NYC Comedy Picks for Week of October 25, 2010

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/25/10

"A very special interview" of Todd Barry and Reggie Watts will happen tonight at Citizen Radio Live...

...and come see what Katharine Heller will be wearing this week 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, Katharine Heller was gorgeous in an outfit that displayed some of her more obvious assets and Lynne Rosenberg proved herself a trooper in a—well, let's say less flattering ensemble, in a show revolving around breasts and nonprofits.

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

[FREE] 7:00 pm: NYC stand-ups JL Cauvin, Jay Nog, Amanda Baramki, Chris Laker, and Gary Vider performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

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): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion ), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central), Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting (memorable sketch comedy duo), and Australian stand-up Dan Ilic 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): World-class storyteller Tom Shillue (The Daily Show, Comedy Central), UK comedy star Glenn Wool (Comedy Central), Andy Pitz (David Letterman), Jared Logan (Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing), and Nick Cobb (Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing) performing at the Three of Cups East Village lounge (i.e., not the usual Aces and Eights venue tonight) for John Szeluga's Not Friday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Improv crashes into classic theatre scenes at this amazing show featuring some of the very best improvisors and theatrical actors in NYC: Gravid Water

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A blowout lineup of live radio interview subjects, including Reggie Watts, Melissa Harris-Lacewell (MSNBC, The Nation), and "a very special interview with Todd Barry" at Jamie Kilstein's and Allison Kilkenny's Citizen Radio Live

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Four sharp comedic talents each performing a monologue, with tonight's players Matt Higgins (Centralia), Katie Northlich (four-time National Monologue Champion), Shawn Williams (National Monologue Champion), and Walter Murphy: The PIT-ologues

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include Jon Dore, Gabe & Jenny, Joe Mande, Jon Friedman, and Billy Wayne Davis—guest-hosted by comedy genius Sean Patton (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1) 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 10/26/10

Fearless razor-sharp stand-ups Sean Patton and Ali Wong usher in R. G. Daniels' new show Mothaf*@%!n' Comedy

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Thoroughly wonderful stand-ups Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; MTV, Comedy Central), and Julian McCullough (Comedy Central Presents) usher in this new monthly show at The Kraine Theatre (85 East 4th Street) hosted by R. G. Daniels (Sunday Night Stand-Up): Mothaf*@%!n' Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Hari Kondabolu (upcoming Comedy Central Presents special), Jared Logan (Comedy Central, co-host of new show Righteous Kill), Laura Prangley, and more 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] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros 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 Robber Baron, Badman, Bastian, Ragnaröck, and The Opera; 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

8:30 pm ($5): Delightfully raunchy singer/songwriter Ben Lerman, and sharp stand-ups Julian McCullough and Brent Sullivan, performing at the Magnet Theatre for Adam Lerman's and Willy Appleman's variety show Deep Traffic

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An all-parents lineup—"they hired a babysitter and are out here entertaining you!"—with hilarious stand-up & white rapper Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, Splurge), and NYC stand-ups Dave T. Koenig, Kevin Tor, and Vinny Fallon, performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

9:30 pm ($5): "Best friends Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell created an Internet phenomenon by challenging pairs of women to double date them and documenting the hilarious results for YouTubers everywhere. Two hundred dates later, their experiences were translated into reenactments, educational songs, and valuable lessons in everything from dancing to kissing. Tonight, these dating experts employ audience-recounted horror stories as inspiration for improvised scenes, in an attempt to enlighten you on the art of romance:" Dating Coaches

[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 10/27/10

Mike Birbiglia puts on a nearly-free show of what's likely to be amazing new material at My Girlfriend's Boyfriend,
and comics dress up & perform as other comics at the awesome annual event Schtick Or Treat

