NYC Comedy Picks for Week of February 17, 2014

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 2/17/14

Comedy Central stars Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer are live on stage at UCB Chelsea's Broad City;
Valerie Hager continues her brief revival of her breathtaking FringeNYC bio-play: Naked in Alaska...

...and Dave Hill, W. Kamau Bell, Dan St. Germain, and Ophira Eisenberg perform stand-up at Morrison Motel

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: Peter McNerney, Nick Kanellis, Elana Fishbein, and Rick Andrews perform improv for a new BBC America reality series at The Magnet theatre: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's an Improv Show

[FREE] 7:00 pm to midnight: Five free hours of young improvisors performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Free Improv Monday

[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

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($20 online using discount code HY): Valerie Hager was one of the breakout stars at last year's FringeNYC Festival. A dazzling artist who can pretty much do it all, Hager performed a one-woman show based on her true-life experiences in her 20s as a stripper in Mexico, Alaska, and California. The writing is smart, honest, and brave; and just as impressive is Hager's ability to bring the other people in her story to life using voice and movement. Plus Hager's pole skills are spectacular. (For my full review, please click here.) This award-winning show is back in NYC for a brief run through March 1st at the LES' COW Theatre (21-A Clinton Street) and is highly recommended: Naked in Alaska

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $9.47 online): Sasheer Zamata (instant star cast member of Saturday Night Live), Roy Wood Jr. (David Letterman, HBO, Comedy Central, finalist on Last Comic Standing), Adam Newman (David Letterman, Comedy Central, MTV, host of Big Long Sets), Phoebe Robinson (MTV’s Girl Code, Glamour Magazine), Nimesh Patel (co-host of Broken Comedy), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Lately, writer for MTV's Girl Code, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive Comedy and Stripped Stories), and George Gordon performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) guest-hosted by the Kondabolu Brothers: Night Train

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5; sold out of seats, but you can probably still get in if you don't mind standing): Join Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer, the delightful stars of Comedy Central's delightful Broad City, plus stand-ups (not announced) at UCB Chelsea for this "delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Comedic storytellers Katharine Heller (host of Tell The Bartender, Naked in a Fishbowl), Nathan Rand, Benel Germosen, and Taylor Clark performing at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street) for this monthly show hosted by Jake Hart & Bodger Millerd: Antagonist Storytelling Series

8:00 pm ($5): A classic film condensed and adapted for the stage by Danny Rubin, and performed by Becky Abrams & Toby Mitnick, at the UCB East theatre: Groundhog Day Live On Stage

[$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Comedy Central, VH1), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), and Modi (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO's Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): MIchael Che, Big Jay Oakerson, Keith Robinson, and More

8:00 pm ($10): A comedy group that includes Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) performs sketches written by PIT sketch students at The PIT upstairs theatre: Slap Fight: School Yard

[FREE] 8:00 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

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($20 if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $25], which includes one drink; calling 212.989.9319 for reservations recommended): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper, author of Tasteful Nudes), W. Kamau Bell (star of FX's Totally Biased), Dan St. Germain (enormously likeable and rapidly rising star who has several shows in the works; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), and Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller with notable bangs; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Today Show, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another, bestselling book being made into movie Screw Everyone) performing stand-up at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch groups try out new material: Ripley (which includes brilliant comedic writer Marguerite Spellman) and Absolutely (which includes stellar comic Bridey Elliot): Maude Night: Ripley and Absolutely

9:30 pm ($10): Storytellers & comics Brooks Whelan (Saturday Night Live), Jamie LeeLo, Mehdi Barakchian, and Kia Sayyadi reminisce about the moments they realized adulthood had finally set in at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Val Roder: Story Time: All Grown Up

9:30 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, Phillip Jackson, and/or Steve Theiss hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Ari Teman, Brendan Fitzgibbons, Dava Krause, Neil Constantine, Adam Mamawala, and Todd Montesi performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) hosted by Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Carmen Lynch (David Letterman, Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Kurt Metzger (staff writer for Inside Amy Schumer; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), Vic Henley (David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents), Wil Sylvince (Comedy Central, BET's Comic View), and Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO's Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Paul Mecurio, Nick Griffin, Ryan Hamilton, Carmen Lynch, Kurt Metzger, and More

