NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/4/12
Comedic writer Albertina Rizzo (above), James Adomian, Nate Bargatze,
and Jon Friedman
performing with hosts & sketch giants Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler
at Hot
Tub Variety...
...and true tales of young romance doomed to failure (ladies, ladies—you're both beautiful), accompanied by
singing & piano playing from the irresistible Camille Harris, at 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 $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with each of the four audience members chosen from the bucket of names getting to tell tales for 7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump
[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
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): World-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 18-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Tales of the Cosmos and The Adam Wade show; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here) hosts a show at The Magnet that's "like watching the characters of The Wonder Years and Freaks & Geeks all grown up and telling coming-of-age tales of love, lost, regret, and redemption," with tonight's guests Sharon Spell (host of The Big Shrink), Joe Dettmore, Chas Danner, and Violet Benny: Adam Wade's Whatever Happened to the Nerds?
7:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, a meta-comedy about a real estate agent who tries to convince a couple that the actual theatre you're in would be a great home for them. He does this by putting on a series of sketches that are presented as a random sampling of what UCBT has to offer but that, directly or indirectly, each promote the stage as a wonderful residence. It's a way fun idea—for a 5-minute sketch. However, this entire show is handled like a single multi-jointed sketch, and 30 minutes is an awfully long time to essentially tell one joke. If the script was further developed to use the internal sketches as stepping stones to achieve a larger and emotionally compelling story, this could become something quite special. Even as is, though, it's great fun at the start; and if you find it wearing out its welcome after that, you'll still enjoy sporadic laughs from individual bits and performers—especially standouts Brandon Gulya and Brandon Scott Jones—in the a-bit-too-clever-for-its-own-good This is Not a Sketch Show—A Sketch Show
[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] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and Albertina Rizzo (The New York Times, Vanity Fair, author of Hold My Gold: A White Girl's Guide to the Hip-Hop World and Britney's Baby Book) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from a duo who between them won four 2011 ECNY Awards—including Best Variety Show and Best Hosts—Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety with Kurt & Kristen
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Select writers from the UCB community were asked to write a TV pilot, Web series pilot, and feature film. Staged readings will be performed tonight at UCB East of the winning works, which are Boundaries (TV pilot written by Bethany Hall & Matt Fisher), I.O.U. (feature film written by Dan Chamberlain & Halle Kiefer), and Trying (Web series pilot written by Laura Willcox & Don Fanelli): Creative Control: The Winners
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): UCB Chelsea stars Neil Casey (Death by Roo Roo) and Will Hines (The Stepfathers) perform "a sketch show inspired by the passions of people who work for the municipal government of a mid-sized city in the northeast corridor:" Small Men
8:00 pm ($8): Improv performed by talented duos at The PIT upstairs theatre: Ampers&nd
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up who's increasingly getting better; staff writer for David Letterman; host of Entertaining the Bartender), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), and Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party) 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 Mike Denny, Michael Che, and Nimesh Patel, and often featuring free beer: Broken Comedy
8:30 pm ($5): A one-man show by Dave Warth at The Magnet that has something to do with the NYPC: The Saddest Story I Know
[TOP PICK] 9:30 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
[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
9:00 pm ($5): Improvisor Nick Kanellis (Trike), and sketch comics Matthew Robert Gehring (FX's Louie, Political Subversities) Dana Clinkman, and Meredith Hackman each perform solo at The PIT downstairs lounge, hosted by Branson Reese: Comedy Expo
[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Matt Ruby (co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Neil Constantine, Julianna Forlano, Ray Marshall, Jeff Cerulli, Josh Carter, and Ed Farrell performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid
[TOP PICK] 10:00 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 Graham Nolan (Second City), Shawn Hollenbach (Logo TV, Closet Cases), and Sabrina Jalees (Lifetime's Mom at Sixteen, CBC's Laugh Out Loud), hosted by Damian Bellino, and the super-delightful Camille Harris whose piano playing and singing will make you grin and dance in your seat (keep an eye out for Camille's upcoming CD): My High School Boyfriend Was Gay
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling show at The Magnet hosted by Kelly Buttermore: Storytelling Mixer
[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 the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): 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 6/5/12
Rich Vos and Judah Friedlander perform at Tell Your Friends...
