NYC Comedy Picks for Week of October 10, 2011

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/10/11

Transgender singer/actress Bianca Leigh delivers a sharp comedic performance in one-woman show Busted: The Musical;
the Upright Citizens Brigade provides a free screening of its 2010 feature film Freak Dance

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 stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($18, plus $15 food/drink min.; if you don't drink, either the burger or lasagna is a fine choice): Transgender talent Bianca Leigh tells her story of working as a dominatrix at night and in Macys during sales days ("for the health insurance"); and of how when business slowed down because of the 2008 financial meltdown, she crossed the line—and spent a harrowing night in jail. While Bianca's made most of her living as a dom, she has sharp comedic instincts; for example, when she accidentally knocked over a bench with her back foot during one of her energetic musical numbers, she proceeded to deliver a minute of hilarious improvised lines out of the accident without missing a beat. Bianca's also a terrific singer and natural born performer. If you have any interest in doms, transgender, or NYC jails, come see this show at the The Laurie Beechman Theatre (in the West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42 Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)...and don't be shy about giving Bianca a standing ovation at the end: Busted: The Musical

7:00 pm ($5): Young improvisors at The PIT make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: The Shady Bunch

[FREE] 7:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Emily Heller, David Lee Nelson, Laura Crawford, Comic Anton, and Jay Nog performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

7:00 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4 minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2 hours—with an early show hosted by Sean Donnelly & Blaine Perry at 7:00 pm, and an entirely different group of stand-ups hosted by Dan Cartwright & Dave Greek at 9:00 pm—at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for John Morrison's Motel Luca

[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

[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 West and should not be missed: John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($6.50 online or $8 at the door): James Adomian (talented impressionist; finalist on last summer's Last Comic Standing), Emily Maya Mills (sketch troupe Birds of Prey in LA; for sample video, please click here), Sean Crespo (Onion News Network, host of Lasers in the Jungle), and amazing house band Adira Amram and the Experience (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Musical Act) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from a duo who between them won four 2011 ECNY Awards—including Best Variety Show and Best Hosts—Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety with Kurt & Kristen

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a secret, but tonight's headliner is a musical improv comedy genius who's starred in his own Comedy Central special, and performed on Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, and Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited tour, and whose name rhymes with Veggie Potts (for video samples, please click here); plus stand-ups Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), Cameron Esposito, and Harry Terjanian, all performing at The Ace Hotel's Liberty Hall (20 West 29th Street) hosted by Matt McCarthy (TV, movies, commercials, you name it): Marking Out

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm ($5): A free screening of a 2010 feature film by the Upright Citizens Brigade written and co-directed by Matt Besser, and starring Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, Horatio Sanz, and other comedy giants, at UCB East—which is a perfect venue because it used to be an indie movie theatre. Please note this musical comedy parody currently has a sad 2.8 (out of 10) rating on IMDB; but regardless of cinematic virtues, this is worth checking out for the talent involved: Freak Dance

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), Emily Heller (staff writer at Rooftop Comedy), Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon; host of Monsters, co-host of Too Cool For School and If You Build It), Gonzalo Cordova, and Janine Brito, and sketch duo Rue Brutalia, performing at this free weekly show at Brooklyn's Northeast Kingdom (18 Wyckoff Avenue) produced by rising stars Dan St. Germain (Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here) & Mike Lawrence (shrewdly funny curmudgeon; Comedy Central), and hosted tonight by Mike and guest co-host Mike Recine: Holy Mountain

8:00 pm ($5): Sarah Lowe (The Apple Sisters, Jersey Boys) and Matt Donnelly (Penn & Teller: Tell A Lie, improv troupes Neutrino and The Faculty) return to NYC for their first show at The PIT as a married couple. They first perform an improv show based on Jackie Gleason & Audrey Meadows in The Honeymooners, and then welcome additional improvisors to perform with them for scenes set in a Tarot Loung: Honeymooners

8:30 pm ($5): A one-woman show debuting at The Magnet from Mallory Schlossberg about how "I came to New York to be an actress and instead became a temp. To live the true NYC dream, I spent all my remaining time as an online serial dater. This is my story, from behind the cubicle...and the storage closet:" That's Why the Lady is a Temp