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Lately, writer for MTV's Girl Code, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive Comedy and Stripped Stories), Jesse Joyce (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, FOX, AMC), J-L Cauvin, Joe Zimmerman, Richie Redding, Dava Krause, and Alingon Mitra performing for this free weekly stand-up show at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street) hosted by Michael Kosta: Frantic Mondays: Hannibal Buress, Giulia Rozzi, Jesse Joyce, and More

10:00 pm ($5): Improv group The Boss makes up scenes at The Magnet theatre: The Boss

[FREE] 10:00 pm: In this unique mix of stand-up, improv, and audience participation, comics (not announced) perform "improvised stand-up" based on pictures provided by the audience via the Crowd Source app at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by John Jorif: Crowd Sourced

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who aren't announced in advance, but it's virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen: Whiplash

Monday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

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] [FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room"), hosted by Julia Wiedeman: Happy Hour Open-Mic Storytelling with Julia Wiedeman

7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Monday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Tim Duffy: Comics Phoning It In

[FREE] 7:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show, with 10 comics each performing for 5 minutes, at Brooklyn's Colony (274 4th Avenue) hosted by Emily Winter: Sparky the Dog Open Mic

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

[FREE] 10:30 pm: 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

11:00 pm ($3; sign up here): If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night. 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 via a 5-minute set at this stand-up open-mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Lorelei Ramirez: Sharing Time With Your Host Mom

[FREE] 11:00 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

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; shows free-$10; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seat main theatre, bar area for open mics; shows free-$10)

The PIT
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seat upstairs theatre, 40-seat downstairs theatre; shows free-$15)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; shows $5-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens' Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world's top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar's sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Comic Strip Live
(1568 Second Avenue, off 81st; Upper East Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Stand Up NY
(236 West 78th Street, off Broadway; Upper West Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Laughing Devil
(4738 Vernon Blvd., by #7 train; Queens LIC club, with MST3K-style movie night on Thursdays; 2-drink min.)

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 2/18/14

Anthony Atamanuik plays Sherlock Holmes searching for an improv premise at The Tony Show;
The Pajama Men perform at Seth Herzog's Sweet

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, five of The Magnet's singing improv groups make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion, followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with a musical improv group to make up stories in song: Magnet Musical Megawatt

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): Improv troupe Punctual Drunks interviews an audience member about his or her favorite fairy tale, and then picks up the story where it left off so you can find out how it really ended, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Punctual Drunks & Friends

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm show ($10.35 in advance online, $15 at the door; price includes free slices of homemade ice cream cakes!): Storytellers Rick Younger (The Today Show), Kate Tellers (Moth StorySlam host), Vanessa Shealy (Kennedy Center Award Winner), and Kambri Crews (author of Burn Down the Ground) tell tales on this month's theme "Married" at the Le Poisson Rouge's The Gallery (158 Bleecker Street) hosted by Robin Gelfenbien (storyteller and singer/songwriter; VH1, AMC, Sirius Radio, acclaimed one-woman show at FringeNYC) and that includes free ice cream cakes made by Robin herself: Yum's the Word

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates (and if you can't make it, watch in online here): Comic Book Club

7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house groups --Graceland, The Regulars, and Namaste at this first half of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($10 online using discount code BUSINESS; no min.): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Janine Brito (former staff writer/performer for FX's Totally Biased), Michelle Wolf (staff writer for Seth Meyers; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Hari Kondabolu (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Presents, writer for FX's Totally Biased), Alex Koll (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), and Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon; host of If You Bring It) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Janeane Garofalo, Janine Brito, Michelle Wolf, and More

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Marina Franklin (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show, VH1), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO's Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Kevin Meaney, Gregg Rogell, Ryan Hamilton, Marina Franklin, and More

8:00 pm ($10): A house sketch troupe performs at The PIT upstairs theatre: National Scandal

8:00 pm ($5): Short-form improv is best, argues Terry Withers: "New York City is filled with lowest common denominator long-form improvisors. Sure, that type of improv gets laughs, but nine out of ten scenes are cheap and undisciplined. Get to the heart of what's great about spontaneity using short-form classics that point to hidden truths: Party Quirks, Match OUTMATCH, Freeze, Ape Nest, and The Slam Pun Competition feed the soul and edify the mind" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Short Form Is the Only Art Form

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), Jessica Delfino (CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; popular animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; to get a feel for Jessica's range and talent, please click here), Corinne Fisher, Alison Klemp, Megan McCoy, and Sam Grittner performing for this free weekly show at People's Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Tim Ellis & Mo Fathelbab: Manifesto