...and one-of-a-kind Ali Wong graces NYC with a rare visit from LA at Sweet
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:
[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 ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about this month's topic "Unmasking Cliché," with topics ranging from Comic Strips, Stripped to The Art Of Making People Excited To Do Your Bidding, at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe (126 Crosby Street) for Charles Star's comedic show Adult Education
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creator Jim Zub (writer of Skullkickers) joining 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: Comic Book Club
7:00 pm ($5): "Cruella de Vil hosts the city’s hottest and most successful public speaking seminar. Go from voiceless nobody to victorious villain in no time! Tonight’s workshop will feature recent graduates who have come to show off their newly-formed public speaking skills, including Snow White, Pocahontas, Belle, Cinderella, Tiana, and Jasmine" at The Magnet: Wrestling with Ursula: Finding Your Voice Without a Prince's Help
7:00 pm ($5): Sisters Ariel Karlin & Lily Karlin perform duo improv and more at The PIT downstairs lounge as troupe Karlinator
[FREE] 7:00 pm: A one-woman show by storyteller Ali Berlinski at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs lounge: A Beautiful Mess
7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Surfing, Bucky, and The Pox at this first half (see 9:15 pm for more) of Harold Night
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show), Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 9 million people on YouTube, please click here), Kambri Crews (storyteller, author of Burn Down the Ground), Adam Spiegelman (writer/producer/podcaster whose credits include Jimmy Kimmel Live), Chris Deluca (creator/star of Spike TV's MoCap LLC) and Summer Banks (visiting from Berlin) performing at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door or $12.75 online): The debut of a show featuring storytellers, book & TV writers, and stand-ups focusing on various aspects of being a fan, with tonight's guests Hallie Haglund (staff writer for The Daily Show), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), Erin Barker (Moth GrandSLAM champion, co-host of The Story Collider), and Andy Ross (writer for The Onion News Network) performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall with hosts Kerri Doherty & Nate Fernald: Geeking Out
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Storytelling, stand-up, and carny join forces to bring the blog And I Am Not Lying to life on stage, hosted by stellar storyteller & burlesque performer Cyndi Freeman, and with fully clothed storytellers Jeff Simmermon (This American Life, The Moth) and Brad Lawrence (FringeNYC, The Moth), stand-up Greg Barris (host of Heart of Darkness), and burlesque by Peter Aguero and Amelia BareParts performing at the R Bar (218 Bowery, between Prince and Spring Streets): And I Am Not Lying Live
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A weekly wild experiment in dark comedy, blending sketch and improv, from Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives) and tonight's guest co-host Andy Rocco (host of Underground Americana) at UCB East for this first show without co-founder John Gemberling (who's now busy taking over LA): The Tony and ??? Show
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's The Half Hour, MTV, Second City), and more, plus stand-up videos and a video from Improv Everywhere at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Andy Kaufman Fun House
8:00 pm ($8): Newest PIT house sketch troupe National Scandal performs at The PIT downstairs lounge: National Scandal
[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
8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet's singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Rosencrantz and Aquarius
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; Jay Leno, FOX, cast member of NBC sitcom Are You There Chelsea and FOX's Breaking In; regular panelist on Chelsea Lately; upcoming Oliver Stone film Savages; rare NYC appearance since Ali's moved to LA), Barry Rothbart (current spokesman for Taco Bell; TNT's Men of a Certain Age;" Jay Leno), "a special guest," and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet
9:00 pm (no cover, one drink min.): Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment Tuesdays at Cake Shop), Sean Donnelly (host of numerous shows) performing stand-up for this weekly show at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) with tonight's host Josh Gondelman: The Afterlife: 72 Virgins
9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Creature, GoodGirl, and Sandino—plus advanced students repeatedly rearrange elements of scenes to create improv anagrams—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night
9:30 pm ($8): At The PIT upstairs theatre, musical/rap improv from troupe The Boombox Kids and more musical improv from troupe The Jam Academy
9:30 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
9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy
