NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/30/16
Sasheer Zamata (cast member of Saturday Night Live), Jon Fisch (David Letterman, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, VH1, comedy album He Has Friends), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, HBO, VHI, FX's Totally Biased, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central, VH1), Baratunde Thurston, and Kendall Farrell performing stand-up hosted by the wonderful Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show; writer for South Park, Adult Swim; albums Comedy Person and Brooklyn): Night Train (8:00 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 622 Degraw Street; take R subway to Union Street)
More 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 downstairs lounge: Super Free Monday
7:00 pm ($10): A group of actors and improvisors attempt to duplicate the success of UCBT's Gravid Water by putting improvisors in the middle of classic theatre scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre. UCBT uses top Broadway and improv talent for its show, making it extraordinary. The participants of this show aren't quite at that level, but the format is so strong that this might work anyway, despite the awful title: The Actor's Worst Nightmare
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane): Comedy Cellar Monday
7:30 pm ($5): Four improv groups make up scenes, but under a strict set of rules. If any rule is broken, someone dressed in a Pokemon costume will appear on stage and punish the offenders at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Rejected!: Pokemon
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5; sold out of seats, but you can probably get in if you don't mind standing): Brilliant improvisors Scott Adsit, Brian Stack, and Tami Sagher stumble into rehearsed theatre scenes they know nothing about played by Broadway and/or TV stars Cady Huffman, Jonathan Kaplan, Ari Graynor, and Krysta Rodriguez, plus director/host Stephen Ruddy, at the UCB Chelsea theatre: Gravid Water
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics make up sets based on the titles of tracks on Chris Rock's 1991 comedy album Born Suspect at the UCB East theatre hosted by Keaton Patti: Laugh Tracks: Live Comedy Cover Album
8:00 pm ($5): "A rejected TED Talk about the future of consumerism as seen through the eyes of a psychic New York businesswoman and the chorus of anxious twenty-somethings who visit her in her dreams" at The PIT upstairs theatre: ALMANAC 1992
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they've never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope
9:00 pm ($7): Two unsettling one-person shows by Phoebe Tyers and "8-year-old Bonnie" at The Magnet theatre: Phoebe Jessy Raphael and Before Bedtime With Bonnie
9:00 pm ($5): Duo improv from Jake Keefe & Morgan Philips at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Jake & Morgan
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A musical one-woman show by Shalyah Evans (MTV's Girl Code) about her experiences holding a minimum wage job at Disneyland at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Happiest Job on Earth
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Top improvisors Connor Ratliff, Shannon O'Neill, Brandon Scott Jones, and Molly Thomas "talk to one person for less than 10 minutes and let them know how they die 45 minutes later" at the UCB Chelsea theatre: We Know How You Die
9:30 pm ($5): Members of UCBT house improv groups get scrambled together into new one-night-only teams at UCB East, with tonight's performers including Morgan Miller: The Blender
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Ari Shaffir, Joe List, Pete Lee, Josh Gondelman, and more performing stand-up at one of best comedy clubs in NYC at absolutely no cost to you (feel encouraged to order food and//or drinks, but you don't have to) for The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street) hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language): Frantic Mondays
10:00 pm ($5): Improvisors make up scenes at at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Matt's Emotions
10:30 pm ($7): Improv is dominated by guys, so this is a rare treat—a dozen female improvisors "for an evening of comedy that will delight men, women, babies, and kittens," hosted by Megan Gray at The Magnet theatre: We Might Just Kiss
[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world-who aren't announced in advance, but it's usually a great lineup and often an extraordinary one—at UCB Chelsea hosted by Aparna Nancherla (one of the best stand-ups in the country; writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers; Conan O'Brien, @Midnight, Last Comic Standing). Reservations go quickly, but you can probably get in if you arrive early and are okay with standing: Whiplash
11:00 pm ($5): "Improvisers and stand-ups do what they do best...and then switch places to try their hand at what the other does best. Performing to sold out crowds at UCBT-LA, this show is a cross-discipline Cage Match" performing at UCB Chelsea hosted by Boris Khaykin: Impro(vs)tandup
Monday Open Mics & Jams
4:30 pm-7:00 pm ($5 plus 1 drink min., with drinks as low as $2): Walk-in stand-up open mic with two rounds, the first providing 5-6 minutes per set and the second 2-3 minutes per set, at The Grisly Pear (107 MacDougal Street) hosted by Tuval Mor: Kickin It Open Mic
5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open mic stand-up show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 3 minutes on stage. Arrive at around 5:45 to sign up, or wait for the late bucket at 6:15, to perform at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Matt Anderson: First Stop Open Mic
6:00 pm & 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, with each show running 1 hour and 45 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes before the show you want to be in to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic
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 The Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston Street, off Avenue B) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word's Open Mic Joint
[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam
[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Langston Belton: Base Jam
11:00 pm ($3): Open mic stand-up, with each comic getting 5 minutes and room for 15 comics who sign up per show, at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by John Field: The Power Exchange
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open mic stand-up show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 4 minutes on stage at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Joseph Robert: PBR & Scrap Paper Open Mic Stand-Up
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/31/16
Dan Gurewitch (staff writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver), Melinda Taub (staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal With Samantha Bee), and Robert George (New York Daily News Editorial Board) chug two beers on stage—served by the hilarious Anthony Atamanuik as Donald Trump—and talk politics at the UCB East theatre hosted by Charlie Todd & Cody Lindquist: Two Beers In (7:30 pm, $5, UCB East at 153 East 3rd Street)
More 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-11:00 pm ($7 for the whole evening): In this 4-hour extravaganza, eight singing & dancing improv groups at The Magnet make up musicals based on audience suggestions: Magnet Musical Megawatt
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): Comics Ashley Brooke Roberts, Cyndi Freeman, Gray Levitt, Nisse Greenberg, and host Brad Lawrence try to solve the problems of audience members even though they're highly unqualified to do so at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue):: Dear Show
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane): Comedy Cellar Tuesday
