NYC Comedy Picks for Week of October 15, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/15/12

Stand-up giants Ted Alexandro, Myq Kaplan, and more perform at John Morrison's Morrison Motel...

...three rising stars—Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, and Dan St. Germain—do stand-up as The Dark Lords of Comedy;
and the spectacular Erin Lennox hosts Mark Normand, Emily Heller, and more at new Brooklyn show DTF

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: Weekly hour-long open mic storytelling show, with audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 8 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump

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

[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 ($12 at the door or $11.30 online): Storytellers Jeff Simmermon (co-host of And I Am Not Lying), Naomi Azar (Story Collider) , ) Ilaria Amadasi (Drafts Ensemble), and Clay McLeod Chapman telling tales about this month's topic "Words Words Words" at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place) with host Seth Lind (NPR's This American Life): Told: Words Words Words

7:00 pm ($5): Jen Curran is moving to Los Angeles. Join her before she leaves at this show performed by her and some close friends at The PIT downstairs lounge: Jen Curran, Until We Meet Again (Moving to LA)

7:00 pm ($8): In this unique show, the audience texts the improvisers on stage their lines—i.e., it's "the only show that won’t tell you to put away your cell phones—at The PIT upstairs theatre: Text Me My Line

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year's FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse's upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): W. Kamau Bell (host of Totally Biased), Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), and Jermaine Fowler & Kevin Barnet as HomoThugs performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Mike Denny, and/or Michael Che: Broken Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00ish pm: Bridey Elliott (David Letterman, Witstream) debuts a stand-up show just for kicks, with tonight's guests Ted Travelstead (Vanity Fair, author of Sex: Our Bodies, Our Junk), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), and Jacqueline Novak performing at Brooklyn's Saint Vitus Bar (1120 Manhattan Avenue): Captain Howdy Comedy Hour

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00ish pm: Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), Michael Che (IFC's Bunk, Comedy Central), and Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon) performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Grand Victory Bar (245 Grand Street) for this twice-a-month extravaganza hosted by the razor-sharp & delightful Erin Lennox (co-host of The Orphanage; for a sample of Erin's dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here) and Nick Maritato: DTF

8:00 pm ($5): Hari Kondabolu (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Presents, , FX's Totally Biased), Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV), Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment, notable hair), Michael Che (IFC's Bunk, Comedy Central), Gabe Liedman (co-host of Big Terrific), and Team Submarine performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Sam Morril: Comedy Central Corporate Retreat

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Storytellers Robin Gelfenbien, Nisse Greenberg, Aaron Wolfe, and Glennis McCarthy, plus songs from Ben Lerman, at The PIT upstairs theatre: Bare! True Stories of Sex, Desire and Romance

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15 if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $20], which includes one drink; calling 212.989.9319 to reserve seats is recommended): 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.), Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), JR Havlan (7-time Emmy winning writer for The Daily Show; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher), Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Janine Brito (writer for FX's Totally Biased), and Grant Cooper performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, a mini-play from Chris Nester & Ross Taylor about aspiring Country Western musicians: The Oakwood Boys: The End of the World

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10 at the door or $10.70 in advance online): Three of the hottest rising star nerds of stand-up perform at Brooklyn's Union Hall—Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Mike Lawrence (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's John Oliver's NY Stand-Up), and Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1): The Dark Lords of Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new bits: Fambly (which includes wonderful rising star Mamrie Hart, Nicole Byer, Dan Chamberlain, Veronica Osorio, and a sharp crew of writers), and Biege (which includes Dan Hodapp, who recently co-starred in FringeNYC smash hit Tail! Spin!): Maude Night: Fambly and Beige

9:30 pm ($5): The debut of 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] 9:30 pm: Following a club format, hosts Nore Davis & Andrew Short perform stand-up throughout for a total of 25 minutes, two comics each perform a 15-minute set, and then a seasoned headliner closes out the show with a 20-minute set, all at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: On the Road

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Charlie Kasov, Rachel Parenta, Hilary Schwartz, John Mooney, Nathan Macintosh, Taylor Ketcham, and more performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

10:00 pm ($5): A variety show in which comics perform characters, stand-up, and other bits at The Magnet hosted by Jon Bander: What's to Get?

