharp comics having fun with the news, including Anthony King,
Scott Brown, Horatio Sanz, Brett Gelman, Jason Mantzoukas, and New York Magazine
theatre critic Jeremy McCarter, at Shut Up! I Hate You! (9:30 pm),
and two of the most interesting improv troupes in NYC,
C, C + C Improv Factory and Working Girls, going head to head at Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Kate Hess & Shelly Stover, and Livia Scott
We Kate Shelly and Goodnight, O.J.
This all-female extravaganza kicks off with We Kate Shelly,
a lively sketch show featuring singing, dancing, and crying,
written and starring the irresistible Kate Hess & Shelly Stover,
and directed by comedic genius Andy Secunda (The Swarm).
The double-bill then continues with comedic chameleon
Livia Scott (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, world-class sketch group Meat,
Livia's Castle of Enchantment), who wrote and performs this
superb one-woman show, described as follows:
"In 1994, while he was in prison and on trial for murder, O.J. Simpson received over 300,000 letters. To help pay for his defense and gain public support, he had them published in a book called I Want to Tell You by O.J. Simpson: My Response to Your Letters, Your Messages, Your Questions. Alternately humorous, disturbing, and poignant, Goodnight, O.J. explores the minds of the people who wrote him."
The idea is clever; but Livia Scott's thoughtful choices and
brilliant performance make this truly special...and recommended.
For a video sample, please click here.
Directed by Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers,
VH1's Best Week Ever, Shoot the Messenger).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); $5
Hosts Anthony King and Scott Brown...
...and panelists Horatio Sanz, Brett Gelman, Jason Mantzoukas, and Jeremy McCarter
A funny look at the news, with lots of amusing video clips,
hosted by Anthony King (UCBT Artistic Director, Reuben Williams)
and Scott Brown (writer for Entertainment Weekly, and
co-writer with Anthony King of Gutenberg: The Musical).
Tonight's panelists include
Horatio Sanz (Saturday Night Live; founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade),
Brett Gelman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here, and also check out their new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked),
Jason Mantzoukas (Mother: The Soundtrack, We Used to Go Out, The Mantzoukas Brothers), and
Jeremy McCarter (theatre reviewer for New York Magazine and New York Sun; contributing editor of The New Republic; also written for The New York Times and The LA Times; playwright of 2006 off-Broadway production See The World).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Cage Match: Working Girls vs. C, C + C Improv Factory
Back in June, this show that pits two improv teams against each other saw the birth of a star.
The champion was Omlette Vision, consisting of Michael Delaney, Billy Merritt and Andy Secunda, who are three of the most talented and experienced improvisers alive.
The challenger was Working Girls—Susannah Becket, Marcy Jarreau, Pam Murphy, Silvija Ozols, Amber Petty, and Jamie Skinner—a new group that had performed together before an audience only twice before.
As always, Delaney, Merritt, and Secunda were brilliant.
But the gals created something magical by playing New Jersey secretaries who've recently learned the art of improvisation. This meta-approach resulted in a thoroughly hilarious parody of an improv troupe that had audience members rocking with laughter and gasping for breath.
The final votes: Working Girls 36, Omelette Vision 29. And it was a victory well-earned.
The following week, the Girls went up against C, C + C Improv Factory, consisting of Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams)—one of the most hilarious troupes in NYC.
In a close contest, C, C + C Improv Factory came out on top.
Tonight features a return match. And the win could easily go to either side.
Two enormously interesting improv groups, head to head. Don't miss it.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Please Note: Due to an unavoidable conflict, and with great regret, I had to miss
last Saturday's conclusion of this year's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament.
However, you can read host Pat Baer's own account of what happened
by clicking here and searching for the phrase What a night!