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Cocoon Central Dance Team (delightful trio of immensely talented comedic dancers/actresses and rising stars Eleanore Pienta, Tallie Medel, and Sunita Mani), singer Lily McQueen, "how to" expert Matt Beacon, and stand-up Kendall Farrell performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Griffin Newman & Joe Garden: Griff & Joe's Memorial Day Memorial Service Spectacular
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates (and if you can't make it, watch in online here): Comic Book Club
7:30 pm & 9:15 pm ($5 per show): House groups at UCB Chelsea perform the classic improv form The Harold at Harold Night
7:30 pm ($5): A weekly showcase for brand new shows—sketch, solo, readings, what have you—this time focused on Math, Science and Humanities at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by the wonderful Ronny Pascale: Pilot Season
7:30 pm ($5): John Moses, Lucas Connolly, Jenn Welch, Elsa Waithe, and May Wilkerson performing stand-up, sketch, or storytelling at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Rebecca Rush & Katrin Higher: Live and Let Laugh
8:00 pm ($5): Improvisors make up scenes with the lights turned off, using everyday objects to add layers of sound—like a radio play created on the spot—at The PIT upstairs theatre (123 East 24th Street): Dim-Prov: Improv in the Dark
[FREE] 8:30 pm (reserve your free spots by clicking here): Typically terrific stand-ups (for the line-up, usually posted by 1:00 pm, please click here) performing at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) produced every Tuesday by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura: Hot Soup
8:30 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors and guest improv groups join host Skycopter (which includes the incredible David Carl) to make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One
9:00ish pm ($7): Caroline Rhea, Beth Stelling, and more performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (long-time Jimmy Fallon staff comic; NBC's 30 Rock, Comedy Central's @midnight, VH1's Best Week Ever, CBS): Sweet
9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups each place three of their joke set-ups in a bucket and then fish out the bits of their fellow comics, forcing each comic to make up a set on the spot based on a colleague's premises at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Ben Conrad & Patrick J. Reilly: Multiverse
9:30 pm ($5): Screenings of two new video sketch series from UCB digital groups Frohnnson & Frohnson and Cardinal Goose at the UCB East theatre: UCB Comedy Live
9:30 pm ($5): "50 improvisors, 3 beats, 2 group games, 1 blackout" at The PIT upstairs theatre (123 East 24th Street): Pushing Buttons: The 50 Person Speed Harold
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Stand-ups pair up to brutally insult each other and then be judged for the effectiveness of their viciousness by Mike Lawrence, Big Jay Oakerson, and Yamaneika Saunders, with tonight's combatants Jono Zalay vs. Doug Smith, Jaqi Furback vs. Jonas Barnes, Evan Jones vs. Joseph Robert, and Brendan Sagalow vs. Brad Stoll, at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street) hosted by Luis J. Gomez: The RoastMasters
[FREE] 11:00 pm: A mix of superb and up-and-coming stand-ups performing at this free weekly show at UCB East hosted by Matteo Lane (Comedy Central): Chemistry
Tuesday Open Mics & Jams
5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic
6:00 pm ($5): A chance for writers and actors to walk in and try out sketches on stage (casting begins at 5:45 pm) at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street) hosted by Kristen O'Brien: Cold Cream
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] 6:00 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 Tim Unkenholz: Butt Factory
[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 6:30 pm ($1): In this delightful weekly open-mic show, each comic has 3-5 minutes to try out a character-based bit (e.g., for a solo show, sketch, or audition) at The PIT downstairs lounge, typically hosted by Jamie Aderski: Personality Disorder Character Jam
[FREE] 6:30 pm: Weekly stand-up open mic, with walk-ins tossing names into a hat and set length determined by the number of comics who show up, at Bunga's Den (137 West 14th Street, between Sixth & Seventh Avenues) hosted by Jimmy LeChase and/or Justin Perez: Townies Open Mic
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Weekly open mic for any kind of act (with sign-up starting at 7:30) at Brooklyn's Goodbye Blue Monday (1087 Broadway) hosted by Joe Crow Ryan: Goodbye Blue Monday
[ALMOST FREE] 10:30 pm ($1): A chance for you to get on stage and improvise with PIT faculty at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Tuesday After Class Jam
11:00 pm ($3): 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: Weekly walk-in open mic stand-up providing 3 minutes for each comic whose name is pulled from a bucket at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Michelle Slonim: Rapid Fire
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 6/1/16
Jo Firestone (exceptionally inventive and irresistible rising star; The Chris Gethard Show, radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow, live-on-stage host of Punderdome 3000, The Unexpectashow, and The Incredible Game Show Showcase) and Dylan Marron (Welcome to Nightvale, 2015 Drama Desk Nominee) give you a hilarious sketch show in the form of "a real-time middle school talent show performed by two grown adults:" Ridgefield Middle School Talent Nite (8:00 pm, $5, UCB Chelsea at 307 West 26th Street)
More 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-midnight: Six free hours of improvisation—including an open-to-all improv jam at 6:00 pm; group Lovers, which includes the spectacular Dana Shulman and Tracy Mull at 7:00 pm; and PIT owner Ali Farahnakian & friends at 10:25 pm—at The PIT upstairs theatre: Super Free Wednesday
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Michelle Buteau (daily host of VH1's Morning Buzz; FOX's Enlisted, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, Craig Ferguson, VH1's Best Week Ever, @midnight), Josh Rabinowitz (writer for Comedy Central's Broad City), and Selena Coppock (author of book The New Rules for Blondes) performing at the only stand-up show at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street) hosted by Josh Gondelman (writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The New Yorker): The Sensible Show
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Staged readings of works so bad they're awesome—"unsellable screenplays, baffling dramatic works, and hardcore fan fiction"—at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street) hosted by Alex Estrada & Ronan Babbitt: Table Work
7:00 pm-11:00 pm ($7 for the entire evening): Four hours of improv from eight groups—plus a free improv jam at 6:00 pm—at The Magnet theatre: Magnet Megawatt
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($14, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) and an 8:00 pm show at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Wednesday
7:30 pm ($5): Gary Vider (America's Got Talent 2015 finalist; for great Conan O'Brien set, please click here; for more jokes, please click here), Crystian Ramirez, Lauren Hope Krass, and Craig Fox performing stand-up and then improv games at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Jacob Williams (America's Got Talent, Wild 'N Out): Stand-Up Wars
7:30 pm ($5): Sketch comedy about terror at The PIT downstairs lounge from group Hot Buffet: The Deepest Fears Show
7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which features three house groups making up scenes on the spot: Lloyd Night
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Young and/or struggling NYC stand-ups performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) produced by Meghan O'Malley, Adrian Davidson, and Erick Hellwig: Barely Making It
