NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/12/09
Kate Micucci & Riki Lindhome as musical duo Garfunkel & Oates
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): 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 Ochi's Motel
[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups Joe Devito, Tom McCaffrey, Dan Mahoney, Mike Sheehan, Jonathan Powley, and David Felsen performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy
8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's house sketch comedy troupes, Gramps' and Thunder Gulch, trying out new bits at Maude Night
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Anthony Jeselnik (genius dark comedy stand-up; writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), David Javerbaum (writer for The Daily Show; co-writer of Cry-Baby: The Musical and A Colbert Christmas; will read from his new book What to Expect When You're Expected), Jena Friedman (Entertaining the Bartender), Dan Allen (Comedy Central), Alan Lebetkin, and more performing in the Lolita Bar with producer Liam McEneaney at Tell Your Friends
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Riki Lindhome (Last House on the Left) and Kate Micucci (Scrubs) deliver an evening of comedic songs in this sold-out-of-seats show (though if you're okay with standing, come and enjoy), including their hits Pregnant Women Are Smug and F*ck You, as musical duo Garfunkel & Oates
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest stand-ups in the country—who tonight include Garfunkel & Oates (see directly above), Noah Garfinkel (Totally J/K), and Brendan Burns—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/13/09
Matt McCarthy (Punch Up Your Life), and Christopher Gethard and Amy Schumer (Sweet)
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comic book professionals (today's guests haven't been announced) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club
8:00 pm to midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes DeCoster, Robber Baron, Scootch, Ragnaröck, and Badman, followed by UCBT students at all levels perfoming with improv veterans at The Lottery—all at Harold Night
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm:Razor-sharp stand-ups Ali Waller (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, Verizon FIOS guy, Front Page Films), Matt Goldich (VH1's Best Week Ever), and more performing at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for a free weekly 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
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York; was just cast in new Will Ferrell film), Amy Schumer (Last Comic Standing; shooting her first Comedy Central special next month), Roger Hailes (VH1, Chappelle's Show), Streeter Seidell (MTV's College Humor Show, Prank Wars), and more performing at the famed LES weekly stand-up show at The Slipper Room hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet
9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Delightful stand-up comics Leah Dubie and Amy Beckerman performing and hosting guest comics Cara Kilduff, Susan Alexander, and more in Ochi's Lounge at Dykes on Mics
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Free open mic stand-up show that's seldom much fun for audience members but is a nice opportunity if you want 4-5 minutes to test out your comedy material on stage: Bring It
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 10/14/09
Melanie Hamlett, Faye Lane, and Christian Finnegan are among the brilliant storytellers revealing how they broke the law at Risk!
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($12 ticket, plus two-drink or $12 food min.): Top comics and comedic storytellers—who tonight are Christian Finnegan (three Comedy Central specials, commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Melanie Hamlett (Moth GrandSlam Champion, roving adventurer), Faye Lane (Beauty Shop Stories), and Zak Orth—join brilliant sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State) in Joe's Pub to share their tales of going "Against The Law" at the exciting new weekly storytelling event Risk!
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Top writers and comedians—who tonight are Tracy Rowland, Jeff Simmermon, DJ Hazard, and Jenna Brister—join world-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 10-time StorySlam Champion; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here) in Ochi's Lounge to share their favorite true campus anecdotes at True Tales of College
[FREE] 8:00: Human dynamo Ali Wong, plus stand-ups Jay Bois, Dan Hirshon, Sam Fortenbaugh, Alec Sobel, and Wes Cannon, performing at this free weekly show tonight guest-hosted by Emmy Rivera: Shrink
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Wonderful stand-ups Anthony Jeselnik (writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Hannibal Buress (writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), and Jon Gabrus (Spike TV) performing at a free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Several musicals made up entirely on the spot by award-winning improv comedy duo Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner as I Eat Pandas
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) providing as many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing 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; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 10/15/09
Pay Shay & Mary Theresa Archbold offer one last time to enjoy their delightful sketch show Pat and Mary Save Their Marriage...
