NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 12/17/12
It's a night for storytelling, as science and religion interact
at The
Story Collider; Seth Lind bids a fond farewell to his
popular show Told;
tales of passion are shared at Bare;
and yarns about NYC holidays are spun at
Local Stories.
That said, there's also superb stand-up happening at Morrison
Motel and Comedy
Central Corporate Retreat.
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] [ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Cammi Climaco (co-host of Ask Me Stories) hosts this weekly hour-long open mic storytelling show, with audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 6 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge: Cammi Climaco's Storytelling Open Mic
6:00 pm ($5 cover for comics, no cover for audience with code HyReviews, plus 1-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
6:00 pm & 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, with each show running 1 hour and 45 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes before the show you want to be in to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic stand-up show, with 10 comics each performing for 5 minutes, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Abigoliah Schamaun & Peggy O'Leary: Dicks Open Mic
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($12 at the door or $13.30 online—the latter is recommended because this is very likely to sell out): Storytellers Peter Aguero, Catie Lazarus, Aaron Wolfe, and Molly Knefel close up a four-year run of this show that concludes tonight with the topic "Endings and Goodbyes," at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place) hosted by Seth Lind (NPR's This American Life): Told: Goodbye for Now
7:00 pm ($5): At this Magnet double-bill, long-time FringeNYC volunteer Dale Davidson tells tales based on her 16 years of experience with the largest multi-arts festival in North America; plus a comedy group tries out a show with a terrible title, at Fringe Lunacy and Toilet Humor
7:00 pm ($5): Comics who are sports junkies talk about their passion at The PIT downstairs lounge: Sports! Live!
[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
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and cowriter-director-producer-costar 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] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door, $12.75 in advance online): Personal stories about the intersection of science and religion from Heather Berlin, Bonnie Bue Edwards, Stephen McCarthy, Alyssa Pinsker, Eli Reiter, and Saad Sarwana at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Ben Lillie & Erin Barker: The Story Collider: Science & Religion
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A great lineup of Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp rising star stand-up; HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, comedy CD The Depression Auction), Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), and probably more performing stand-up at UCB East for Comedy Central Corporate Retreat
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Lizz Winstead, Emily Heller, Mo Beasley, and Molenna Williams share true tales of passion at The PIT upstairs theatre, with music by the wonderful The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; new album Ladies Don't Spit) and hosted by Jefferson: Bare: True Stories of Sex, Desire, and Romance
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Melanie Hamlett (brilliant storyteller/writer; Moth Grandslam Champion, Marie Claire Magazine, amazing blog, roving adventurer), Glen Rosenberg (The Moth), Steve Zimmer (The Moth), Bridget O'Neill, and Jake Hart telling true tales of NYC—with tonight's theme Holidays—at Cake Shop (152 Ludlow Street, between Rivington & Stanton) hosted by Andrew Linderman: Local Stories
[FREE] 8:00ish pm: Jordan Carlos, Sean O'Connor, Alice Wetterland, Jacqueline Novack, Chris Distefano, Lady Rizo, and "a special guest" performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Grand Victory Bar (245 Grand Street) for this twice-a-month extravaganza hosted by the razor-sharp & delightful Erin Lennox (co-host of The Orphanage; for a sample of Erin's dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here) and Nick Maritato: DTF
[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15 if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $20], which includes one drink; calling 212.989.9319 to reserve seats is recommended): A killer lineup of TV stars Janeane Garofalo, Dave Hill, and Myq Kaplan, plus the hilarious Mark Normand and Raquel D'Apice, performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel
[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Cipha Sounds, Michael Che, Maddog Mattern, and Jared Freid performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Mike Denny, and/or Michael Che: Broken Comedy
8:30 pm ($5): A live recording at this Magnet of The Unbelievable Podcast, "the world's number one (and only) conspiracy theory/paranormal comedy podcast, on the 2012 End of the World featuring noted coincidence theorist Johnny T and an Interview with an alien on what the end of the word means for you: The Unbelievable Podcast Live: A Countdown to the End