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): A monthly mix of storytelling & music from rockin' hosts the Peter Aguero & the BTK Band, with tonight's yarn-spinners Starlee Kine (This American Life, The New York Times), Jen Lee, Brad Lawrence, and Sharon Spell at Under St. Marks: The BTK Band: Bring It Down

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: PIT owner Ali Farahnakian and razor-sharp PIT instructors perform improv at The PIT downstairs lounge in The Faculty Part 2: Electric Boogaloo; plus improv troupe Technicolor

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): UCB West has developed several terrific in-house sketch comedy troupes, but only two of them currently rival the finest sketch groups in the country. One is Stone Cold Fox (which now has a stellar show every Friday at 7:30 pm). The other is Gramp's, spearheaded by comedy genius Kate McKinnon, which is performing tonight. Kate's group will be trying out all-new bits this evening, but the chances are a bunch of them will be breathtakingly smart, inventive, and hilarious. Also on this double-bill is house troupe Onassis, which isn't in the same league, but there's always a chance of happy surprises—all at Maude Night

9:30 pm ($5): Scott Rogowsky (writer for The Onion, co-host of 12 Angry Mascots) returns to The PIT to host "a unique talk show experience that needs to be experienced to be experienced. There will be plenty of bits, skits, chits and chats, and maybe that pretty girl you saw on the 6 train last night will be in the audience! It's a big city, but you run into people," including tonight's guests Joe Mande (Comedy Central, VH1; host of Joe Mande Presents at Carolines, co-host of Totally J/K; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster), Jim Tozzi (Wonder Showzen, Delocated, Xavier: Renegade Angel), Jeff & Eric Rosenthal (MTV's The Check-In, Itsthereal.com), filmmaker Sean Dunnek, and musical guest Quintus: Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Long-form improv from troupe Casual Sex Offenders at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: CSO Improv Comedy

10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner & Chelsea Clarke hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—tonight includlng Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; Comedy Central special; Jimmy Fallon; Electric Company; Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited tour; for video samples, please click here), Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), and Langhorne Slim—at UCB West hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): Whiplash

[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this stand-up open mic hosted by Michelle Wolf and the hilarious Erin Lennox (for a sample of Erin's dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here): Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/11/11

Stars Kristen Schaal (The Tony and Johnny Show) and Ted Alexandro (Sweet)

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean's List

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Typically superb NYC comics (not yet announced, but you can check for an update here) performing stand-up at UCB East for a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran on behalf of a great late actor: After Hours with Gene Hackman and Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT downstairs lounge: Comic Book Club

8:00 pm-Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv at UCB West for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Still Mike, Creature, Deckard, Sandino, and Very Good Kiss—and at 11:00 pm advanced improv students perform improv scenes that are immediately great "for the attention-stingy audiences of today"—all at Harold Night

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

8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet's singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Aquarius and BEEES!

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): 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.), Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), the Found Footage Festival (sharing hilariously odd amateur videos), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Jenna Jones (The Daily Show), Chesley Calloway (co-host of Comedy as a Second Language), actress Charlotte Patton, and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central, VH1) performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by twins Adam & Todd Stone, who for this weekly show leave behind their trademark suits: Jackets Off

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Anthony Jeselnik (one of my all-time favorite stand-ups; former writer/performer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents; debut comedy CD Shakespeare), Emily Heller (staff writer for Rooftop Comedy), and Thomas Dale (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up and sketch at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, typically hosted by sketch troupes Savage Animal and/or Jerk Practice: Savage Animal

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Two of the most brilliant, fearless, and innovative comics in the biz, John Gemberling (Death by Roo Roo, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) and Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives), team up to create their own special version of a comedy variety show at UCB East. Tonight's guests are TV & movie star Kristen Schaal (one of the funniest women alive; shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; co-author of bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), and Rob Lathan (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, ABC): The Tony and Johnny Show

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members can join in with musical improv troupe BEEES! to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open mic stand-up show at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

