NYC Comedy Picks for Week of August 15, 2011

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 8/15/11

 

Wonderful improvisors at the elegant Cherry Lane Theatre charging a ridiculously low $10: Naked in a Fishbowl

 

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 in Queens' Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!) hosts this free open mic show for storytellers, in which you can put your name in a hat for the chance to tell a five-minute true story...and if it's a good one, possibly be included in Kevin's popular podcasts on the Web: Risk! Storyslam

[FREE] 7:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Kenney Joseph, Emma Willmann, John F. O'Donnell, Daniel Tirado, and Aaron Kiminos-Smith performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): My #1 pick for the 2007 FringeNYC Festival, this wonderful group of actresses/improvisors portray characters as if they were in a play, but improvise everything they say and do. The luminous performers include Katharine Heller, Brenna Palughi, Lynne Rosenberg, Lauren Seikaly, and Molly Knefel, each of whom is immensely appealing and quick-witted. Further, they have an intimate, lovely chemistry with each other; and they've all committed to baring their personal lives, thinly disguised via their characters (hence the title's Naked). As a result, this is one of the most honest & nuanced improvised shows you'll ever see. This show was previously a wonderful theatrical event that cost $18 and up. Don't miss this five-week Monday evening run, concluding tonight, at the elegant Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street, near the #1 subway's Christopher Street stop) that allows you to catch the gals for a mere $10: Naked in a Fishbowl

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Jon Fisch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, The Apprentice), Adam Lowitt (Producer at The Daily Show), Chris Laker (co-host of podcast It Could Be Better), and Joe Machi performing at a new monthly show at Brooklyn's Bruar Falls (245 Grand Street) hosted by a class act: Jacqueline Novak and Friends

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Abbi Crutchfield (co-host of Positively Awesome and The Living Room), Kara Klenk (co-host of If You Build It), Dave Lester, Mike Trainor, Jay Nog, Chris Gaynor, Jen Mutascio, and Peter Moses performing at Pat O'Shea's free biweekly Brooklyn showcase at Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue): Ed Sullivan on Acid

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) bringing their A-game—because their sets are captured at this new monthly show as audition tapes—performing at The PIT's basement lounge: The Grass Route: Built from the Underground Up

[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 8/16/11

Family Science

Ben Lillie and friends tell comedic tales about Family Science at this month's edition of The Story Collider...

 

...and Janeane Garofalo and Jessi Klein perform at The Moon 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] 7:00 pm ($5): Improv genius Tara Copeland teams up with both comedy veterans and students to perform musical improv at The Program

[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): Allison Downey (singer/songwriter, storyteller, professor), Nelson Lugo (vaudevillian), Julie Kraut (writer), Kelli Porterfield (comic/writer/producer), Dana Rossi (storyteller/writer), Rachel Wecht (actress/improvisor), and host Ben Lillie tell funny tales at this nerdy monthly show that tonight focuses on Family Science at Brooklyn's Pacific Standard (82 Fourth Avenue): The Story Collider

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): 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), Colin Jost (writer for Saturday Night Live; Jimmy Fallon), Bryan Tucker (writer/producer for Saturday Night Live), Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 9 million people on YouTube, please click here), Jon Savoy, and "special guests" performing at the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends

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

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Very Good Kiss, Dance Break, Grandma's Ashes, American Cousin, and Airwolf—and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students acting weird—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Queens LIC's The Creek hosted by Jackie Zebrowski, Julia Johns, and Sharron Paul: Twat's Up!

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Blowout show with movie & TV star Janeane Garofalo, 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), Nate Bargatze (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), and musical guest Field Mouse performing at Brooklyn's Public Assembly (70th North 6th Street, by the L subway's Bedford Avenue stop) along with sketches from Moon regulars Jordan Clifford, Bryan Condon, Stephanie Fagan, Tim Skinner, and Tim Whitney, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

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: BEEES! and The Sound & the Fury

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): 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), Vic Henley, Adrienne Iapalucci, and more performing at the PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free show, audience members can join in with veteran musical improv talents 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 hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/17/11

Justin Purnell Ian Roberts

Writers telling humiliating tales of being turned down by The Newlywed Game, Animal Planet, and more
at Jon Friedman's wonderful 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:

 

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

8:00 pm, 9:00 pm, and 10:00 pm ($5): Magnet house troupes performing improv, followed by a free show at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

8:30 pm ($5—which includes a free beer!): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Kareem Green, David Stone, and Mike Kaiser performing stand-up at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Nick Turner: Monsters

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Top comics and writers sharing memorable tales of their material being turned down—tonight including Adam Newman & Jessie Cantrell (Animal Planet rejection), Matt Koff (The Newlywed Game rejection), Andrew Goldstein and "Donald Trump" (Comedy Central Roast rejection), and a special rejection-y appearance by Giulia Rozzi—all at Jon Friedman's wonderful The Rejection Show

[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 show 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

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 8/18/11

Janeane Garofalo performs tonight at The Morrison Motel

 

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 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

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): An audition for a UCBT run by world-class storyteller Adam Wade: Adam Wade's Healthy Girls; plus an audition for what I'm guessing is a sketch show titled This is Not a Sketch Show

[FREE] 6:30 pm: In this free show, audience members (signing in at 6) can join in with veteran improv talents to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