[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Gabe Pacheco, Jessie Richardson, Troy Bynum, Todd Montesi, and Richard James performing, plus a screening of TV pilot Hipster Investigative Vice, at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: 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] 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
10:00 pm ($8): A group of actors and improvisors attempt to duplicate the success of UCBT's Gravid Water by putting improvisors in the middle of classic theatre scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre. UCBT uses top Broadway and improv talent for its show, making it extraordinary. The participants of this show are unannounced; but the format is so strong that this might work anyway, despite the awful title: The Actor's Worst Nightmare
10:00 pm ($7): Sketch troupe Shelby Company performs oddball bits for this Magnet sketch show show that in the past has included two-timing monsters and presidential ninjas: Ephemerama
[FREE] 10:30 pm: Karaoke at the UCB East Bar for the 9:30 BYOT improvisors and more, hosted 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 & Langston Belton: 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 guest-hosted by someone wonderful (while 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 12/18/12
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 12/19/12
Razor-sharp rising star Jared Logan headlines for one night only at Carolines
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 stand-up providing 3 minutes per comic at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Max Corbel & Benel Germosen: Cracking It
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up for 15 comics performing for 5 minutes each at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.)—with drinks at half price: Happy Hour Open Mic
7:00 pm ($5): Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman, VH1, contributor to SNL's Weekend Update), Keisha Zollar (ace improv troupe Doppelganger, Andy Kaufman Award finalist), and Josh Carter performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by the delightful Abbi Crutchfield (VH1) and comedic rapper Andrew Singer (Atom TV): Positively Awesome
7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes Dr. Champagne, Horses, Bloomer, Brick, Nintendo, Chet Watkins, Flower Girl, and The Wrath performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Flower Girl at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt
[FREE] 7:00 pm to midnight: Five free hours of improvisation at The PIT upstairs theatre: Super Free Wednesday
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($7.37 if you use code BREAKOUT online or by phone, plus 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's performed on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, CNN, and TBS, and is host of ComedyJuice Tuesday nights at Gotham, headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jared Logan
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Cammi Climaco & David Crabb host this monthly open mic storytelling show, with audience members telling tales for 6 minutes each, at the Happy Ending Lounge (302 Broome Street, between Eldridge and Forsythe): Ask Me Stories
7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Spooky Ghost and Graceland: Lloyd Night
[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
[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics (not announced) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman and/or Max Silvestri: Big Terrific
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp rising star stand-up; HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, comedy CD The Depression Auction), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VHI, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Jon Fisch (David Letterman, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, VH1), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), Giulio Gallarotti (MTV’s Totally Clueless), Danny Palmer, and Mike Brown performing stand-up at this free weekly comedy show at Lucky Jack's Bar (129 Orchard Street) produced by Kyle Fincham, Lance Weiss, and Brendon Fitzgibbons: Gandhi, Is That You?
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Superb improvisors—and actual brothers—Will Hines and Kevin Hines perform color commentary on an improv set by other top improvisors at UCB East for this monthly event: The Brothers Hines: Play by Play
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Comics tells stories about their experiences with acid, mushrooms, and other recreational drugs at The PIT downstairs lounge: Psychedelic Stories: Tales of Trips Past
[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] 10:00 pm: Rising stand-up stars—Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, Mark Normand, Dan. St. Germain, Pat Dixon, Emily Heller, Michael Che, Joe List, and/or Nick Turner—at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: The Regular Suspects
[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
[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
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 12/20/12
UCB East is rockin' tonight, with political activist superstars
Gloria Steinem and Rachel Maddow
interviewed about having a dreamy job
at
Employee of the Month...
