NYC Comedy Picks for Week of May 6, 2013

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/6/13

Dave Hill performs a revealing 30 minutes, along with The Reformed Whores, at UCB East's Big Long Sets...

...and Jon Glaser (Delocated) performs in Brooklyn at Wyatt Cenac's Night Train

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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) 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): Storytellers Frank Magnotti, Ryan Looper, Eleni Kourti, and Tara Clancy tell tales about their nerdy pasts at The Magnet 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 Tales of the Cosmos, and cast member of The Nights of Our Lives; for a sampling of Adam's award-winning tales, please click here): Adam Wade's Whatever Happened to the Nerds?

7:00 pm ($5): Veteran improvisors—including Steve Soroka 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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 ($5): Comedy club-length 30-minute sets from tonight's headliners Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper, author of Tasteful Nudes) and The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; album Ladies Don't Spit) at UCB East hosted by Adam Newman (Comedy Central, College Humor): Big Long Sets

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $9.47 online): Jon Glaser (star of Adult Swim's Delocated; long-time writer/performer for Conan O'Brien), Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!), 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), Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV's Pranked), Mary Mack (does mandolin sing-alongs; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and Baratunde Thurston (author of How to Be Black) 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.): 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), 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), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno): Amy Schumer, Tom Papa, Gary Gulman, Greer Barnes, and More

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): 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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Debuting on April Fool's, a prank call show that asks you to "Bring a number. Tell us about your victim. Sit back and don't laugh" at The Magnet theatre: Prank Calls with Charles Rogers

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Sasheer Zamata (highly charming, innovative rising star; Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer, FX's Totally Biased; host of UCBT's School Night, member of red-hot improv troupe Doppelganger, sketch troupe The Prom, and Harold Night troupe Bucky; be extra nice, because today is Sasheer's birthday); Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream), Mike Recine (Comedy Central), and Taylor Ketchum 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: Sasheer Birthday Edition

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new bits: Chunk (which includes Zhubin Parang, Emmy-winning writer for The Daily Show) and Beige (which includes Dan Hodapp, who last August co-starred in FringeNYC smash hit Tail! Spin!): Maude Night: Chunk and Beige

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Aparna Nancherla (delightfully wry stand-up; writer for FX's Totally Biased), Micah Sherman (Baby Wants Candy, Myq & Micah, Second City, co-producer of The Scene and Act One), Carolina Hidalgo, Kyle Bostic, Jim Search, Stacey Kendro, Amanda Baramki, and Burt Paseos performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

[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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): 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.): 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), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), Modi (HBO's The Sopranos, Comedy Central), and Josh Howie (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Movie Geek) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by hosted by Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno): Dave Attell, Judah Friedlander, Nick Griffin, and More

10:00 pm ($5): Comics of a variety of races, views, and shoes perform a variety of comedy bits at The Magnet hosted by Chano Garcia: Stir the Pot

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 5/7/13

J.J. Sedelmaier (Saturday TV Funhouse) and rock stars Parquet Courts explain how they got started at Beginnings...

...and Janeane Garofalo performs with Dave Hill at The Tyler and Sagar Show and with Chris Gethard at Sweet

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

[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

7:00 pm ($12 at the door, $13.86 online): Singer/sketch performer/downtown cult figure Tanya O'Debra performs "a serious comedy about loneliness, mental illness, and perception. Holed up in her bedroom for eternity, crazy old Emily Dickinson unsuccessfully woos the object of her affection, a disembodied voice. A pseudo-historical, quasi-biographical psycho-romantic look at the life of America's most annoying poetess" at at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue): Shut Up, Emily Dickinson

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comic book artist Jamal Igle (Molly Danger) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club

[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 hosted by Jake Hart: The Dump

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

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($7.37 online using code BREAKOUT, plus 2-drink min.) A comic who's appeared on MTV's Failosophy, written for The Huffington Post, and stars in a Frat Dude Goes To Web series headlines for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club, with openers including Mark Normand 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), Alison Leiby (The Onion), and Nora Davis (Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus): Jared Freid