[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Tom Papa (host of Jerry Seinfeld-produced NBC comedy The Marriage Ref; numerous appearances on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno; three Comedy Central specials), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Present),Stand-up superstar Dave Attell (newest show is Showtime's Dave's Old P@rn), Joe Matarese (Comedy Central Presents, Chelsea Lately, podcast Fixing Joe), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Showtime), Dean Edwards (SNL, Carson Daly, VH1), and more performing at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Freid: ComedyJuice
[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members can join in with musical improv troupe Rosencrantz to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer
[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 6/6/12
Spectacular NYC comedy treasure Kristen Schaal practices for a one-hour TV special tonight at Going Blue
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
[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco) at UCB Chelsea. This has already sold out, but you can probably get in if you're okay with standing: Kristen Schaal: Going Blue
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): Sketch comedy from Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Micah Sherman (Second City, The Scene), Rachel Wecht (Second City, The Scene), Mary Grill (New Excitement), Matt Hobby (New Excitement), and Steve Siddell (The Scene, Someday the Cake, Team Barbara) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Micah Sherman: Old School Sketch Comedy Show
7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes The Party Lions, Silver Fox, Horses, Featherweight, Leviathan, Chet Watkins, The Wrath, and Brick performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Leviathan at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt
7:00 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Graceland and Kinsey: Lloyd Night
[TOP PICK] 8:00
pm ($5):
Some of the finest comedic talents at UCB
Chelsea—Nate Dern, Sasheer Zamata, Silvija Ozols, Emily Axford,
Michael Trapp, Will Hines, Brandon Gulya, Dan Klein, and more—perform
bits from their current or upcoming shows at this UCBT
Comedy Talent Showcase
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB East, Sasheer Zamata, Nicole Byer, and Keisha Zollar are the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger
[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—plus FREE PIZZA!] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), Tim Warner (Joker in the Rye podcast), Neil Constantine, and JL Cauvin performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar (231 East 14th Street) with hosts Negin Farsad, Amy Albert, and/or Beth McGregor for their free weekly show Comedy School Dropout
8:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups Nate Fridson, Doug Smith, Andy Hendrickson, Steve Gerben, and Gabe Pacheco performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Ryan Conner (freelance writer for SNL, BBC): Free Healthcare
[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics (not announced) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) typically hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and/or Max Silvestri: Big Terrific
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): "If you were alive in the 70's, you may have attended some 'Key Parties' where you were randomly paired with someone to go home with and engage in free spirited coitus. (Today we either stay at home alone or congregate at an improv theater.) This improvised show combines the 70's arrangement with modern anxiety, exploring the rich moments leading up to that act of coupling and the fallout that follows" at UCB East with stellar comics Jordan Klepper, Laura Grey (sketch troupe Gramp's, delightful old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm), and guest improvisors: Key Party
9:30 pm ($5): Two sketch shows I haven't yet seen at UCB Chelsea: Brent Sullivan presents fake profiles he used to communicate via social networks with people he'd normally be terrified to contact at Profiles in Cowardice; and a (mostly) one-man show by George Kareman titled Incredibly Extreme and Extremely Incredible
[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: The wonderful Sasheer Zamata (Doppelganger) hosts 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. (For tonight's scheduled 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
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Original comedic songs are showcased, with tonight's singers Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Michelle Wolf, Dan Hodapp, Matt Singer, J Hobart, Emmy Blotnick, and Caren LaVine performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Justin Perez: Total Requesty
[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 6/7/12
Wyatt Cenac and hip-hopper Donwill are back to dissecting ridiculous films by Shouting at the Screen...
...and Jessica Delfino, Carolyn Castiglia, and Jen
Kwok are among the stellar comedic talents
at the first-ever New York Funny Songs
Festival
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: Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here) is tonight's guest 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 (memorably featured here): Oh, Hey Guys!