11:30 pm ($5): Screening at former movie theatre UCB East of an episode of UK dark comedy TV series Snuff Box, which was recently released on DVD—and which you can get a feel for by clicking here (featuing a special endorsement from Paul Scheer) and here. Following the screening will be a Q&A with the show's star, Rich Fulcher: Snuff Box Screening and Q&A

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 10/12/11

Cat-friendly comics Julie Klausner (The Rejection Show) and Brooke Van Poppelen (New York's Funniest)

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation at The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up providing four minutes per comic, with "15 people chosen randomly through e-mail, and five walk-ins; and a guaranteed spot to anyone who performs in character as a famous explorer" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: Comedic Exploration Club of Long Island City, West

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm (FREE COVER—aside from $1.50 "service charge"—if you reserve online using discount code NYFUNNY, plus 2-drink min.): The semi-finals for the New York Comedy Festival's New York's Funniest competition, with each stand-up performing a 7-minute set. Tonight's competitors are Brooke Van Poppelen, Mark Normand, Mike Recine, Annie Lederman, Sam Morril, Joe Larson, Joe Machi, Michael Che, Josh Rabinowitz, Damien Lemon, Thomas Dale, and Eric Lyden, all delivering their best material at the Carolines Comedy Club: Van Poppelen, Normand, Recine, and more at New York's Funniest

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik, both genius members of Death by Roo Roo, perform the jaw-dropping feat of making up an entire feature film as The Two-Man Movie; and another genius improv troupe consisting of trio Gavin Speiller of Death By Roo Roo, Ben Rodgers of The Curfew, and Jonathan Gabrus of The Law Firm) performs as Outlook of the Poet

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $6.50 in advance online): Top comics and writers sharing memorable tales of their material being turned down—with tonight's guests Julie Klausner (razor-sharp comic & storyteller, and author of I Don't Care About Your Band), star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller), Patrick Borelli (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, and previously for Conan O'Brien; Adult Swim, ESPN; author of book Holy Headshot!), and the Found Footage Festival (sharing hilariously odd amateur videos)—all at a new location, Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street), for Jon Friedman's wonderful The Rejection Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Acclaimed Canadian sketch/improv duo Isaac Kessler & Ken Hall perform for one night only at UCB West as part of a national tour; "Their acting was physical and first-class, their object work immense, and their plot lines outrageous"—Time Out Chicago: 2-Man No-Show

[FREE—plus FREE PIZZA for first 30 people, from Artichoke Pizza!] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Matt Graham (Conan O'Brien), Mariane Schaberg (Good Housekeeping TV correspondent), Emma Willman (Daily Motion), and David Lee Nelson (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar for Negin Farsad's & Amy Albert's free weekly show Comedy School Dropout

8:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes Ransom Family, Phooka, Featherweight, Brick, and Chet Watkins performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Ransom Family at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

8:00 pm ($5—which includes a free drink!): NYC stand-ups (not yet announced) performing at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City with host Nick Turner: Monsters

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Open mic stand-up (with sign-up starting at 8:00) at Brooklyn's Belleville (330 5th Street) hosted by Josh Guarino: The Belleville Mic

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, Nicole Byer, Sasheer Zamata, and Keisha Zollar are first up as the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger; and then UCBT Harold Night house troupes Very Good Kiss and Mr. Crime make up scenes without relying on the usual long-form "Harold" rules at Cheating on Harold

[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Jason Sprung (three-time Moth StorySlam champion), Adam Newman (College Humor), Lee Rubenstein (ABC, MTV), Sean Crespo (The Electric Company, Onion News Network, host of Lasers in the Jungle), and musical guest Soce the Elemental Wizard performing at this free weekly show at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

9:00 pm ($5 if you mention code Comb the Desert, otherwise $8): Fine sketch duo Chris & Paul, musical comedy troupe Purple Skunks, sketch troupe City Hall, and more at Under St. Marks: Sketch Block

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Three sketch comedy talents—James Adomian (sharp impressionist; finalist on last summer's Last Comic Standing), troupe Ninja Sex Party, and duo Team Submarine—each performing one of their most popular sketches and one of their personal favorites in a fun revue at UCB West hosted by Aaron Kheifets: A-Side/B-Side