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Interviews with J.J. Sedelmaier (SNL's Saturday TV Funhouse, Beavis and Butthead, Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law), Sam Seder (actor/writer/comic; FOX's Bob's Burgers, Air America's The Majority Report), and indie rock stars Parquet Courts about "their earliest creative experiences and the nuances of having a creative career," plus music from Dan Friel (Thrill Jockey Records), for a weekly podcast that once a month goes live on the UCB East stage with hosts Andy Beckerman & Mark Bisi: Beginnings

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Killer 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), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Erik Rivera (Jay Leno, MTV): Amy Schumer, Nick DiPaolo, Gary Gulman, and More

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

[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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper, author of Tasteful Nudes), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), and Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour) performing stand-up at a new weekly show at the West Village's Caffe Vivaldi (32 Jones Street, near Bleecker Street & Seventh Avenue) hosted by Tyler Fischer and Sagar Bhatt: The Tyler and Sagar Show

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, 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), Mary Mack (does mandolin sing-alongs; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and Trevor Noah (South African comic; Jay Leno, Chelsea Lately; performing one-man show Born A Crime this month at 45 Below Theater), and more performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Sean Donnelly, Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Dean, and/or Steve O'Brien: Comedy at Alligator Lounge

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Namaste, Graceland, and Grammer—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 premise and improvising as he goes along; plus tonight he's joined by guests Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, HBO, VHI, FX's Totally Biased, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Adam Conover (VH1's Best Week Ever, College Humor, host of Fresh Out), and John Frusciante (UCBT Artistic Associate, Airwolf) performing stand-up, and producer Andy Rocco, all at the UCB East theatre: The Tony Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Four short romantic comedies by Leslie Moniot that pose these fairy tale questions: "What happens when you run into a unicorn...with your car? What do you do when your boyfriend, who happens to be a tooth fairy, is leading a secret life? What if you find out your crush is dating somebody else—and a damn Fairy King won't stop eavesdropping? What if you're a little girl and your favorite dolls can suddenly talk..and make out?" It all happens at The PIT downstairs lounge: Enchanted Apple

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman, VH1, contributor to SNL's Weekend Update), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), and Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Erik Rivera (Jay Leno, MTV): Judah Friedlander, Nick Griffin, Keith Alberstadt, 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 5/8/13

Storytellers confess their true tales of aggression at This is Awkward

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): 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 (please note this Monday show has, as of tonight, permanently moved to Wednesdays): 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

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows about which I know nothing audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: Sorry About Last Night and Not On My Reel: A Clip Show. If you're incredibly patient, you may find that all these shows have interesting elements; and for the ones that don't get green-lit, this is the only chance to ever experience them. Plus whether great or awful, at $2.50 per show you can't go far wrong. That's part of the fun of Spank

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

7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet improv house groups New Team Red, Horses, New Team White, Brick, Chet Watkins, The Wrath, New Team Blue, and Featherweight, followed by a free audience interactive show with New Team Blue at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features groups Apollo and First Lady: Lloyd Night

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($7.37 online using code JonComedy, plus 2-drink min.) A staff writer for Jimmy Fallon (for his set on Fallon, please click here and use password jrineman) headlines for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jon Rineman

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15; no drink min.): Top stand-ups are given a never-before-seen list of of strange and outrageous topics the moment they get on stage, and try to perform seamlessly as if it's the set they normally do...while the audience follows their topics on a projection screen. Tonight's "comics in the moment" are TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, 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), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and more at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Set List: Stand-Up Without a Net

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($14 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), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO'S Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Nick DiPaolo, Tom Papa, Gary Gulman, and More

8:00 pm ($5): A two-man sketch show by Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp that very loosely springs off the real events of the title but is mostly meta-comedy. I would've preferred something meatier, especially given the fascinating subject—436 people killed by a tiger whose damaged teeth made it difficult to eat anything other than humans—but there's lots of energy and performance talent here, making this a solid first-time effort: Maneater: The True Story of the Champawat Tigress...

