NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/14/11
NYC comedy's biggest awards show of the year happens tonight: The 2011 ECNY Awards
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $15 marked with $) include:
7:00 pm ($5): "Edwina Debooveman is a handsome woman with a rich memory unaffected by her constant intake of muscle relaxers. With the help of a financial backer, a talented creative team, a rolodex of contacts to fill the house, and a flimsy show premise she will be performing her own one woman show" at I Remember: Edwina Debooveman's One Woman Show; plus in the second half of this double-bill, improv from Dustin Drury & Andrew Yurman-Glaser that captures the laid-back feel of Upstate New York
[FREE] 7:30 pm: Adam Newman, Sabrina Jalees, Trey Galyon, and Justin Williams performing stand-up at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Some of the finest improvisors in the country—Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Jeff Hiller, Mike Still, Ashley Ward, and tonight's guest Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake; host of The Chris Gethard Show; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York)—making up a musical on the spot along with virtuoso improv pianist Frank Spitznagel: Diamond Lion
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($6.50 online or $8 at the door): 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.), Jon Glaser (long-time writer for Conan O'Brien, star of Adult Swim's Delocated), Jen Kwok (viral videos Date an Asian and Butterface), Klepper & Grey, and Jordan Carlos (Comedy Central) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($15): One of the finest comedy events of the year, when virtually the entire downtown NYC comedy community comes together in one room—this year at 92Y Tribeca—to celebrate each other, New York, and the best comedy in the world: The 2011 ECNY Awards
9:30 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's fine house sketch comedy troupes, Gramp's and Onassis, trying out new bits at Maude Night
10:00 pm ($5): "From the invocation of a name pulled from the obituary pages, the recently deceased gets a final chance to have his or her story told on stage through a series of improvised scenes." Come celebrate the life and death of a complete stranger—good taste optional—at Dearly Beloved Presents The Wake
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include TV & movie superstar Janeane Garofalo, Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), Myq Kaplan (finalist on the most recent Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, hot new comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), and Neal Brennan—hosted by the wonderful Chris Gethard (star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and UCBT's The Chris Gethard Show; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York) at Whiplash
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/15/11
Genius comedic storytellers/comics Elna Baker (The Moon Show) and Chris Gethard (Sweet)
Please Note: The winners of last night's ECNY Awards can be found here. Huge congratulations to all the winners, and also to all the nominess—there were many incredible talents on the ballet.
Plus special kudos to the sharp folks at The Moon Show for the superb video intros to each award category, which went a long way to making the evening entertaining. For details on tonight's Moon Show featuring comedy giant Elna Baker, a theremin player, and more, please see the 8:30 listing below.
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 ($5): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Mike Lawrence (damn funny), Dan Wilbur, and musical guest Amy Miles performing at the Lolita Bar for Tell Your Friends
7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image; and in the second half of this double-bill, Jenny Dunne and Rick Andrews improvise a single moment in two characters' lives again and again, exploring three parallel realities, and the difference that a look or tone can make, in The Cascade
7:00 pm ($5): An all-gal improv troupe consisting of Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell, with tonight's guest guy three-time 2011 ECNY Award winner Kurt Braunohler, performing as Goldie and the Hawns
8:00 pm ($10): The worlds of "magic, mind-reading, and mutilation" are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw and Prakash Puru: Strange Things
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics creators Dave Gallaher (High Moon), Bobby Timony (The Night Owls), and Kevin Colden (Fishtown) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club
8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Very Good Kiss, Standard Oil, Sandino, Ragnaröck, and Badman; and at 11:00 pm improv from advanced UCBT students—all at Harold Night
[FREE] 8:00 pm: All-virgin stand-up showcase—come see folks struggle and strain with their first attempt at the most difficult form of comedy—at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) hosted by the delightful Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapper Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome
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: BEEES! and Rebound
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Elna Baker (among my all-time favorite comedic storytellers, and bestselling author of the comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, VH1, Comedy Central), theremin player Jen Rondeau, and "a secret musical guest" performing at Brooklyn's The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake; host off UCBT's The Chris Gethard Show and Whiplash; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York; winner of 2011 ECNY Award for Best Tweeter), Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Jay Pharoah (cast member on SNL), Nick Stevens (host of Discovery Channel's Money on the Menu), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Katie Hartman, who's half of hilarious sketch comedy duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, going solo tonight with "a menagerie of bizarre and bewildering characters in the shittiest parade you've ever seen. But not a literal parade. Please don't expect a parade:" Unhuggable
[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free show, audience members can join in with veteran musical improv talents 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 hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 3/16/11
The irresistible Mamrie Hart mourns the passing of Nicolas Cage at tonight's Celebrity Funeral
Please Note: The winners of Monday night's ECNY Awards can be found here. Huge congratulations to all the winners, and also to all the nominees—there were many incredible talents on the ballet. Plus special kudos to the sharp folks at The Moon Show for the superb video intros to each award category, which went a long way to making the evening entertaining.
