NYC Comedy Picks for Week of May 13, 2013

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/13/13

South African stand-up Trevor Noah performs at Night Train and Broken Comedy;
Scott Adsit improvises as half of comedy super-team John & Scott

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

6:00 pm ($5 cover for comics, no cover for audience with code HyReviews, plus 1-drink min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4 1/2 minutes per set and 20 comics crammed into 2 hours—at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club (99 MacDougal Street) for John Morrison's Village Motel

6:00 pm & 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, with each show running 1 hour and 45 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes before the show you want to be in to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic stand-up show, with 10 comics each performing for 5 minutes, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Abigoliah Schamaun & Peggy O'Leary: Dicks Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A monthly storytelling show from the wonderful 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 Whatever Happened to the Nerds?; for a sampling of Adam's award-winning tales, please click here), along with guest storyteller Matt Mercier (writer, storyteller, and former caretaker of the Bronx Edgar Allan Poe Cottage) at Under St. Marks: The Adam Wade from New Hampshire Show: Tales of Life, Love, and Little League

7:00 pm ($5): Veteran improvisors—including Keisha Zollar and Rob Stern—will be touring as representatives of The PIT, and practicing tonight at The PIT downstairs lounge: The PIT TourCo

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they've never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope

7:30 pm ($10; sign-up starts at 7:00 pm): Open mic for stand-ups, storytellers, singers, poets, actors, and more, with 5 minutes per performer and 25 slots available, at One and One Bar's Downstairs Nexus Lounge (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word's Open Mic Joint

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim's awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo that's become one of the very best attractions at UCB Chelsea and should not be missed: John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $9.47 online): Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's), Trevor Noah (South African comic; Jay Leno, Chelsea Lately; performing one-man show Born a Crime this month at 45 Below Theater), Andy Haynes (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Last Comic Standing), Micah Sherman (Baby Wants Candy, Myq & Micah, Second City, co-producer of The Scene and Act One), and Dave Ross (Tosh .0, The Moth) performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim): Night Train

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Nick DiPaolo (star stand-up, with numerous appearances on David Letterman, Jay Leno, Louie; Emmy-nominated comedy writer, talk show host), 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), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Erik Rivera (Jay Leno, MTV): Nick DiPaolo, Tom Papa, Gregg Rogell, and More

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($7.25 online with code NORTHERN; no min.): Nick DiPaolo (star stand-up, with numerous appearances on David Letterman, Jay Leno, Louie; Emmy-nominated comedy writer, talk show host), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, HBO's Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon), Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman, VH1, contributor to SNL's Weekend Update), Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing, VH1), and Josh Carter performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Northern Discomfort: Nick DiPaolo, Ari Shaffir, Keith Alberstadt, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Kicking off this double-bill at UCB East is ace director Todd Bieber (razor-sharp Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com) "cutting down a film to 25 minutes, removing its audio, and adding our own music and audio cues live, and dialogue live via improvisors," with this month's performers including Charlie Todd and Riley Soloner: Rewrite Movie Night...

...and then UCBT house manager and tech guy supreme Pat Baer hosts a show about the very medium you're using to read this, with tonight's guest improv icon Charlie Todd (co-founder of Improv Everywhere, member of The Curfew): 404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($35 using code CQUSTX online or at the box office): TV & Broadway stand-up star Colin Quinn performs a show he's been developing for months for this off-Broadway run (through June 3rd) that looks at US history "from the Founding Fathers to the Kardashians" at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop): Colin Quinn: Unconstitutional

8:00 pm ($5): A musical comedy evening with duo Laura Zeis & Matt Pavlovich, weird musical history from Rob Ri bar, tunes from Paul Leschen, plus stand-up from Aaron Glazer, all performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) with host Kyle Supley: Vintage Vantage Variety Show

[FREE] 8:00 pm: A young all-guy improv/sketch group doles out pub trivia, with the first prize a $30 bar tab and last prize a ticket to its next paid show, plus music from The Starting Line, at the Comedy Bar (134 West 29th Street): Gentlemen Party Presents Pub Trivia

8:30 pm ($5): Improv duo Dustin Drury & Andrew Yurman-Glaser capture the laid-back feel of Upstate New York; and in the other half of this double-bill, more improv from troupe Eaglefox

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Trevor Noah (South African comic; Jay Leno, Chelsea Lately; performing one-man show Born a Crime this month at 45 Below Theater), Rob O'Reilly, George Gordon, and Danny Kallas performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Mike Denny, and/or Michael Che: Broken Comedy

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Jordan Carlos, Beth Hoyt, Trey Galyon, Amaya Perea, and Naomi Ekperigin plus musical guest Michael Wagner, performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Bar (627 Fifth Avenue; take R subway to Prospect Avenue) for this free biweekly show hosted by 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 Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Stripped Stories): Dive Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new material: Fambly (which includes Bridey Elliott, Dan Chamberlain, Veronica Osorio, and a sharp crew of writers) and Bellevue (which I plan to finally catch soon): Maude Night: Fambly & Bellevue

[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

9:30 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

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Great lineup of Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; star of Showtime's Dave's Old Porn and Comedy Central's Insomniac; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), Andrew Schulz (MTV2's Guy Code), and Modi (HBO's The Sopranos, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Erik Rivera (Jay Leno, MTV): Dave Attell, Paul Mecurio, Nikki Glaser, and More

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Twelve improv comics who are "friends of Dorothy" perform at The Magnet hosted by Andrew Fafoutakis: There's No Place Like Home: A GLBTQ Event

10:30 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam

[TOP PICK] [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

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

[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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/14/13

Megan Raye Manzi, one of the finest comedic actresses in the biz—and one of my favorite people in the world—
stars in a feature film written by sketch troupe Olde English being screened at UCB East: The Exquisite Corpse Project...