...and in the second half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, buoyant group Boat performs 30 minutes of bits at Boat: Comedic Sketches

8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): A mix of stand-up and storytelling from Margaret Champagne, Alyssa Wolff, Dan Goodman, Paul Palmeri, and Kate Ghiloni at McSwiggan's (393 Second Avenue off 23rd Street) hosted by Selena Coppock (author of book The New Rules for Blondes): Connotation

8:00 pm ($5): "Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Interludes is the last regional touring theater company taking bookings. Based on audience suggestions, this menagerie of performers will astonish with comic tales of days past—if they don't kill each other first" from improv troupe IRTE at The PIT downstairs lounge: IRTE: Interludes 2063

[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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue), hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[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] Seating at 8:30, show at 9:00 pm (RSVP to confirm your spot at FreeComedyWednesdays@gmail.com): The Lucas Brothers, Joe Machi, Louis Katz, Doug Smith, and more performing stand-up at Ella (9 Avenue A) produced by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura: Hot Soup

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, HBO, VHI, FX's Totally Biased, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Louis Katz (Comedy Central Presents), Hadiyah Robinson (BET’s Comic View), Mike Cannon (MTV’s Failosophy), Halle Kiefer (writer for MTV), Jason Burke, and Charlie Bowie (visiting from Florida) 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?

9:15 pm ($8): Stand-up from Brendan McLaughlin, and sketch from The Flat Tires, We Are Thomasse, the Dump Cousins, and Sharon Jamilkowski, all performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Nathan Macintosh: May Sketch Block

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): "Jonathan Blank and Samara Doucette say what everyone else thinks on dates, but never says; so join them and guest comedians as they divulge all of their wildest and most embarrassing dating stories. This monthly storytelling show contains the truth and nothing but the truth, but most of the stories are more surreal than if David Lynch directed romantic comedies. Everything from wild hookups to emotional breakups are on the table." Tonight's theme is Aggression, with storytelling guests Caitlin Brodnick (co-host of Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show) and Kimberly Spice (blog 100 Cups of Coffee) at The PIT downstairs lounge: This is Awkward: True Stories of Aggression

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer created Broad City as a Web series, which was then picked up for development as a TV series for Comedy Central...and now it's a live monthly show at UCB Chelsea! Tonight's theme is Canned Food Drive (please try to bring a can to donate) with new videos, stand-up, character pieces, and "a delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live

[$] 9:45 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): 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), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO'S Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Mark Normand, Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, 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—Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, Mark Normand, Dan. St. Germain, Pat Dixon, Emily Heller, Michael Che, Joe List, 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 Adam Newman (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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) 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), Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), Andrew Schulz (MTV2's Guy Code), and Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern) 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: Dave Attell, Paul Mecurio, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/9/13

It's the last night to catch Colin Quinn's new off-Broadway show Unconstitutional for a mere $20 (tickets go up
to $45 starting tomorrow); Nick DiPaolo performs at the 8:00 pm Comedy Cellar and 9:00 pm Eastville

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—plus FREE SNACKS] 5:30 pm: All-gal open mic for stand-up, sketch, comedic music, and anything else lasting up to 5 minutes at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room"), with signup starting at 5:15 pm, hosted by the delightful Anna Drezen & Sue Smith. Chances are everyone who attends will get to perform, so why not take advantage of this extra-supportive environment to try out material? (And while the stage is for women only, guys are very welcome as audience members...): Open Michelle: Ladies Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Pat Baer (UCBT behind-the-scenes icon, host of Breaking Down the Internet) is tonight's guest co-host for this weekly open mic storytelling show at UCB East, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, hosted by the wonderful John Flynn: 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] 7:00 pm ($10): The return of gal sketch duo Cathleen Carr and Daiva Deupree, who are reuniting to celebrate their 10th Year Anniversary at The PIT upstairs theatre, and accurately point out "before Two Broke Girls and Two Girls One Cup, there was us:" Two Girls for Five Bucks

