NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 8/6/12
Comedy genius Chris Gethard will impress you with his fashion sense
while hosting tonight's Hot
Tub Variety;
and, at right, "Stephen was attracted to Danielle’s bold use of color
and risk taking!" is just one example of
what you'll experience at the invaluable monthly show
My High School Boyfriend Was Gay
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] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling show, with audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 8 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge, along with tonight's guest storyteller Gavin Starr Kendall (UCBT improvisor) joining host Jake Hart: The Dump
6:00 pm ($5 cover & $5 drink min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4 1/2 minutes per set and 20 comics crammed into 2 hours—at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club (99 MacDougal Street) for John Morrison's Village Motel
[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays
7:00 pm ($8): "What really goes on inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl from Long Island who's obsessed with sleepaway camp, Madonna, and everything that her sexually promiscuous older sister does?" A one-woman show by Ali Bernstein: J.A.P.
[FREE] 7:30 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they've never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope
7:30 pm ($10; sign-up starts at 7:00 pm): Open mic for stand-ups, storytellers, singers, poets, actors, and more, with 5 minutes per performer and 25 slots available, at One and One Bar's Downstairs Nexus Lounge (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word's Open Mic Joint
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Comedy genius Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and Manhattan Cable Access' The Chris Gethard Show; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of new bestseller A Bad Idea I'm About to Do and Weird New York) hosts this edition of Hot Tub, with guests Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), MIchael Che (IFC's Bunk), Die Roten Punk (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and Simon Fielder (BBC New Comedy Awards) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): Hot Tub Variety
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Inspired by the popular blog My High School Boyfriend Was Gay, this superb show at UCB East "celebrates our most tragic, hilarious, and heinous teenage memories, full of chaste hugs, Grease sing-alongs, and trips to the stage door to accost the cast of Rent," with true stories tonight from Sharon Spell (host of The Big Shrink), David Smithyman (We're Nice People), Michael Hartney (So I Like Superman: A One-Nerd Show), and "special guests," with hosts Damian Bellino, and the super-delightful Camille Harris whose piano playing and singing will make you grin and dance in your seat: My High School Boyfriend Was Gay
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: Gramp's (the finest of UCBT's Maude sketch troupes, thanks to such talents as Laura Grey, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Abbi Crutchfield, Don Fanelli, and Eddie Dunn, and a strong writing team) and Onassis (which has seldom been strong on the writing side but includes superb actress Lauren Conlin Adams): Maude Night: Gramp's and Onassis
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): This show begins with a delightful concept—Top Gun performed as if written by William Shakespeare—and then executes it with the joyful craft only a sharp, tight theatrical ensemble can create. Everyone in the cast is terrific, but among the most memorable are Dan Hartley as Maverick, and Vayu O'Donnell who steals every scene he appears in with his hilariously deadpan delivery as Iceman. While this is playing at The PIT upstairs theatre for a mere $10, it's really legit Fringe theatre, and I hope it eventually makes its way to FringeNYC or Edinburgh—or better yet, develops more songs and gets a commercial run as a musical. Meanwhile, don't miss this opportunity to see a way fun parody of a cult classic for about half of what you oughta be paying: Jester's Dead
[DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($11.34 [vs. $21.69] online using discount code LLED10): NYC stand-ups specializing in political humor make fun of our current election cycle at The Playroom Theater (151 West 46th Street); take advantage of discount code LLED10 to see this off-Broadway show for under $12: Laughing Liberally: Electile Dysfunction
[FREE] 8:30 pm: Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Team Submarine, Tim Warner, Trey Galyon, and Missy Baker performing stand-up at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Matchless (557 Manhattan Avenue) hosted by Mike Denny, Michael Che, and/or Nimesh Patel: Broken Comedy
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new bits: Fambly (which includes wonderful rising star Mamrie Hart, Nicole Byer, Dan Chamberlain, Veronica Osorio, and a sharp crew of writers), and Neighbor Boy (which tends to be weak on material, but includes such talents as Tim Dunn and Beth Appel, and may get a shot in the arm with the addition of writer Caitlin Bitzegaio): Maude Night: Neighbor Boy & Fambly
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Sketch comics John Early (30 Rock), Rachel Wenitsky (Story PIrates), Andrew Farmer (Gentleman Party), and Marisa Parry (withlovemarisajade.blogspot.com) each show off their solo character work for this unique show at The PIT upstairs theatre, hosted by Sam Martin & Matthew Robert Gehring: Comedy Expo