[$] 9:30 pm ($20, plus 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's starred in his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, is a cast member on Comedy Central's Ugly Americans, and also performed on Showtime, VH1, and Last Comic Standing headlining tonight and next Wednesday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Kurt Metzger

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: As many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB West makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

[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

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up running until 1:00 am, with time divided evenly between performers (up to five minutes), at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City with host Rob Stern: Bucket 'O Buckets

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 10/13/11

News correspondent Wyatt Cenac and hip-hop artiste Donwill provide continual commentary
about a classic blaxploitation film for their new show Shouting at the Screen...

...and wonderful comedic musicians including Erin & Her Cello and Jason Trachtenburg
perform for Carol Hartsell's birthday at Lasers in the Jungle

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

6:00 pm ($5): The auditions of three comedic one-act plays hoping to get on the UCBT schedule, and about which I know nothing except they're titled First Day of School, Amazing Book of Stories, and John 3:16. But at $1.66 per show, it's hard to go wrong at this frequently surprising and fun UCB West showcase: Spank

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn and tonight's lovely guest host Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; Manhattan Monologue Slam Champ, host of Sideshow Goshko): Oh, Hey Guys!

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics drawing names from a bucket, with each chosen one receiving three minutes at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Corby Haas

[FREE] 6:30 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] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): A comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) are shared by their original authors before total strangers at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street): Mortified

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion) and Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and genius comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and UCBT's The Chris Gethard Show; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York; winner of 2011 ECNY Award for Best Tweeter) headline at this monthly UCB East show that also lets audience members tell their stories, with the best tale turned into an animated premiering the following month. Hosted by Todd Bieber, it's Animated Stories

7:30 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet co-owner helming The Armando Diaz Experience, plus house troupes Junior Varsity, The Boss, Dunk and Hello Laser performing improv, followed by improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) with last week's winner pitted against Chairman Golem at 11:00 pm: The Magnet's Night Out

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB West, a smart troupe consisting of writers for The Onion perform their best sketches: Pangea 3000: 12 Years of Hard Work...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, Joanna Bradley performs a one-woman show about how awful people are, directed by the wonderful Becky Drysdale: Everybody's Dumb and Boring

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A star stand-up who's done half-hour comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime; was a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and cast member on FOX's The Jury; appeared repeatedly on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; and guest starred on such TV shows as NBC's The Office and FOX's Arrested Development, headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Patrice Oneal

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Leslie Collins performing a one-woman show at The PIT based on her memories of growing up in Texas (and which recently played at FringeNYC for $18): Poteet Girls

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (for tonight's lineup, please click here) performing at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City accompanied by banjo music from Doug Goldstein and hosted by Andy Kleinman: Happy Sounds Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): An extra-special all-musical show celebrating Carol Hartsell's birthday, with Jason Trachtenburg & The Pendulum Swings, Erin & Her Cello, and Reformed Whores performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street), with host Sean Crespo and Carol in the booth: Lasers in the Jungle

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), Andy Haynes (Jimmy Fallon), Gabe Liedman (VH1, co-host of Big Terrific), and "a special guest" performing UCB East with best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster) at Totally J/K

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller), stellar stand-up Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), and more performing at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street) with host Kevin Janus (sketch duo The Sophisticates): The Comedy Igloo

[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): "Fresh off their wildly successful tour of the deepest depths of Hell, interdimensional hip-hop sensations Buckwheat Groats are coming to UCB West, and you know what that means: Time to wrap your tits in chain mail and prepare your buttholes for imminent insertion of mango and/or eggplant!" For sample videos, please click here and here, and then decide if you're ready for Buckwheat Groats: Pray For Rectal Mercy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Jimmy Fallon writer Casey Jost performs a one-man show at The PIT in which he plays a myriad of characters revolving around the theme music: Fooling Around with Casey Jost