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 Junior Varsity to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Terrific lineup of 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.), Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code and Wildn Out, Comedy Central, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), Jay Welch (McSweeney's), and Leah Bonnema (VH1, WeTV's Cinematherapy, Logo, Opie & Anthony’s Virus Channel) performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Sean Crespo, Dan Wilbur, and Katina Corrao: Lasers in the Jungle

[FREE] 7:30 pm & 10:40 pm: The debut of this open mic comedy show—with two rounds, and signup starting at 7:00 pm—hosted by Tyler FIscher and Sacha at Mic-Club (129 Orchard Street): Welcome to Mic-Club

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The Emmy-winning writers of The Colbert Report gather on the UCB Chelsea stage to perform an all-improvised show at Seize the Mustard

[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 very special guest Adam Wade (storytelling superstar) 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. Horses: The Magnet's Night Out

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($14 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), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Trevor Noah (Jay Leno), and Modi (HBO's The Sopranos, Comedy Central) 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): Nick DiPaolo, 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 ($20): Star Gilbert Gottfried and other comics performing and/or being interviewed at Brooklyn's Galapagos Art Space (16 Main Street at DUMBO) hosted by Scott R.: Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[$] 8:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up and impressionist who's done a one-hour Comedy Central special, and performed on Jay Leno and Mad TV, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pablo Francisco

8:00 pm ($8): NYC comics join hosts Rachel Wenitsky & Danny Visconti for a variety show "that goes well with that first early morning cup of coffee—at 8:00 at night"at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Morning Show: Late Edition

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

[FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly show features "a swarthy selection of fine stand-up comics and mildly entertaining recurring segments" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, hosted by Jim Tews & Brendan Eyre: Chest Hair

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 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, Nick DiPaolo (star stand-up, with numerous appearances on David Letterman, Jay Leno, Louie; Emmy-nominated comedy writer, talk show host), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[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

9:00 pm ($5): Mary Mack (does mandolin sing-alongs; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), sketch group Boat, stand-up Josh Gondelman, and more performing at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover and/or Emily Heller: Fresh Out

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): This UCB Chelsea double-bill kicks off with a one-act play about the Biblical end of the world written by & co-starring Kevin Hines and directed by Brandon Gulya: Apocalypse in Connecticut...

...and then a one-man show by Arthur Meyer (writer for Jimmy Fallon and The Onion; sketch troupes Pangea 3000, Fambly, and Two Fun Men): Arthur Meyer: Rock and Roll

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($8): Four storytellers tells tales, and then hosts Anna Roisman & Katie Haller sing songs they've written pre-show about those stories, at The PIT upstairs theatre: You Probably Think This Song Is About You

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman: The Scene

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), 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 Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno) 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): Judah Friedlander, Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, Joe List, and More

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (lineup not announced) performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Justin Williams: Death Comedy Jam

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm ($5 & 2-item food/drink min.) Comics heckle a genre feature film—with tonight's victim the 1987 absurdly bad Fred Williamson crime drama Black Cobra (for a trailer, please click here) at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Devil Science Theater 3000

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Storytelling and carny join forces to bring the blog And I Am Not Lying to life on stage, hosted by Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life), and tonight featuring storytellers Micaela Blei and Shannon Cason, stand-up Paul Odo, and burlesque from Nastie Canasta and Amelia Bareparts ("with a tribute to Twin Peaks"), all at the UCB East theatre: And I Am Not Lying

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Wow. Improv group Airwolf, which last year crushed 15 improv groups, this year managed only one victory before getting knocked out by Scrambled Legs in a very close vote of 88-86. Tonight the new dance-loving champion will face team Powder Keg at UCB Chelsea as these improvisors compete for your laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