[FREE] 9:30 pm: Following a club format, hosts Nore Davis & Andrew Short perform stand-up throughout for a total of 25 minutes, two comics each perform a 15-minute set, and then a seasoned headliner closes out the show with a 20-minute set, all at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: On the Road
[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Phoebe Robinson, Tom Steffen, Nate Rand, Oni Perez, Ken Schultz, and Zach Broussard performing at Pat O'Shea's free biweekly Brooklyn showcase at Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue): Ed Sullivan on Acid
9:30 pm ($5): The debut of the only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling show at The Magnet hosted by Kelly Buttermore: Storytelling Mixer
[FREE] 10:30 pm: Karaoke plus Mad Libs—in which the audience chooses a list of words to swap into a popular song—at the UCB East Bar hosted by karaoke experts Alan Starzinski and Amy Jo Jackson, plus live keyboard accompaniment by Joe McGinty: Karaoke Night at the Hot Chicks Room
[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Keith Huang: Base Jam
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who are no longer being announced in advance, but it's virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea hosted by someone wonderful (while usual wonderful host Leo Allen is in LA): Whiplash
[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this exceptionally supportive stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jarrid Reed: Fresh
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 8/7/12
SNL's John Mulaney headlines at ComedyJuice; Ted Travelstead performs at Brooklyn's Geeking Out
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: Open-mic sketch that allows you to either perform a sketch with your own performers or bring in pages for the audience to perform at The PIT downstairs lounge, followed by feedback on your bit from PIT "sketch-perts:" Pens & Pencils
[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Chesley Calloway (co-host of renowned Comedy as a Second Language): The Ches Club
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, each of four of The Magnet's singing improv troupes make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Atticus and Aquarius at 7:00 and Mint Condition and The Montels at 8:30; followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with musical improv troupe The Montels to make up stories in song on the spot: Magnet Tuesday Musical Megawatt
7:00 pm ($8): Three members of UCBT sketch troupe Fambly—Veronica Osorio, Ben Wietmarschen, and Pat O’Brien—perform sketch and then improv at The PIT upstairs theatre: Dirty Old
7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Creature, The Pox, and Surfing at this first half (see 9:15 pm for more) of Harold Night
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door or $12.75 online): A show featuring storytellers, book & TV writers, and stand-ups focusing on various aspects of being a fan, with tonight's guests Ted Travelstead (Vanity Fair, author of Sex: Our Bodies, Our Junk), Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), Robin Gelfenbien (host of storytelling show Yum's the Word; VH1, Sirius Satellite Radio, FringeNYC), Steve Heisler (The Onion A.V. Club, New York Magazine), and Ranmaru the Cosplayer performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall with hosts Kerri Doherty & Nate Fernald: Geeking Out
8:00 pm ($10): Alternative comics—not announced, but probably including Andy Kaufman Award winners and nominees—performing at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Andy Kaufman Fun House
8:00 pm ($8): A house sketch troupe performs at The PIT downstairs lounge: National Scandal
8:00 pm ($5): A showcase of NYC stand-ups not yet represented by a manager or agent (i.e., fresh meat) at UCB East hosted by Luke Thayer & Nick Cobb: Unmanageable Stand-Ups
[FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly show features "a swarthy selection of fine stand-up comics and mildly entertaining recurring segments" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, hosted by Jim Tews & Brendan Eyre: Chest Hair
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Sean Patton (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Mike Racine (Comedy Central), Aaron Glaser, and Shalewa Sharpe performing stand-up at Cake Shop (152 Ludlow Street, between Rivington & Stanton) produced by Kate Berlant and guest-hosted tonight by John F. O'Donnell: Crime & Punishment
9:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): Jermaine Fowler (cast member of FOX's In Living Color), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Adam Conover (College Humor, host of Fresh Out), and Jacqueline Novak (DoucheChillz.com) performing on this week's topic Died in Your Arms Tonight at Sidewalk NYC(94 Avenue A) hosted tonight by Josh Gondelman: The Afterlife: Died in Your Arms Tonight
9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes The Regulars, Johnny Romance, and Sandino—plus advanced improv students make up a story in which the first scene is the last scene for a form called The Evente—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night