...plus An Evening with Ellis and Park; comedy giant Dave Hill demonstrates why he's Big in Japan...
...and brilliant storyteller Elna Baker celebrates the release of her instant bestseller memoir with a Book Launch Party
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): One of my very favorite comedic couples, the brilliant Mary Theresa Archbold and Pat Shay, proving why they should getting a lot more attention with this delightful sketch show about romance through the ages that you'll leave with a goofy smile on your face. Don't this tonight's last change to catch Pat and Mary Save Their Marriage
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Elna Baker is one of the most brilliant storytellers to grace the comedy scene in the past few years. Elna's just published her first book, a hilarious recounting of her experiences as a Mormon looking for love in NYC, and tonight has a release party...but her book is already a mammoth bestseller on Amazon.com! Come see what all the fuss is about at The PowerHouse Arena (37 Main Street in Brooklyn), and buy an autographed copy of The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comedy giant Dave Hill performing a charming and hilarious one-man show about a musical tour overseas, and superb sketch troupe Pangea 3000 with all-new material, in the double-bill Dave Hill: Big in Japan and Pangea 3000 Sucks
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Sketch comedy & musical duo Tim Ellis and Matthew Park performing what I'm guessing is a very fun two-person show: An Evening with Ellis & Park
8:00 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors directed by James Eason "take an audience suggestion and break it into a million funny pieces" in The Deconstruction
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A comedic freestyle rap contest featuring some of the funniest & sharpest comics in NYC—who tonight are Victor Varnado, Adam Lustick, Michelle Collins, Tom McCaffrey, and Amir Blumenfeld—plus a volunteer from the audience!, hosted by genius comedic musical performers Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme) and Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas), all at The BEATdown
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Superb Improv duo The Brothers Hines (Will Hines and Kevin Hines, who really are brothers) go up against improv troupe The Landlords in a battle for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/16/09
Kristen Schaal and other stellar sketch comics & storytellers gather tonight to pay comedic homage to Fleetwood Mac
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
7:00 pm ($10): An assorted of solo show highlights, hosted by Katie Northlich and Taren Sterry, at Mini-Solo Showcase
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Brilliant character performer Kate McKinnon (co-star of Logo's Big Gay Sketch Show) playing five very different actresses waiting to hear which of them won an Oscar (keep an eye out for the old lady, who's one of the funniest characters you'll see this year, anywhere); and a one-man show by Brent Sullivan, in the double-bill Best Actress and Fag Life
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: One-year anniversary show blowout, with thoroughly wonderful comedic singer/songwriter Shayna Ferm and her band performing an extended set, plus razor-sharp stand-ups Matt McCarthy, Mark Normand, Jesse Popp, and Andy Haynes, at Brooklyn's Coco 66 for Nick Turner's Too Cool for School
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($34 & 2-item min.): Stand-up who's performed on HBO, BET, the CW's Everybody Hates Chris, and Clerks II, headlining tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Earthquake
9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Anne Altman (wonderful co-host of Mortified), Poppi Kramer (Winner of NBC's The Biggest Loser), Michael Brill, show co-producers Shawn Hollenbach and Paul Case, and more performing stand-up in Ochi's Lounge at a gay-themed show hosted by the lovely Jenny Rubin: The Back Room
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler (brilliant sketch comics who have an upcoming TV show), John Flynn (superb comedic storyteller), and other delightful comics paying homage in this one-night-only event to iconic band Fleetwood Mac at The Downtown Superstar Ten Minute Hour
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Top UCBT talents—including Neil Casey, John Frusciante, Sue Galloway, Jeff Hiller, Anthony King, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Rodgers, Eric Scott, Caitlin Tegart, and Greg Tuculescu—writing and/or performing sketch comedy directed by Will Hines, hosted by lightning-fast & thoroughly hilarious Pete Holmes (one of the very best stand-ups in the country; Comedy Central, The Daily Show, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker, co-host of hit show Punch Up Your Life), plus music from the lovely Shonali Bhowmik (the S in Variety SHAC), all happening Beneath Gristedes