8:00 pm ($5): "Improvisers and stand-ups do what they do best...and then switch places to try their hand at what the other does best. Performing to sold out crowds at UCBT-LA, this show is a cross-discipline Cage Match." On the improv side is the US National Improv Team; while the stand-ups are Phoebe Robinson, Josh Gondelman, and Charles Gould, all performing at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin: Impro(vs)tandup

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Sarah Tollemache, Matt Pavich, Brad Austin, Lance Weiss, Nick Maritato, and Jeff Seal & Chris Manley performing at Brooklyn's Pete's Candy Store (709 Lorimer Street) hosted by Ashley Brooke Roberts: The Dream Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm (reserve your free spots by clicking here): Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Comedy Central, VH1), Michelle Wolf (staff writer for Seth Meyers; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Matt Ruby (MTV; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here, blog Sandpaper Suit), Jim Tews (co-host of Cheat Hair), Dave Stone (Craig Ferguson), and more performing stand-up at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) produced every Tuesday by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): The Pajama Men (international pranksters), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), NIck Stevens (host of AMC's Action Park and Discovery's Money on the Menu; VH1, ESPN), and more performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon long-time staff comic, Comedy Central, VH1, co-host of Nat Geo's Duck Quakes Don't Echo): Sweet

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 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 Half Hour, John Oliver's NY Stand-Up, comedy album Sadamantium), Dan St. Germain (enormously likeable and rapidly rising star who has several shows in the works; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant writer, stand-up, and storyteller; writer and/or producer for MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy, and Nikki & Sara Show; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy), and Subhah Agarwal performing stand-up at Brooklyn's ISA (348 Wythe Street) hosted by Frank Liotti and/or Emma Willmann: Family Circus

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (typically announced by 1:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Sean Donnelly, Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Dean, and/or Steve O'Brien: Comedy at Alligator Lounge

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house groups GoodGirl, Higgins, and Bucky at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Brilliantly innovative comic Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, The Nights of Our Lives) plays oddball characters in a mix of sketch and improv, tonight becoming Sherlock Holmes trying to find the missing elements of an improv game (aided by producer Andy Rocco as Watson); plus stand-up from Michelle Wolf (staff writer for Seth Meyers; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, blogger for Comedy Central), and Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), all performing at the UCB East theatre: The Tony Show: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Premise

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A one-woman show by Lyssa Mandel who "wrote a lot of stuff when she was 14: the purplest prose, the greatest expectations, the highest stakes, the desire to run screaming from suburbia. Sixteen years older, possibly wiser, certainly more shameless, she shares the genuine article. And nothing's as genuine as adolescent desires" at The PIT downstairs lounge: A View From the Bitch Seat

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Carmen Lynch (David Letterman, Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Vic Henley (David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents), Wil Sylvince (Comedy Central, BET's Comic View), Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), and Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO's Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Paul Mecurio, Jena Friedman, Nick Griffin, Carmen Lynch, and More

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Luis J. Gomez, Dave Smith, and other NYC stand-ups performing live on stage for this podcast show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Legion of Skanks

Tuesday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): In this delightful weekly open-mic show, each comic has 3 minutes to try out a character-based bit (e.g., for a solo show, sketch, or audition) at The PIT downstairs lounge, hosted by Jen Kwok (Comedy Central) and Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger): Imposter Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): 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 Green Room, followed by feedback on your bit from PIT "sketch-perts:" Pens & Pencils

6:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 2 1/2 hours. Arrive 30 minutes before the show 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] 6:15 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types providing 2 minutes for each performer (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs lounge hosted by Jay Dean and Tynan DeLong: Two Nice Guys Open MIc

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Weekly stand-up open mic (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at People's Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Dustin Drury: This Is Happening Open MIc

7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Tuesday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Ian Fidance: Comics Phoning It In

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly two-hour open mic storytelling show allows each performer 8 minutes to tell a compelling and funny tale at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs lounge, with host Jake Hart and tonight's guest Jeff Simmermon (NPR's The American Life, Moth StorySlam Champion, host of And I Am Not Lying): The Dump

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:15: Sign up at 9:30 pm for the opportunity to make up a musical on the spot with The Magnet improv group College: Magnet Musical Improv Mixer

[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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): 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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): An improv jam for students at all levels to work on their skills at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Elke Reid and David Frasure: Study H all