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) 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 ($7; or FREE COVER if you show up 30-60 minutes early and buy $7 worth of snacks/drinks): Mystery Science Theater 3000 goes blaxploitation in this delightful new series by Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show) and Donwill (hip-hop group Tanya Morgan) in which the boys watch a black cinema cult classic and yell comments at it throughout. It all happens at Brooklyn's reRun (147 Front Street, between Pearl & Jay Streets), with tonight's film a happy surprise: Shouting at the Screen

[$] 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Paul Mooney

[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] 11:00 pm ($5): Stellar improv troupe Rogue Elephant competing with challenger Alan Starzinski's One Mansical for audience laughs and votes at UCB West's raucous Cage Match

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Weekly open mic stand-up show, with each comic given five minutes, at UCB East hosted by Rob Stern & Amber Nelson: Gutbucket

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/14/11

The fourth largest annual cultural event in NYC, attracting over 96,000 people, New York Comic Con is sold out
for every day except today, for which tickets are still available at $45. There will be tons of events about comics, TV, movies,
and more, with panelists including such NYC comedy stars as Jessi Klein and Kevin Maher. To learn more, please click here.

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 2:00 pm ($18): Tom X. Chao has a wry, deadpan sense of humor that graces indie theatre only occasionally. Today is among those rare times when Tom is performing one of his oddball comedic shows—which has received a glowing review from The New York Times—at the HERE Arts Center, 145 Sixth Avenue—co-starring Tom and directed by the wonderful John Harlacher: Callous Cad

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Mike Recine and Annie Lederman: The Shinebox

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): Some of The Magnet's finest comics—including the brilliant and delightful Lauren Olson (powerhouse one-woman show Our Condolences at last year's FringeNYC)—team up with Magnet co-owner Armando Diaz to deliver sketch comedy in Good Morning, Ladies!

7:00 pm ($5): At this PIT double-bill, award-winning improv duo Lucas Kavner and Bradford Jordan make stuff up with "a celebrity guest improvisor' at Swords, while all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), John Moses (Sirius XM Radio), Josh Carter (College Humor), Joe Machi, and Monroe Martin performing stand-up at Beauty Bar (231 East 14th Street) at this biweekly show hosted by Peter Ostrovski & Ilya Gofshteyn: Beautiful Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): In one of the best scripted ensemble shows to grace UCB West for some time, troupe Stone Cold Fox performs hilarious parodies of off-off-Broadway theatre, as well as some of the very best sketches it's crafted over the years, in a tight hour-long show directed by comedy genius Neil Casey (who, after also recently directing stellar one-person shows by Kate McKinnon and Mike Still, apparently can do no wrong), featuring delightful performances by Fran Gillespie, Molly Lloyd, D'Arcy Carden (watch for these three gals playing existential Truth or Dare), John Murray, Nate Smith, Brandon Scott Jones, and Jonathan Fernandez, and the writing of Leila Cohan-Miccio, Evan Greenspoon, Brandon Gulya, Matt Hunziker, Owen Parsons, and Michael Trapp: Stone Cold Fox: This Is Not Art

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—tonight featuring guests Connor Ratliff (The Stepfathers) and/or Ben Rameaka (Airwolf)—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.) A star stand-up who's done half-hour comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime; was a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and cast member on FOX's The Jury; appeared repeatedly on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; and guest starred on such TV shows as NBC's The Office and FOX's Arrested Development, headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Patrice Oneal

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($20 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BOOK): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

8:00 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Wil Sylvince (Comedy Central, BET's Comic View), Clayton Carrick-Leslie (visiting from New Zealand), Amaya Perea (visiting from LA), and Miguel Dalmau performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Postmark Cafe (326 6th Street) hosted by Abbi Crutchfield & Luke: The Living Room

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Eight small improv teams compete as part of a 32-team tournament at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by James Ferrarella: The Arena Small Team Tournament, Round 2

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open mic show that's first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Pat Stango, Kate Hendricks, Robert Dean, Greg Stone, and "a very special guest" performing stand-up at One and One (76 East 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) in celebration of Sean's wife's birthday at Sean Donnelly's Lil' Seany Boy: Mariel Birthday Edition

