NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/29/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Ellie Kemper & Christina Gausas performing long-form improv as KEMPAS (7:00 pm),
a double-bill that includes Matt DeCoster's & Will Hines' sketch show 7 Fights (8:00 pm),
Brett Gelman performing his acclaimed one-man musical 1,000 Cats at Totally J/K (8:00 pm),
stand-up talents such as Eric Andre at the Comix premiere of Billy Reno's show The Billy Club (8:00 pm),
and brilliant comics including Human Giant and Todd Barry at one of best stand-up shows
in New York, which just happens to be free: Crash Test (11:00 pm).
Ellie Kemper & Christina Gausas
KEMPSAS is a duo of powerhouse improvisors: Ellie Kemper (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Onion, McSweeney's) and Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Stepfathers...and amidst brilliant talents, almost stole the show a couple of months ago at UCBT's Gravid Water with an intense performance as a grieving daughter & wife). Tonight KEMPer and GauSAS will be performing long-form improv; and they're worth catching.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Franco & Billy share their filmed adventures; Matt DeCoster & Will Hines portray combative relationships
The Franco & Billy Show and Hines & DeCoster: 7 Fights
A double-bill of comedic duos.
The Franco & Billy Show is Peter Blomquist and Jeff Wiens, who create mockumentary short films. For a video describing the saga of Franco & Billy, please click here.
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
Hosted by 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 primary guest is Brett Gelman, who'll be performing
his one-man musical, 1,000 Cats, in its entirety.
Brett's credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
The Colbert Report, Death by Roo Roo; for samples of Brett's unique work
with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here,
and check out their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked.
Also scheduled for tonight are Max Silvestri (host of NYC monthly live comedy show
I Like Attention), Greg Johnson (co-host of weekly NYC comedy show Power Hour),
and Gabe & Jenny.
8:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Billy Reno, Pat O'Shea, and Eric Andre
Hosted by Billy Reno (SNL's Weekend Update, Caroline's; for
video samples, please click here and here). Tonight's guests are
Eric Andre (stand-up comic and Geico caveman; for a video sample, please click here),
Pat O'Shea (BCAT TV: Brooklyn vs. Bush),
Joe DeVito (written for MTV, FUSE, Super Size Me),
Sven Wechsler, and Amy Crossfield.
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)
Posing the question, "Can sketch specialists perform improv? Or improv experts tackle sketch?", The PIT presents 50 comedy groups stretching their skills in response.
A ticket for any single show tonight is $10;
a ticket for all three of tonight's shows is $20;
and a pass for the entire festival—which runs through Wednesday—is $50.
This evening's hosts are Abigoliah Schamaun and Desiree Nash.
The groups performing at 8:00 pm are:
Sarah Saltzberg and Friends
Lance & Ray
Better Than the Machine
Pembroke & Lu
The groups performing at 9:30 pm are:
Secret Hospital
Murderfist
The Impending Moustache
And the groups performing at 11:00 pm are:
City Hall
SmackDab
I Got Your Monkey
Audience of Two
Baby Grenade
Zehl Steen Think Pound
Seven Foot Baby
Matt & Tracie
Good Neighbor
For more info and the complete schedule, please click here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue)
John Lutz and Peter Grosz
Superb comics Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, co-writer & co-star of UCBT sketch show The Steve Miller Band and Other Annoying Monsters) and John Lutz (writer & occasional actor on SNL since 2004; recurring character on 30 Rock) perform a two-man improv show (a version of their previous long-running and acclaimed Chicago show 4 Square, which also included Dan Bakkedahl and Rob Janas).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosted by Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet,
and co-star with fellow genius comics Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer
of MTV hit comedy series Human Giant).
If you're a fan, please note that Aziz, Paul and Rob guys are currently
shooting the second season of Human Giant. For insider notes about
the production, and for sneak peaks at new videos,
please visit their Web site at thehumangiant.com.
Because Aziz was tied up with shoots last week, Dave Hill
and Brett Gelman took over the hosting chores.
Each is a formidable comic but with his own unique, quirky style;
so it was a joy to discover the two of them actually made for
a natural comedic duo, with Brett as a sort of Hope to Dave's Crosby.
And playing off each other, they created a highly entertaining evening.
Tonight Aziz is scheduled to return...along with Paul and Rob as co-hosts.
Few are better at working a crowd than these guys; plus they'll probably
have fun stories to tell about creating their second season.
(Post-Show Note: As things turned out, the guys remained tied up with shoots;
but hosting duties were handled by the wonderful John Mulaney.)
And tonight's lineup includes the wryly brilliant Todd Barry
(one of the best stand-ups in the biz; Late Show with David Letterman,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents,
HBO's Flight of the Conchords, HBO's Lucky Louie,
Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties,
Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Tom Goes To The Mayor),
Will Franken (for a review of his 2005 FringeNYC show Good Luck with It, please click here),
and Greg Johnson (co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Power Hour).