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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($8): For the third year of this fabulous annual event, over 30 NYC comics get two minutes each to do a set as a famous comedian. Tonight's agenda includes Matt McCarthy as Bill Hicks, Erik Bergstrom as Lisa Lampanelli, Nick Turner and Ariel Bitran as Tenacious D, George Gordon as Eddie Murphy, Laura Prangley as Joan Rivers, Jared Logan as Soupy Sales, Dan Soder as Rodney Dangerfield...and much more (full lineup here) performing at Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton Street), hosted by Matt Ruby as Andrew Dice Clay & Mark Normand as Norm MacDonald: The 3rd Annual Schtick Or Treat

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): One of the finest stand-ups & storytellers in the country tries out new material—delivering a show that's likely worth $40+ tonight for a mere $5—in Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Murderfist (NYC's fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), and Boris Khaykin (UCB, Atom.com) performing at Brooklyn's Legion Bar for a monthly show hosted by sketch duo Mark Bisi & Andrew Beckerman: The Weeping Skull

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report), Brendan McGlaughlin (Conan O'Brien), Andy Hendrickson (30 Rock), Danny Lobell, and Selena Coppock performing at the East Village's Angels and Kings with delightful dark humor host Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Wonderful comics Jessica Delfino, Kurt Braunohler, Jena Friedman & Ben Kronberg, LandlineTV, and Serious Lunch share their tales of being turned down—with tonight's theme Cease & Desist—at Jon Friedman's wonderful The Rejection Show

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Arden Myrin (Conan O'Brien, Mad TV, numerous other TV shows & films; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here), master sketch comic Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets), Matt Higgins (Centralia), and more creepily performing pre-Halloween at Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton Street) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[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 10/28/10

Starlee Kine and Michael Showalter are among the wonderful storytellers at tonight's 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:

6:00 pm ($5): An oddball triple bill of sketch comedy—the potentially quite good Dystopia Gardens, the quite silly EC-comics inspired Orson Welles' Basement of Terror, and the even way sillier Rob Lathan playlet A Benefit for Permanent Nutface Gary—all at tonight's UCBT audition show Spank

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): Top comics and comedic storytellers—who tonight are the thoroughly wonderful Michael Showalter (The State, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer), Starlee Kine (This American Life, The New York Times), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), Nick Prueher (Found Footage Festival), and Keri Heidecker (Freak Magnet)—joining brilliant sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State) to share tales on tonight's theme "The Chase" at one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk!

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Molly Knefel (newest member of superb theatrical improv troupe Naked in a Fishbowl) and her brother John Knefel host this monthly comedy show, with tonight's 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; popular blogs NYisretarded.blogspot.com and RockBottom; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here), Dan Curry (Last Comic Standing), Ben Kissel (Roundtable of Gentlemen), and Jeff Kreisler performing stand-up at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, off Thompson Street): John and Molly Get Along

[$] 8:00 pm pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star and superb stand-up headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Susie Essman

8:00 pm ($5): The Magnet's co-owner Armando Diaz performs monologues on the spot and improvisors then act out scenes based on them at The Armando Diaz Experience

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($12.89 online with code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): NYC stand-ups Vic Henley, Mike Lawrence, Veronica Mosey, Mike Recine, Warren Holstein, and Russ Meneve performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Still Standing Up

8:00 pm ($5): A musical sketch comedy show, and a one-woman show about breast cancer, in the double-bill Sing Out, Louie! and Pam Murphy: The C Word

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($15): A comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) are shared by their original authors before total strangers at Mortified

[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): In homage to Halloween, UCBT house sketch troupe Thunder Gulch presents a Saturday Night Live-inspired show that stars Frankenstein, Elvira, and Freddy Krueger: Monster Night LIve

[$] 10:00 pm ($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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Vibrant improv troupe The Beatles (Mike Still, Jim Santangeli, Achilles Stamatelaky, and Dan Klein) and genius improv troupe Outlook of the Poet (Gavin Speiller, Ben Rodgers, and Jonathan Gabrus) compete for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/29/10

Comedic horror written by Matt Walsh and performed by such scary-smart stars as Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik: Killgore

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 ($10): Marc Bonnée, member of acclaimed sketch troupe Drop Six, goes solo with this show consisting of character bits and one-man sketches loosely tied to the theme of excess: Too...