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): A comedic play written and starring Andrew Benedict and directed by Annie Donley in which "Rusty Bertrand, famous eccentric orphan millionaire, made his fortune turning his vagabond childhood into the book franchise The Hobo Kids. Now he uses his wealth and power to assemble an elite group of crime fighting orphans" at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Orphan Action League
8:30 pm ($5): "Social media meets improv as graduates of the PIT Improv Program transform their innermost tweet- and blog-length thoughts into scene after scene, all inspired by a single suggestion" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Biscuit Out
9:00 pm ($5): Duo sketch from Kathleen O'Mara & Sarah Morgan Ashey, accompanied by music from Martha Cipolla, at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): The Kathleen and Sarah Show...with Martha
[FREE] 9:00 pm: Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Luis J. Gomez, Dave Smith, and other NYC stand-ups performing live on stage for this podcast show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): Legion of Skanks
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing for this free weekly stand-up show at Lucky Jack's Pub (129 Orchard Street) produced by Kyle Fincham, Lance Weiss, and Brendon Fitzgibbons: Gandhi, Is That You?
9:00 pm ($5): Stand-ups Joyelle Johnson, Jono Zalay, Paul Hooper, Charles Gould, and Lizzie Martinez performing at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Jessica Watkins: Homespun Comedy
[TOP PICK] 9:15 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 hosted by Doug Mo and/or Ben Rameaka: Hot for Teacher: The UCB Faculty Show
9:30 ($5): Over a dozen talented female improvisors—including Lauren Adams, Natasha Vaynblat, and/or Caitlin Bitzegaio—parody all-gal opinion shows such as The View, making up most of the show on the spot based on a loose outline at the UCB Chelsea theatre. The result is often proof that "less is more," but if you're very patient there are worthwhile moments to be had from The Female Gaze
9:30 pm ($5): Sketches by writer/performers compete for audience laughs and votes at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Gabe Capone & Joanna Hausmann: Battle Sketch
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($15; no min.): Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy album Still Got It; opens for Amy Schumer), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately, co-host of Pirate Party), Zainab Johnson (Arsenio Hall, Last Comic Standing, BET's Comic View), Damien Lemon (Comedy Central Half Hour, host of Comedy Knockout, MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court), and Gibran Saleem (sharp young stand-up; MTV) performing stand-up for this super-affordable weekly club show at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street): Mark Normand, Ari Shaffir, Annie Lederman, Zainab Johnson, and More
[FREE] 10:00 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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue), hosted by Chris Laker: The Show
[TOP PICK] 10:15 pm ($5): Stellar improvisors Charlie Todd & Kevin Hines provide color commentary on improv sets by other top improvisors at UCB East for this monthly event: Play by Play
11:00 pm ($5): "Improvisers and stand-ups do what they do best...and then switch places to try their hand at what the other does best. Performing to sold out crowds at UCBT-LA, this show is a cross-discipline Cage Match," with tonight's stand-ups Seth Herzog, Jason Burke, and Dina Hashem, and improv group Foxhole, all performing at UCB Chelsea hosted by Boris Khaykin: Impro(vs)tandup
[FREE] 11:15 pm: A gay-themed opportunity to perform improv—especially musical improv—on the UCB East stage: ...XYZ Jam
Wednesday Open Mics & Jams
5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Walk-in open mic storytelling show, with each yarn-spinner (selected via names from a bucket) getting up to 8 minutes to tell a true and funny tale at Astoria Queens comedy venue QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Vincent Chang: Flynn's Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open mic stand-up show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Kaity Neagle & Irene Hartmann: Ragtag Team Open Mic Stand-Up
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] 6:00 pm: Sign up at 5:45 pm for the opportunity to make up scenes at The Magnet with veteran improvisors: Magnet Mixer Wednesday
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Four booked NYC stand-ups, plus one open spot for an audience member whose name is pulled from a bucket, plus drop-in spots for up to five TV-credited comics who care to walk in! Spots are at least 5 minutes each, but go up by a minute per comic for every TV-credited drop-in spot that isn't filled (e.g., if no drop-ins appear, every comic will receive up to 10 minutes per set). It all happens at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Daniel Ahrens: Drop-In/The Bucket
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic stand-up providing 4 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com to sign up, or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45, at Brooklyn's Halyards Bar (406 Third Avenue) hosted by Lukas Kaiser: Comics Phoning It In
11:00 pm ($3): Open mic stand-up show, with each comic whose name is selected from a bucket getting on stage for 3-5 minutes (depending on the number of comics) at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Camel Butt
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Weekly walk-in open mic stand-up providing 3 minutes for each comic whose name is pulled from a bucket (but no actual punch or pie, that's just a lure to entice you to come) at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs theatre hosted by Matthew Tenenbaum: Punch & Pie
[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your chance to perform on stage with experienced improvisors at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Bernard Maynore and/or Patrick Cucuta: Improdome
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/2/16
A former star of 30 Rock who's one of the most hilarious guys in the biz headlining tonight through Saturday at Carolines—but all performances are already sold out except for tonight at 10:00 pm: Tracy Morgan (10:00 pm, $65.50 plus 2-drink min., Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway)
More 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] 7:30 pm ($5): Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy album Still Got It; opens for Amy Schumer), Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Today Show, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another, bestselling book Screw Everyone, comedy album Bangs!), Sean Donnelly (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, MTV), Julio Torres (inventive experimental stand-up/sketch comic), and Kyle Ayers performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Sean Crespo, Dan Wilbur, and Katina Corrao: Lasers in the Jungle: Mark Normand, Ophira Eisenberg, Sean Donnelly, Julio Torres, and More
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Improvisors remake a blockbuster film or classic story (suggested by the audience) in the style of indie filmmaker Wes Anderson at The PIT downstairs lounge: Forty Minutes in the Style of Wes Anderson: Popular Tales Retold
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($14 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) and an 8:00 pm show at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Thursday
7:30 pm ($5): Stand-ups tell stories which are then turned into TV movies at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street) hosted by Catherine Cypher, Emily Duke, and Christina Sirabian: Live or Die
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At the UCB Chelsea theatre, "after receiving a signal from outer space, two scientists beam their innermost thoughts to an approaching extraterrestrial:" It Came From The Uncanny Valley...