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Langston Belton: Base Jam

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Karaoke at the UCB East Bar for the 9:30 BYOT improvisors and more: Karaoke Night at the Hot Chicks Room

[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 someone wonderful (while Leo Allen is in LA): 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 exceptionally supportive stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jarrid Reed: Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/16/12

Experience tonight's second Presidential debate with razor-sharp comics at Seth Herzog's 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] 6:00 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 Chesley Calloway (co-host of renowned Comedy as a Second Language): The Ches Club

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, four of The Magnet's singing improv troupes make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Atticus and Aquarius (at 7:00) and The Montels and Mint Condition (at 8:30); followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with musical improv troupe Mint Condition to make up stories in song: Musical Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creators Bill Willingham (Fables) and Daniel Way (Deadpool) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage for a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street), with giveaways of comic books and gift certificates: Comic Book Club

7:00 pm ($8): All-gal sketch comedy & improv at The PIT upstairs theatre from troupe Vacation

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): A mob of superb stand-ups—Sean Patton, Myq Kaplan, Myq & Micah, Jared Logan, Mark Normand, Jamie Lee, Nick Vatterott, Nate Bargatze, Michael Che, and more—celebrating this monthly show's one-year anniversary at 116 (116 MacDougal Street) hosted by Am in Makhani & Eric Vreeland: Bacon & Sex

7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes A Sparrow, Bucky, and GoodGirl at this first half of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Dynamite comedy duo Sara Schaefer & Nikki Glaser (stars of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; hosts of hit podcast You Had to Be There), and more, performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Halle Kiefer: Splitsider and Tumblr's Dog and Pony Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream, 9 Am Meeting), and Sammy Obeid performing stand-up on this week's topic What If God Was One of Us? at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) produced by Chenoa Estrada, Emily Heller, and George Gordon and hosted tonight by George Gordon: The Afterlife: What If God Was One of Us?

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

8:00 pm ($8): A double-bill of sketch comedy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Big Business and National Scandal

[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

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically sharp NYC stand-ups (for an update, please click here) performing at Cake Shop (152 Ludlow Street, between Rivington & Stanton) hosted by Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, notable hair): Crime & Punishment

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Tonight's Presidential debate will be screened and mocked by Roger Hailes, Jordan Carlos, Craig Baldo, and "a special guest or two" at Bar 13 (35 East 13th Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet: Presidential Debate Mocking

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Rocks, Salmon Diane, and The Regulars—plus advanced improv students make up an entire feature film for a form called The Movie—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Brilliant dark improv/sketch comic Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives) tonight introduces us to his personal trainer. Get in shape with Tony and stand-up guests Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, FOX's In Living Color, Comedy Central), and Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award), plus producer Andy Rocco, at UCB East building upon the mythology that is The Tony Show

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge with host Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at this monthly gay-themed show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Tom Steffen: Rapier Wit

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): I attended this show two week's ago—and it was mind-blowing. The lineup was Nate Bargatze, Ophira Eisenberg, Ted Alexandro, Al Madrigal, Jim Gaffigan...and Jerry Seinfeld! Huge thanks to ComedyJuice, Gotham, and stellar host Jared Logan for an unforgettable event. As for tonight: Al Madrigal (correspondent for The Daily Show), Kyle Dunningham (Craig from Reno 911; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Presents), Jamie Lee (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), LA comics Omid Sighn & Eman Morgan, and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

[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

[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 10/17/12

Lizz Winstead, Emily Heller, and more discuss the rise of women in comedy at Brooklyn's We Killed;
Mike Daisy is among the superb performers at the 10th Anniversary of Jon Friedman's The Rejection 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] 6:00 pm ($5): Comedy legend Buck Henry (wow!) is among the guests interviewed at UCB Chelsea for this live taping of Ken Freedman's & Andy Breckman's radio show WFMU's 7 Second Delay Live

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation at The PIT downstairs lounge (at 6:00 pm) and upstairs theatre (7:00 pm on) for 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] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Celebrating the release of a book about the rise of women in comedy, author Yael Kohen interviews Lizz Winstead, Emily Heller, Julieanne Smolinski, and Jesse David at Brooklyn's PowerHouse Arena (37 Main Street): We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy

7:00 pm ($5): Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Times and The New Yorker; former beard-wearing member of band Stickerbook), Tim Ellis (talented comedic singer/songwriter), Ray DeVito, and Amanda Baramki performing music and/or stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by the delightful Abbi Crutchfield (VH1) and comedic rapper Andrew Singer (Atom TV): Positively Awesome

7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes Flower Girl, Dr. Champagne, The Wrath, Featherweight, Horse, Brick, Bloomer, and Chet Watkins performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Bloomer 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 troupes Spooky Ghost and Graceland: Lloyd Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Red-hot rising star Mamrie Hart, plus a bunch of guys, perform a variety show extolling the wonders of nectar at UCB Chelsea written by & starring Colin Elzie, Pat O'Brien, and Ben Wietmarschen: The Honeymen: A Salute to Honey...