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's Super Free Wednesday
7:00 pm, 8:30 pm, and 10:00 pm ($5): Magnet house troupes performing improv, followed by a free show at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "It is with deepest sorrow that I inform you of the loss of one of America's greatest thespians, Nicolas Cage. From Con Air to Captain Corelli's Mandolin, he has been in our hearts since he was Nikolas Kim Coppola. Even though his body is gone, his body of work will surely live on (primarily because he has 47 movies in post-production)." The comedy talents helping us to mourn include Hannibal Buress, Jon Friedman, Katie Schorr, Aaron Glaser, Eliot Glazer, Lee Rubenstein, and many more joining the wonderful sketch comic who's making it all happen, the unsinkable Mamrie Hart, in Celebrity Funeral: Nicolas Cage
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5—which includes a free drink!): Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), and Kevin McCaffrey (David Letterman) performing stand-up at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City: Monsters
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($16.50 & 2-drink min.): A razor-sharp stand-up who's brilliant, darkly funny, has memorable hair, and is a staff writer on Jimmy Fallon headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Morgan Murphy
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15 online or at the door using code MOON): Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) performs a smart, engaging, and often hilarious one-man show at PS 122 (150 First Avenue off 9th Street ) running through April 2nd: Tom Shillue is Supernormal
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Times, The New Yorker, etc.; former beard-wearing member of band Stickerbook), Bruce Cherry (Comedy Central, VH1), Jeff Kreisler (Get Rich by Cheating), Subhah Agarwal, Liz Simons, and Carrie Gravenson performing at this free weekly show at the Luca Bar (119 St. Marks Place) hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Adira Amram (fresh, unique, wonderful singer/songwriter who just won a long overdue ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act), Craig Rowen (instant star for his video Please Give Me A Million Dollars), fearless sketch troupe Murderfist, and stand-ups Adam Newman & Trevor Williams sharing material that was turned down and the stories behind them at Jon Friedman's wonderful The Rejection Show
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Former & current Saturday Night Live writers and performers trained in Chicago do long-form improv at Comiskey
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 3/17/11
Becky Drysdale (above) and Christina Gausas debut at UCBT tonight as stellar improv duo Drysdale & Gausas
Please Note: The winners of Monday night's ECNY Awards can be found here. Huge congratulations to all the winners, and also to all the nominees—there were many incredible talents on the ballet. Plus special kudos to the sharp folks at The Moon Show for the superb video intros to each award category, which went a long way to making the evening entertaining.
