NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/18/10
Two of the finest stand-ups in the country, Ted Alexandro (Morrison Motel) and Todd Barry (Whiplash)...
...and there's trouble in Paradise at the wonderful theatrical improv show Naked in a Fishbowl
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!) hosts this free open mic show for storytellers, in which you can put your name in a hat for the chance to tell a five-minute true story...and if it's a good one, possibly be included in Kevin's popular podcasts on the Web: Risk! Storyslam
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm ($15 at the door on $18.50 online with discount code FISHFAN): My #1 pick for the 2007 FringeNYC Festival, this wonderful group of actresses/improvisors portray characters as if they were in a play, but improvise everything they say and do. The luminous performers include Katharine Heller, Brenna Palughi, Lynne Rosenberg, Lauren Seikaly, and Molly Knefel, each of whom is immensely appealing and quick-witted. Further, they have an intimate, lovely chemistry with each other; and they've all committed to baring their personal lives, thinly disguised via their characters (hence the title's Naked). As a result, this is one of the most honest & nuanced improvised shows you'll ever see.
In last week's show, Molly Knefel's breakthrough moment—passionately kissing Brenna Palughi in the spirit of open-minded experimentation—somehow got twisted into "a mistake," and a source of rising tension for all the characters. Among the memorable aftershocks was Brenna calling Molly "young and stupid;" and Lauren Seikaly observing, "I thought two women would get along better as a couple; but it really doesn't work that well when emotions are flying from both directions. It's actually easier when the woman is emotional and the man just 'takes it.'" Also memorable was Lauren telling Molly that she'd better get along with Brenna, or otherwise "you can't hang around with us anymore." Considering Lauren produces the show, that could've been interpreted as a threat to fire Molly—but only if there was any real-life tension behind the staged tension... So will Molly keep her job, or can we look forward to a sexual harassment lawsuit? Come find out tonight...
Although every episode is a wonderful theatrical event, readers of this site no longer have to pay theatrical prices; you can see this show for a mere $15 by mentioning code FISHFAN at the door. Check out some videos of previous episodes here; and then get in the habit of attending the Soho Playhouse to experience the always fresh and surprising Naked in a Fishbowl
7:00 pm ($5): Kelli Porterfield performs a one-woman show about five residents of Joplin, MO: Mirror Mirror On The Wall
7:30 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 the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street)—at John Morrison's Motel Luca
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 online or $8 at the door): Brilliant and irresistible comedic singer/songwriter Shayna Ferm (catch Shay Thursdays at The PIT starring in Grease 3: Threase), Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), and UK comedy star Glenn Wool performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Lee Camp (The Onion, The Huffington Post), Streeter Seidell (CollegeHumor.com), Julia Segal, Mike Birth, and "a surprise guest" performing stand-up in the Lolita Bar for Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York), John Mooney (Comedy Central, 30 Rock), Mark Normand (Last Comic Standing), Nick Turner (College Humor, host of Too Cool for School), and Sam Morril performing at Aces & Eights (34 Avenue A, off 3rd Street) for John Szeluga's Not Friday
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Brothers Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel) and Ashok Kondabolu (Dap in Das Racist) host a talk show, with tonight's guest the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central, host of Whiplash): The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Project
8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's fine house sketch comedy troupes, High Treason and Slow Burn, trying out new bits at Maude Night
[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($5 cover if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $10], plus $7 drink minimum; call 212.989.9319 to reserve seats): Ted Alexandro (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, Verizon FIOS guy, Front Page Films, The Other Guys, comedy CD Come Clean), Liz Miele (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, WE Network, blog Cats, Comedy, and Candy—for sample cat video, please click here), Maureen Langan (HBO, Comedy Central, WE Network), Baratunde (Web Editor of The Onion), and more performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A rare chance to catch a popular UK comedy star briefly visiting NYC: Tom Allen Toughens Up
9:30 pm ($5): "Actors enter with cell phones, not knowing what the night will hold. Their job: To speak aloud whatever they hear through their earpieces. The phones start to ring and the real-time adventure begins. Spontaneous conversations, narrated journeys, and unique experiences overlap as the night's theme sporadically emerges: Line One
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include Todd Barry (HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, The Sarah Silverman Program, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), UK comedy star Glenn Wool, Chris Laker ("I know it's hard to believe I'm 37, but I appear much younger if you look at my accomplishments"), and visiting LA stand-ups Karen Gilgariff, DJ Douggpound, and Josh Fadem—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash
[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on Leo's show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills on this new stand-up open mic hosted by Michelle Wolf and Erin Lennox: Fresh
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/19/10
Jim Gaffigan and Josh Fadem help close out one of NYC's finest stand-up shows: Punch Up Your Life