...Egyptian-American Ahmed Ahmed is among the stand-up stars at ComedyJuice; Andy Blitz is at 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] [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 downstairs lounge, 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 upstairs theatre hosted by Jay Dean and Tynan DeLong: Two Nice Guys Open MIc

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, five of The Magnet's singing improv troupes make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Canons and Jezebellers (at 7:00), Vulcan and BEEES! (at 8:00), and Aquarius (at 9:00), followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with a musical improv troupe to make up stories in song: Magnet Musical Megawatt

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): As a comics fan, I love this concept: an improv troupe will make up scenes while playing Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, and other members of the Justice League of America at The PIT downstairs lounge: JLA Improv

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comic book writer Greg Pak (Code Monkey Save World) and songwriter Jonathan Coulton 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 (and if you can't make it, watch in online here): Comic Book Club

[FREE] 7:00 pm: This weekly 2-hour open mic storytelling show allows each performer a full 8 minutes to tell a compelling and funny tale at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs lounge with host Jake Hart: The Dump

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): One of the finest, fiercest talents in New York or LA, and one of the loveliest women I know, dynamite actress Megan Raye Manzi (for videos, please click here) stars in a feature film comedy written by superb sketch troupe Olde English that's being screened tonight at UCB East—which used to be an indie film theater—for an absurdly low five bucks. Whether you attend to see Megan dazzle you or Olde English make you laugh, come and experience this (for a trailer, please click here). Today's my birthday, and I'll be spending it at this screening: The Exquisite Corpse Project

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

[$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/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), Matt Lamp (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern) 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): Tom Papa, Matt Lamp, Gregg Rogell, and More

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by the brilliantly surreal and hilarious Joe Pera, plus Charles Gould and Dan Licata: Dan + Joe + Charles' Show

8:00 pm ($8): Sketch comedy from a new upbeat troupe at The PIT upstairs theatre: Totally, Yes

8:00 pm ($5; includes FREE COOKIES): Mostly-gal improv "specializing in upbeat montages that explore real human emotions in a fun way," plus free cookies, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Baked by MMDK

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Andy Blitz (comedy genius best known for being an Emmy-nominated and long-time writer/performer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien; has also written for Comedy Central's Important Things, MTV's Human Giant, etc.; a thoroughly unique stand-up whose sets—ranging from talking peanut butter to jet-flying cats—tend to be unforgettable), Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), terrific comedic musical group Summer * Even, and more performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes GoodGirl, Big Margaret, and Bucky—plus 16 advanced improv students perform "cool, weird Non-Traditional Harolds ranging from the Silent Movie Harold to the infamous Black Tuesday (Tragic) Harold"—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Brilliantly innovative Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, The Nights of Our Lives) plays a different character each week working from a loose dark comedy premise and improvising as he goes along. Tonight he's joined by stand-up guests Dan St. Germain (quick-witted, enormously likeable red-hot rising star; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Warren Holtstein (writer for Saturday Night Live), and Jarret Berenstein, plus producer Andy Rocco, at the UCB East theatre: The Tony Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($8): "Improvised one-acts in the style of prominent playwrights and genres, spontaneously generating an original and hilarious work of instantly important theater right before your eyes" at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Improvised Play

9:30 pm ($5): In the tradition of such exalted comedy teams as The Three Stooges, three teams that each consist of three comics—G.U.S., BAM!, and Monsieur Schmaltz—perform at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Mitch Lucas, Meredith Hackman and Sean Duffy: Trois

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Great eclectic lineup of Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; head writer for Inside Amy Schumer, writer for Kroll Show, former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), 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), Ahmed Ahmed (Middle East superstar; Jay Leno, Comedy Central's Axis of Evil, MTV), Andrew Schulz (MTV2's Guy Code), and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, CNN, TBS): ComedyJuice

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Mark Normand (hilarious rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central, HBO, The Apprentice, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle Show, For the Love of the Game), and TuRae (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): Gary Gulman, Mark Normand, Nikki Glaser, 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 upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Legion of Skanks

[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

[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 5/15/13

Mel Brooks is interviewed (live from LA) at the 92nd Street Y; Trevor Noah debuts his one-man show Born a Crime

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: Sketch comics—including such superb talents as Dan Hodapp, Keisha Zollar, and Steve Soroka—audition their funniest characters at The Magnet for a performance spot at the prestigious Montreal comedy festival: Just for Laughs Auditions