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($7): Ace Magnet improvisors who are married, including improv genius Ed Herbstman, and Matt Fisher, Matt Evans, Christine Walters, Maggie Kemper, Robert Cuthill, Ryan Rodgers, Christian Paluck, and Michele Laikowski: The Mamas and the Papas

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from UCB West's all-star members of The Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): "WitStream is your 24-hour live comedy ticker. An endless flow of up-to-the-minute comedy and commentary delivered to you in real time: what’s funny about what’s happening, now." Tonight's scheduled contributors are Dave Hill, Matt McCarthy, Sam Grittner, Julia Segal, and Bridey Elliot performing at UCB East, plus lines typed remotely from other stellar comics: WitStream Live

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): 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.) and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:30 pm ($10): Sketch comedy from Jen Curran (Harvard Sailing Team) Clayton Early (Harvard Sailing Team), and Chris Roberti (New Excitement) at The PIT upstairs theatre, plus stand-up, music, and more: The Monster Show

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($15): Nerds team up with artistic strippers in "this sexy symposium that will settle a feud that has raged since the Golden Age of Comics: Which is superior, DC or Marvel? Arguing on behalf of Team Marvel will be nerd rapper Schaffer the Darklord and his team of marvelous maidens Lefty Lucy, BB Heart, Mary Cyn and Fem Appeal. Leading the arguments for Team DC will be vaudevillian Nelson Lugo with evidence provided by DC darlings Iris Explosion, Magdalena Fox, Victoria Privates, and Cherry Pitz (stellar storyteller Cyndi Freeman). The winner will be determined by your vote. In addition, we'll have a raffle drawing, and stage a contest for the best-costumed audience member. Think Geek!" The extravaganza will happen at tonight and Saturday at The Tank Theater at TADA (15 West 28th Street, between Broadway & Fifth Avenue): Epic Win Burlesque Presents DC vs Marvel

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors at The Magnet using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[FREE] 10:00 pm: "Improv comedy that's all like, 'Have you been drinking tonight, sir?' but then is all like, 'Lemme get a sip'" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Teenage Cop

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Jon Gabrus, Nate Lang, Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Fran Gillespie Sue Galloway, and other superb improvisors at UCB West making up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Stellar talents who are comics fans perform monologues and other bits at a show that will appear at this Saturday's New York Comic Con at 11:00 am, but that for night owls is first happening at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Nedalogues

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Dan Chamberlain, and troupe Moonfight performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups do sets "and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

Midnight ($5): Sketch comedy troupes Hammerkatz NYU competing with a typically obscure sketch troupe (I don't know why, that's just how this show is done) for audience laughs and votes at UCB West, with troupe Sidecar hosting: Backyard Brawl

[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Paul Mooney

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 10/15/11

The writers of Amazing Spider-Man and Incredible Hulks are guests at UCB West's Matt & Brett Love Comics

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] 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm ($7): Screenings of terrific international comedy shorts at The PIT hosted by the Friars Club: Friars Club Comedy Film Festiva, Part 1 & Part 2

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

[FREE] 5:30 pm: New improv teams experimenting with new forms at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Andy Rocco and Jon Monje: Anybody Vs. Everybody: An Improv Show for You

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Old Timey Radio Show, LD50, and Scoresby at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

7:00 pm ($5): Madmen meets improv in this show at The PIT downstairs lounge in which scenes are made up by Jonathan Desley & Yang Miller based around an advertising agency: Desley-Miller

7:00 pm ($7): Sketches, improv scenes, and videos from a small army of female comics at The PIT that answer such questions as "Why can't you touch a black girl's hair? Why do some of us burn our cheating man's clothes in his car and can't wait to exhale? How did Foxy Brown know how to get down? Why can two play that game? Why do mad black women write so many diaries?" and more: Sista

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, and/or other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions, at UCB West all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft at The Magnet making up a play on the spot: Theory of Everything

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

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill—and occasionally with comedy giants Kristen Schaal and/or Kurt Braunohler participating: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC comics TBA performing at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ray DeVito, Ben Kronberg, Nick Cobb, and Tim Dimond: Shoot the Shite