...plus Chris Gethard & puppy-loving Janeane Garofalo
each perform stand-up for 30 minutes at Big
Long Sets
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): PIT musical improv troupe Adorable mixes with musical improv novices on-stage at the downstairs lounge for Pitch
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving two minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies
7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Punchbowl and THEM
7:00 pm ($7): "When tragedy strikes the North Pole, it’s up to detectives Jack Frost and Ginger Bread to solve the case. But how do you conduct an investigation when your suspects are some of the most beloved creatures on Earth and the most powerful figures in Christmastown? In this detective story we'll learn more about Santa, Frosty, and Rudolph than anyone has ever wanted to know. And maybe, just maybe, we'll find out the true meaning of Christmas" performed by a small army of comics at The Magnet theatre: Frost: A Christmystery
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 ($5): Wow. Two of the most fascinating people in comedy, stars Janeane Garofalo and Chris Gethard, each perform 30-minute sets at UCB East hosted by Adam Newman (Comedy Central, College Humor). Barring a last-minute snag, I'll be attending this: Big Long Sets
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A one-of-a-kind comedy star headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Gilbert Gottfried
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): A former roommate & drinking buddy of such comedy giants as David Cross and Marc Maron performs a one-man show that was such a hit at August's FringeNYC it's been extended indefinitely. Please read my review by clicking here, and Jason Zinoman's New York Times review by clicking here; and then come share an intimate hour with Matt Graham at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club so he can explain life and meaning and why This Too Shall Suck
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): An annual gathering of NYC comedy talent to prepare us for the holidays, with tonight's guests including Murderfist and Dan St. Germain, at The 39th Annual J Hobart B All-Star Christmas Spectacular
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers comics to tell funny stories at the Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street), with tonight's guests Dan St. Germain, Nick Turner, and Noah Garfinkel: Tom Shillue's Funny Story
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 at the door or ($6.17 online): Seaton Smith, Sarah Tollemache, Jordan Carlos, Mollie Merkel, and Evan M. Williams perform stand-up along with sideshow attractions Kent Axell (magic), Kyle Petersen (unicycle), Gnarly Marley (fire), and Alfie Bunz (mental flossing) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City for this unusual carny experience: Abigoliah's Bizarre Bazaar
8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hemlock and Dagger
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Stand-ups (sadly, not announced) performing in Astoria Queens' Mosaic Cafe & Lounge (25-19 24th Avenue) hosted by Liz Simons & Jenn Wehrung: Laugh It Up, Astoria
[TOP PICK] [$] [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, Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced around 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this free weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Good lord. Gloria Steinem and Rachel Maddow are among this month's guests at this show that interviews luminaries about what it's like to have a dreamy job at UCB East, with host Catie Lazarus and musical accompaniment by Chris Sullivan (a.k.a., Shockwave; amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown) & Arthur Lewis & Eric Biondo: Employee of the Month
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Lizz Winstead, Jim O'Grady, Mara Wilson, Christine Gentry, and Michael Stahl-David tell tales on the theme 'Tis the Season at The PIT upstairs theatre at one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk!
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman: The Scene
[$] 9:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
[FREE] 9:30 pm: A monthly showcase of both stand-ups and improvisors at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by stand-up Zach Broussard and improv troupe Priest & the Beekeeper: Pig Pile
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm ($5 & 2-item food/drink min.) Comics heckle a cheesy genre feature film—with tonight's victim 1964's Santa Claus Conquers the Martians—at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Devil Science Theater 3000
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 12/21/12
John Hodgman hosts the end of the world at That Is All
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 upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($15 at the door or $18.88 in advance here and here; both performances of these shows are SOLD OUT, but you can check https://twitter.com/bellhouseny for any tickets suddenly becoming available): John Hodgman (The Daily Show, PC vs. Mac commercials, bestselling author) hosts a show with his friends to celebrate the Mayan calendar's end of the world. "Learn what to hoard after the collapse of civilization, how to ride The Blood Wave, and which wines to enjoy before the imminent catastrophe experts call The Coming Global Superpocalypse but which you may call Ragnarok for short. Along with musician Cynthia Hopkins and other special guests, Hodgman will count down to midnight, when his predictions will be proved TRUE! Or else FALSE! Whatever happens, it will be a night of cathartic comedy, song, and strange emotions that you will either immediately or never forget" at Brooklyn's The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues): That Is All
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream, 9 Am Meeting) debuts a sketch show written by him, directed by Will Hines, and tonight starring Amber Nelson, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Rob Stern, Dan St. Germain, and Matt Koff at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Matt Koff Show
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there'll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Nate Dern and Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): The unsinkable Mamrie Hart (rising star who's snared over 330,000 visits to date with her Harry Potter viral video) hosts eulogies at UCB East for one of the finest actors of our time: Celebrity Funeral: Johnny Depp