[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Cammi Climaco (co-host of Ask Me Stories) hosts this weekly hour-long open mic storytelling show, with typically six audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 6-7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge: Cammi Climaco's Storytelling Open Mic: Six by Six

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up for 15 comics performing for 5 minutes each at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.)—with drinks at half price: Happy Hour Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up providing 3 minutes per comic at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Max Corbel & Benel Germosen: Cracking It

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Highly charming and luminous gal comics Bridget Fitzgerald (multi-talented model/actress/improvisor/sketch comic) and Anna Drezen (superb character comic blending words and movement; one-woman show Spooky Jerks), plus Will Nunziata and Justin Akin, are panelists for this new game in which "four smart, funny people are quizzed on odd and obscure bits of trivia that just might save your life (probably not, though)" at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by MIchael FIsher: Pop Quiz Hotshot

7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house improv groups Call Tokyo, The Music Industry, Featherweight, Brick, Chet Watkins, Horses, and Bloomer, followed by a free audience interactive show with Horses at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

[FREE] 7:00 pm to Midnight: Five free hours of improvisation at The PIT upstairs theatre: Super Free Wednesday

7:00 pm ($5): A stand-up who's performed on Jimmy Fallon and Funny or Die, and who's naturally funny even if his material doesn't always hit the mark, tries stuff out at UCB Chelsea for a 30-45 minute set: Aaron Glaser

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:15 pm ($29-$38): In celebration of a new PBS American Masters documentary about comedy legend Mel Brooks titled Make a Noise, Brooks will be interviewed (via satellite from LA) by Joy Behar, Susan Stroman, Robert Trachtenberg, and more at the 92nd Street Y's Kaufmann Concert Hall (1395 Lexington Avenue, between 91st and 92nd Streets): Mel Brooks

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): John Lutz (cast member of 30 Rock; six years as staff writer for Saturday Night Live; John and Scott) and Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials) perform two-man improv as acclaimed duo 2 Square

[$] 8:00 pm ($30): Trevor Noah, a South African comic who's appeared on Jay Leno and Chelsea Lately, performs a one-man show about "a search for identity in a world obsessed with labels" on Wednesdays-Saturdays through June 8th at The Culture Project (45 Bleecker Street). I haven't seen this, but Noah has a great reputation: Born a Crime

[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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Seating at 8:30, show at 9:00 pm (RSVP to confirm your spot at FreeComedyWednesdays@gmail.com): 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.), Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's), Joe Zimmerman (The Beards of Comedy), and Zach Sims (moving to LA) performing stand-up at Ella (9 Avenue A) produced by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura and hosted tonight by Mark Normand: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($8 at the door or $10.70 in advance online): Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Damien Lemon (MTV2's Guy Code, Comedy Central) performing stand-up, plus both live and taped sketches from Joe Pera, Henry Zebrowski, Jason Saenz, Nick Vatterott, Barry Rothbart, and Travis Irvine, all at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Nick Turner & Acquaintances

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Superb improvisors—and actual brothers—Will Hines and Kevin Hines make use of their intimate knowledge of each other to gracefully invent scenes (hopefully without any squabbling) at UCB East performing as duo The Brothers Hines

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), JL Cauvin (Craig Ferguson), Danny Kallas, Cory Jarvis, Kris Tinkle, and Brandon Collins performing stand-up at this free weekly comedy show at Lucky Jack's Bar (129 Orchard Street) produced by Kyle Fincham, Lance Weiss, and Brendon Fitzgibbons: Gandhi, Is That You?

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, four-gal group Georgie Aldaco, Danielle Gibson, Viviana Olen, and Katie Simon perform a series of surreal sketches that are both unsettling and charged with comedic energy. A long bit about a mother threatening to do something surprising to her husband and son is an instant classic (when you see it, you'll have no doubt what sketch I'm talking about...). The show could be greatly improved with periodic nuanced emotion to create a roller coaster effect—right now the audience is hit with surface shock after shock, which after a while desensitizes and loses impact—but if you're open to the purity of conceptual comedy that challenges your sanity, you'll enjoy Former Business Partners: Everything Must Go...

...and in the other half of this sketch double-bill, UCBT star & Chris Gethard Show icon Riley Soloner is a sweet and silly comic almost impossible to not like. His character Vacation Jason is over-the-top ridiculous, which means Riley has to walk a tightrope between getting laughs and creating a reality believable enough to make us care about what's going on. This first attempt at a sketch show falters on the latter; and I'd encourage Riley to be bolder about doing sharp, smart comedy, even with dumb characters, as he moves forward with his young and promising career. But script aside, there are worse ways to spend 30 minutes then watch Riley on stage while you're wearing a show-supplied Hawaiian lei of flowers around your neck: Vacation Jason's Island Flavors

9:30 pm ($5): Each booked performer has 10 minutes to do whatever he or she chooses—stand-up, sketch, improv, music, dance, or something beyond categorization. "It's simple, it's fun, and it might get crazy" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Guerrilla Theatre