9:30 pm ($5): All-gal lineup Sasheer Zamata (highly charming, innovative rising star; host of School Night, member of red-hot improv troupe Doppelganger and sketch troupe The Prom), Jane Borden (former Comedy Editor of Time Out New York, author of I Totally Meant to Do That), Asie Moharetz, Ray Marshall, and Abby Feldman performing at UCB East hosted by Ilana Glazer: Bunch a Pussies
9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, one hour special & CD/DVD New in Town, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Jon Fisch (David Letterman, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, VH1), Matt Fulchiron (Comedy Central Presents, Tosh.O), and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice
[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open mic stand-up show at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/8/12
Sean Donnelly headlines at Carolines; improv genius John Lutz (above) teams with fellow genius Scott Adsit as John & Scott
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 at The PIT upstairs theatre for PIT Super Free Wednesday
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up providing four minutes per comic, with "15 people chosen randomly through e-mail, and five walk-ins; and a guaranteed spot to anyone who performs in character as a famous explorer" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: Comedic Exploration Club of Long Island City, West
7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes The Party Lions, Silver Fox, Featherweight, Brick, The Wrath, Chet Watkins, Leviathan, and Horses performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Silver Fox at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt
[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($5 if you use code BREAKOUT, plus 2-drink min.) One of the nicest guys in comedy—who has hosted more shows around NYC than almost anyone—headlines tonight, with openers Giulia Rozzi, Matt Wayne, and Dennis Rooney, for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Sean Donnelly
7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Kinsey and Hoops: Lloyd Night
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim's awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo that's become one of the very best attractions at UCB Chelsea and should not be missed: John & Scott
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Several delightful female comics are on tonight's lineup: Calise Hawkins, Phoebe Robinson, Bridgid Ryan, Meg Ferrill, Rae Sanni, and Jim Tews, all performing at the Niagra Bar (112 Avenue A & 7th Street) for this biweekly show hosted by Charla Lauriston: Fun Comedy Good Times Why Not?!
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups do sets "and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show
8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): JC Coccoli (Key & Peele; looks great in a hat), Nimesh Patel (co-host of Broken Comedy), Team Submarine, Jay Nog (Rooftop Comedy), Meghan Hanley, and Craig Mahoney performing at McSwiggan's (393 Second Avenue off 23rd Street) hosted by Selena Coppock, Dan Cartwright, and Emily Epstein: Connotation
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik, both genius members of Death by Roo Roo, perform the jaw-dropping feat of making up an entire feature film at UCB East as The Two-Man Movie
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5 if you say "Cherry Bomb," otherwise $8): Stand-up Adam Lash, solo sketch from Andrew Drinnan, and group sketch from Heady Tonic, The Preservation Society, Desperate Times, and the Wrestling Team performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Naomi Ekperigin.: August Sketch Block
9:00 pm ($5): Mindy Raf (brilliant comedic singer/songwriter; VH1, College Humor, YA novelist; often performs as alter ego Leibya Rogers), Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), and Michael Che (Comedy Central) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Leah Bonnema & Jessimae Peluso: The K-Hole Comedy Show
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer created Broad City as a Web series, which was then picked up for development as a TV series for FX...and is also a monthly stage show at UCB Chelsea. Tonight's theme is Musical Revue, so expect singing and dancing in this "delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): The instructors of UCB's classes include some of the finest improvisors in the country. In this new weekly show a bunch of them get on stage at UCB East, along with hosts Betsy Stover and Ari Voukydis: Hot for Teacher: The UCB Faculty Show
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: 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. (Tonight's scheduled guests include Bridey Elliot and Becky Yamamoto; for the full lineup, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your opportunity to perform on the stage of UCB East with improv veterans, hosted by UCBT Harold Night house troupe Grandma's Ashes: The Improv Jam
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up running until 1:00 am, with time divided evenly between performers (up to five minutes), at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City with host Rob Stern: Bucket 'O Buckets
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 8/9/12
A breathtaking collection of hilarious film clips is screened by Kevin Maher when Kevin Geeks Out About Sharks
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] [FREE] 6:00 pm: SM Shrake (NPR's This American Life, Mortified, The Moth) is tonight's guest yarn-spinner at this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn: Oh, Hey Guys!