...and in the second half of this double-bill, a hospital drama parody: Dr. Brothers
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm-Midnight ($10 for the entire evening): Four veteran house improv groups, themed improv show Uncivilians ("follows realistic characters and situations to their unpredictable extremes"), and improv competition Inspirado, all for just $10 at The Magnet theatre: The Magnet's Thursday Night Out
8:00 pm ($5): Pop tunes with new lyrics revolving around technology performed by a dozen talented comics, including Jay Malsky and Emily Essig, at The PIT upstairs theatre: Now That's What I Call Parody: Tech Obsessed
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups perform at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Gideon Hambright and/or Patrick Hastie: Jackknife Comedy
8:00 pm ($5): Two improv house groups make up scenes for an hour at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Detention + Gun Club
8:30 pm [$] ($18): John Early performs and hosts Liza Treyger, Hamm Samwich, and the Gates Family Band at Brooklyn's The Bell House (149 7th Street): John Early: Literally Me
8:30 pm ($5): A monthly anthology series of speculative fiction in the vein of The Twilight Zone at The PIT downstairs lounge: Lucid State
8:40ish pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): NYC stand-ups performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Franklin Bar and Lounge (739 Franklin Street) hosted by Khalid A. Rahmaan & Mike Eltringham: It's Sooo Up and Coming
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): A four-person comedic play in which "Attendees of this mandatory interactive theatrical seminar will learn valuable office skills that will optimize their performance in the workplace, and in their personal lives. Refreshments will be not provided. You will come" at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): The Dingleberry Theater Foundation Presents Mandatory Seminar
9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Ashley Brooke Roberts and/or Jim Tews: Fresh Out
9:00 pm ($5): A variety show revolving around the theme of acting auditions—including a monologue from a genuine actor—at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Audition: A Comedy Show
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Peggy O'Leary, Neko White, Pete Mutino, and more performing at the Revision Lounge (219 Avenue B, between 13th & 14th Streets) hosted by Josh Roen: Revision Comedy
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing in Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Liz Simons & Jenn Wehrung: Laugh It Up, Astoria
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): At the UCB Chelsea theatre, a one-man show about letting go of integrity: Sellout...
...and in the second half of this double bill, a sketch show written by Zack Philips that includes such superb comics as Langan Kingsley and Jim Santangeli: Fuck Nostalgia
9:30 pm ($10): Comics who all met at Brown University perform scripted comedy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Rad Motel Sketch Comedy
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Christian Polanco (MTV's Middle of the Night) performs a 30-minute set, with a 15-minute opening from Molly Austin (TruTV), at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Jenn Welch & Tom Lisi: The Half-Hour Hour
[FREE] 10:30 pm: "A curated hour of eclectic comedic material written in a week with no rehearsals" at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): The Holy Fuck Comedy Hour
[FREE] 10:30 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) produced & hosted by Chris Gersbeck, Lauren Hope Krass, and/or Peter Bandyk: Casual Sets
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): In a major upset, last week The Curfew beat Fuck That Shit (which had won 14 matches in a row) by the narrow margin of 90-82 votes. The new champion will tonight face Improv group The Cocky Nobodies, competing for your laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea's raucous Cage Match
11:00 pm ($5): UCB comics write & perform news-based comedy at the UCB East theatre: NY2: We're Also the News
Thursday Open Mics & Jams
5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic
6:00 pm ($3): If you're a gal who'd like to try stand-up but are wary of being vulnerable in a tough male-dominated room, this show may be the perfect opportunity for you—an all-female open mic, with the first 15 comics to sign up (starting at 5:50 pm) getting 3 minutes each on stage at The PIT downstairs lounge: Ladies Night Open Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Stand-up open mic in which 15 walk-ins whose names are drawn from a bucket get to tell jokes on stage for 4 minutes each at UCB East hosted Brandon Scott Wolf & Paul Oddo: Thursday Night Open Mic
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving 2 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
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
[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): A weekly improv jam for which the number of participants on stage is determined by a roll of the dice at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street) hosted by Jon Monje, Glorillis Tavarez, Trumane Alston, and Julien Darmon: Chance Encounters Jam
7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Thursday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (34 Pell Street, 2nd Floor) hosted by Ian Fidance: Comics Phoning It In
[FREE] 7:00 pm: A weekly improv jam hosted by group Salt at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): The Blender
[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with a veteran improv group to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer Thursday
7:30 pm ($6): All-gal stand-up, with 3 booked comics—who tonight are (Michelle Slonim, Erin O'Connor, and Chanel Ali—and 4-minute open mic spots for 13 additional female comics on a first come, first serve basis at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Andrea Shapiro: Saw Her Stand Up There
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Walk-in open mic (with names selected from a bucket) to do anything you want for 5 minutes—"chat, rant, plug, tell a story, be a character, play a game, review a new religion"—for a podcast recorded at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Mike Guild & Mike Mercadal: The Open Mic Podcast
[ALMOST FREE] 10:30 pm ($1): A chance for you to get on stage and improvise with PIT faculty at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Thursday After Class Jam
[FREE] 11:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show that's first come, first serve, with each comic getting 3 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Patrick Hastie: Beer, Booze, and Bits
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/3/16
An evening of films that are each 60 seconds or less, curated by Anna Roisman (MTV; co-host of You Probably Think This Song Is About You) & Mike Muntner: Quickie Fest: The One Minute Movie Festival (8:00 pm, $5 at the door—includes free pizza!, Slate at 54 West 21st Street)...