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Veteran musical improvisors at The PIT mix with novices on-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
6:30 pm ($5): Two shows I know nothing about—and that, frankly, both sound kinda dumb: What Is Wrong With You Humans? and Our First Orgy—audition for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. If you're feeling adventurous...: Spank
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): A comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) are shared by their original authors before total strangers at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street): Mortified
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 The Boss to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm & 9:00 pm ($10 per show at the door, $9.27 online): The first annual New York Funny Song Festival is kicked off by stellar NYC comedic singers Jessica Delfino, Mindy Raf, Jen Kwok, The Reformed Whores, Rob Paravonian, Molly Pope, and host Myka Fox at 7:30; and then Ben Lerman, Barbara Holm, Boris Khaykin. Soce, Killy Dwyer, and host Giulia Rozzi at 9:00. Both shows are at the Lolita Bar (266 Broome Street), with more shows at other venues; click for the full schedule: New York Funny Songs Festival
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Livia Scott (magical comedic chameleon; Conan O'Brien, Livia's Castle of Enchantment), Jess Dweck (Jimmy Fallon), Ryan Karels (Grandma's Ashes, Krompf), Rob Lathan (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, ABC), and more pay homage to film classic Jaws at UCB East, with host Aaron Glaser: Cinerama: A Comedy Variety Show for Film Nerds
[$] 7:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star headlining through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Susie Essman
[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
8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: East Side Orphan Riot and Harvey
8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes Phooka, Hello Laser, The Boss, and Junior Varsity performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Charlie Whitcroft directing Jazz Freddie (improvised scenes that focus on show the past, present, and future of one character and then spirals into an exploration of the character's world), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component): The Magnet's Night Out
8:00 pm ($5): Veteran improv troupe SidViscous performs a change-of-pace scripted comedic play about "what happens when a gay single father gets caught in a lie and has to pretend his daughter is his wife whenever these mobsters are around, but can’t let his ex-wife or the private investigator she’s hired find out what he’s up to" at The PIT upstairs theatre: My Daughter, My Wife
[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] 9:00 pm ($5): Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), 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), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, Comedy Central, IFC), and Michael Che performing stand-up at UCB East with Dan as host/headliner: Bad at the Good Times
[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/or comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Jon Glaser (star of Adult Swim's Delocated; long-time writer/performer for Conan O'Brien), Eric Slovin (former writer for Saturday Night Live, writing partner of Leo Allen), and Katina Corrao (HBO, Logo) performing at UCB Chelsea with the lone remaining NYC member of the SHAC, the lovely Shonali Bhowmik (ace singer/songwriter): Variety SHAC
9:30 pm ($8): Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central, co-host of Pirate Party and The Shinebox), Jessimae Peluso, Gonzalo Cordova, Sabrina Jalees, Frank Pfefferkorn, Stephanie Holmes, and Jonesy performing at The PIT upstairs theatre with hosts Sean Donnelly and Chris Grace: The Stand-Up Comedy Showcase
9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge for The Scene
[FREE] 9:30 pm: Sharp improvisors from UCBT, The Magnet, The PIT, and/or more try their hand at stand-up at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Improvisers Standing Up
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($9; or FREE COVER if you show up 30-60 minutes early and buy $9 worth of snacks/drinks): Mystery Science Theater 3000 goes street in this delightful series by Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show) and Donwill (hip-hop group Tanya Morgan) in which the boys watch a ridiculous movie and yell comments at it throughout. It all happens at Brooklyn's reRun (147 Front Street, between Pearl & Jay Streets), with tonight's film a happy surprise: Shouting at the Screen
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10 per show at the door, $9.27 online): The first annual New York Funny Song Festival continues with Myq & Micah, Carolyn Castiglia, Killy Dwyer, Rachel Parenta, and more at The Dressing Room (75A Orchard Street); for other shows running through Sunday, click for the full schedule: New York Funny Songs Festival