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:45 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Great lineup of Amy Schumer (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; star of Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing, 30 Rock, great new DVD/CD Amy Schumer: Mostly Sex Stuff), Nick DiPaolo (star stand-up, with numerous appearances on David Letterman, Jay Leno, Louie; Emmy-nominated comedy writer, talk show host), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), and Sherrod Small (writer/performer on TBS' Are We There Yet?, Comedy Central, VH1) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Mike Yard (Comedy Central, Def Comedy Jam): Amy Schumer, Nick DiPaolo, Gary Gulman, and More

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): The instructors of UCB's classes include some of the finest improvisors in the country. In this new weekly show a bunch of them get on stage at UCB East, along with hosts Betsy Stover and Ari Voukydis: Hot for Teacher: The UCB Faculty Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Rising stand-up stars—Mark Normand, Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, Dan. St. Germain, Michael Che, Emily Heller, Jeffrey Joseph, Dan Soder, Barry Rothbart, Calise Hawkins, Joe List, Pat Dixon, and/or Nick Turner—at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: The Regulars

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: The wonderful Sasheer Zamata (highly charming, innovative rising star; Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer, FX's Totally Biased; member of red-hot improv troupe Doppelganger, sketch troupe The Prom, and Harold Night troupe Bucky) 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; plus Sasheer is going to be a huge star, so catch her in this intimate setting while you can. (Tonight's scheduled guests include Jason Saenz and Adam Conover; for the complete lineup, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

[FREE] 11:00 pm: 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

[TOP PICK] [$] 11:30 pm ($10 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Uncensored stand-up from Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; star of Showtime's Dave's Old Porn and Comedy Central's Insomniac; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing; podcast You Had to Be There), Kurt Metzger (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), and Jesse Joyce (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, FOX, AMC) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Mike Yard (Comedy Central, Def Comedy Jam): The Nasty Show: Dave Attell, Nikki Glaser, Big Jay Oakerson, Kurt Metzger, and More

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/16/13

Anthony Jeselnik headlines through Sunday at Carolines...

...Leslie Goshko hosts the storytelling open mic Oh Hey, Guys; Andy Blitz performs at Lasers in the Jungle

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] 5:30 pm: All-gal open mic at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by the spectacular Anna Drezen & Sue Smith: Open Michelle: Ladies Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; WNYC, Sirius XM, Huffington Post, host of Sideshow Goshko) takes over this week while John Flynn is sharing his immense talents with out-of-town audiences. This is a terrific weekly open mic storytelling show at UCB East, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress: Oh, Hey Guys!

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): PIT musical improv troupe Adorable mixes with musical improv novices on-stage at the downstairs lounge for Pitch

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving two minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories) auditions a one-woman show about her marriage and divorce in Bad Bride; plus a show I nothing about, The Hasseltones Live, also auditions for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage: Spank

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): The wonderful Julie Sharbutt (improv shows Gravid Water, Mystic Improv, The Scene, Birds) and Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show; improv shows What I Did For Love, HUNK, The Scene) perform duo improv "exploring a world of deeply felt character relationships while sitting in chairs" at The PIT upstairs theatre. Last month Julie performed this show with Scott Adsit—fully holding her own with one of the finest improvisors alive—and the story that unfurled was so memorable I'm still carrying it around. Come see what magic Julie & Zhubin create tonight at Chairs

[FREE] 7:00 pm: A one-man show from Harmon Leon, who enjoyed an acclaimed run performing this at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and can now be enjoyed at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Ironic/Not Ironic

7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Punchbowl and THEM

[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with improv troupe Hello Laser to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Great lineup of Andy Blitz (comedy genius best known for being an Emmy-nominated and long-time writer/performer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien; has also written for Comedy Central's Important Things, MTV's Human Giant, etc.; a thoroughly unique stand-up whose sets—ranging from talking peanut butter to jet-flying cats—tend to be unforgettable), 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), Amber Nelson (fearless, innovative rising star; Comedy Central; sketch troupe The Prom, co-host of The Dream Show), and Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, blogger for Comedy Central's Indecision 2012) performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Sean Crespo, Dan Wilbur, and Katina Corrao: Lasers in the Jungle

7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf makes stuff up at UCB East: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.) Anthony Jeselnik is one of my favorite stand-ups of all time, with a special gift for crafting dark and shocking short jokes, and a lightning-quick mind that allows him to play with any audience in the moment. This genius Emmy-nominated comic is the star of hit Comedy Central series The Jeselnik Offensive, former writer/performer for Jimmy Fallon, and has also performed on Conan O'Brien, HBO, a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and his great comedy CDs Shakespeare and Caligula. Anthony is headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: The Greatest: Anthony Jeselnik

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10; includes a free beer): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers comics to tell funny stories at the Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street), with tonight's guests Amy Sohn, Ed Gavigan, and Maude Sernas: Tom Shillue's Funny Story