[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): The promising The 2017 Tony Awards, which I caught a bit of at School Night and is likely to be way fun, plus The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: A Comedy, audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: Spank
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Veteran musical improvisors at The PIT mix with novices on the downstairs lounge stage at Pitch
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen one receiving three minutes at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Corby Haas
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show) joins a delightful comedic singing duo (according to Molly, "really smart, funny, talented, awesome people with great bods; Molly is bitter, heavily medicated and she reads poetry") performing at 92Y Tribeca for an intimate hour of music and more: Mel & El: Our Time of the Month
7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hot Diner and THEM
[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with improv troupe Hello Laser to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): At this UCB East improv double-bill, first ace all-gal troupe Doppelganger makes up scenes based around audience tattoos in Doppelganger Gets Inked; and then Sandino—which includes Don Fanelli, Brandon Gulya, and Kate Riley—interviews an audience member about some puzzle and then acts out scenes providing an unexpected answer: Sandino: Unsolved Mysteries
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10):
A glorious collection of hilarious movie clips about sharks from
super-fan Kevin
Maher and filmmaker Matt Glasson which is summed up by this
trailer. This special event is "an obsessive look at dozens of classic
(and some not-so-classic) movies that preceded and followed in the wake of
Jaws, including the Italian knockoff that Universal banned from
the US, the inevitable mermaid porno Gums, and incredible scenes
of sharks going against zombies, superheroes, giant apes, Jackie Chan, Burt
Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, the Olsen Twins, and the Harlem Globetrotters."
There are hours of clips, but the show will run a tight 70 minutes,
with you and the rest of the audience choosing which scenes to see—e.g.,
Bo Derek in
Orca the Killer Whale or Karen Black in Killer
Fish. Don't miss this wonderful toothy treat at the Brooklyn
Observatory (543
Union Street; take the N
to Union Street or F/G to Carroll Street): Kevin
Geeks Out About Sharks
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Stand-up and stage magic are combined at UCB Chelsea by Harrison Greenbaum, a comic who's devoted a lot of time and passion to both fields, resulting in both laughs and tricks you won't have a clue how he pulled off: Harrison Greenbaum: What Just Happened?
8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: The East Side Orphan Riot and Harvey
8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Hello Laser, Junior Varsity, and Phooka performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Rick Andrews directing The Weave (organic freeform improv "with no rules"), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component), featuring last week's winner against Human Pyramid: The Magnet's Night Out
[FREE] 8:00 pm: "A stand-up comedy showcase and baking competition—come to eat or come to compete" at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Cody Hess & Jessica Gross: Cookies!
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Andrew Shultz (MTV2's Guy Code and Hip Hop Squares), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($15): The Daily Show producer Rory Albanese, and performers & writers of the show Al Madrigal, Michael Hogan, and Michael Eisner, plus special guest Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing; podcast You Had to Be There), performing stand-up at 92Y Tribeca: The Daily Show Does Stand-Up
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's John Oliver's NY Stand-Up), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Emmy Blotnick (Jimmy Fallon), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), and Brian Frange performing at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover: Fresh Out
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced by 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway: Comedy as a Second Language
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): UCBT stars Neil Casey (Death by Roo Roo) and Will Hines (The Stepfathers) in a two-man sketch show at UCB Chelsea directed by Michael Delaney: Small Men
9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge for The Scene
[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (lineup not announced) performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Justin Williams: Death Comedy Jam
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Improv troupe Good Dad, comprised of such superstars as Neil Casey, Fran Gillespie, and Jon Gabrus, laid to rest Graceland last week 114-60. Tonight it hits the waves with troupe Surfing as these two teams compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match
11:00 pm ($5): A musical/rap improv group performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Boombox Kids
11:00 pm ($5): "Secret movie screenings of movies you probably haven't seen and/or should see again" at UCB East (which used to be a movie theatre) hosted by Ryan Karels (Grandma's Ashes, Krompf), Connor Ratliff (The Stepfathers), JD Amato (Harold Night), and Mike Roth (Two Boots Video): Secret Movie Show Presented by Two Boots Video
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/10/12
FringeNYC 2012 kicks off today with comedies
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, An
Evening with Kirk Douglas,
and much more; for comprehensive coverage of this spectacular festival,
please click here
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: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage
7:00 pm ($5): Improv that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—"each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Scoresby
7:00 pm ($7): Performing at The Magnet, improv troupe Swartzlander
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: NYC stand-ups with various challenging disorders—anxiety attacks, OCD, Tourette's, etc.—perform for this one-time-only event hosted by the lovely Chelsea White (MTV, VH1) and Evan Morgenstern (host of SNC), with guests Sue Funke, Raquel D'Apice, Jessica Loveless-Chandler, and Jeff Cerulli performing at 116 (116 MacDougal Street): Call Us Crazy
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch troupe (vs. improv troupe) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It’s earned this slot because its cast is one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom. As for its writers, they sizzle when at their best; but at the moment I'd call their newest show, offering the benefit of the doubt, "a work in progress." The "this show is about you" gimmick has zero resonance—it's really not about you, or about anyone else; and the mix between improv and sketch is so confusing that I wasn't sure whether a number of scenes were mediocre improv or flat-out bad scripting. Still, the cast is so strong—Fran Gillespie, John Murray, Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, D'Arcy Carden, and Johnathan Fernandez—that you'll have a fun time regardless. (Honestly, the scary faces Molly Lloyd makes are worth the trip all by themselves...) Directed by ace improvisor Ryan Karels—who I'm expecting to make this show increasingly fine as it goes along: Stone Cold Fox: You Probably Think This Show Is About You
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Tracey Wigfield (writer for 30 Rock), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), and more perform improv at UCB East springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love
[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?