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Julia Wiedeman (fierce, fearless talent; fabulous one-woman show Naked People), Laura Willcox, and Olivia Henderson telling comedic tales at UCB East hosted by Erin Barker (Moth GrandSLAM champion; acclaimed as "adorable") and Caitlin Brodnick (Moth StorySlam winner): Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Last week Airwolf renamed troupe Nobody's Token to just Token, utterly crushing it 112-36. It was the 11th victory in a row for this juggernaut of the skies; and tonight Airwolf will set its claws on Hoops, a UCB East Lloyd improv troupe that includes such talents as Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) and Caitlin Bitzegaio (fine UCBT writer/director). It's West Side vs. East Side tonight competing for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/8/12
Stellar raunchy singers Jessica Delfino & Ben Lerman, Last
Comic Standing star Esther Ku, and many more
ace comedic musicians perform on this second night of the first-ever New
York Funny Songs Festival
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] 6:00 pm ($8): Kicking off the second night of the New York Funny Songs Festival is this show that challenges musical comics to sing on the theme of a specific book, with this month's title The Anarchist’s Cookbook, and the singers including Esther Ku, Juliet Jeske, and Schaffer The Dark Lord performing at Casa Mezcal (86 Orchard Street) hosted by the lovely and dark-witted Jena Friedman: Books & Hooks
[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Shinebox
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): At this hot event, delightfully raunchy singers Jessica Delfino, Ben Lerman, Cock Lorge, The Parodivas, and Red Peters perform as part of the New York Funny Songs Festival at Casa Mezcal (86 Orchard Street) for A Night of Dirty Songs
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): One of my favorite writer/actress/improvisors, the brilliant and luminous Lauren Olson, teams with Jon Bander and Karsten Cross at The Magnet to perform as improv trio Mr. Gorsky
[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; and, at their best, the troupe's writers sizzle too. Both strengths are evident in Crisistown, an interactive sketch show in which the audience is periodically asked to choose which of two paths it wants to go down next. This highly playful approach puts you in charge; and it also tempts you to see the show repeatedly (just as you might return to a favorite improv group week after week), because each performance is a never-to-be-repeated event. A vibrant, brilliant cast and mostly terrific comedy writing—plus what was probably a near-superhuman directorial effort by comedy giant Shannon O'Neil—equals a wonderful way to kick off your Friday evening: Stone Cold Fox: Crisistown
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Tracey Wigfield (writer for 30 Rock), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), Abra Tabak (Grandma's Ashes), and more perform improv at UCB East springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love
[$] 7:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star headlining through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Susie Essman
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), The Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon), Michael Kupperman (author of Tales Designed to Thrizzle), Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment Tuesdays at Cake Shop), Adam Conover, and Corey Reppond performing for this final show at Brooklyn's Vaudeville Park (26 Bushwick Avenue) hosted by Meghan O'Neill and Matt Koff: King's Country Comedy Hour: The Farewell
[FREE] 8:00 pm: The third annual comedy tournament featuring 40 improv groups...only one of which will triumph. Tonight four improv troupes battle for superiority, pride, and glory at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by James Ferrarella: The Arena, Semi-Final Round 3
[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 downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Mic and Cheese
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w
[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.) A veteran stand-up who's performed on HBO, Comedy Central, and Logo, and won two Emmys as a writer/producer for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Judy Gold
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot—tonight featuring ace guest improvisors Jeff Hiller (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) and Tim Martin (Airwolf): Diamond Lion
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from UCB Chelsea's all-star members of The Stepfathers
[TOP PICK] [$] [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), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Mike Britt, Maddog Mattern, and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
9:00 pm ($5): Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's The Half Hour, MTV, Second City), Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, The Onion), and Ari Voukydis (VH1, UCBT) performing stand-up, plus other comics doing sketch, improv, and who knows what else, at The PIT downstairs lounge with host Jeremy Wein: Undefined
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($8): The irresistible Camille Harris, YouTube star Rob Paravonian, Devo Spice, and other superb comedic singers perform at Casa Mezcal (86 Orchard Street) for this third show tonight that's part of the New York Funny Songs Festival
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): Improvisors perform as duos at The PIT downstairs lounge: Couples' Retreat