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "Love Doctors Eli Newell (Delocated) and Julie Klausner (I Don't Care About Your Band, VH1) are international dating experts who specialize in online dating. They have PhDs in getting you laid and they want to use their insane skills to help you find a date. One lucky lady or dude from OkCupid will get a chance to go on three real dates with real people live onstage. Once again, these are real people, who have never met each other, going on real dates on stage. Come learn a little about love from the people who know the most about lacking it: comedians. Dating connections absolutely guaranteed—even if you don't get on stage!" at UCB Chelsea featuring Leslie Meisel, Sue Galloway, and Will Hines: The OkCupid Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house improv groups Junior Varsity and Hello Laser performing improv for an hour, followed at 9:00 pm by The Butterfly Effect (long form improv monoscene in which a small incident has an increasingly significant ripple effect), and at 10:00 pm by veteran improvisors making up scenes based on improvised monologues from tonight's storyteller Robert Weinstein at The Armando Diaz Experience, and finally at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) featuring last week's winner vs. Canons: The Magnet's Night Out

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), 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), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), and Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Todd Barry, Tom Papa, Gary Gulman, and More

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): A former roommate & drinking buddy of such comedy giants as David Cross and Marc Maron performs a one-man show that was such a hit at August's FringeNYC it's been extended indefinitely. Please read my review by clicking here, and Jason Zinoman's New York Times review by clicking here; and then come share an intimate hour with Matt Graham at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club so he can explain life and meaning and why This Too Shall Suck

8:00 pm ($10; no min.): Stand-up comics audition for the prestigious Just for Laughs festival at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Just for Laughs Stand-Up Showcase

8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): Storytellers Allison Castillo, Garry Hannon, Jonah Loeb, and Rena Zager, plus musical guest Erin Regan, performing at this biweekly storytelling show at 2A (25 Avenue A & 2nd Street) hosted by Jenny Rubin: Here's the Story

8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes, Hemlock (which includes stellar singer Megan Maes) and Dagger (which includes notable talents Ryan Dunkin and Jon Bander), make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hemlock and Dagger

8:00 pm ($8): Ora Fruchter & Christopher Scheer put a hand-puppet through improvised therapy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Puppet Therapy

[FREE] 8:00 pm: A monthly showcase of both stand-ups and improvisors at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by stand-up Zach Broussard and improv troupe Priest & the Beekeeper: Pig Pile

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced around 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this free weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Comedy Central), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), Reid Faylor (co-host of hilarious Creek show Underbelly), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), Brian Frange, and Brendan Fitzgibbons performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover (VH1's Best Week Ever, Olde English) and/or Emily Heller (Comedy Central, FX's Totally Biased): Fresh Out

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors make up three one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman—a show that tonight celebrates its Two Year Anniversary, and is followed by a free party at 11:00 pm: The Scene

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): If you're a fan of CollegeHumor.com, you can see the folks behind it on the UCB Chelsea stage—along with stand-ups 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), Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV's Pranked), Emily Axford, and Brian Murphy—at CollegeHumor Live

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-ups attempt to perform tight sets—"no fat, no filler, just funny"—with tonight's lineup Jim Tews, Mark Chalifoux, Andrew Short, Mike Cody, Adam Sokol, and Niles Turner at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Mike Speirs: Trim the Fat

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Improv group Scrambled Legs first knocked out powerhouse Airwolf, and then last week crushed Powder Keg into a very fine powder via a 120-19 win. Tonight the champion faces Lloyd team Graceland at UCB Chelsea as these improvisors compete for your laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

11:00 ($5):NYC stand-ups Dan Wilbur, Nicole Korkolis, Brendan Eyre, and more performing at UCB East as part of the Reddit.com online community, hosted by Adam Lash (HBO, Showtime, The Daily Show) and/or Nathan Anderson: /r/standup

[FREE] 11:00 pm: An open mic show that's first come, first serve, with each comic getting 3-5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Josh Alba: Mic and Cheese

[$] Midnight ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Uncensored stand-up from Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Andrew Schulz (MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy), Mike Yard (Comedy Central, Def Comedy Jam), and Sam Morril (Comedy Central) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO'S Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): The Nasty Show: Jena Friedman, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/17/13

Anthony Jeselnik continues his red-hot headlining run at Carolines...

...Kevin Meaney performs at The Stand, and Whitney Cummings performs at Comedy Cellar & Village Underground

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] 5:30 pm: Comics (not announced) performing funny characters audition at The PIT to appear in the most prestigious comedy festival in Canada: Just for Laughs Character Auditions

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 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 (possibly 9:00 pm only), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central, HBO, The Apprentice, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, ABC's The Unusuals), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Killer lineup of Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, one hour special & CD/DVD New in Town, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Fallon, NPR's This American Life, MTV, VH1), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Whitney Cummings, John Mulaney, Julian McCullough, and More

7:00 pm ($7): Jarret Berenstein (Boosh Kla-Klau) presents a PowerPoint adventure about getting a new job, accompanied by sketches from comedy duo We're Matt Weir, at The Magnet theatre: The New Job Show

[FREE] 7:00 pm: An hour of stand-up from Kat Burdick (NPR, The Moth) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: Kat Burdick: The Pocket Guide to Predators and Prey

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there'll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Nate Dern, Sarah Tollemache, and Paul Oddo. The hosts' favorite comics from this open mic will be selected to perform at their midnight Beastmasters show: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Open Mic

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Dion Flynn, Katie Mordhorst, and Bob Powers tell "stories of all sizes that define our place in the universe" at UCB East hosted by 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 The Adam Wade Show and Whatever Happened to the Nerds?; for a sampling of Adam's award-winning tales, please click here): Tales of the Cosmos

[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 superb: Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, John Murray, Leslie Meisel, Connor Ratliff, and Johnathan Fernandez; and among this latest show's writers are the delightful Silvija Ozols, and Brandon Gulya...who also directed: Stone Cold Fox: Hey, Look Over Here!