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 11/30/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Thanks for Stuffing, a lively musical comedy about Thanksgiving, from
one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC, The Apple Sisters (7:00 pm),
stand-up Heather Fink, stellar comedy producer/publicist Kambri Crews, and more at Family Hour (7:00 pm),
John Flynn telling hilarious, hair-raising tales about his adventures with Terrible Sex (8:00 pm),
star comics Nick Kroll, Demetri Martin, Baron Vaughn, and more at Murphy & Johnson's Power Hour (8:30 pm),
some of the finest improv comedy in NYC from The Stepfathers (9:30 pm) and Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),
and a free open mic night for stand-ups, hosted by the wonderful Pete Holmes, at Gutbucket (Midnight).
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
The Apple Sisters: Thanks for Stuffing
The lovely Kimmy Gatewood, who is an exceptionally talented writer, director, and comedic performer, demonstrates that she's also great at singing and dancing—partnered beautifully with Rebekka Johnson and Sarah Lowe, and Tom Thomsen on keyboard—in this homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters. From the official description: "The Apple Sisters are Candy, Cora, and Seedy. Their mother, Ms. Reddy Apple, was a vaudeville star and she passed down the legacy to her three girls! The trio present their live show, broadcast on WXYZ AM Radio, straight to the troops in Germany, and present the show on stage at the Peoples Improv Theater in their first and favorite home, the Big Apple! Be a chum and always use Doramad Toothpaste, now with Thorium!"
In November, these wonderful gals have been doing a show revolving around Thanksgiving. Tonight is your last chance to catch it before they move on to their Xmas extravaganza.
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
And for the amazing Ms. Gatewood's latest video—her profile on the
revolutionary matchmaking service Ché-Date—please click here.
The show typically sells out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket
online ($9.19, including service charge) by clicking here.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $8 at the door
Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...
...and guests Heather Fink and Kambri Crews
Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (for hilarious video sample,
please click here). Tonight's scheduled guests are
Heather Fink (host of monthly live NYC comedy show Street Meat),
Margaret Dodge (drummer for Manson Family Singers),
Kambri Crews (fabulous comedy publicist & producer, actress, and stand-up;
for video of Kambri reading her jailed deaf dad's wedding toast, please click here),
Blaine Perry (Don't Touch Me There at Pianos),
Jackie Monahan (Dykes on Mics at Rubyfruit, Lesbians of Laughter Tour),
Will Franken (San Fran import), and
Leah Dubie (Smokin' Comedy Joint at Sage).
7:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
John Flynn
John Flynn Has Terrible Sex (with Jason Mantzoukas)
Starting from his initial gay sexual experience up through the near-present, John Flynn (Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made. Ever!, The Nights of Our Lives) relates a multitude of amusing, shocking, but most of all very human encounters. These range from the first time anyone threw a line at him ("Want to pretend we're f*cking?"), which worked like a charm; to a friend helping John out of a financial jam by pimping him; to a college dorm neighbor who, John learned the hard way, got aroused by a lover throwing up on him; to an Internet hookup with someone who turned out to be three feet tall. The tales are fascinating and laugh-filled throughout; and to make things even livelier, a friend helps out by periodically asking questions in the role of "ignorant straight guy." (In the show's premiere, the latter was played by Andy Secunda (The Swarm); but given the title, chances are Jason Mantzoukas (Mother: The Soundtrack, We Used to Go Out, The Mantzoukas Brothers), will appear tonight.)
John Flynn is a great storyteller, and he's created a rich, hilarious show
that anyone, gay or straight, is likely to enjoy.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Larry Murphy & Greg Johnson
Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)
and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the
key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include
Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;
for an animated VO reel, please click here).
Tonight's stellar scheduled guests include Nick Kroll, Demetri Martin, Baron Vaughn,
John F. O'Donnell, and David McSavage.
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
According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. Sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience, improvisors
George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans
create group scenes that send four characters down different paths...
but end up making the characters collide into each other.
11:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th 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).