[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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Josh Alba: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [$] Midnight ($14 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), Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Kurt Metzger (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Inside Amy Schumer, Ugly Americans), Andrew Schulz (MTV2's Guy Code), and Veronica Mosey (Comedy Central, FOX's Red Eye) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC): The Nasty Show: Dave Attell, Paul Mecurio, Kurt Metzger, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/10/13

Movie knock-offs, the famed Harlan Ellison plagiarism settlement over The Terminator, and much more at
Kevin Geeks Out About Rip-Off Cinema; the 100% human Chelsea White hosts stand-up at What Else? Comedy

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: 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

7:00 pm ($5): Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell "bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure,"and are joined tonight by the invaluable Julie Sharbutt (improv shows Gravid Water, Mystic Improv, Chairs, The Scene, Birds), the irresistible Meredith Hackman (host of Saddest Sketch Show), improv giants Charlie Todd (The Curfew, founder of Improv Anywhere) and Doug Moe (legendary team Mother), Rachel Rosenthal (North Coast), and Bill DiPiero performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hodapp & Rothwell

7:00 pm ($7): Jarret Berenstein (Boosh Kla-Klau) presents a PowerPoint adventure about getting a new job in this sketch comedy at The Magnet theatre: The New Job Show

[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 and Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic

[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. I haven't yet seen this latest show which debuted recently, but will soon; among its writers are the delightful Silvija Ozols, and Brandon Gulya...who also directed: Stone Cold Fox: Hey, Look Over Here!

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30ish pm: Selena Coppock (author of new book The New Rules for Blondes), Kevin McCaffrey (David Letterman. TruTV), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV's Guy Code, VH1), Laura Prangley (Inside Amy Schumer, freelance writer for SNL), and Justin Williams (host of Death Comedy Jam) performing at this new monthly stand-up show at the One and One Bar (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Jeff Cerulli and the delightful Chelsea White (MTV, VH1, TLC, co-host of Call Us Crazy) followed by a free party: What Else? Comedy

7:30 pm ($10): Abbi Crutchfield (MTV, VH1; co-host of Positively Awesome and The Living Room), Katey Healy-Wurzburg (host of The Fascinator), Morgan Evans, and Joe Stanton performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Halle Kiefer: Splitsider and Tumblr's Dog and Pony Show

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door or online): A glorious collection of hilarious film clips and live guests from super-fan Kevin Maher and friends at 92 Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street), with tonight's theme knock-off movies trying to make a quick buck from the successful ideas of others (e.g., Konga), and that includes what's likely to be a fascinating lecture about Harlan Ellison's near-lawsuit against James Cameron's The Terminator: Kevin Geeks Out About Rip-Off Cinema

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($45): 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 ($10): Jenny Jaffe (staff writer for MTV's Nikki and Sara Live) hosts this variety show with Adam Conover, Nore Davis, Abbi Crutchfield, and Griffin Newman at The PIT upstairs theatre: Camp Time

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up and impressionist who's done a one-hour Comedy Central special, and performed on Jay Leno and Mad TV, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pablo Francisco

[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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, improv troupe Salmon Diane, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[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 include Political Subversities, Anna Marquardt, and Adele & Deschanel performing at UCB East 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 troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

9:30 pm ($5): "Each month the Buttski & Glasscock Talent Agency brings you the best of the worst this small town has to offer. As only two career-savvy former showgirls can, they comb through Craigslist ad after Craigslist ad; but you will determine which act gets a one-year contract:" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Buttski & Glasscock's New Talent Blowout

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing for this monthly show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Justin Grace, Mike Pullan and James Ferrarella, who also promise "skits, arm wrestling, jeopardy, contests, drinking, and everything else you would do on an" Almost Saturday Show