[FREE] 7:30ish pm: Chris Gethard (comedy genius; Comedy Central, IFC; star of The Chris Gethard Show; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives; author of bestseller A Bad Idea I'm About to Do and Weird New York), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, FOX's In Living Color, Comedy Central), Kevin Barnett (MTV's Guy Code, Comedy Central, Sleepwalk With Me, College Humor), John Moses (Sirius XM), and Noah Savage performing stand-up at the One and One Bar (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Ben Conrad & Lucas Connolly: Cranky Pants Comedy Hour

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) Anthony Jeselnik is one of my favorite stand-ups of all time, with a special gift for crafting dark and shocking short jokes, and a lightning-quick mind that allows him to play with any audience in the moment. This genius Emmy-nominated comic is the star of hit Comedy Central series The Jeselnik Offensive, former writer/performer for Jimmy Fallon, and has also performed on Conan O'Brien, HBO, a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and his great comedy CDs Shakespeare and Caligula. Anthony is headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club, but is now sold out except for Saturday at 10:30, so grab tickets ASAP: The Greatest: Anthony Jeselnik

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, one hour special & CD/DVD New in Town, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Tony Woods (David Letterman), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), and Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern) performing at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO'S Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Whitney Cummings, John Mulaney, and More

[$] 8:00 pm ($30): Trevor Noah, a South African comic who's appeared on Jay Leno and Chelsea Lately, performs a one-man show about "a search for identity in a world obsessed with labels" on Wednesdays-Saturdays through June 8th at The Culture Project (45 Bleecker Street). I can't rate this until I see it on Saturday, but Noah has a great reputation: Born a Crime

[FREE] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm: Stand-up comics audition for the prestigious Just for Laughs festival at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City for two entirely different 2-hour shows at 8 and 10: Just for Laughs Stand-Up Showcase

8:00 pm ($8): Sketch comedy at The PIT downstairs lounge from National Scandal

[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 ($10): 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, improv troupe Salmon Diane, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:45 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Killer lineup of Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, one hour special & CD/DVD New in Town, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Fallon, NPR's This American Life, MTV, VH1), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Tony Woods (David Letterman) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Erik Rivera (Jay Leno, MTV): Whitney Cummings, John Mulaney, Julian McCullough, Gary Gulman, and More

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from comedy geniuses Chris Gethard and Shannon O'Neill, plus stellar comics Silvija Ozols, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, Will Hines, and Connor Ratliff, performing at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): A gathering of comedic musicians, who tonight are Myq & Micah, Elizabeth Elkins, and Marc T. Engberg performing at UCB East with hosted by superb musical group Summer & Eve (for samples, please click here): Earworm Funny Music Party Show

9:30 pm ($10): A PIT upstairs theatre improv group making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

9:30 pm ($8): Siobhan Beasley (United Nations), Robert A. George (New York Post), Lucas Zachary Hazlett (MTV), and more gather to make fun of politics at The PIT upstairs theatre: Electoral Dysfunction

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($7.50 online with code ARI; no min.): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, HBO's Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing, VH1), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central, VH1) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Ted Alexandro, Kevin Meaney, Ari Shaffir, and More

10:00 pm ($10): Singing improvisors at The Magnet using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is enjoying a Friday night run this summer at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—is likely to keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Superb improvisors Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Sue Galloway, Dan Klein, Brian Faas, Matt Moses, and/or Conner O'Malley—who this year defeated The Stepfathers and thoroughly crushed another troupe at Cage Match before losing by a single vote—make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at the UCB Chelsea theatre: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Joe Pera (hilarious deadpan Andy Kaufman-like stand-up; one time I saw Joe sing beautifully and then smash three dozen plates to pieces; more recently he ended his set by slicing milk; for Joe's latest Kaufman awards submissions, please click here and here), Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, film actor; host of Sweet), Megan Neuringer (HBO's Flight Of The Conchords, Comedy Central's Strangers With Candy, FOX's Fringe, VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV; freelance writer for Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, Bravo, VH1, MTV, Spike), and Matt Star (sketch group The Prom) performing on this show mixing stand-up, sketch, and improv at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, D'Arcy Carden, Justin Tyler, Kelly Hudson, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($7): Over a dozen of the talented gal improvisors and sketch comics at The Magnet—with the rotating cast including Artistic Director Megan Gray, Lauren Olson, Elena Fishbein, Kimberly Ferguson, and Beth Newell—aim to "give you a dark and twisted late night explosion:" The Clubhouse

[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): This UCB East stand-up show features a pro as headliner, plus comics that did well at the 7:00 pm Hot Chicks Room open mic, plus two comics whose names will be drawn from a hat, hosted by Nate Dern, Sarah Tollemache, and Paul Oddo: Beastmasters: Up From the Mic

[FREE] Midnight: This show might not be much fun for audience members, but it's an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Plus it's hosted by members of Maude troupe Fambly, typically including such wonderful talents as Nicole Byer and Veronica Osorio: Liquid Courage

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/18/13

Julian McCullough and Whitney Cummings perform stand-up at Village Underground & Comedy Cellar...