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Brent Sullivan, Greg Barris, Jacqueline Novak, comedic rappers James & Crosby Romberger, and more perform at Brooklyn's Union Pool (484 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon cast members who now along such superb talents as Joe Pera and Riley Soloner, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show: End of the World Party
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Brian Mcfadden, Scott Sharp, and more performing stand-up at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Myq Kaplan and More
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, MTV), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), John Moses, and Julie Kottakis performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Josh Carter, Josh Homer, and/or Adam Mamawala: Zebra Cake
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Ashley Brooke Roberts, Chris Laker, Zach Broussard, Peggy O'Leary, and Adam Sokol perform sets to be used as audition tapes—so they'll be trying hard to make you laugh—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Jordan Carlos: Caught on Tape
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
[TOP PICK] 8:30 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). Tonight's special "end of the world" episode includes troupe Eaglefox and guest female comics joining in: The Friday Night Sh*w: Sh*wmageddon Edition
[FREE] 8:30ish pm: Bonnie McFarlane, Seaton Smith, Matt Ruby, Alice Wetterlund, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Red Star (37 Greenpoint Avenue) hosted by Annie Lederman and followed by wild Karaoke: Pirate Party
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): A gathering of superb comedic musicians, who tonight are Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown), Jessica Delfino (enjoys singing songs about her vagina, as demonstrated by her CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; to get a feel for Jessica's range and talent, please click here), Afterbirth Monkey, and Katie & Lance, performing at UCB East hosted by superb musical group Summer & Eve (for samples, please click here): Earworm Funny Music Party Show
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): One of my favorite people, Julie Sharbutt—who's performed with some of the greatest improvisors alive at UCBT's Gravid Water—goes for improv gold herself with comedy partner Cathleen Carr (Birds, The Scene, Dos Experimentos) as they "hope to establish themselves as the leading voices in contemporary South Boston crime noir improv comedy. Watch them, along with tonight's guests Erick Hellwig, Bob Kulhan, and Chris Roberti, unspool a suspenseful, heavily-accented mystery thrilla" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Mystic Improv
[TOP PICK] [$] [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, Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10, 1 drink min.): Wyatt Cenac, Nikki Glaser, and more performing stand-up to ease our leaving this plane of existence at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) hosted by Emily Heller, Erin Judge, George Gordeon, and Josh Gondelman : The Afterlife: End of the World Anniversay Show
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: An army of stand-ups—Mike Lawrence, Dan St. Germain, Michael Che, Amber Nelson, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Jermaine Fowler, Erik Bergstrom, Bonnie McFarlane, Jeffrey Joseph, Pat Dixon, Michelle Wolf, and many more—gather to celebrate the end of the planet at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Nick Vatterott, to ensure the world ends with a laugh: Joke's Over
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): "Where there is a stage and a piano, she will be there. Where there are strangers with embarrassing stories, she will be there. Where there is a group of people willing to sit and watch someone make up songs, she will be there. A one-woman musical improv journey through the lives of the audience. You tell the story, Rebecca Vigil sings the soundtrack"—quite beautifully, in fact, as Rebecca is not only a sharp improvisor but a powerhouse singer—at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Vigilante
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors at The Magnet using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
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
11:30 ($5): Comics (not announced) are talk show guests at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Paul Gutkowski (for a brief video promo, please click here): Sex in the Late Night Air
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups—sometimes stellar ones—pushing boundaries for a show designed for looseness and experimentation at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker: Permission to Fail
Midnight ($5): Screenings at UCB East (which used to be an indie film theatre) of brand new comedy videos that haven't yet been released, tonight focusing on material from UCB video team Scraps and UCBComedy.com: Test Screening
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/22/12
Jessi Klein performs at If You Build It; Sara Benincasa does a 30-minute set (as does Claudia Cogan) at Elf Actualization
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
[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Alejandro Kolleeny performs a sensitive reading at The PIT downstairs lounge of the Glenn Beck holiday classic The Christmas Sweater
6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Petting Zoo, Feitelophone, and Rubin at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown
7:00 ($5): UCBT Harold team GoodGirl performs sketches, songs, and other assorted bits related to the holidays at UCB East for one night only: A Very GoodGirl Christmas
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($7): Musical improv from one of The Magnet's best troupes: Choral Rage
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
[FREE] 8:00 pm: 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), Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Sean Donnelly (Comedy Central), and many more performing stand-up at Karma Lounge hosted by Sean Lynch (MTV): Karma Christmas Comedy Show
8:00 pm ($5): Christmas songs and holiday-related sketches at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Christmas Musical Comedy Variety Show
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill at the upstairs theatre: Big Black Car and The Baldwins
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at this monthly gay-themed show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Tom Steffen: Rapier Wit
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Kurt Metzger (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), Ashley Brooke Roberts (co-host of The Dream Show), Kerri Lendo, and Jake Young performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It