8:00 pm ($5): Improvisors perform as duos at The PIT downstairs lounge: Couples' Retreat
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) Five stand-ups—Drew Fraser, Rob Stapleton, Gerald Kelly, Talent, and Capone—headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: New York Kings
[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open mic show that's first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City downstairs lounge: Mic and Cheese
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($7): Two of the most respected improvisors in the country, Magnet co-owner Armando DIaz and Christina Gausas team up as Diaz & Gausas
[FREE] 8:30ish pm: Annie didn't list this today so am not certain it's on (for an update, please click here), but this typically weekly show features NYC stand-ups performing at Brooklyn's Red Star (37 Greenpoint Avenue) hosted by Annie Lederman, followed by wild Karaoke: Pirate Party
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Andrew Shultz (MTV2's Guy Code and Hip Hop Squares), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from comedy geniuses Chris Gethard and Shannon O'Neill, plus stellar comics Silvija Ozols, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, Will Hines, and Connor Ratliff, performing at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—Michael Kayne, Amber Petty, Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, and Winston Noel—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion
9:30 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Formerly titled Now That’s What I Call Musical Comedy—until a "cease and desist" order arrived from the attorneys at EMI Music—this show marches on with terrific comedic musical performers at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ben Lerman and Tim Dimond: Radio Shack: A Comedy Musical Showcase
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors at The Magnet using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
10:00 pm ($5): Oscar Montoya (host of deliciously bad cinema) and Jen Tullock (Second City) wrote & perform a duo sketch show about "a night at gay rehab for renewal, self-discovery, and occasional break dancing" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Pray It Away with Oscar & Jen
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Fran Gillespie, Jon Gabrus, Sue Galloway, Matt Fisher, Craig Rowin, Nate Lang, and other superb improvisors at UCB Chelsea making up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder
10:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): I'm not sure he's in NYC tonight, but one of the finest improvisors alive, Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO, co-founder of the Annoyance Theatre) will either personally spearhead or lead in spirit a breathtakingly brilliant group of improvisors from Chicago and New York who will blow the roof off The PIT downstairs lounge with lightning-quick dark comedy unlike anything else in NYC. The other superb players typically are Doug Stoley (Conan O'Brien, The Scene), Amey Goerlich (Indie Cage Match, Krompf, The Scene), Jodi Lennon (Exit 57, Annoyance Theatre), Jed Resnik (Annoyance Theatre, UCB), Silvija Ozols (The Stepfathers), Betsy Stover (UCB), Ari Voukydis (VH1's Best Week Ever, UCB), Russ Armstrong (iO Chicago, The Magnet), Micah Sherman (Second City, co-host of The Scene, host of Fun), Rick Andrews (Magnet teacher/performer), and Michael Burton (Act One, The Magnet), all declaring Chica Go Go
11:00 pm ($5): Sketch host Meredith Hackman and her many friends promise "Despair. Pride. Heartbreak. Comedy." at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Saddest Sketch Show
[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, top Maude sketch troupe Gramp's, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w
Midnight ($5): A three-person improv competition at UCB East hosted by Brian Glidewell, Josh Patten, and Ben Rameaka: Three for All
[FREE] Midnight: This show might not be much fun for audience members, but it's an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Plus it's hosted by members of Maude troupe Fambly, typically including such wonderful talents as Nicole Byer and Veronica Osorio: Liquid Courage
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/11/12
Today's comedies at FringeNYC 2012 include The
Underdeveloped and Overexposed Life and Death of Deena Domino
from delightful dark sketch duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting; for comprehensive
coverage the fest, please click here
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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show ("starts late enough to sleep off that hangover but ends just in time to begin a new one") at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Jhoel Walkowski & Evan Davis: The Amateur Hour
6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Grandma Hates Technology, True Story, and Sad Kids at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A comedy quiz show full of heavily researched quirky facts in which brilliant contestants (typically UCBT stars) get points if their answers are correct but get more points if their answers are "quite interesting" at UCB East created & hosted by Katey Healy-Wurzburg: The Fascinator...