...Al Madrigal performs at The Stand; and Molly Lloyd improvises every Saturday at 8:30 with her ace group Airwolf

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12.50 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show ("starts late enough to sleep off that hangover but ends just in time to begin a new one") at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Jhoel Walkowski & Evan Davis: The Amateur Hour

[TOP PICK] [$] 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($35 using code CQUSTX online or at the box office): TV & Broadway stand-up star Colin Quinn performs a show he's been developing for months for this off-Broadway run (through June 3rd) that looks at US history "from the Founding Fathers to the Kardashians" at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop): Colin Quinn: Unconstitutional

[FREE—and FREE BEER TASTINGS!] 6:00 pm: The debut of a unique comedy show that features free tastings of local microbrewed beer, plus tonight's stand-up guests Sam Morril (Comedy Central), Emmy Blotnick (MTV's Nikki and Sara Live), and Jared Freid, and music by band Final Gravity, all performing at the Comedy Bar (134 West 29th Street) hosted by Ben Asher: The Homebrewed Mic

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Grand Falloon, Rubin, The Gang, and 4Some performing at The Magnet to kick off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

7:00 pm ($8): A sketch comedy troupe performs at The PIT downstairs lounge: Bridge & Tunnel: A Sketch Show

7:00 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

7:30 pm ($10): Improv powerhouses Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, Natasha Rothwell, and more at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then "turn that town's tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:" The Curfew: Not From Around Here

7:30 pm ($10): Sharp Magnet improvisors "perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind-blowing parts; the only rule is that there are no rules:" The Weave

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($12.50 online with code AL; no min.): Al Madrigal (correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno), Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central, HBO, The Apprentice, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Al Madrigal, Kevin Meaney, Rachel Feinstein, and More

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Fallon, NPR's This American Life, MTV, VH1), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central) performing at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue) hosted by Lynne Koplitz (Joan Know's Best, IFC's Z Rock, host of WB's Life & Style): Whitney Cummings, Julian McCullough, Gary Gulman, Lynne Koplitz, and More

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($30): Trevor Noah, a South African comic who's appeared on Jay Leno and Chelsea Lately, performs a one-man show about "a search for identity in a world obsessed with labels" on Wednesdays-Saturdays through June 8th at The Culture Project (45 Bleecker Street). I can't rate this until I see it—which will happen tonight—but Noah has a great reputation: Born a Crime

8:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast clobbered some of the best groups in NYC last year at UCBT's Cage Match. Tonight it takes the stage for nearly an hour at The PIT downstairs lounge: North Coast

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ray DeVito, Ben Kronberg, Nick Cobb, and/or Tim Dimond: Shoot the Shite

[$] 8:00 pm ($11.34 online or $15 at the door): Two of the most respected PIT improv groups performing on this weekly double-bill at the upstairs theatre: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and last year crushed 15 improv groups in Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups JR Havlan (7-time Emmy winning writer for The Daily Show; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), John Moses (Sirius XM), Luis J Gomez (MTV), Robyn Schall, and Amy Raugust performing at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) hosted by Matt Ruby (MTV; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here, blog Sandpaper Suit): Comedy at Irish Exit

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($10): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:30 pm ($11.34 online or $15 at the door): "Musical sketch comedy that skewers and dissects pop culture one roll of the dice at at time"—for a sample, please click here—at The PIT upstairs theatre: Pop Roulette

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:15 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), and Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO'S Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Whitney Cummings, Judah Friedlander, Gary Gulman, and More

[TOP PICK] 10:00 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), Aaron Jackson (Newsadoozies), and more form an improv troupe at UCB Chelsea that won this year's prestigious Cage Match championship by springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($12.50 online with code AL; no min.): Al Madrigal (correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Marina Franklin (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show, VH1), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and Derek Gaines performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Al Madrigal, Ryan Hamilton, Dan Soder, Marina Franklin, and More

[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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: A "fake talk show/sketch show" written by Zach Sims (who've soon moving to LA), Nick Maritato, and Danny Solomon, and featuring around a dozen comics such as Ashley Brooke Roberts, Ross Hyzer, Zach Broussard, Dan Wilbur, and Robert Dean, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Too Late with Zachary Sims

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups take a comedic look at the world's problems at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Tom Dillon: Love, Poverty, and War

10:30 pm ($10): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): At UCB Chelsea, 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:" Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark

[TOP PICK] [$] 11:00 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Whitney Cummings (star of NBC's Whitney; HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV), Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Fallon, NPR's This American Life, MTV, VH1), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Lynne Koplitz (Joan Know's Best, IFC's Z Rock, host of WB's Life & Style), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), and Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Whitney Cummings, Julian McCullough, Gary Gulman, Lynne Koplitz, and More