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 ($5): Jenny Dunne and Rick Andrews improvise a single moment in two characters' lives again and again, exploring three parallel realities, and the difference that a look or tone can make; and Willy Appelman, Tom Costello, Ben Furnas, David Ross, and Ross Taylor make stuff up, in the double-bill The Cascade and Thunderbirds 4Life
[$] 7:30 pm ($18 & 2-drink min.): Winner of the 2009 MAC Award for Best Female Comic headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Maureen Langan
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; MTV, Comedy Central), Molly Knefel (member of dynamite improv troupe Naked in a Fishbowl), John Knefel (The Huffington Post; for stand-up video about tracking falafel sales to catch terrorists, please click here), and Ben Kronenberg (performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Southpaw Downstairs Lounge DownSouth (125 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope), hosted by the breathtaking Sara Schaefer (Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon): Get Off Your Knees
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Marina Franklin (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Leslie Goshko (stellar storyteller; Manhattan Monologue Champion, host of Sideshow Goshko), Aaron Glaser (Jimmy Fallon), and "clowning from Kinky & Boon's Live Radio Show" at Brooklyn's The Royal Oak along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Patrick Meaney (director of documentary Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods) and Justin Akin (improv teams Big Black Car and Action Pals) join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in 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 Bastian, Sandino, DeCoster, Ragnaröck, and Monstro; and at 11:00 pm UCBT students studying under improv genius Neil Casey using an audience suggestion to make up an entire move (a la Neil's and Anthony Atamanuik's hilarious Two Man Movie)—all at Harold Night
9:30 pm ($5): Sketches on topics from the 18th century—ranging from George Washington to Frankenstein—by Kelly Buttermore & Greg Wilker in Kelly & Greg Present 1776
[FREE] 8:00 pm: An all-gal lineup of NYC stand-ups Myka Fox, Cara Kilduff, Adi Blotman, and Gibran Saleem performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($3): The final installment of one of NYC's truly great stand-up shows, which helped propel its original brilliant hosts Jessi Klein & Pete Holmes to NBC comedy staff writing jobs (at SNL and Outsourced). Bringing down the curtain tonight is a blowout lineup: Jim Gaffigan, Josh Fadem, Brooke Van Poppelen, Glenn Wool, and more performing at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for an almost-free weekly show hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, new comedy CD The Depression Auction) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Punch Up Your Life
[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open mic stand-up show hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 10/20/10
Marc Maron interviews Daily Show stars Kristen Schaal,
Lewis Black, and more for his hit podcast
WTF?...
...and comedy shorts including Sara Benincasa in a sex shop are featured in a "Best Of" edition of Don't Touch Me There
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($19.33 online for this show alone, or just $21.51 for both this show and the 9:30 show, using code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum per show): Comedy legend Marc Maron interviews some of the best stand-ups in the world—who tonight include Kristen Schaal, Jessi Klein, Eugene Mirman, Jon Glaser, and Sam Seder—as he tapes an episode of his hit WTF podcast live on stage at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Marc Maron's WTF with Kristen Schaal and More
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: A blowout "best of/DVD taping" edition of this endearingly oddball monthly show, with DTMT's top live sketches, comedy short films, a new 3-D film (with free glasses), and "spooky Halloween surprises," plus guests Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), musical group Fortress of Attitude, and more performing with hosts Pat Stango & Blaine Perry at Karma Lounge: Don't Touch Me There
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Josh Fadem (rising star hilarious at both physical & verbal comedy; 30 Rock, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia), Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever), and Gabe Delahaye (Videogum.com) join best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster) at Totally J/K
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Ace comedic storytellers John Flynn and Cyndi Freeman, and NYC stand-ups Anthony DeVito, Brent Sullivan, and Joe Pontillo, performing at this free weekly show hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:30 pm ($19.33 online using code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): Comedy legend Marc Maron interviews some of the best stand-ups in the world—who tonight include Lewis Black, Rich Vos, Mike DeStefano, and Bonnie MacFarlane—as he tapes an episode of his hit WTF podcast live on stage at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Marc Maron's WTF with Lewis Black, Rich Vos, and More
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): One of the finest comedic storytelling shows in the country, in which brilliant writer/performers—who tonight are Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 15-time StorySlam Champion; for sample, please click here), Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock; brilliant member of championship improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; Huffington Post), Justin Tyler (sketch troupe Sidecar; co-host of marvelous Comic Book Club), and Jesse Falcon (legendary improv troupe Mother; Cracked Magazine), and wonderful host David Martin—tell tales that are brutally honest and utterly hilarious, with tonight's theme Pets (sounds harmless, but be very afraid) at The Nights of Our Lives
[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 10/21/10
Kristen Schaal performs with Kurt Braunohler and Reggie Watts tonight at hot ticket Kristen Schaal and Friends
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Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