Crash Test guests are typically superb comedians trying out new material;
and tonight's show is likely to be among the flat-out funniest in New York.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/30/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a small army of mind-blowingly talented musical comics at Shockwave's Halloween Mixtape (8:00 pm),
powerhouse female comics such as Meat's Biz Ellis & Livia Scott at Chicks & Giggles (8:00 pm),
the final night of sketch performers doing improv, and vice versa, at SketchProv (8:00, 9:00 & 11:00 pm),
and brilliant stand-up Pete Holmes, luminous singer/dancer/sketch performers The Apple Sisters,
and adorable foul-mouthed comedic duo Gabe & Jenny at Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
Shockwave: The Halloween Mixtape
Shockwave, the amazing human beatbox of Freestyle Love Supreme,
fronts this evening of funny music from some of the best
comedic singer/songwriters in New York City,
with styles ranging from hip-hop to rock 'n roll to indie pop to blues.
The wonderful guests include:
Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner: I Eat Pandas
Jesse Hartman of Laptop
Members of Freestyle Love Supreme
The above is a breathtaking lineup of talent,
and this promises to be an incredible show.
To purchase tickets online—because this might sell out—please click here.
(Note: There's an $1.50 service charge, for a total of $11.50 per ticket.)
8:00 pm at Ars Nova, 511 West 54th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues); $10 at the door
The O'Debra Twins, Becky Yamamoto, and Elizabeth Ellis & Livia Scott
Carolyn Castiglia hosts a lineup of talented female comics.
Tonight's scheduled guests are
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,
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),
Jenny Rubin (co-host of NYC weekly live comedy show Max!),
AB (Amybeth) Carney (host of The Monthly Show with Aunt Flo), and
The O'Debra Twins (Bowery Poetry Club).
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)
Posing the question, "Can sketch specialists perform improv? Or improv experts tackle sketch?", The PIT presents 50 comedy groups stretching their skills in response.
A ticket for any single show tonight is $10,
and a pass for all three shows is $20.
This evening's hosts are Steve Soroka and Sarah Lowe.
The groups performing at 8:00 pm are:
The Stone Brothers
Gluttony
Gay Christ Figures
The groups performing at 9:30 pm are:
Threat
Bandolero
Starkey & Grace
Project: Projekt
And the groups performing at 11:00 pm are:
Ice Cream Socialists
Purple Monkey Dishwashers
Mechanical Yeti
The Straightmen
Hey Gorgeous
Kape
Lunch
Afternoon Playland
For more info and the complete schedule, please click here.
8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue)
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
DeCoster, T.R.U.C.K.S., fwand, 1985, and Tantrum
—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
Pete Holmes and The Apple Sisters...
...and Craig Baldo and Gabe & Jenny
Hosted by the sharp & witty Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Tonight's superb lineup includes the brilliantly funny
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;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket),
The Apple Sisters (the lovely Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe,
who are delightful comedic performers, singers, and dancers, and
have a show every Friday at 7:00 pm at The PIT that's been regularly selling out;
to get a feel for it, please click here & here & here & here),
Gabe & Jenny (adorable hosts of NYC biweekly live comedy show at Rififi), and
Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion) as tonight's co-host.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
The artist at work: Colleen Doran
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's pre-Halloween industry guests are
the creators of the comic The Nightmare Factory:
artist Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil, The Sandman, The Book of Lost Souls),
artist Michael Gaydos (Alias), writer Joe Harris (Darkness Falls),
and writer Stuart Moore (The Escapist).
Please Note: Comic Book Club is normally at The PIT, but this evening
will be hosted by Comix. Ticket price at the door is $15; but if you buy online,
the price is just $5 using promotional code CBCCMX.
Please also note that in addition to the cover charge, Comix has a two-item minimum.
The least expensive items on the showroom menu are coffee, tea or soda
for $5, beer for $6, and sides for $7 (to view the full menu, please click here),
so total cost with tax & tip will be at least $13 (i.e., on top of the $5 online ticket).
That said, the hosts are promising prizes, surprises, and Halloween fun.
9:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 (with code CBCCMX online) and 2-item minimum
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 10/31/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
comedy giant Eugene Mirman and two rockin' bands celebrating a Brooklyn Union Hall-O-Ween (7:30ish pm),
stellar comedic actors, including Tara Copeland, Jeff Hiller, and Glennis McMurray,
performing a new play about a mysterious series of murders in High School: The Deathening (8:00 pm),
and brilliant stand-up Pete Holmes hosting comedic rockers Corn Mo and The Last Car in Rock-O-Lantern (9:30 pm).