Holmes' 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.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/1/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
star-packed 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),
sketch comedy from stellar guest troupe Drop Six and host Slightly Known People (8:30 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
hilarious sketch comedy from the inventive Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
improv comedy revolving around TV shows from stellar troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
and a sketch show (with some improv thrown in) from the charismatic stars of Derrick (Midnight).
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
Tonight's scheduled participants 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 (One Woman in Several Pieces, HBO.com's upcoming 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).
7:00 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
Elephant Larry (above) is a NYC-based sketch group consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alex Zalben (former artistic director of The PIT, co-host of the Comic Book Club, and co-producer of this year's spectacular SketchFest NYC). The troupe's memorable bits have included a demonstration that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For odd sample videos, please click here and here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone...
...and tonight's guests, stellar sketch group Drop Six
Slightly Known People Is Seeing Other 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 guests are the members of superb sketch troupe Drop Six—Marcus Bonnée, Tim Girrbach, Alicia Levy, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen—who make great use of physical comedy. Drop Six was awarded Best of the Fest by Second City at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival; and its show Mr. Lucky killed at the August 2007 New York International Fringe Festival.
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Comedic variety show hosted by Carol Hartsell (above) and Sean Crespo
(stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here and here and here).
Tonight's terrific lineup includes David McSavage (hilarious stand-up visiting from Ireland, and by himself worth the trip), Leo Allen (long-time Saturday Night Live writer and razor-sharp stand-up), and John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him).
8:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
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.
8:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: On the Jitney
The Harvard Sailing Team (which was superb in SketchFest NYC 07)
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative sketch comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a superb improvisor and actor. Joining him are stellar talents Eugene Cordero, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. Together, they turn an audience suggestion into a TV series...and perform it for you on the spot.
10:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,
Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who have
proven themselves to be both stars and champions this year
at Cage Match, winning 10 improvisation matches in a row
(and breaking several all-time records while at it).
The guys also make wildly popular YouTube videos—
for some samples, please click here and here and here.
In this show, they perform sketch comedy live,
and throw in an improv session to boot.
These wonderfully inventive writer/actors are continually
creating new material, so if you've seen this show before,
don't hesitate to come tonight; they'll probably still surprise you.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 12/2/07
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),
and character actor/voiceover genius Larry Murphy and stellar stand-up Jessi Klein
joining Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter at Brooklyn's Tearing the Veil of Maya (7:45ish pm),
and hilarious writers & writer/performers such as Tom McCaffrey, Eric Andre, and Colin Jost (SNL)
reading some of their funniest material on stage 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. 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)
Larry Murphy, Jessi Klein, Michael Showalter, and Eugene Mirman
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops
beyond Manhattan, some of the best comedy minds in New York can be found
at this weekly show hosted by Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's
Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1,
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums)
and Michael Showalter (MTV's The State, Stella comedy troupe,
co-writer & co-star of comedy feature film Wet Hot American Summer).
Tonight's stellar guests include
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), and
Jessi Klein (winner of 2003 ECNY Best Female Stand-Up award; Director
of Development at Comedy Central; Comedy Central's Premium Blend
and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; VH1's Best Week Ever;
NBC's The Today Show; 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).
7:45ish 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.
Stand-ups, sketch writers, and funny authors
read excerpts from their most hilarious material.
Tonight's scheduled guests include Colin Jost (writer for SNL),
Tom McCaffrey, Eric Andre, Sean O'Connor,
Sean Patton, Jon Clarke, Maggie Faris, and Eric 1.
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 are
Leanne Linsky & Mark Grenier,
Graeme Hinde & Kabir Hamid, and
Garrett Palm & Julia Frey.
Hosted by Babsy Singer and Alex Marino.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Adam Sank (former TV news producer for FOX and WABC-TV; written
for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, and The San Francisco Sentinel)
hosts this free gay-themed stand-up comedy show.
Tonight's scheduled guests are Rick Crom, Colin Kane,
Veronica Quinn, and Skip & Sparkle .
To get a feel for the show, please click here.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2007 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