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7:30 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors directed by James Eason "take an audience suggestion and break it into a million funny pieces," and veteran improvisors play with "elements of monoscene, deconstruction, and La Ronde," in the double-bill The Deconstruction and Sleepover
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($25): One of the funniest women alive—who's a shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; star of a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; and co-author of new bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex—performing with such dynamite talent as Reggie Watts and her comedy partner Kurt Braunohler at NYU's 700-seat Skirball Center: Kristen Schaal and Friends
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8; sold out tonight, but grab tickets for the final performance next Thursday by clicking here): The thoroughly wonderful comics of sketch troupe Fearsome—Shayna Ferm, Katherine Bryant Flaherty, Alex Goldberg, and Chris O'Connor—are joined by such other immense talents as Livia Scott and Amy Heidt to perform a new comedic musical that's very, very loosely based on a classic Travolta/Newton John vehicle, and about which Show Business Weekly says "standout music and a genuine absurdity not to be missed:" Grease 3: Threase
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($12.89 online with code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): Superb stand-ups who may include Judah Friedlander, Anthony Jeselnik, Brooke Van Poppelen, Paul Mercurio, and Rick Crom performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Still Standing Up
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): W. Kamau Bell reprises his one-man show from last year's FringeNYC, which offers some sharply comedic insights about perceptions of race: The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour
[$] 8:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): The Emmy Award-winning host of Cash Cab, and a stand-up who's performed a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Ben Bailey
[$] 8:30 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.) A Last Comic Standing finalist who's made a lasting impression —with three highly popular Comedy Central hour-long specials, and appearances on Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel—headlining tonight through Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Ralphie May
[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups performing stand-up on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1): Comedy as a Second Language
9:30 pm ($5): If you're a fan of CollegeHumor.com, you can see the folks behind it on stage—along with comics Julian McCullough, Josh Rabinowitz, Crazy Legs Conti, BriTANick, and hosts Jeff and Streeter—at CollegeHumor Live
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Two vibrant improv troupes, C, C, & E Improv Factory and The Beatles, compete for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/22/10
Ralphie May headlines tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club
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 ($8): Award-winning improv duo Lucas Kavner and Bradford Jordan make stuff up with "a celebrity guest improvisor' at Swords
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Comedy dynamo Shannon O'Neill performing her extravaganza about an annual talent show in "Charlie Sheen Prison, the only talent show starring the criminally retarded and insane," directed by the wonderful Will Hines; plus a loud and mildly amusing sketch show about cops, in the double-bill Prison Freaks: A Talent Show and The Sit Down and Shut Up NYPD Variety Hour
[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($24.78 online if you use code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): A co-star of FX's The League headlining tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Stephen Rannazzisi
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): The Emmy Award-winning host of Cash Cab, and a stand-up who's performed a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Ben Bailey
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A groundbreaking and surreal improv/sketch troupe performing with new guests each Friday and making a valid complaint: Centralia: We Were Supposed To Have Flying Cars By Now
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.) A Last Comic Standing finalist who's made a lasting impression—with three highly popular Comedy Central hour-long specials, and appearances on Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel—headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Ralphie May
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers
[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) delivering a brand new collection of sketches titled Ms. Larsen's Class: The Harvard Sailing Team
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
10:30 pm ($10): Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other fine improvisors make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder
11:30 ($5): Improvisors Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela parodying The View in a show self-described as "Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel of five of New York's most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week's events, and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more. Let's talk about issues, over drinks!" This show will keep you in Focus
Midnight ($5): Obscure sketch comedy troupes Boat and Pink Axe compete for audience laughs and votes, with troupe Sidecar hosting, in Backyard Brawl
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 10/23/10
Comedic wrestling at UCBW AutumnSlamn, and lover-not-fighter Ralphie May headlining at Gotham
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] 6:00 pm ($15, which includes 1 drink): Four funny people tell amazing stories. Three of the tales are absolutely true...but one of them is a pack of lies. The audience then asks questions to try and identify the fibber—and everyone who does gets a free t-shirt! This evening's yarn-spinners are Ben Lillie (physicist; host of The Story Collider), Daisy Rosario (Moth GrandSlam Champion), Carter Edwards (UCBT), and Matthew Mercier (writer for Glimmer Train). Come let host Andy Christie (The New York Times, Moth GrandSlam Champion) attempt to mislead you at The Liar Show