11:00 pm ($10): Sketch comedy from a troupe born in a Boston college and tonight performing at The PIT upstairs theatre: Astronaut Theatre

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Improv is dominated by guys...and for no good reason. A way to help remedy this situation are shows like this one, which is an open improv jam for any gal wanting to participate, at any experience level. This monthly UCB Chelsea event is helmed by the wonderful Shannon O'Neill (breathtakingly innovative, lighting-quick, and fearless improvisor/sketch comic; The Chris Gethard Show, The Stepfathers, ASSSSCAT 3000, Strangers Wanted, Ladies Night): The Lady Jam

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show) performs a full 30-minute set, plus an opening set by Kevin Barnett (MTV's Guy Code, Comedy Central, Sleepwalk With Me, College Humor), at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Jermaine Fowler for the Half Hour

[TOP PICK] [FREE] [DISCOUNTED] Midnight (FREE online with code MADNESS; no min.): Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Jessimae Peluso (MTV's Girl Code, Failosophy; Last Comic Standing, Chelsea Lately, Tyra Banks, TruTV), Damien Lemon (MTV2's Guy Code, Comedy Central), and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Dan Soder, Jessimae Peluso, Damien Lemon, and More

Midnight ($5, or FREE if you show up in costume): "A scandalous night of downright sexy improv...beware of partial nudity, strong sexual themes, and the possibility to be dragged on stage for a not-so-wholesome game of Truth or Dare" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Yes, Yes, Yes...And

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 5/19/13

The Magnet hosts an all-sketch night that includes the wonderful Lauren Olson in her group Risky Bottom;
Top Gun goes Shakespearean at The PIT in the cleverly executed Jester's Dead

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] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm ($35 using code CQUSTX online or at the box office): TV & Broadway stand-up star Colin Quinn performs a show he's been developing for months for this off-Broadway run (through June 3rd) that looks at US history "from the Founding Fathers to the Kardashians" at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop): Colin Quinn: Unconstitutional

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open mic stand-up show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:00 pm: A smorgasbord of of stand-up, comedic music, comedic dance, sketch, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Chris O'Neil: Mishmash Variety Hour (and a Half)

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there'll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Emmy Blotnick, Matt Nedostup, and/or Sachi Ezurafor: Sledgehammer

6:00 pm ($5): Open-mic stand-up that includes professional feedback on each comic's 5-minute set at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Mic-Shop: Open Mic Workshop

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The Magnet from groups Risky Bottom (which includes one of my favorite comics, Lauren Olson) and Cookie Mountain: Magnet Sketch Teams

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes superstars in the improv world such as Chris Gethard, and occasionally network TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

8:00 pm ($5): 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), Janine Brito (staff writer/performer for FX's Totally Biased), Rob O’Reilly, Dave Ross, Nate Fridson, and Jules Posner performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[$] 8:00 pm ($15; no min.): Jessimae Peluso (MTV's Girl Code, Failosophy; Last Comic Standing, Chelsea Lately, Tyra Banks, TruTV), Damien Lemon (MTV2's Guy Code, Comedy Central), Harry Terjanian, and more performing stand-up that rips something or someone deserving to shreds at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Invitation to a Beheading

8:00 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The Magnet from groups Fat Kids and Breakfast for Dinner: Magnet Sketch Teams

8:00 pm ($8): "Becky Flaum thinks she’s Julia Roberts. And Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan, Drew Barrymore, even Katherine Heigel. But her high cinematic hopes for her love life get in the way of reality on her quest to find the perfect co-star." This one-woman show is at The PIT upstairs theatre: Hopeless Romantic Comedy

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Dave Ross, Grant Gordon, and more performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up

9:00 pm ($7): Typically terrific stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by either the wonderful Hannibal Buress or a guest host: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Jeff Scheen, Subhah Agarwal, Matt McClowry, Evan Williams, and Dave Waite performing stand-up in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at Beauty Bar

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): This show begins with a delightful concept—Top Gun performed as if written by William Shakespeare—and then executes it with the joyful craft only a sharp, tight theatrical ensemble can create. Everyone in the cast is terrific, but among the most memorable are Dan Hartley as Maverick, and Vayu O'Donnell who steals every scene he appears in with his hilariously deadpan delivery as Iceman. While this is playing at The PIT upstairs theatre for a mere $10, it's really legit Fringe theatre, and I hope it eventually makes its way to FringeNYC or Edinburgh—or better yet, develops more songs and gets a commercial run as a musical. Meanwhile, don't miss this opportunity to see a way fun parody of a cult classic for about half of what you oughta be paying: Jester's Dead: Top Gun Shakesparody

9:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The Magnet from innovative group Jacktown and Dispacho: Magnet Sketch Teams

[ALMOST FREE] 9:30 pm ($1): Open-mic comedy, with 4 minutes per performer, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Child Support

[FREE] 10:00 pm: The only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam

NYC Comedy Picks for Tonight

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