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:
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[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Some of NYC's top comedic singer/songwriters—Corn Mo, Kimmy Gatewood, Ben Lerman, and Amy Miles—plus ace sketch/improv comic Matt Higgins performing haiku and Joe Schiappa doing poetry—will rock the house in a show hosted by Nathan Phillips: Dealing With My Feelings
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15 online or at the door using code MOON): Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) performing a smart, engaging, and often hilarious one-man show at PS 122 (150 First Avenue off 9th Street ) running through April 2nd: Tom Shillue is Supernormal
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Jordan Klepper and Laura Grey performing an acclaimed sketch show in which "they're bringing their baggage to the stage and dumping it all on you" in Baggage; and in the other half of this double-bill, a sketch show from duo Two Fun Men
8:00 pm ($5): Veteran improvisors Megan Gray & Louis Kornfeld team up to perform as improv duo MegaLou
[$] 8:00 pm ($26.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's famed for his improv work on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, and Comedy Central, and currently co-stars on the Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Proops
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($12): NYC stand-ups Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever; Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Neal Brennan (co-creator of Chapelle's Show), Liz Miele (Comedy Central), and Sam Morril, plus superb musical guests Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme) and Mike Doughty (Sad Man Happy Man, Soul Coughing), performing at Comedy Below Canal
[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and guest-host Jeffrey Josephs (while Sean Patton shares his gifts with other cities): Comedy as a Second Language
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two of the finest improvisors on the planet, Christina Gausas (Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, Let's Have a Ball, Adsit & Gausas) and Becky Drysdale (Baby Wants Candy, Let's Have a Ball), debut tonight as a highly promising new duo: Drysdale & Gausas
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($8): A terrific all-gal lineup of stand-ups, consisting of Andrea Rosen (HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central's Stella, Variety SHAC, superb one-woman show Ding Dong Meow, winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Stand-Up), Erin Lennox (razor-sharp rising star, co-host of Fresh; for a sample of Erin's dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here), Ilana Glazer (Jimmy Fallon, Web series Broad City), Kara Klenk, and Sasheer Zamata: Smart Women
10:00 pm ($5): "The Magnet's premier slow comedy team creates a universe of unique sensation, demonstrations, and displays appealing to the sensible and nervous alike" as improv troupe The Boss
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Tipping a hat to St. Patrick's day, this Irish-flavored edition features two improv troupes competing for audience laughs and votes as Policemen vs. Leprechauns—including Ben Rodgers as one of the cops—at what's sure to be an especially raucous installment of Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 3/18/11
Improv superstars Joe Bill (Bassprov), Jeff Michalski (Second City ETC founder), and more perform as Chicago Improv Gorillas...
...and a comedy giant who blends stand-up with storytelling debuts his new one-man show: Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Chicago improv superstars gather in NYC to blow the roof off, with tonight's scheduled participants including Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO, co-founder of the Annoyance Theatre), Jeff Michalski (Michael Moore's TV Nation, Exit 57, founder of Second City ETC), Jodi Lennon (Second City, Annoyance Theater, iO, Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (VH1's Best Week Ever, UCBT faculty member), and Jordan Klepper (Second City, iO, UCBT show Baggage) performing at this free show at The PIT's basement lounge: Chicago Improv Gorillas
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): The wonderful Pat Shay (beloved improv faculty member at The PIT) parodies self-help gurus with this sketch show that "unlocks the power to succeed, get fit, and find love. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take your life from where it is to where you want it to be:" Empoweration! with Acorn Nazlett
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, MTV, VH1), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), Robert Dean, plus the usual sketch comedy gang, and musical band Fortress of Solitude, all performing at Karma Lounge with hosts Pat Stango & Blaine Perry for this endearingly oddball monthly comedy show: Don't Touch Me There
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Pamela Murphy's autobiographical show is written & performed with wit, grace, and pitch-perfect comedic timing (for video samples of Pam's work, please click here). Don't miss Jane Borden of Time Out New York's pick for Best Solo Show of 2010: Pamela Murphy: The C Word
...and for the other half of this A-List double-bill, a delightful tale of heartbreak by Leslie Meisel—who manages the impressive feat of being adorable, sexy, and hilarious all at the same time, and is a sharp comedic talent very much worth keeping an eye on—quite ably abetted by co-writer Megan Neuringer in one of the smartest theatrical shows to grace UCBT: Love Can Suck a Dick...and So Can I
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 online or at the door using code MOON): Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) performing a smart, engaging, and often hilarious one-man show at PS 122 (150 First Avenue off 9th Street ) running through April 2nd: Tom Shillue is Supernormal