...and in the other half of this double-bill, Brent Sullivan presents fake profiles he used to communicate via social networks with people he'd normally be terrified to contact at Profiles in Cowardice

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics (not announced) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) typically hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and/or Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[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 fighting) at UCB East performing as duo The Brothers Hines

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Andy Hendrickson (TBS' The Comedy Festival), Chris Difate (voice of Grand Theft Auto videogame characters), Taylor Ketchum, Kunal Arora, Scott Schendlinger, and John Campanelli 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?

[META-TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Killer lineup of Mike Daisy (one of the finest and most respected storytellers in the world; The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs), New Yorker cartoonists Andy Friedman and David Sipress, Jamie Lee (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), and Rich Zeroth (rejected by Orbitz) sharing memorable tales of their material being turned down—and celebrating the 10th Anniversary of this wonderful monthly show—at UCB Chelsea hosted by Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon): The Rejection Show

[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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups do sets "and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: The wonderful Sasheer Zamata (Doppelganger) 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; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. (Tonight's scheduled performers include Brandon Gulya and Siobhan Thompson; for the complete lineup, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

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

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your opportunity to perform on the stage of UCB East with improv veterans, hosted by UCBT Harold Night house troupe Grandma's Ashes: The Improv Jam

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 10/18/12

Arden Myrin tells tales at Tom Shillue's Funny Story; former Daily Show head writer David Javerbaum,
who co-authored a book with God, is interviewed at Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

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: Just this once, a shortened version (sans guest host) of this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each of four performers given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn: Oh, Hey Guys!

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Veteran musical improvisors at The PIT mix with novices on-stage at 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

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows I know nothing about—Don't Trust Anyone Under 30 and The Unbreakable Gun—audition for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. At $2.50 per show, it's hard to go wrong with Spank

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A comedy music extravaganza, with superb singer/songwriters Stuckey & Murray, Jessica Delfino, Ben Lerman, Summer and Eve, Rob Paravonian, and Jen Kwok performing at this one-night-only show at UCB East sponsored by the CMJ festival: CMJ Comedy Music Showcase

7:00 pm ($8): Improv troupe Maybe Sherman makes up scenes involving mobsters at The PIT upstairs theatre: MafiaProv

7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hot Diner 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] 8:00 pm ($10, which includes a free beer): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers top comics to tell funny stories at the Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street), with tonight's guests Arden Myrin (Conan O'Brien, Mad TV, Chelsea Lately, host of The Party Machine; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here), Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), and Gabe Liedman (co-host of Big Terrific) : Tom Shillue's Funny Story

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "For over a year, Patrick Waldo scrawled his moustache tag on countless advertisements around New York City, entertaining commuters and causing thousands of dollars in damage. After a three month investigation, the NYPD put an end to his spree when they arrested Waldo under felony charges of graffiti, criminal mischief, and fucking shit up," written & starring Patrick Waldo, and directed by Nate Dern & John Flynn: Moustache Man: Confessions of a NYC Graffiti Artist...

...and in the other half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, a sketch show about one of the sadder aspects of the human condition: Lonely People

[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 ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's starred in his own Comedy Central Presents special, is a cast member of the NBC sitcom Whitney (starring the wonderful Whitney Cummings), and has performed on Showtime’s Live Nude Comedy (to view his set, please click here) and TBS’ Glory Daze, headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Chris D'Elia

8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: The East Side Orphan Riot and Harvey

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Junior Varsity, Nintendo, and Hello Laser performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by The Movie (long-form improv that makes up a feature film from beginning to end), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) featuring last week's winner vs. Nintendo: The Magnet's Night Out

[FREE] 8:00 pm: "A stand-up comedy showcase and baking competition—come to eat or come to compete" at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Cody Hess & Jessica Gross: Cookies!