[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 ($10): 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
[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): This Magnet improv show makes clever use of the Web: "Give us a topic, a name, a question on any subject and the cast—including ace improvisors Alex Marino and Jesse Falcon—will answer it using the full power of the Internet and the combined mental acumen of five intellectual juggernauts. Also, maybe some improv. What you will learn cannot be unlearned! What do you want to know?": Search Engine
[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): 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. Hosted by Maude troupe Onassis: Liquid Courage
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/9/12
Smokin' comedic singers Mindy Raf, Camille Harris, Esther Ku, and scores more rock out at 50 Funny Songs
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 Genetic Freaks, Uncalled For, and LD50 at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown
[FREE] 6:00 pm: An improv show that asks you to drop written suggestions into a box before it begins and then dips into the collection of suggestions throughout to propel new scenes: The Drop Box
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): On the third night of the New York Funny Songs Festival is this show featuring over 50 comedic singers, including Jessica Delfino, Ben Lerman, Mindy Raf, Mel & El, Camille Harris, Livia Scott, Rob Paravonian, Carolyn Castiglia, Esther Ku, Rob Cantrell, Boris Khaykin, Red Peters, Tim Ellis, Jen Kwok, The Parodivas, The Wigmaker's Son, Devo Spice—to name but a few. The magic happens at Tammany Hall (152 Orchard Street): 50 Funny Songs
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A comedy quiz show full of heavily researched quirky facts in which brilliant contestants from the NYC comedy community 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
7:00 pm ($8): At this PIT double-bill, Allison Dembek & Mike Burton "explore a single, specific and textured world in an improvised play that emphasizes the endearing humanity of the characters and the relatable comedy of the worlds and situations around them" as GCA, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): TV & movie star and NYC comedy treasure Kristen Schaal practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco) at UCB Chelsea. This has already sold out, but you can probably still see one of the funniest women alive tonight if you're okay with standing: Kristen Schaal: Going Blue
[$] 7:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Susie Essman
7:30 pm ($7): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The Magnet as troupe Lead McEnroe
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A veteran stand-up who's performed on HBO, Comedy Central, and Logo, and won two Emmys as a writer/producer for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, headlining through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Judy Gold
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
8:00 pm ($5): A true tale of international love gone wrong from Greg Wilker, intermixed with improv troupe 1-800-London making up scenes based on his storytelling, at The PIT downstairs lounge: From London to Prague
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on final Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central, co-host of Pirate Party), Adam Conover (host of Fresh Out), and Jake Weisman performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo
[TOP PICK] [$] [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), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Mike Britt, Maddog Mattern, and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): A sharp musical improv troupe at The Magnet makes up stories with song and dance based on an audience suggestion: Choral Rage
9:00 pm ($5): From the producers of The Scene, improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One
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] 10:30 ($8): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won the 2010 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group: Murderfist: Late and Dirty
[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 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
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): "Jack Dishel is best known as a songwriter and musician, touring all over the world performing as Only Son and also playing lead guitar in The Moldy Peaches. This year he's exploded onto the comedy scene, doing a two-month run of hour-long shows at the Sidewalk Cafe—without ever repeating material. It’s sometimes hilarious, sometimes dark, but always interesting. Whether speaking as one of his many characters or in his own voice, his ideas come through loud and clear, and it’s a fast hour. Let's see what happens when Dishel brings the drunken night club insanity into The PIT upstairs theatre:" Jack Dishel: And Then Things Got Weird
[TOP PICK] 11:30 ($5): The lovely Zoe Farmingdale celebrates her birthday (which is today) onstage as she "performs some of her favorite songs and invites some guests to perform whatever they want. She is going to dress up hot, and sing about some historical stuff. Also, cake. Come party. Please give her love" at The PIT downstairs lounge: The ZoeShow: Birthday's Greatest Hits