[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 West's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, Comedy Central, FOX), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), Greg Johnson (Sirius XM Radio host), Amber Nelson (co-host of Gutbucket), and Ben Kissel performing stand-up at UCB East, hosted by Kara Klenk and Nick Turner: If You Build It

9:00 pm ($10): NYC sketch comedy duo Jamaal Sedayao and Brian Lisi at The Magnet providing "unfamiliar, often absurd stories full of unexpected laughs:" Turboner Bigoté

9:30 pm ($10): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub and now at The PIT: Political Subversities

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: I have no idea what this show is, but it has an intriguing title, is happening at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, and is hosted by Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents): Pat Dixon's (Nearly) Naked Lady Hour: Now with Bacon Bar

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Ben Rodgers, Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB West interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then create an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Comedy springboarding off this weekend's New York Comic Convention, the fourth largest annual cultural event in NYC (last year it attracted over 96,000 people), with guests Fred Van Lente (writer of Amazing Spider-Man) and Greg Pak (writer of previous hit World War Huik and new series Incredible Hulks), hosted at UCB West by Brett White and Matt Little: Matt & Brett Love Comics

[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine at The Magnet, as students and veteran improvisors share the stage to form "rare and wonderful one-night-only teams," with sign-up starting at 11:30 pm: Magnet Mixer

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 10/16/11

Patrice Oneal headlines one last night at Carolines; Elna Baker is Here to Help

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 walk-in open mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Improv duo The Bedtime Brothers begin by making up scenes based on an audience member's horrible dating or break-up experience, and end with scenes springboarding off an audience-supplied movie quote; and in between invited stand-ups and sketch comics perform. It all happens at at The Creek in Queens' Long Island City: Love Sucks! Movies Rock!

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Elna Baker (genius storyteller, and bestselling author of the comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance; writer for Glamour, Elle; NPR's This American Life; co-host of red-hot The Talent Show), John Flynn (host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!; The Nights of Our Lives), Matt Fisher (stellar improvisor & sketch comic; The Law Firm, Sidecar), and "a surprise guest" participate in "a weekly podcast that assembles a new panel of comedians and weird characters to give funny advice, or at the very least relate to the people's problems with their own stories" at UCB East hosted by Andy Rocco: Here to Help

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

7:30 pm ($5): Ray Munoz telling true stories about growing up in NYC, and gal improvisors springboarding scenes from their real life childhood diaries, in a double-bill at UCB East (155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B): Off the Cuff and Red Vag of Courage

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Barry Rothbart, and Adam Clayton-Holland performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall with tonight's guest-host Msx Silverstri: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A star stand-up who's done half-hour comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime; was a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and cast member on FOX's The Jury; appeared repeatedly on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; and guest starred on such TV shows as NBC's The Office and FOX's Arrested Development, headlining one more night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Patrice Oneal

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Calise Hawkins (writer for Playboy.com), Harry Terjanian, Scott Moran, and Andrew Short performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge for a free weekly show typically hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at UCB East hosted by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Andy Haynes, and/or David Cope: Hot Soup

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups perform sets at The PIT, and then improv troupe Before the Accident makes up scenes springboarding off the material: Daws of Death

9:30 pm ($5): All-gal sketch troupe Chloroform Babiez debuting at The Magnet with the defensive title Never Heard of You Either

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Rob Stern: Vicious Cycle

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Allison Castillo (Comedy Central), Calvin Cato (The Onion), and Chris Doucette performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy guest-hosted tonight by the show's founder Adam Sank: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

11:00 pm ($5): "Iconic soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live are ending, so climb out of the well your stepfather has trapped you in, grab your evil twin, and join us for some steamy, sexy, funny bits that celebrate the demise of daytime television. Hosts and secret BFFs Susan Lucci and Kelly Ripa will toast daytime fans and fanatics and roast former soap stars. You don't have to be a sad middle-aged suburban housewife to stop by" at UCB East and join Katie Schorr & Cody Lindquist as they bid Farewell to Daytime: A Soap Opera Tribute

NYC Comedy Picks for Tonight

Previous NYC Comedy Picks

Home Page

Email: hy@hyreviews.com