The Onion is sponsoring this Brooklyn comedic & musical celebration of Halloween.
The participants are the cast of Cartoon Network's new show Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil
(which includes comedy great Eugene Mirman),
and the fun bands
Cheeseburger (above, performing on Halloween 2002)
7:30ish pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $5
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
What's Halloween without some scary fun?
The official description of this comedic thriller:
"Someone is killing off the students of Oldchester High.
Is it the rich, snobby bitch?
The mysterious new guy?
The creepy janitor?
Or is it...something inhuman?
There is only one way to stop the Deathening—
and that's through the power of rock.
These kids live to rock. Now they must rock to live."
Written by Kirk Damato; directed by Brian Fountain.
Starring Cory Cavin, Tara Copeland, Birch Harms, Jeff Hiller, Ryan Karels,
LeMar McLean, Glennis McMurray, Garrett Palm, Nick Ross and Joe Spellman.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Eliza Skinner, Jenny Rubin & Matt McCarthy, and Katina Corrao
Stand-up comedy hosted by the very funny Jenny Rubin and Matt McCarthy.
Tonight's guests are Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas
and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in the band Stickerbook; MTV's Damage Control),
Katina Corrao (HBO's Daddy, Comedy Central; for video samples, please click here and here),
Tony Camin (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Premium Blend, The Marijuana-logues),
Shawn Hollenbach (co-producer of the Mintyfresh comedy shows),
Joe Randazzo (assistant editor at The Onion), and Billy Wood (Caroline's).
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)
Corn Mo and The Last Car
Spend Halloween with some top comedic musicians.
Corn Mo, a.k.a. John Cunningham, has performed on such comedy shows
as Human Giant 24: Live From Times Square and Hot Tub Variety.
Playing the accordion and keyboards, he will
blow the roof off with such songs as Havi Nagilah Monster.
The Last Car are Chris Anderson, Amy Miles, and Robin "Goldie" Goldwasser,
a vocal harmony group performing haunted songs on such topics
as fireflies, car crashes, and the vagaries of romance.
To sample their work, please click here and here.
And if that's not enough, the show will be hosted by the brilliant 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;
host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous
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 troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous take the stage.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 11/1/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
razor-sharp comedic chameleon Livia Scott performing the actual letters of an array
of OJ Simpson fans in her unsettling one-woman show Goodnight OJ (8:00 pm),
the delightful, sexy, and immensely talented gals of Variety Shac (9:30),
and the start of a month-long 3-on-3 Improv Tournament (11:00).
Comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, world-class sketch group Meat, Livia's Castle of Enchantment) wrote and performs this 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." 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); tickets are $5
Smile Time with Sean and Shawn
Stand-up comedy hosted by Sean O'Connor (VH1; New York Posts
Top 20 Entertainers to Watch For in 2006; upcoming album Shmeat is Shmurder;
for hilarious stand-up samples, please click here and here).
Unfortunately, tonight's guests haven't been announced (there isn't
even a mention of who Shawn is...); but hopefully Sean will get better
about posting details regarding his new show as time goes on.
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)
The hard-to-resist members of this popular group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik, and comics Andrea Rosen, Chelsea Peretti, and Heather Lawless. The show features songs, sketches, and funny short films made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
This delightful show pits improv teams against each other while creating the
the atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena (and providing such side-shows
as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf...).
If you're a fan of UCBT's wildly popular Cage Match and/or this year's star troupe Derrick (to date, 10 wins in a row and no losses), you're in great company; but both are taking a break to make room for a slightly different competition.
Starting tonight and throughout November, 21 select comedy troupes, each with three members, battle for audience votes in the Seventh Annual Citywide 3-on-3 Improv Tournament.
In addition, a wildcard team is chosen lottery-style from the audience during each quarter-final, making for a total of eight teams competing per evening. This wildcard group adds a delicious extra element of surprise, as well as making the audience feel like it's part of the action.
The four teams with the most votes from each quarter-final advance to the semi-finals.
The tournament is hosted by the wonderful and invaluable Pat Baer (above right).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 11/2/07
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),
ace comics such as Sara Schaefer and Seth Herzog at "Auntie" Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:00 pm),
brilliant stand-up and voiceover comics such as John Mulaney and Jon Benjamin at Power Hour (8:30 pm),
and some of the finest improv comedy in NYC from The Stepfathers (9:30 pm) and Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
The Apple Sisters: Thanks for Stuffing
Sadly, October's wonderful Spooky Halloween Show is over.
Happily, November's show—which revolves around Thanksgiving, 'natch—
begins tonight for a four-week Friday night run.
In this ongoing series, 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!" To get a feel for the show, please click here & here & here & here.
And for the amazing Ms. Gatewood's hot-off-the-presses latest video—her profile
on the revolutionary matchmaking service Ché-Date—please click here.