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Sue Galloway, Dan Klein, and/or other superb improvisors at UCB Chelsea making up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

10:30 pm ($10): The delightful Michelle Wolf (IFC), Don Fanelli & Dru Johnston (30 Rock, Onion News Network), Austin Rodrigues (Comedy Central), and Peggy O'Leary performing at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, D'Arcy Carden, Justin Tyler, Kelly Hudson, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): Charming, witty Meredith Hackman presides over forlorn sketch performers—who tonight are primarily musical comics, including Scott Swayze, Kathleen Armenti, Christine Piniero, Dana Shulman, George Flanagan, and David Carl—at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Saddest Sketch Show

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

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Shannon O'Neill (comedy genius), Morgan Grace Jarrett (wonderful comedic actress), Lydia Hensler (member of red-hot improv troupe Grandma's Ashes), and/or Brandon Scott Jones (token male) host tonight's show devoted to you, the audience, who'll be encouraged to get up on stage and show off whatever special gifts you possess. "No talent is too small or too silly; the weirder the better! This late night party will also feature games, dancing, karaoke, and tons of surprises. This show is for everyone of all genders" at UCB East, so if you're a guy don't be put off by the title: Ladies Night: Men Welcome

[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): "Canvas art and improv fuse before your very eyes. Each canvas will arrive untouched, blank, virginal. The stage is the frame, and everyone on it art. Audience interaction welcomed, but not required" at The PIT downstairs lounge from the folks of Yes, Yes, Yes, And: The Art Party

[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 5/11/13

Ace improvisors Brandon Scott Jones & Morgan Grace Jarrett perform every Saturday as part of Grandma's Ashes

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show ("starts late enough to sleep off that hangover but ends just in time to begin a new one") at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Jhoel Walkowski & Evan Davis: The Amateur Hour

[TOP PICK] [$] 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($45): 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

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Red, Three Nice Boys, and Pumpkin performing at The Magnet to kick off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

7:00 pm ($5): All-gal improvisors Ashley Ward, Brigid Boyle, Alexis Saarela, and Elizabeth Findlay perform at The PIT upstairs theatre as troupe Taco Supreme

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

[FREE] 7:00 pm: This unique musical improv open mic show lets both beginners and veterans get on stage and belt one out accompanied by brilliant improv pianist Frank Spitznagel at the Comedy Bar (134 West 29th Street) hosted by Douglas Widick: Spot Song

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] 8:00 pm ($7): "Dramatic readings of literary masterpieces such as Total Recall, The Goonies, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and so many more" performed by such talents as Bethany Hall, Rob Sheffield, and Sarah Knowles at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Marlow Riley, Liam McEneany, and Heidi Vanderlee: The Third Novelization

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: 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), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, FOX, VH1, E!, host of Nearly Naked Lady Comedy Hour), and Abigoliah Schamuan (host of Abigoliah's Bizarre Bazaar) performing stand-up at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Peggy O'Leary: Hard, Lonely, and Vicious

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up and impressionist who's done a one-hour Comedy Central special, and performed on Jay Leno and Mad TV, headlining tonight and Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pablo Francisco

[$] 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 Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), Nimesh Patel, Jon Stein, Jennie Sutton, and more performing at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street) hosted by J.F. Harris: 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

9:30 pm ($10): A sketch troupe using recent events as the foundation for material performing at The PIT upstairs theatre directed and co-written by J.D. Durkin with co-writer Scott Swayze: Gramercy Boulevard

[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] 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] [FREE] 10:00 pm: This special showcase lets you sample about a half-dozen of the productions currently running at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, with snippets from The Show, Short Bus, See You In Hell, Abigoliah's Bizarre Bazaar, Hard Lonely and Vicious, and more hosted by Pat Dixon: The Best of The Creek

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[TOP PICK] 10:30 ($10): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and in 2011 won the ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

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

11:00 pm ($8): Nick Carrillo, Langston Belton, and Devin James Heater perform a post-apocalyptic improvised comedy—exploring the relationship of three men trapped in a Generic Underground Shelter—at The PIT upstairs theatre: G.U.S.