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($35.50): Mike Birbiglia's credits include the hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing; two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on David Letterman and Conan O'Brien; comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live; the book Sleepwalk with Me & Other Painfully True Stories; and his hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me. He's doing the stage thing again, tonight debuting his all-new one-man show at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop) slated to run through May 15th: Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Groundbreaking and highly acclaimed improvisors Matt Higgins, Jay Rhoderick, and Kevin Scott performing with a three-piece rock ensemble: Centralia
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Kurt Braunohler (triple 2011 ECNY Award winner; Comedy Central; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety), Adam Newman (College Humor), Max Silvestri (co-host of Big Terrific), and Michael Che performing at Brooklyn's Coco 66 for hosts Nick Turner's & Jason Saenz's Too Cool for School
8:00 pm ($7): "In March of 2009 a gaggle of performers were born. Some died, some wandered off into the woods, others went to work in the private sector. Those that remained grew strong by feeding on the nectar of specific choices and the gruel of strong character work. The 2-year-old terror that exists today is akin to watching a Tsunami of hair and teeth attack a baby Blue Whale and destroy it with the will of a thousand hungry Burnese Mountain Dogs. What does it all mean? We don't know." In other words, improv from Chet Watkins
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups Adrienne Iapalucci, Kevin Barnett, Matt Ruby, Joe Machi, and Adam Pateman performing at O'Hanlon's (14th Street off 1st Avenue) hosted by David Cope: Hot Soup
[$] 8:00 pm ($26.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's famed for his improv work on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, and Comedy Central, and currently co-stars on the Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Proops
[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) The former host of Fear Factor—who's also performed stand-up on Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, and Jimmy Kimmel—headlining for one night only at the Gotham Comedy Club: Joe Rogan
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers
9:00 pm ($7): Sketch comedy from two friends who, by a wild coincidence, have the same name: We're Matt Weir: Please Don't
[TOP PICK] [$] 9:30 pm ($15): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here) delivering a brand new collection of sketches titled Ms. Larsen's Class: The Harvard Sailing Team
10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
10:30 pm ($10): Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other fine improvisors make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder
11:00 pm ($8): J Hobart and Grace Helbig welcome NYC talents for a morning chat show...that's happening late at night. Tonight's guests include stand-up Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, movie star; host of Sweet), actor Josh Pais (Law & Order, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and band The Pendulum Swings (featuring Jason Trachtenburg of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players): Morning Show with Hobart and Grace
[FREE] 11:15 pm: A freestyle rapping, beatboxing, long-form improv troupe performing "a fully improvised hip-hopera right in front of your face:" North Coast
[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Some of The Magnet's finest comics—including the brilliant and delightful Lauren Olson (powerhouse one-woman show Our Condolences at last year's FringeNYC)—team up with Magnet co-owner Armando Diaz to deliver sketch comedy in Good Morning, Ladies!
Midnight ($5): "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
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 3/19/11
Tom Shillue (Supernormal) and Margaret Cho (We Live Here)
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] 4:00 pm ($35.50): Mike Birbiglia's credits include the hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing; two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on David Letterman and Conan O'Brien; comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live; the book Sleepwalk with Me & Other Painfully True Stories; and his hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me. He's doing the stage thing again, performing an all-new one-man show at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop) slated to run through May 15th: Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, and more—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors who've included writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball
7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft making up a play on the spot in Theory of Everything
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 online or at the door using code MOON): Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) performing a smart, engaging, and often hilarious one-man show at PS 122 (150 First Avenue off 9th Street ) running through April 2nd: Tom Shillue is Supernormal
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): Comedy stars Margaret Cho and John Roberts try out new characters for your amusement and their show honing, for one night only, at We Live Here
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($29 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's famed for his improv work on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, and Comedy Central, and currently co-stars on the Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Proops
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central, MTV, and CNN, and hosts the accclaimed radio show Stand Up!, headlining for one night only at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pete Dominick
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—and the Cage Match Champion for two years in a row!—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo
[TOP PICK] 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): Rachel Feinstein (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Dean Edwards (HBO, Saturday Night Live), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club's A-List
9:00 pm ($7): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!