7:00 pm ($8): Ben Masten and Sam Dingman perform all-new sketches and songs via an act The Onion says "manages to sell even flimsy premises with smarts and winning chemistry:" Audience of Two: We Hardly Know What's Up
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Christina Gausas, Scott Adsit, Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, and more—including writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door or online): A blowup lineup of Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler, Dave Hill, and Reggie Watts performing music in connection with the CMJ Festival at Brooklyn's Union Hall for Greg Barris' Heart of Darkness
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: The glorious return of a popular Saturday night show (previously at the now-deceased Ochi's Lounge), with wonderful guests Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant stand-up, writer, and storyteller; blogger for trutV; TLC's American Chopper, Maxim and Cosmo Radio, So-Low Show; popular blogs NYisretarded.blogspot.com and RockBottom; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here), Pat Stango (co-host off Don't Touch Me There), Jared Logan (Comedy Central), Yannis Pappas (VH1), and Sam Morrill performing at The Triple Crown Alehouse & Restaurant (330 7th Aveue, between 28th and 29th Streets) at Sean Donnelly's Lil' Seany Boy
[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($24.78 online if you use code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): A co-star of FX's The League headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Stephen Rannazzisi
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.) A Last Comic Standing finalist who's made a lasting impression—with three highly popular Comedy Central hour-long specials, and appearances on Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel—headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club: Ralphie May
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): The Emmy Award-winning host of Cash Cab, and a stand-up who's performed a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Ben Bailey
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—and the Cage Match Champion for two years in a row!—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo
9:00 pm ($7): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!
9:30 pm ($10): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub: Political Subversities
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer
10:00 pm ($10 at the door or online): Jena Friedman revives her dark musical comedic parody of the American Girl Dolls, which includes such brilliant talents from the NYC comedy community as Jessica Delfino, Ben Lerman, and Jena herself at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place off 1st Avenue): The Refugee Girls Revue
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King: Reuben Williams
10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike
11:00 pm ($5): Sketch comedy duo Julia Morales and Oscar Montoya explore the quest for love in Date Me to Hell
[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!" Experience the pre-Halloween bloodbath men call UCBW AutumnSlamn
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 10/24/10
Treasured singer/songwriter Jessica Delfino (Sunday Night Stand-Up), and The Drop Dead Gorgeous Zombie Beauty Pageant
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 ($5): Sketch comedy from young talents Anne Fidler, Erin Merrill, Kevin Young, Paul Travisano and Tyler Foltz: Citizen Models
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Bridget Fitzgerald plays a dancer on her way to the top in this one-woman show "full of fun characters, frolicking times, a damn good soundtrack—and, yes, there will be dance," performed at Queens Long Island City's The Creek and the Cave: Bridget Fitzgerald: Dance Machine
[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
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Typically superb stand-ups (not yet announced this week) performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Tearing the Veil of Maya
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Brilliantly funny writer/singer Jessica Delfino (enjoys singing songs about her vagina, as demonstrated by her CD Dirty Folk Rock; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; has a cool MySpace page, and an even cooler blog; to get a feel for Jessica's amazing range and talent, please click here), UK stand-up star Glenn Wool, Jamie Kilstein (host of Citizen Radio), Greg Stone, and Bob Hansen performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up
[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($7.44 online if you use code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): NYC stand-ups Joe Devito (Last Comic Standing, Craig Ferguson), Kyle Grooms (Chappelle's Show, Last Comic Standing), Jamie Roberts (MTV, Law & Order: CI), Victor Cruz (Comedy Central, Law & Order: SVU), Justin McClure, and Andrew Schulz performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Sunday Night Live
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups Victor Varnado, Calise Hawkins, Kevin Barnett, Keith Albersadt, and Gabe Pacheco performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (writer for 30 Rock and SNL): Comedy Night
9:30 pm ($5): Superb improvisor Pay Shay and his friends make up scenes that jibe with live music from NYC singer/songwriters at Hammer Throw
[FREE] 10:00 pm: A special event for Halloween that's taking the place of Beauty Bar Comedy for tonight only: The Drop Dead Gorgeous Zombie Beauty Pageant
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Liz Miele (Comedy Central, Carolines), Jessimae (Tyra Banks Show), and Chantal Carrere performing stand-up at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Copyright © 2010 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