...or watch hip-hop improv group North Coast—which includes Evan Kaufman (gemius musical improvisor of Your Love Our Musical; VH1)—attempt to create a Hamilton on the spot by making up a musical based on an audience suggestion of a famous historical figure: Anybody: An Improvised Historical Hip-Hopera (9:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
More 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, 7:30 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:30 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:30 pm, and 12:15 am ($20-$24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among four shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) and the 7:30, 9:30, and 11:30 shows at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Friday
[$] 7:00 pm ($15): Comics share stories, jokes, and music revolving around women's reproductive health, with a portion of ticket sales going to Planned Parenthood, at The PIT upstairs theatre (123 East 24th Street): Lady Bits: A Fundraiser for Planned Parenthood
7:00 pm ($7): Talented comics perform solo characters at The Magnet theatre hosted by Ari Miller & Elena Skopeto: Character Bash
7:00 pm ($5): Three improv teams compete in this cutthroat battle for laughs. What's different about this cage match is it's determined by a human judge, the audience...and a dog. If there's a tie between the votes of the judge and audience, the guest canine will decide the fates of everyone based on which bowl this dog goes to first. It all happens at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Dog Fight
[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): At the UCB Chelsea theatre, Anthony Atamanuik is thoroughly hilarious as Donald Trump in this loosely scripted show in which President Trump is giving a speech from the East Room of the White House about the Hunt for Rosie O'Donnell, his plans for bronzing illegal immigrant's babies and using them for ship anchors, and much more: Trump Dump: President Luxury
7:30 pm ($10): Improv group Bucky makes up one long scene in the same location (a winning form that's helped such teams as Death by Roo Roo win a whole lot of Cage Match victories)—and, when SNL is on break, sometimes includes star Sasheer Zamata (whenever that happens, consider this a TOP PICK)—at the UCB East theatre: Bucky: Thank F#@% It's Friday!
7:30 pm ($5): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The PIT downstairs lounge as troupe Lead McEnroe
7:30 pm ($5): Seven New York comics telling stories of where they came from (one from France) and the journey that led them to NYC performing at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Katie Boyle & Jessica Mears: Transplants
7:30 pm ($10): A one-woman sketch show by Liz Day in which she plays six different characters who learn to reach out and discover what they're missing at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Flighty Connections
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at the HiFi Bar (169 Avenue A) hosted produced by Gary Levitt & Matt Schwartzer and hosted by Caitlin McKee: I Don't Get It Stand-Up
8:00 pm ($10): Langan Kingsley (rising star; sketch group Beige, improv group What I Did For Love, one-woman show The Dicewoman Cometh), Ana Fabrega, Anthony Oberbeck, and Matt Barats perform a sketch show about rocks at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Rocks
8:00 pm ($5): A mashup of stand-up, sketch, and minor league sports gimmickry—cheap beer, mascots, questionable seat upgrades, kiss cameras, hot dog cannons, and more—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Instantacular
[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 Sebastian Conelli (2014 Cage Match Champion The Enemy): The Friday Night Sh*w
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in the country from brilliant comics Connor Ratliff, Jordan Klepper, Silvija Ozols, Shannon O'Neill, Alexandra Dickson, and/or Michael Delaney forming a seamless and hilarious group mind at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Cipha Sounds (Hot 97, Chappelle's Show) thought it would be cool if a hip-hop star told tales and then improvisors made up scenes based on them. This monthly show is the result, with a "secret" music celebrity "mesmerizing the crowd with amazing stories and linguistic darts to spark the creativity of some of the best improvisers in NYC," the latter being Anthony Atamanuik, Natasha Rothwell, Brandon Gardner, Lydia Hensler, Christian Capozzoli, and/or Shaun Diston at the UCB East theatre: Take It Personal: The Hip-Hip Improv Show
9:00 pm ($10): Two improv groups each make up a musical on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: [title of team] and Royals
9:00 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Boogie Manja
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): "A love letter to beloved shows such as Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, comedians Joe Rumrill and Mary Houlihan invite you to a cavalcade of original costumed characters, animations, and sketches from both real humans and puppet humans" at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Cartoon Monsoon
9:30 pm ($10): Langston Belton, Jay Malsky, Kirsten O'Brien, and other ace improvisors use clips from classic TV shows as springboards for scenes made up on the spot at The PIT upstairs theatre: TGIF-Prov: Improv Based on Classic TV
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20; no min.): Ted Alexandro, Judah Friedlander, Bonnie McFarlane, Monroe Martin, and more performing at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street): The Stand Friday
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10): Musical improv group Premiere—which features the best improv piano player in the biz, Frank Spitznagel—springboards off an audience suggestion to create a complete story with song and dance at The Magnet theatre: Premiere: The Improvised Musical
10:00 pm ($5): Four pairs of stand-ups try to entertain you with their unrehearsed banter at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Scotland Green & Alison Zeidma (who will interrupt whenever they feel there's a lull with a random new topic for discussion): Banter Show
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Superb improvisors James Dwyer, Craig Rowin, Connor O'Malley, Matt Fisher, Sue Galloway, Brian Faas, Matt Moses, and Shaun Diston make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at the UCB Chelsea theatre: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder
10:30 pm ($10): Josh Sharp, Jeff Simmermon, Matt Star, and Jason Van Glass performing stand-up, sketch, storytelling, or improv at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, Justin Tyler, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify
10:30 pm ($10): Eight stand-ups compete for your laughs by telling jokes on topics handed to them just this morning at The PIT downstairs lounge refereed by Jenn Welch & Will Neville: The Stand-Up Showdown
10:30 pm ($5): A rotating pool of improvisors perform in groups of five at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Singles Motel
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10): The best title of any show tonight, about a reanimated hand that goes on a sexual rampage set to music—for a video preview, please click here— at at The PIT upstairs theatre (123 East 24th Street): The Disembodied Hand That Fisted Everyone to Death: The Musical