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $10 at the door,
or you can pay $9.19 (including service charge) buying online by clicking here
The multi-talented Eliza Skinner portrays three women so horrible you have to laugh
Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas
and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in the band Stickerbook; MTV's Damage Control) plays a mother, a wife, and a party girl who are mean, vicious, and hilarious.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Sara Schaefer, happy children, and "Aunt" Sara Benincasa
Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (for hilarious video sample,
please click here). Tonight includes wonderful guests
Sara Schaefer (VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks, UCBT's Video Gaga),
Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever, host of superb NYC weekly live comedy show Sweet),
Catie Lazarus, Elon James White, Rachel Parenta, and Lucas Held.
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)
Hosts Larry Murphy & Greg Johnson...
...and tonight's guests Patrick Borelli, Jon Benjamin, and John Mulaney
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 guests are star-calibre stand-up comic John Mulaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Jon Benjamin (superb voiceover actor for FOX's Family Guy, Adult Swim's
Lucy the Daughter of the Devil, Home Movies, Assy McGee—which he
co-writes with Jon Glaser, and Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz;
played talking can of vegetables hooked on autofellatio in film Wet Hot American Summer;
was thoroughly hilarious as Bruce Willis impersonator in classic Human Giant sketch), and
Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's
Premium Blend, writer for ESPN's Cheap Seats).
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
Veteran improvisors Scott Glover and John O'Donnell,
accompanied by a rotating cast that might include
such superb talents as Eliza Skinner or Tara Copeland or Jeff Hiller
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
Writer/producer/political humorist Negin Farsad (Comedy Central's The Watch List,
comedy troupes Madame Funnypants and Three Jews and a Persian;
for a video sample, please click here) hosts this show featuring
comics from "hilariously marginalized descent."
Typically, Negin and two other skilled stand-ups each perform a set.
10:00 pm at The Culture Project, 55 Mercer Street (at Broome Street); tickets are $12
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.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!
If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.
But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.
Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.
Please Note: If you like sketch, mark your calendar for November 9-10; UCBT will
be hosting 24 hours of nonstop comedy from some of the best sketch groups around.
To learn more, please click here.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 11/3/07
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
former humor writer for President Bill Clinton in the storytelling competition The Liar Show (6:00 pm),
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),
comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
Business Casual, the latest hilarious sketch show 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).
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.
Host Andy Christie (The New York Times) welcomes tonight's terrific yarn-spinners:
Mike Daisey (called "the master storyteller" by The New York Times),
Mark Katz (from 1993 to 2000, White House humor writer for President Bill Clinton),
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central; US Magazine's Fashion Police), and
James Braly (NPR; only two-time winner of The Moth Storytelling GrandSLAM).
6:00 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
tickets are $12, which includes one drink
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).
7:30 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
Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase
Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;
sketch, improv, and stand-up comics performing in the buff.
A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian
and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."
For a New York Magazine review, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone
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 comedic singer/performer Wendy Ho
(for a sample music video, please click here)
and actor/stand-up Leo Goodman.
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
8:00ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Weekly comedy show produced by Carol Hartsell (above).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but this show typically gets in solid talent.
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.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: Business Casual
The Harvard Sailing Team (which was superb in SketchFest NYC 07)
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy in this new sketch show.
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 formidable improv performer. 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.
10:30 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 for the past
three months 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—
and in this show they perform sketch comedy live
(while devoting some time near the end to an improv session).
Highlights include DC pleading with the Godfather
to mete out justice for DC's daughter's brutal beating and rape...
by replacing the large-screen TV broken during the assault.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 11/4/07
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),
wonderfully unconventional comics Brett Gelman, Andrea Rosen, and Brian Kiley joining hosts
Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter in Brooklyn for Tearing the Veil of Maya (7:45ish pm),
and the delightful Sara Schaefer testing your musical ear in Name That Tune (9:15ish 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)
Andrea Rosen, Brett Gelman, and Brian Kiley
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 terrific lineup includes
Brian Kiley (writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1994; has performed on Late Show with David Letterman, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents),
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), and
Andrea Rosen (smart & deliciously fresh stand-up; Comedy Central's Stella,
VH1's All Access, acclaimed comedy troupe Variety Shac).
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.
Name That Tune with Sara Schaefer
Directly following Brooklyn's Tearing the Veil of Maya comes the delightful
Sara Schaefer (VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks;
UCBT's Video Gaga) hosting this free comedic musical game show.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but expect fun.
9:15ish pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; free
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.
A showcase for talented improvisation twosomes.
Tonight's duos are
Patrick Dall'Occhio & Rob Webber,
Jon Bander & Rylan Morrison,
Peter McNerney & Russ Armstrong, and
Jodi Skeris & Karsten Cross.
Hosted by Alex Marino.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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