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($35.57 online if you use code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): A star of MTV, Road Trip, and Freddy Got Fingered headlining tonight and Saturday at the Comix Comedy Club: Tom Green

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & midnight ($15): "In ancient times, an evil spirit would rise from hell every Halloween and appear incarnate at the UCB Theater...where he would soak the stage (and parts of the audience) with a ridiculous amount of fake blood. Now that demon is back, ready to unleash a gory, hopelessly bloody torrent of vengeance...and a ridiculous amount of fake blood. Fortunately, the beast only slaughters those who are rife with selfishness, greed, hatred, and a few people who just suck (though a little bit of fake blood sometimes gets on the audience). That demon's name is Killgore." This show is written by legendary UCB co-founder Matt Walsh and stars such comedy geniuses as Anthony Atamanuik & Neil Casey (Death by Roo Roo, Two Man Movie), and will run three times tonight and tomorrow night to celebrate Halloween. Come wearing cheap washable clothes and enjoy Killgore: The New Blood

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: A blowout One Year Anniversary edition, with phenomenal comedy talents Sean Patton, Reggie Watts, Hannibal Buress, and Jesse Popp performing at O'Hanlon's (14th Street off 1st Avenue), hosted by Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

[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] 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

[TOP PICK] 11:30 ($5): "In 1976, 1977, and 1978, Paul annually taped his zany Halloween show. Now, through the use of Doc Brown's time machine, Paul will travel to the future—all the way to the year 1985—to bring his light-hearted satirical look at television variety specials with a new generation of celebrities. Join Paul and his guests, Christa McAuliffe, Gary Coleman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Soleil Moon Frye, Hulk Hogan, Cyndi Lauper, and Vincent Price as they celebrate the Halloween season as only Paul can" at The Paul Lynde Halloween Special: 1985

[$] 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 10/39/10

Scenes from previous productions of the Halloween comedy/horror tradition concluding tonight at UCBT: Killgore

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): Daily Show producer Jimmy Donn, Black20.com performers Jessie Cantrell &, Sarah Walker, Mike & Ted O'Gorman and Pat Driscoll perform sketch comedy designed to make you "laugh, be slightly offended, laugh again, cough once or twice, recall a repressed memory, and drink:" The Dan Ryan

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; Comedy Central special; Jimmy Fallon; Electric Company; Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited tour; for video samples, please click here), W. Kamau Bell (FringeNYC), and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central) performing at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City with host Sean Donnelly: Halloween Eve

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

10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 10/31/10

The history of vampires in Colonial Pennsylvania is performed to the music of Paula Abdul tonight at Straight Up Vampire

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 ($15 at the door or $18 online, plus $12 min. if you sit at a table): "The history of vampires in Colonial Pennsylvania as performed to the music of Paula Abdul," with Katina Corrao, Philip Taratula, Tanya O'Debra, Drae Campbell, Justin Noble, Jason Quarles, Megan Stern, Emily Simoness, Luis Moreno and Corn-Mo as Benjamin Franklin: Straight Up Vampire

7:00 pm ($5): Zombies, blood, and improv: The Halloween Horror Bang

[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

8:00 pm ($5): "Each year at this time, when the moon grows full and the foul baying of the hounds of Hell echoes through the night sky, the eight members of SidViscous! rise from their graves to deliver another terrifying, hilarious, fully-improvised Halloween special for a new audience of cursed souls:" The 4th Annual SidViscous! Halloween Spooktacular

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Myq Kaplan (finalist on this summer's Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special), Phoebe Robinson (host of Case of the Mondays Comedy), Jay Pharoah (Saturday Night Live), and Harris Stanton performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (writer for 30 Rock and SNL): Comedy Night

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Mike Dobbins, Kenny Zimlinghaus, Dan Curry, and Dan Goodman performing stand-up in the East Village's Beauty Bar at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy

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