11:30 pm ($7): Veteran house improv group Hello Laser, plus musical improv group My Dark Little Corner, make up scenes at the Magnet theatre: Hello Laser Returns
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): A raucous laboratory for wacky ideas, in which comics Jo Firestone, Michael Wolf, Dan Glaser, and Cory Palmer create absurd game shows that they try out using audience members. "After we've attempted to create all the game shows, the audience votes on which idea gets to go straight to TV (not really)" at UCB Chelsea hosted by the fabulous Jo Firestone, whose delighted facial expressions in response to the ridiculousness are typically the highlights of the evening: The Incredible Game Show Showcase
[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): "Join filmmaker George Lucas (Radioland Murders) as he embarks upon an exciting new career as a comedian and talk show host! He'll be joined by his hilarious talk show sidekick, Jar-Jar Binks, as they revolutionize the talk show format the same way Lucas once revolutionized cinema," with guests Adam Wade (ace storyteller), Leah Hennessey (actress/musician), and David Johansen (musician/actor) performing and/or being interviewed at the UCB East theatre hosted by brilliant improvisor Connor Ratliff (The Stepfathers) & Shaun Diston: The George Lucas Talk Show
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: Comics perform stand-up sets and then go on dates with each other as part of the live show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Rob Harper & Rachel Coleman: We're All Getting Laid
Friday Open Mics & Jams
[FREE] 5:00 pm: Walk-in open mic (signup at 4:30 pm), with 5 minutes per comic, storyteller, poet, or singer, at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Kimberly Sparkle Stewart & Sydney Beveridge: Queens Open Mic Fridays
5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic
5:45 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 1 hour. 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] 6:00 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 hosted by Shalewa Sharpe & Courtney Fearrington: Thug Passion
[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Walk-in open mic that allows everyone to get on stage at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): $1 Mic
[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): PIT improv veterans mix with improv novices on-stage at the downstairs lounge for Happy Hour
7:00 pm ($5): Show up at 6:45 pm to place your name in a dog bowl for the chance to get called up on stage and jam with veteran improvisors at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Dog Fight
[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that's first come, first serve (sign-up starts at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting 5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Seena Jon: Mic and Cheese
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/4/16
As the Presidential campaign kicks into high gear, pundits, politicos, and players share their true stories from the campaign trail. "Who slept with who? Why was Newt Gingrich a jerk on his day of greatest victory? And what's with the casual racism in the Northeast Philly suburbs?" All this and more at Electoral Dysfunction: Tales from the Campaign Trail Spectacular (7:30 pm, $5, The PIT Downstairs Lounge at 123 East 24th Street)
More recommendations for the best in New York
City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows
over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Silly PowerPoint presentations fueled by alcohol, with this month's topic School's Out, at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): Drunk TED Talks
6:00 pm ($5): A one-man show by Alex Barnett about the surprising societal challenges he faced from his multiracial marriage at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue): Multiracial Family Man
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Emily Winter, Patrick Hastie, Jared Dryden, and Mike Mercadal each perform a different 10-minute stand-up every Saturday in February at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Grant Lindahl: The 8
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm, 7:15 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:15, and 12:15 am ($20-$24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the country's finest stand-ups spread among the 7:00, 8:45, 10:30, and 12:15 shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane), and the 7:15, 9:15, and 11:15 shows at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Saturday
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): An all-gal group of improvisors—typically Keisha Zollar, Glenn Boozan, Joanna Bradley, Laura Wilcox, Caroline Colter, and/or Nicole Drespel—make up scenes about failed relationships at the UCB East theatre: The Breakup
[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): Improv group Big Black Car 2, plus improv group The Quitters, make up scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre: BBC2 and The Quitters
7:00 pm ($5): Two improv groups performing at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Selfish Green Men + Form
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Improv powerhouses Charlie Todd, Jeff Hiller, Jim Santangeli, Natasha Rothwell, Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, Kevin Hines, Erik Tanouye, and John Timothy 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
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): "Created in 1995 at the iO Theater in Chicago, The Armando Diaz Experience is the longest running improv show ever. A guest monologist—who tonight is Kristy Hasen—takes a suggestion from the audience and shares true personal tales. These stories are then brought to life by a rotating cast of improv all-stars—and occasionally Armando himself" at The Magnet theatre: The Armando Diaz Experience
7:30 pm ($5): Six short plays at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Stories
7:30 pm ($8): NYC stand-ups performing at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Charles McBee: Nerd is the New Black
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Improv groups Gypsy Danger (which includes brilliant comics Katie Hartman and Evan Kaufman, and which will make up a feature film on the spot) and The Baldwins (which includes brilliant comics Micah Sherman and Sarah Nowak) make stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gypsy Danger: The Improvised Movie and The Baldwins
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A comedic play written by Rollie Williams, with a cast of four, in which "a deadly collapse traps you and the other miners deep and dark, down beneath the surface of the Earth with almost no hope of rescue" at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Dark Down Deep Down Dark
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): In this acclaimed monthly show, NYC stand-ups "risk getting slapped by Satan himself. Actually, he hosts only bringer shows, but join Matt Wayne and Doug Smith as they step into the Big Man's shoes and put NYC's finest through comedy purgatory. Hula-hoops, celebrity impressions, unwanted audience participation, all incorporated into each performance! Will they triumph or will the nether world eat their souls? Come see for yourself in this monthly showcase" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Matt Wayne & Doug Smith: See You in Hell