[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): Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's The Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Dan Gurewitch, and more performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover and/or Emily Heller: Fresh Out

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10 at the door, $11.34 in advance online): Former Head Writer/Executive Producer of The Daily Show David Javerbaum (12-time Emmy winner...and 2-time Grammy winner!; Myq Kaplan & Micah Sherman (razor-sharp comedy music duo), Jenn Harris (Silence the Musical, Gayby), and Jen Sterger (Spike TV) perform and share insider stories at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Scott R.: Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Kicking off this double-bill at UCB Chelsea is 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 other half of this double-bill, UCBT star & Chris Gethard Show icon Vacation Jason debuts his own show: Vacation Jason's Island Flavors

[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

[FREE] 9:30 pm: A monthly showcase of both stand-ups and improvisors at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by stand-up Zach Broussard and improv troupe Priest & the Beekeeper: Pig Pile

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Beloved old-time improv troupe Rogue Elephant, performing a run-the-gamit Harold, trumpeted out a victory last week against a surreal Upstate monoscene involving talking fish and guy-on-guy action by a close vote of 61-56. Tonight the pachyderm will face UCB East group Improv Nerds, as these two teams compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Carla Rhodes ("rock'n'roll ventriloquist;" for shout-out from David Letterman, please click here; for act with "Keith Richards," please click here), Kara Klenk (host of If You Bring It), and Boris Khaykin performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by terrific sketch duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting (Leah Rudick and Katie Hartman; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, FringeNYC) : Daddy's Basement: A Comedy Variety Freakshow

11:00 pm ($5): A showcase of NYC stand-ups not yet represented by a manager or agent (i.e., fresh meat) at UCB East hosted by Luke Thayer & Nick Cobb: Unmanageable Stand-Ups

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/19/12

The lovely Maysoon Zayid—who describes herself as "a Palestinian-American Muslim virgin with cerebral palsy"—
is among the treats tonight at the 9th Annual Arab-American Comedy Festival

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): Improv that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—"each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper:" Scoresby; and in the other half of this Magnet double-bill, the young and silly improvisors of Honey

[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 one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom. As for its writers, they sizzle when at their best; but when I saw this new show a few months ago, it was a work in progress. Regardless of the current state of the script, you're virtually guaranteed a good time from the all-star cast—Fran Gillespie, John Murray, Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, D'Arcy Carden, and Johnathan Fernandez. (The scary faces Molly Lloyd makes are worth the trip all by themselves...) Directed by ace improvisor Ryan Karels: Stone Cold Fox: You Probably Think This Show Is About You

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Stellar improvisors Aaron Jackson, Don Fanelli, Brandon Gulya, Kate Riley, and more interview an audience member about some puzzle and then act out scenes providing an unexpected answer: Sandino: Unsolved Mysteries

[FREE] 7:30ish pm: Sean Patton (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, VH1, feature film Wifed Out; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), plus Leah Bonnema, Eli Sairs, Neil Constantine, and Ron Krasnow performing stand-up at One and One (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Ben Conrad: Cranky Pants Comedy Hour

[FREE] 7:30ish pm: NYC stand-ups Phoebe Robinson, Sagar Bhatt, Nick Cobb, Kelly Fastuca, Dave Lester, and more performing at Mr. Dennehy’s Irish Pub (63 Carmine Street) hosted by Troy Bynum & Carrie Gravenson: The Tomfoolery Hour

[$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's starred in his own Comedy Central Presents special, is a cast member of the NBC sitcom Whitney (starring the wonderful Whitney Cummings), and has performed on Showtime’s Live Nude Comedy (to view his set, please click here) and TBS’ Glory Daze, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Chris D'Elia

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): If you'd care for a different perspective on both culture and comedy—some of which is likely to be dreadful, but some transcendent—check out the 9th Annual Arab-American Comedy Festival, which is putting on four big stand-up shows tonight and Saturday on the main stage of the Gotham Comedy Club: Arab-American Comedy Festival

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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): 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; book Tasteful Nudes), Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), a "special guest," and much more performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall for a show hosted by Greg Barris: Heart of Darkness

[FREE] 8:30ish pm: Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; album Ladies Don't Spit), Andy Henkrickson (HBO), Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), and Josh Gondelman performing at Brooklyn's Red Star (37 Greenpoint Avenue) hosted by Annie Lederman, Amber Nelson, and/or Ashley Brooke Roberts and followed by wild Karaoke: Pirate Party

8:30 pm ($7): Jarret Berenstein performs a one-man show at The Magnet that "mixes stand-up, sketch, and poorly executed animation:" Boosh. Kla-Klau.