Midnight ($5): Caitlin Bitzegaio directs this UCB Chelsea sketch show that's "a super-positive lifestyle program for teenage girls hosted by two guys with a huge passion for glossy pop music, Lisa Frank school supplies, and all that the world presents as 'hip' to young women during the melodramatic years of adolescence. With help from their outstanding panel of experts, Dan Chamberlain & Jason Flowers rap about entertainment, fashion, boys, and more in an effort to bring empowerment and enlightenment to the teen girl inside all of us:" Cool Show 4 Teen Girlz
Midnight ($5): NYC stand-ups Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream, 9 Am Meeting), Neil Constantine, Rae Sanni, and Jason Saenz performing at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover: Fresh Out
[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, with host Andy Haynes promising "a rowdy late night comedy melee with beers being thrown, jokes being told, partial nudity, audience participation...there's no telling what might happen:" Midnight Run
Midnight ($10): Typically disturbing and semi-obscene sketches at The PIT upstairs theatre from troupe FUCT
[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 6/10/12
Brad Loekle hosts a viewing party from 7:00 to 11:00 of this year's live broadcast of The Tony Awards
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] 2:00 pm & 4:00 pm ($8): This fourth and final day of the New York Funny Songs Festival starts with a panel discussion at 2:00 pm of what it takes to make money as a comic. Scheduled guests include Janine DiTullio (head writer of Adult Swim's Superjail), Danny Hastings (Director of Atomicus Films), David Johnston (Associate Director of ExploringTheMetropolis.org), Lisa Niedermeyer (Program Specialist at Fractured Atlas and manager for NYC Performing Arts Spaces), and D-Sharp Wilson (Director of Platinum Label Entertainment, a one stop shop for music production and studio recording. And at 4:00 pm is an awards show for the best in NYC comedic music. It all happens at Culture Fix (9 Clinton Street): New York Funny Songs Festival Finale
[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] 6:00 pm: "Short-form improv teams battle it out for the most points and a prize. C’mon, admit it! You miss the quick-witted fun and audience involvement of short-form improv. A different short-form team joins Mishmash! each month and struts their stuff for a panel of judges (including one judge chosen from the audience) until a winner emerges. There will be a series of completely improvised scenes, stories and musicals all based on your suggestions. Come ready to shout out suggestions, and even shout at the judges," at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Scrimmage
[FREE] 6:30 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm-11:00 pm: In a change of pace for this gay-themed stand-up show, host Brad Loekle and friends bring you comedic commentary on this year's live broadcast of the Tony Awards (this comedy show starts at 7:00, the awards broadcast begins at 8:00) at Therapy (348 West 52nd Street): Electro Shock Therapy Tony Awards Viewing Party
[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): "Pete wrote a musical based on the film Desperately Seeking Susan featuring the music of Blondie that opened on London’s West End——and closed a month later. Whoops. Here’s how it all went down" via a one-man show by Peter Michael Marino at The PIT downstairs lounge: Desperately Seeking the Exit
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Montreal sketch troupe Uncalled For, which Plank Magazine described as “one of the most innovative and reliable sketch troupes in the country," performs at The Magnet for one night only: Today is All Your Birthdays
[$] 8:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A veteran stand-up who's performed on HBO, Comedy Central, and Logo, and won two Emmys as a writer/producer for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, headlining through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Judy Gold
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Joe Pera (very funny deadpan comic; for reasons to hire Joe, please click here), Vidur Kapur (upcoming Showtime special Pauly-tics), Sean Donnelly (host of many shows), Barbara Holm, and Nate Fridson 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): NYC stand-ups Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's The Half Hour, MTV, Second City), Max Silvestri (co-host of Big Terrific), Beth Hoyt, Halle Kiefer, and Mike O’Brien performing at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by "disappointing gay best friends" 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: Typically sharp NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) and usually 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
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Joe Pera (very funny deadpan comic; for reasons to hire Joe, please click here), Luke Younger, Ryan Conner, and Matt O'Meara 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
9:30 pm ($5): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem
9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing sets at The PIT, and then improv troupe Before the Accident making up scenes springboarding off the material, at Daws of Jeath
[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
Copyright © 2012 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