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15): A show celebrating a modern dating site, with Stacy London (TLC's Love, Lust, or Run; What Not To Wear), Louis Peitzman (BuzzFeed), Justin Warner (Food Network Star, Cutthroat Kitchen, Rebel Eats), and Jamilah Lemieux (Ebony) performing at Brooklyn's The Bell House (149 7th Street) hosted by Lane Moore: Tinder Live
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Improv group Airwolf—with big talents Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, Achilles Stamatelaky, Eddie Dunn, Ben Rameaka, and Adam Fruccie—make up scenes about terrible audience experiences related to a home at UCB East: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): An improvised apocalypse from superb comics John Murray, Chad Carter, Sean Casey, Jackie Jennings, Glenn Boozen, Joanna Bradley, and/or Caroline Cotter at the UCB Chelsea theatre: Goat
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): A freestyle rapping long-form improv group that includes such talents as Evan Kaufman (Your Love Our Musical) takes the stage for nearly an hour at The PIT downstairs lounge: North Coast
9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors Nick Kanellis & Sam Rogel make up scenes at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike
9:00 pm ($10): NYC stand-ups performing for this weekly show at Brooklyn's The Experiment Comedy Gallery (20 Broadway) hosted by Camille Harris, Camille Theobald, Michael Lewis, and/or Mo Fathelb: The Weekend Drop
9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups performing at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Elise Edwards: Discount Disco
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): A sketch comedy troupe that includes Kristen Bartlett & Jason Gore performs at The PIT upstairs theatre directed by the wonderful Ellena Chmielewski: Bridge & Tunnel
9:30 pm ($5): Long-form improv with a playful title directed by Conner O'Malley at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Michael Jordan Steakhouse
9:30 pm ($10): Leah Bonnema (VH1, IFC's Comedy Drop, WeTV's Cinematherapy, Logo, Opie & Anthony’s Virus Channel), Ryan Beck (MTV's Girl Code), Brian Parise, Chris Calogero, and Josh Johnson performing stand-up featuring "the dirtiest, most unsafe for prime-time jokes, bits, and riffs" at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) produced by Ben Conrad & Lucas Connolly: The Dirty Show
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10): A powerhouse group of improvisors—Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), Langan Kingsley (rising star; sketch group Beige, one-woman show The Dicewoman Cometh), Aaron Jackson (Fuck That Shit, Newsadoozies), Natasha Vaynblat (one-woman show United Federation of Teachers), and Nate Dern (News Editor for Funny or Die)—springboard scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life at the UCB East theatre: What I Did For Love
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Comics perform their darkest, saddest, and most traumatically funny bits for this monthly catharsis machine at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Shane Torres, Nate Fridson, and Alison Zeidman: Dark Spots
[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm ($20): Charismatic and hilarious rising star David Carl transforms into Gary Busey—and portrays child-like Busey doing a one-man version of the psychologically complex masterpiece Hamlet. The result is consistently inventive, joyful, and laugh-out-loud funny. This was my second favorite show—out of 196—at the 2014 FringeNYC, went on to further acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and is one of the funniest shows in New York, period. If you haven't seen GBOMH, don't miss this wonderful opportunity to do so at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street). And if you have, share it with a loved one who's been deprived of GBOMH: Gary Busey's One-Man Hamlet (As Performed by David Carl)
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Long form improv about the behavior of a theatrical troupe both on-stage and off-stage, revolving around a different show biz theme each week—which tonight is After School Special—at The Magnet theatre: The Cast: After School Special
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): At UCB Chelsea, improv group Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—takes your written secrets and turns them into very funny improv scenes: Grandma's Ashes: We Won't Tell
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Using real horror films purchased in local gas stations and bodegas, the hosts select specific clips to play for 30 seconds, pause, and then ask the improvisers to finish the scene. Will anyone survive at The PIT downstairs theatre? Attend at your own peril, with hosts J. W. Crump: Gas Station Horror
10:30 pm ($5): Stand-up, sketch, improv, and/or more at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street) hosted by Maddalena De Beni & Brooke Eliot: This Haunted House
[FREE] 11:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Tommy Kang: Last Stop Laughs
[TOP PICK] 11:30 ($5): An enormously fun freestyle rap contest at UCB East with NYC comics (not announced), plus a volunteer from the audience!, hosted by superstar human beatbox Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme) and Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central): Battlicious
Midnight ($5): Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy album Still Got It; opens for Amy Schumer), Josh Gondelman (writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The New Yorker), and more performing stand-up at UCB Chelsea hosted by Aaron Glaser: Midnight Stand-Up
Saturday Open Mics and Jams
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 2:00-5:00 pm: "After a nice brunch with your best and brightest gal pals, come on over to QED for some second-hand clothing and first time jokes. The clothing swap begins at 2:00 pm and the mic starts at 3:00 pm" at Astoria Queens comedy venue QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Lauren Hope Krass & Andrea Ilene Shapiro: Ladies' Open Mic & Clothing Swap
4:00 pm ($5; your ticket provides $3 off a drink at nearby Pioneers Bar): Walk-in lottery style open mic (sign-up starting at 3:45 pm) at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Swing Riders Open Mic
[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show, with names drawn out of a bucket, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Rachel Coleman: Let's Be Friends
[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Experienced hip-hop improvisers perform scenes with "anyone willing to stretch that hip-hop improv muscle; it's a fun supportive environment where scenes turn into a rap song, beatbox, freestyle, or rap battle" at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Raymond Morency & Richie Alfson: Off Top!: A Hip Hop Mixer
[FREE] 6:00 pm: Put your name in a bucket for this open mic for stand-up, sketch, music, or anything else you want to work out on stage at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street) hosted by Josh Bates & Brian Pisano: Make Out Party: An Open Mic
[FREE] 9:00 pm: Walk-in open mic for character bits, stand-up, etc. at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Elise Edwards: Discount Disco