[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): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—Michael Kayne, Amber Petty, Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, and Winston Noel—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[$] [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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): "Where there is a stage and a piano, she will be there. Where there are strangers with embarrassing stories, she will be there. Where there is a group of people willing to sit and watch someone make up songs, she will be there. A one-woman musical improv journey through the lives of the audience. You tell the story, Rebecca Vigil sings the soundtrack"—quite beautifully, in fact, as Rebecca is not only a sharp improvisor but a powerhouse singer—at The PIT downstairs lounge, with tonight's musical guests Myq & Micah: The Vigilante

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: The creators & cast of superb UCBT mini-musical Newsadoozies hold a fundraiser to shoot a movie version while performing "stand-up, sketch, improv, and magic, and burlesque" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Newsadoozies: A Musical Fundraiser

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

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's John Oliver's NY Stand-Up), Bridgid Ryan (host of Don't You Find Us Charming?, improv troupe Chester; for a sample video about trouble sleeping, please click here), and more performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): I'm not sure he's in NYC tonight, but one of the finest improvisors alive, Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO, co-founder of the Annoyance Theatre) will either personally spearhead or lead in spirit a breathtakingly brilliant group of improvisors from Chicago and New York who will blow the roof off The PIT downstairs lounge with lightning-quick dark comedy unlike anything else in NYC. The other superb players typically are Doug Stoley (Conan O'Brien, The Scene), Amey Goerlich (Indie Cage Match, Krompf, The Scene), Jodi Lennon (Exit 57, Annoyance Theatre), Jed Resnik (Annoyance Theatre, UCB), Silvija Ozols (The Stepfathers), Betsy Stover (UCB), Ari Voukydis (VH1's Best Week Ever, UCB), Russ Armstrong (iO Chicago, The Magnet), Micah Sherman (Second City, co-host of The Scene, host of Fun), Rick Andrews (Magnet teacher/performer), and Michael Burton (Act One, The Magnet), all declaring Chica Go-Go

11:00 pm ($5): Improvised scenes based on the "Missed Connections" section of Craigslist at Missed Connections Two-Prov

11:30 pm ($10): improvisers Bianca Casusöl as Madam Ant, Nina Klemow as Fanny Price, and Alex Marino as Larry Lazlo use burlesque dancing at The Magnet to tell a story "and titillate the audience with some seductively fun choreographed burlesque numbers:" Whisky Tango Foxtrot: Burlesque Improv Revue

[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): Comics (not announced) are talk show guests at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Paul Gutkowski (for a brief video promo, please click here): Sex in the Late Night Air

[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

Midnight ($5): Screenings at UCB East (which used to be an indie film theatre) of brand new comedy videos that haven't yet been released: Test Screening

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 10/20/12

Joe DeRosa performs at UCB East's /r/standup, and then with Maysoon Zayid at Gotham
for the final night of the 9th Annual Arab-American Comedy Festival

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 & 8:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

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

[FREE] 5:30 pm: "Are ready for something sweet and something spicy? Long form improv that will satisfy your hunger" hosted by sharp UCBT comic Andy Rocco at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Andy Rocco's Candy Taco Improv Hour

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes The Brawlers, Petting Zoo, and Eaglefox at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 ($5): Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, comedy CD The Depression Auction), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Mikes K, and Nathan Anderson performing stand-up at UCB East as part of the Reddit.com online community, hosted by Adam Lash (The Daily Show, HBO, Showtime): /r/standup

[$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): If you'd care for a different perspective on both culture and comedy—or simply for the opportunity to see superb stand-ups such as Joe DeRosa and Maysoon Zayid (while enduring some comics not as good)—check out the 9th Annual Arab-American Comedy Festival, which has two big shows left tonight on the main stage of the Gotham Comedy Club: Arab-American Comedy Festival

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

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's starred in his own Comedy Central Presents special, is a cast member of the NBC sitcom Whitney (starring the wonderful Whitney Cummings), and has performed on Showtime’s Live Nude Comedy (to view his set, please click here) and TBS’ Glory Daze, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Chris D'Elia

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

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill at the upstairs theatre: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

8:30 pm ($10): Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, film actor; host of Sweet), Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing, VH1), Kevin McCaffrey, Day McCoy, George Gordon, and Matt Wayne performing stand-up at UCB East produced by Kara Klenk and hosted by Nick Turner: If You Build It

[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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Judah Friendlander (9:00 pm only), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[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 ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

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 enjoying a long run at The PIT upstairs theatre: Political Subversities

9:30 pm ($5): "A monthly show featuring long form improv of three diverse schools of thought and culminating in a cross-team closing" at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Sharif Ali and Kelly Ann Rockwell: World's Fair

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year's FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse's upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

10:00 pm ($5): A small army of comics performing as characters at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Rob Stern: Overload the Machine

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Stand-up, sketch, and who knows what else at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by a stand-up/sketch duo: Team Submarine and Friends