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 12:20ish am: My favorite open mic stand-up show, hosted by brilliant & lightning-quick Pete Holmes: Gutbucket
[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) 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 through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 10/17/09
Comedic wrestling at UCBW AutumnSlamn and "feed 'em the truth" stand-up comic Earthquake Headlining at Comix
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Razor-sharp NYC comics Brooke Van Poppelen, Jared Logan, Dan St. Germain, Mark Normand, and Tom McCaffrey performing in Ochi's Lounge—and helping host Sean Donnelly celebrate the birthday of his girlfriend Mariel Materos—at Lil' Seany Boy
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
Conan O'Brien, and more joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball
7:30 pm ($5): Superb improvisors Tara Copeland, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Rachel Hamilton, Jessica Allen, and Paul W. Downs perform "a mono-character form with elements of monoscene, deconstruction, and La Ronde:" Sleepover
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($34 & 2-item min.): Stand-up who's performed on HBO, BET, the CW's Everybody Hates Chris, and Clerks II, headlining tonight at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Earthquake
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): The gutsiest comedy troupe in NYC, genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo
[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer
9:00 pm ($5): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here): The Harvard Sailing Team
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King: Reuben Williams
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:30 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount code BECKYD, otherwise $20): A Chicago-based troupe that's wowed audiences around the world with their skill at creating a completely improvised hour-long musical. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment; even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are made up on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award this August for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event at the magical Baby Wants Candy
10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from acclaimed trio Statues of Liberty
[TOP PICK] 12:00 am ($5): One of UCBT's most popular shows is Cage Match; and that's in part because of its wonderful hosts Ben Rodgers and Eric Scott, and the wrestling subplots that go on in between the improv competitions. Tonight the improv is left behind, and a midnight extravaganza devoted to just these sideshow elements explodes onto the stage, featuring at least a half-dozen matches combining sketch comedy and genuine wrestling choreography. For videos of past battles, please click here. As the show description states, "Only 14,000 seats are available, so get your tickets now before the UCBW Arena sells out!" Don't miss the pre-Halloween bloodbath men call UCBW AutumnSlamn
[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) 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 through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 10/18/09
Tom Shillue (Tearing the Veil of Maya), Pat Stango (Sunday Night Stand-Up), and Joe DeRosa (The Comedians)
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000
[FREE] 7:30ish pm: Joe DeRosa (Comedy Central Presents), Matt Goldich (VH1), Gabe Liedman (MTV), CJ Tolenado (visiting from Chicago), and "a very special surprise guest" performing stand-up at a free weekly LES show at Pianos hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Tom Shillue (star storyteller; Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Kumail Nanjiani (writer/performer for Comedy Central's Michael & Michael Have Issues; Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for Best Male Stand-Up), Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central, VH1, comedy troupe Variety SHAC), and more performing at this weekly event at Brooklyn's Union Hall, hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman (who just released a new comedy album, God Is a Twelve Year Old Boy With Asperger's): Tearing the Veil of Maya
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Pat Stango (Don't Touch Me There), Mike Drucker (freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's), Reese Waters (Comedy Central's Michael & Michael Have Issues), Team Submarine, and Mike Sheehan performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up
[FREE] 9:00 pm: Ali Waller (writer for Jimmy Fallon), Nick Turner, Danny Solomon, and Brent Sullivan performing stand-up in the East Village's Beauty Bar at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy
[FREE] 10:00 pm: An all-gal lineup of Gloria Bigalow (Dykes on Mics, Here! TV's Hot Gay Comics), Jodi Wasserman (Comedy Central), Edison Apple (Logo's Laughing Matters: Next Generation), and Justy Dodge performing stand-up at a free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