...and in the other half of this double-bill, UCBT house manager and tech guy supreme Pat Baer hosts a show about the very medium you're using to read this: 404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet
7:00 pm ($8): At this PIT double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell "bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure" as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme
7:30 pm ($10): Talented improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then "turn that town's tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:" The Curfew: Not From Around Here
7:30 pm ($7): Andrew Yurman-Glaser and Dustin Drury perform at The Magnet as improv duo Upstate
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.) A former cast member of MAD TV who's also performed on many other TV shows, including her own Comedy Central hour-long special, headlining tonight at the Gotham Comedy Club: Anjelah Johnson
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm & 12:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) Five stand-ups—Drew Fraser, Rob Stapleton, Gerald Kelly, Talent, and Capone—headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: New York Kings
8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill—and occasionally with comedy giants Kristen Schaal and/or Kurt Braunohler participating: Big Black Car and The Baldwins
8:30 pm ($10): Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, FOX, VH1, E!), Phoebe Robinson (100 TV Shows To See Before You Die), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), Joe Machi (Jimmy Fallon), and Ben Kissel performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($8): From the producers of The Scene, improvisors—tonight including Casey Jost & Jodi Lennon— make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Andrew Shultz (MTV2's Guy Code and Hip Hop Squares), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
9:00 pm ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem
9:30 pm ($15): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub and now enjoying a long run at The PIT upstairs theatre: Political Subversities
[TOP PICK] [$] 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] 10:00 pm ($11.34 online; or $10 at the door—but this show typically sells out in advance): Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, Comedy Central's Indecision 2012), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), Meg Cupernall, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Tim Homayoon, Jeff Wesselschmidt, Eli Sairs, Zach Sims, Brad Austin, Jason Burke, and more performing for this show in which stand-up and burlesque are weirdly blended together based on the reasoning "The nude female form is truly a work of art. That's why people the world over like to jerk off to it. Who are we to disagree with the world?"at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents): Pat Dixon's (Nearly) Naked Lady Hour: Now with Bacon Bar
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Improv troupe Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to "take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter" at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot—and which is currently kicking ass at Cage Match: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf—which in a phenomenal run has crushed 12 improv troupes in a row so far at Cage Match—makes stuff up at UCB East for an entire hour: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place
10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike
11:00 pm ($8): A young new all-guy improv troupe making stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gentlemen Party
Midnight ($5): "Jason Saenz and Riley Soloner have invited the worst people in NYC to come and talk about their sh*tty situations in front of a studio audience in hopes that they can better themselves and turn their lives around. HAHAHA! Just kidding! We're exploiting these people of ratings! This month's episode: Stop Bullying Me, You F@cking Asshole!" featuring nearly two dozen comics performing at UCB Chelsea, including Nicole Byer, Keisha Zollar, Ashley Brooke Roberts, and Dan Black: Late Night Trash
Midnight ($5): "A scandalous night of down-right-sexy improv at at The PIT downstairs lounge. Incorrigible performers team up to turn down the lights, slip into something a little more comfortable, and spend the good part of an hour tickling your funny boners. Beware of partial nudity, strong sexual themes, and the possibility to be dragged on stage for a not-so-wholesome game of Truth or Dare: Yes, Yes, Yes...And
[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine at The Magnet, as students and veteran improvisors share the stage to form "rare and wonderful one-night-only teams," with sign-up starting at 11:30 pm: Magnet Mixer
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/12/12
Today's comedies at FringeNYC 2012 include This
Too Shall Suck by Matt Graham, a former roommate of
Marc Maron.
For Fringe shows I've seen so far, rated & ranked in rough order
of preference, please click here.
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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase
[FREE] 6:30 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea'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
7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & R an Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match
[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), Chesley Calloway (co-host of Comedy as a Second Language), Josh Gondelman, and Rojo Perez performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up
8:00 pm ($8): "Funny people on the Internet being funny on stage" at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Mikala Bierma & Tyler Coates: IRL
9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups may or may not be performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue); for an update, please click Comedy Night
9:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, sketch comedy from The Weird Sisters, Listen Kid!, We're Matt Weir, Darth Vader Ginsberg!, Beth Newell, Christian Paluck, and Nick Kanellis: Sketch Sundays
[FREE] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Jonny McGovern (MAD TV), Joel Kim Booster (visiting from Chicago), Naomi Ekperigin, and Corinne Fisher performing stand-up at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam
Copyright © 2012 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