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/5/16
Elna Baker (genius storyteller, and bestselling author of comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance; This American Life; writer for Glamour, Elle; for sample tales, please click here), Rebecca Vigil (rising star powerhouse improv singer; Your Love Our Musical, The Vigilante), Myka Fox (SNL freelance contributor; host of Myka Fox & Friends podcast on Keith and The Girl Network), and Peggy O'Leary (host of Hard Lonely and Vicious) "expose their bleeding-heart adolescent artifacts (journal entries, poetry, original songs, and art), then laugh at and with their own flaws" hosted by storyteller Lyssa Mandel: The Bitch Seat (7:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
More 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] 5:00 pm: Improv groups perform long form, short form, and/or musical forms at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Michael Venzor: The Mishmash Variety Show
5:30 pm ($5): Improvisors who cut across all regions and schools come together for one evening at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Supernova
6:00 pm ($5): Sketch/improv group Orange is the New Greta, plus a sketch show about Costco by group Kirkland Signature Sketches, at this showcase for new scripted works at The Magnet theatre: Show Offs
6:30 pm ($5): Three NYC improv groups that are independent (i.e., not a house team of any particular improv school/theatre) compete for audience member laughs and votes at UCB East hosted by superb improvisors Amey Goerlich & Ryan Karels (half of revered improv group Krompf): Indie Cage Match
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($20): From the team that created the amazing Hold On To Your Butts: Kyle Schaefer, Nick Abeel, Matt Zambrano, and foley artist Blair Busbee create live on stage "a 'shot for shot' parody of the first chapter in the most epic fantasy trilogy of all time" directed by the highly talented Kristin McCarthy Parker at The PIT upstairs theatre (123 East 24th Street): Fly, You Fools!
7:00 pm ($5): Three scripted shows for the price of one at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Triple Feature
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Nine-person improv group The Internet Disagrees makes stuff up at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue):: The Internet Disagrees
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes superstars in the improv world such as Shannon O'Neill and Anthony Atamanuik, and sometimes network TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSSCAT 3000
[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm, 10:00 pm, and 11:30 pm ($14 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among five shows, with three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane), and the 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm shows at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Sunday
7:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy duo Jana Schmieding & Christian Paluck perform scripted bits at The Magnet theatre: Big Fat Liars
7:30 pm ($5): Dana Shulman and friends are improv group Student Driver, which hosts two indie improv troupes making up scenes and then performs itself, all at The PIT downstairs lounge: Student Driver Indie Road
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Michelle Buteau (daily host of VH1's Morning Buzz; FOX's Enlisted, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, Craig Ferguson, VH1's Best Week Ever, @midnight), Jon Fisch (David Letterman, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, VH1, comedy album He Has Friends), Pete Lee (Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing), Kevin McCaffrey (former warm-up comic for David Letterman; TruTV), Matteo Lane (Comedy Central, MTV's Guy Code & Girl Code, host of Chemistry), and Kenny Zimlinghaus (Sirius XM Radio host) performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon): If You Build It
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm ($15; no min.): Ari Shaffir, Rachel Feinstein, Christian Finnegan, Pete Lee, Joe List, and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue off 20th Street): The Stand Sunday
8:30 pm ($5): Two improv groups make up scenes at Brooklyn's The Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Avenue; take J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue or L to Lorimer Street): Waiting for Jah + Old Man Time
8:30 pm (donation optional, but one-drink min.): NYC stand-ups Liz Barrett, Kristin Seltman, Albert Kirchner, and Maryssa Smith performing—to raise awareness for an upcoming Hudson Valley comedy festival—at Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue) hosted by Fredric Goldstein: Hudson Valley Comedy Festival Fundraiser Show
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Duo improv from Louis Kornfeld & Rick Andrews at The Magnet theatre: Kornfeld & Andrews
9:00 pm ($5): Six short plays at The PIT Loft (154 West 29th Street): Stories
9:00 pm ($7): Typically solid stand-ups perform at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Will Miles, Clark Jones, and/or Kenny DeForest: Comedy Night at the Knit
[FREE] 9:00 pm: An interactive show that "transports you to the most exclusive Parisian restaurant with a dazzling menu of the city’s character actors and then asks you to choose which characters you want to see off the restaurant’s menu" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): Cafe de Caracteres
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Michelle Wolf (star stand-up who's also a star writer/correspondent for The Daily Show, and previously for Seth Meyers; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Joe List (HBO, David Letterman, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Josh Gondelman (writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The New Yorker), and Sarah Tollemache (Comedy Central) perform for a show celebrating the release of both a comedy album and book by Paul Odo at the UCB East theatre: Paul Odo Release of Lost in Thought and Nothing Too Fancy
Sunday Open Mics & Open Stages
[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show (put your name in the bucket, drawings every half hour), providing 4 minutes per comic at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): Intestinal Fortitude
[ALMOST FREE] 5:00 pm ($1): Sign up at 4:30 pm to do improv with experienced PIT performers at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Sasha Capelli, Eitan Levine, and Shaina Stigler: 10K Jam Jam
5:15ish pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): Weekly open mic stand-up, with comics selected from names tossed into a bucket starting at 4:55 pm, at Brooklyn's Legion Bar (790 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Aaron Glaser, Irene Hartmann, and/or Carlos Delgado: Sunday Open Mic
9:30 pm ($3): Open-mic comedy, with 3-5 minutes per walk-in performer who signs up (first come, first serve) at The PIT downstairs lounge, hosted by Will Neville: Amateur Night At The Gemini
[FREE] 10:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show (sign up is at 9:45 pm) providing 5 minutes for each comic whose name is pulled from the bucket at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Ian Kitchen: The Grandstand
Copyright © 2016 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