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($7): Improv master Ed Herbstman teams with Peter McNerney for one night only at The Magnet to form comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): 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" at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and this year crushed 12 improv groups in a row at Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

11:00 pm ($8): All-gal improv from Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell, plus guest stand-up and sketch gal comics, performing at The PIT upstairs theatre: Goldie and the Hawns: Boneless! A Night of Women in Comedy

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Improv is dominated by guys...and for no good reason. A way to help remedy this situation are shows like this one, which is an open improv jam for any female wanting to participate, at any experience level—and which has a very special and communal "gal energy" you're unlikely to find anywhere else. This new monthly UCB Chelsea event is led by the wonderful Shannon O'Neill Shannon O'Neill (breathtakingly innovative, lighting-quick, and fearless improvisor/sketch comic and rising star; The Stepfathers, Diamond Lion) and typically also includes other UCBT gal improv stars: The Lady Jam

Midnight ($5): Frank Hejl and Geoff Garlock will nerdily defend the merits of the universally panned film Halloween III: Season of the Witch at this sketch show at UCB East featuring a small mob of young performers: Frank and Geoff Defend Halloween III

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Nick Turner: Midnight Run

Midnight ($5): "A scandalous night of down-right-sexy improv at at The PIT downstairs lounge. Incorrigible performers team up to turn down the lights, slip into something a little more comfortable, and spend the good part of an hour tickling your funny boners. Beware of partial nudity, strong sexual themes, and the possibility to be dragged on stage for a not-so-wholesome game of Truth or Dare:" Yes, Yes, Yes...And

[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 10/21/12

The PIT offers a sharp mix of improv and sketch tonight: At 9:30, top author R. L. Stine is interviewed
and then has his material turned into improv scenes at Inside the Mind of R. L. Stine...

...at 8:00 downstairs, Charlie Brown's world becomes even more dystopian in sketch mini-play A Charlie Brown Apocalypse...

...and at 8:00 upstairs, Top Gun goes Shakespearean in the cleverly executed Jester's Dead

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 3:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

[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] 6:00 pm: A smorgasbord of of stand-up, comedic music, comedic dance, sketch, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Mishmash Variety Hour (and a Half)

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Superb improvisors Rachel Hamilton & Ruby Marez make up scenes for 25 minutes, and then Shacottha Fields improvises a one-woman show on the spot for 25 minutes, at this Magnet double-bill: Hamilton & Marez and Shacottha Fields: 1 Deep

[FREE] 6:30 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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): "Musical sketch comedy that skewers and dissects pop culture one roll of the dice at at time" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Pop Roulette

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea'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): 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 & R an Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "It’s Judgment Day, and Chuck Black can’t wait to meet Jesus! But things seem to go terribly awry when he has a crisis of faith. Who can blame him? All his pals seem a bit more interested in getting presents from ChristCo than trying to save their souls. And don’t even get Chuck started on Mocha Mint Mel, the know-it-all atheist with two moms." This mini-play by Matt Fried is at The PIT downstairs lounge: A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

[$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who's starred in his own Comedy Central Presents special, is a cast member of the NBC sitcom Whitney (starring the wonderful Whitney Cummings), and has performed on Showtime’s Live Nude Comedy (to view his set, please click here) and TBS’ Glory Daze, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Chris D'Elia

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Adam Burke, Anthony Devito, Greg Stone, Michelle Wolf, Joel Walkowski, and more performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show—which tonight ends its long and distinguished run at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): A new weekly show at The Magnet featuring sketches, jokes, interviews, and more focused on the upcoming Presidential election: The Great American Sketch Show

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Stand-ups Mo Amer (Arab-American Comedy Festival), Michael Che (IFC's Bunk, Comedy Central), Azhar Usman, Yamaneika Saunders, and Damien Lemon performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) guest-hosted tonight by Jon Laster: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Nore Davis, Adam Burke, Sean Wilkinson, and Dean Masello performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): How cool is this? Mega-bestselling author R. L. Stine (Goosebumps) is interviewed by Dave Herman, and then reads passages from his books—as springboards for improvised scenes from a small mob of comics, including Dan Hodapp, Julie Sharbutt, Keisha Zollar, Steve Soroka, Micah Sherman, Brigid Boyle, Cathleen Carr, Abbi Crutchfield, and more. The awesomeness happens at The PIT upstairs theatre: Inside the Mind of R. L. Stine

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comedy teams Jacktown and Risky Bottom try out new material at this show with the on-the-nose title Magnet Sketch Teams

9:30 pm ($1): Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle

10:00 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

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