9:30 pm ($10): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub: Political Subversities
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount code SBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award last year for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event by catching tonight's edition of Baby Wants Candy
[TOP PICK] [$] 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 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King interviews an audience member about where he or she grew up and then creates an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here
10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10): Sketch duo Chris O'Neill and Paul Valenti describe themselves as "vaudeville gold for a 2011 crowd." Whatever. They're funny. Especially the bit with the nose. Come catch their latest material tonight at The Chris and Paul Show
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): From the fearless and always innovative Shannon O'Neill, who recently won the 2011 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show: "I seem to have made a big ole mistake. I wrote a script, I purchased the props, but I forgot to rehearse it. And on top of that I HAVE NO CAST!!!! So... I am going to cast YOU, moments before the show starts. I will hand you a script, give you some props and instruct you to just listen and get ready to perform. Oh man this is going to be a fucking mess of BEAUTY!! If you want a chance to be cast, make reservations and get in line by 11:15pm. I, Shannon O'Neill will personally come out and hand pick the best damn group of Thespians this play has ever seen and will ever see because this play will only be performed ONCE, never to be seen again! What do I look for in a cast? I love fatties, I love skinnies, I love sober people, I love drunk people. I love you all. Every shape, size, and ethnicity. Let's hold hands and spin the world! What is this play about? Something real fucking weird and TBA. Thanks for helping me fix my mistake. I'll see you soon friends!:" The Unrehearsed, Historically Inaccurate Story of...St. Patrick's Day
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 3/20/11
Mike Birbiglia continues to blend stand-up with storytelling in his new off-Broadway show My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] 4:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($35.50): Mike Birbiglia's credits include the hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing; two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on David Letterman and Conan O'Brien; comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live; the book Sleepwalk with Me & Other Painfully True Stories; and his hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me. He's doing the stage thing again, performing an all-new one-man show at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop) slated to run through May 15th: Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 5:00 pm ($18.50 online using discount code ADVANCE ): One of the very best shows at FringeNYC 2010 was an award-winning comedy from NYC's own Faye Lane, a luminous storyteller and singer who will charm your socks off—and possibly give you a moon pie to boot—at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this revival running Sundays through April 17th to experience the hilarious and unforgettable Faye Lane's Beauty Shop Stories
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT'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
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents), and more performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall guest-hosted by beloved stand-up and TV & YouTube star Matt McCarthy: Pretty Good Friends
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Magnet musical improv troupe Choral Rage raises its game tonight with The Improvised Rock Opera
8:00 pm ($5): "An improvised spoof on the process of rehearsing and performing a play takes the audience through the table read, bits of one of the rehearsals, and the opening night performance of a production that's never been performed before and never will be again:" The Play Format
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, host of Splurge), Louis Katz (HBO, Comedy Central Presents), J-L Cauvin (Craig Ferguson), Mike Recine, and more performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Adam Newman, Jessie Richardson, and Federico Garduno performing at The PIT's downstairs lounge for a free weekly show hosted by Sean Donnelly and Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($26.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's famed for his improv work on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, and Comedy Central, and currently co-stars on the Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Proops
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Typically stellar stand-ups (unusually not announced this week) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) typically hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central): Comedy Night
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Brent Sullvan, Kara Klenk, Matt Ruby, and Matt Maragno performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy
9:30 pm ($5): Two improv groups competing for audience laughs and votes—yes, like UCBT's Cage Match, but with less well-known troupes and an escalating challenge component—at Magnet Inferno
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Stand-ups Helen Hong (VH1, MTV), Adam Lehman (HereTV’s Hot Gay Comics), Chantal Carrere, and Neil Thornton performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle (TruTV): Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 4 minutes per comic, at The PIT's downstairs lounge hosted by Rob Stern: Vicious Cycle
Copyright © 2011 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