[TOP PICK] [$] [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): Killer line-up of stars Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Judah Friedlander, Ted Alexandro, Rachel Feinstein, and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[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
9:00 pm ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Sara Benincasa (NBC's Today Show, The Joy Behar Show, CNN, MTV, The Sarah Palin Vlogs, Sex and Other Human Activities podcast, host of Family Hour, author of Agorafabulous) and Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV) each perform 30-minute stand-up sets at The PIT upstairs theatre: Elf Actualization
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's The Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon; host of If You Bring It), and Charles Gould performing sets and then being interviewed about their personal lives at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Matt Ruby & Mark Normand (who says "all these guys were hand-picked because they're funny and have some serious problems; when you read this lineup you're gonna be like 'oh yeah, that guy is a mess'"): We're All Friends Here
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer
10:00 pm ($5): Improvisors make up a Quentin Tarantino movie at The PIT downstairs lounge—"If you like Grindhouse, Kung Fu, Spaghetti Western, Noir, and the entire 1970s, you'll want to check out:" The Tarantino
[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: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and has so far crushed 10 improv groups in a row at Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place
10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney performing at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Original comedic songs are showcased, with tonight's performers Jon Bander, J Hobart B, The ParoDivas, Julie Feltman,a nd Kathleen Armenti at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Justin Perez & Shaina Stigler: Totally Requesty
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Improv is dominated by guys...and for no good reason. A way to help remedy this situation are shows like this one at UCB Chelsea, which is a monthly open improv jam for any female wanting to participate, at any experience level—and which has a very special and communal "gal energy" you're unlikely to find anywhere else. The show's creator, the wonderful Shannon O'Neill, is out of town this weekend, but it's still likely to be good thanks to the participation of other top UCBT gal improv stars: The Lady Jam
Midnight ($5): Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger, host of The Soul Glo Project, Andy Kaufman Award finalist) hosts a variety show at UCB East that's a mix of forms, with tonight's performers Narinder Singh (stand-up), Megan Sass (music), and jams with teams led by Jon Monje and Carly Ann Filbin: The Soul Glo Project
[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 12/23/12
Jena Friedman and Marina Franklin are among the stellar stand-ups performing tonight at Comedy Cellar
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] 3:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) in the West Village: The Old Man and the Moon
[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
6:00 pm ($5): Open-mic stand-up that includes professional feedback on each comic's 5-minute set at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Mic-Shop: Open Mic Workshop
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Marina Franklin (developing into one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with an uncommonly gentle, graceful style that's pure joy; Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show, Craig Ferguson, VH1, Comedy Central's Premium Blend), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Michael Che (David Letterman, Comedy Central), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show): Todd Barry, Marina Franklin, and More
7:00 pm ($8): "Comedic songs by some up-and-coming musical theater performers who’ve sung and danced Off-Broadway, on tours and regionally, in addition to some of your favorite accomplished comedians belting it out too" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Songtown
[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 & Ryan 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
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Alejandro Kolleeny performs a sensitive reading at The PIT downstairs lounge of the Glenn Beck holiday classic The Christmas Sweater
[$] 8:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), Chris Distefano (Comedy Central, MTV2's Guy Code), Thomas Dale (Craig Ferguson, VH1), and more performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up
8:00 pm ($8): Improvisors Jason Specland (1-800-LONDON, Punchbowl) and Kathryn Dunn (1-800-LONDON, Yes, Yes, Yes … And) "bring tidings of discomfort and joy with their terrifically awkward two-prov" the day before Christmas Eve at The PIT upstairs theatre: Christmas Eve-Eve
[$] 8:45 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Jermaine Fowler (FOX’s new In Living Color, MTV, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno), Sherrod Small (writer/performer on TBS' Are We There Yet?, Comedy Central, VH1), and Sam Morril performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), : Rachel Feinstein, Jermaine Fowler, and More
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Kurt Metzger (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), Thomas Dale (Craig Ferguson, VH1), Jacqueline Novak, and Simeon Goodson performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Tara, at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show; one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace): Comedy Night
[TOP PICK] [$] [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): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Mike Britt (Comedy Central), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Mike Recine, Tim Dillon, Nathan Anderson, Tony Zaret, and Mo Diggs performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar
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] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle
10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman, host of Entertaining the Bartender), Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Colin Jost (Co-Head Writer for Saturday Night Live; Jimmy Fallon), and Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), : Ted Alexandro, Jena Friedman, Mark Normand, and More
Copyright © 2012 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