Midnight ($5): Stand-ups Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, FOX, VH1, E!, host of Nearly Naked Lady Comedy Hour), Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), and Abigoliah Schamuan (host of Abigoliah's Bizarre Bazaar), , plus sketch comedy bits, at UCB Chelsea with hosts Andy Rocco & Steven Slate: Underground Americana

Midnight ($5): Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) hosts a variety show at UCB East that tonight features Emily Schorr Lesnick (sketch), Tahlia Robinson (music), and an improv jam led by Nayomi Reghay & Nikita Burdeint: The Soul Glo Project

[FREE] Midnight: Stand-up and sketch (performers not announced) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Kingmaker Sketch

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 5/12/13

Celebrate this special day by getting caught up with Andrea Rosen's wonderful new docuseries exploring motherhood,
available on Hulu.com and Amazon.com: Take Me to Your Mother...

...or go out to see two of the most multi-talented performers in comedy, Sasheer Zamata and Brooke Van Poppelen,
who tonight are telling tales at The PIT's Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show

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' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue): Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:00 pm: A mix of longform, shortform, and musical improv from five groups, typically including Mishmosh, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Michael Venzor: The Long and Short of It

[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

7:00 pm ($8): A one-woman multimedia show by Jessica van Campen that "examines four generations of women spanning four decades from the perspective of the youngest—and presumably the end of the line" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Whatever Happened to Mommy Jane?

[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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Brilliant improvisors including Ed Herbstman and Christina Gausas make up scenes from improvised monologues by renowned improv master Armando Diaz at The Magnet theatre, with special guest Craig Cackowski: The Armando Diaz Experience

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): 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), Trevor Noah (Jay Leno, NPR, BBC Radio, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), John Flynn (rising star storyteller/actor; Saturday Night Live, The Nights of Our Lives, host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!), Jeff Maurer (Last Comic Standing, Sirius XM), and Kate Ghiloni performing stand-up, plus raunchy songs from The Reformed Whores (comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; new album Ladies Don't Spit), all at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): From Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman (producers of The Scene), improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, with tonight's groups Rubin, The Lottery, FligFlog, and Sweaters: Act One

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Selena Coppock (author of new book The New Rules for Blondes, host of Connotation), Zach Sims (MTV's Guy Code), JL Cauvin (Craig Ferguson), Sean White, and more performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up

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: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) from comedy troupe Froduce

8:00 pm ($7): NYC stand-ups (unusually, not announced) performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Caroline Creaghead: Creaghead & Company

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: A question & answer session about improv, typically with a top improvisor (past guests have include d T. J. Jagodowski, Dave Pasquesi, David Razowsky, and Ed Herbstman) at The Magnet theatre: Improv Q&A

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Trevor Noah (Jay Leno, NPR, BBC Radio, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Damien Lemon (MTV2's Guy Code, Comedy Central), and Jim Tews ("clawing his way to the middle for nearly a decade") performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) guest-hosted by Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Anthony Devito, Doug Smith, Dave Ross, and Neal Stastny 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 ($8): All-gal storytelling show of "true tales with feelings; so many feelings...," tonight starring 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), Sasheer Zamata (highly charming, innovative rising star; Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer, FX's Totally Biased; host of UCBT's School Night, member of red-hot improv troupe Doppelganger, sketch troupe The Prom, and Harold Night troupe Bucky), and "a special guest" at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Caitlin Brodnick and Lisa Kleinman: Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show

[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

[FREE] 10:45 pm: Open-mic show for sketch and character bits running 3-5 minutes at The Magnet hosted by Sebastian Conelli. Everyone who signs up—at 10:30 pm at the box office—is likely to get onstage: Sketch in Progress

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