8:00 pm ($10): "A 17-person middle school talent show created and performed by two people—Jo Firestone and Dylan Marron—who like themselves more now that they're older. A comedic tribute to the best three years of our lives, and a comedic play for anyone who ever thought it couldn't get any better than prank calls and slow-dancing:" Ridgefield Middle School Talent Nite

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Some of the Magnet Theatre's finest improvisors make up theatrical plays on the spot: Playhouse

8:00 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:" The Vigilante

[$] 8:00 pm ($30.50 & 2-drink min.) The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15, which includes 1 drink, if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $20]; call 212.989.9319 to reserve seats): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, plus Wayne Federman, Liam McEneaney, Baratunde Thurston, Sagar Bhatt, and Carla Rhodes performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel

[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): "Thin Skin Jonny. They had it all. They were icons, legends, anti-folk superstars. However, tragedy struck and they broke up, citing an alleged statutory charge, gay porn addiction, and Four Loko abuse. Now, two months later, they're back to do one last show—a benefit! Can they find a way to get along long enough to raise the money needed to re-animate the corpse of Bea Arthur? Maybe, with your help!" Performers include Ari Scott, with direction from Pam Murphy: Thin Skin Jonny: Farewell Reunion Tour

9:30 pm ($5): A brand new episode of a classic sitcom written (by Luke Ward) as if it was happening during the height of the show's popularity, with tonight's subject Family Ties: To Be Continued

9:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Jamie Kilstein, Jon Fisch, Adam Newman, and Reformed Whores performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for Sean Crespo's & Carol Hartsell's weekly comedy show Lasers in the Jungle

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT's basement lounger for The Scene

[$] 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 Carolines: Paul Mooney

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Spectacular musical improv troupe Diamond Lion competing against troupe Improv Nerds for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): Magnet improv troupes Brick and Dunk compete for audience laughs and votes—yes, like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component—at Inspirado

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/19/11

Kate McKinnon Brooke Van Poppelen

Kate McKinnon performs one of the best one-person shows of the year in Kate McKinnon on Ice,
Brooke Van Poppelen does stand-up at Hot Soup...

  Shannon O'Neill

...Wyatt Cenac performs at Wyatt and Friends, and Adam Wade tells hilarious stories at Sideshow Goshko

 

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 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] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Leslie Goshko (delightful storyteller/stand-up; Sirius XM, Manhattan Monologue champion) hosts this monthly storytelling show at the KGB Bar (85 East 4th Street, off Second Avenue), with tonight's stellar guests Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 17-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Real Tales of College and The Adam Wade show; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), Andy Christie (host of The Liar Show; The New York Times), and Colin Dempsey (ComedyLand), plus accordion playing by Dr. Michelle-Leona Godin: Sideshow Goshko

7:00 pm ($5): Sketch comedy from two friends who, by a wild coincidence, have the same name: We're Matt Weir

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Sketch comedy genius Kate McKinnon performing her latest one-woman show, which features "Singing! Dancing! Ice Skating! Hoarders! Conjoined Twins! Temple Grandin!" This inventive, dynamic production is among the very best to grace the UCBT stage this year. (And if you don't want to take my word alone, check out Jane Borden's Time Out New York review.) Kate is the most precious of diamonds in our NYC comedy community; come see why in Kate McKinnon on Ice ...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, remember how your father totally screwed you up? Imagine if you were brought up by Doug Moe: Doug Moe is a Bad Dad

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant stand-up, writer, and storyteller; blogger for trutV; TLC; co-host of Dive Comedy; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here), Matt Wayne, Nick Flanagan, and Damien Lemon performing stand-up at O'Hanlon's (14th Street off 1st Avenue) hosted by Mark Normand and/or Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

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

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($30.50 & 2-drink min.) The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[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 ($20, which includes 1 drink; call 212.989.9319 to reserve seats): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent on The Daily Show), plus Jessi Klein, Eddie Brill, Leo Allen, Christian Finnegan, Joe Mande, and host Sean Donnelly performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe: Wyatt Cenac and Friends

8:30 pm ($7): Ace improvisors who are married: The Mamas and the Papas

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Jeffery Joseph (Comedy Central), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents), RG Daniels (host of Sunday Night Stand-Up), Greg Stone, and musical duo The Reformed Whores performing at Brooklyn's Red Star Bar (37 Greenpoint Avenue) for hosts Nick Turner's & Jason Saenz's  Too Cool for School

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys) performs a 30-minute set at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Matt McCarthy Live

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

10:00 pm ($7): Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel) and Will Hines (UCBT star) each perform a 30-minute stand-up set at The 30/30 Club

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Comedy genius Thomas Middleditch (when he's not in LA), Nate Lang, Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Fran Gillespie Sue Galloway, and other superb improvisors make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before the 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

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Three NYC sketch troupes—award-winning dark comedy troupe Murderfist, guy duo Rue Brutalia, and New Excitement—each performing one of their most popular bits and one of their personal favorites in a sketch revue hosted by Aaron Kheifets: A-Side/B-Side

[$] 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 Carolines: Paul Mooney

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/20/11

Amy Schumer  Marina Franklin

Amy Schumer and Marina Franklin perform tonight at the Eastville Comedy Club

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

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

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($30.50 & 2-drink min.) The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), Esther Ku (Last Comic Standing finalist), Tony Kamin, Taylor Ketchum, and Tim Warner 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] 8:30 pm ($20, which includes 1 drink; call 212.989.9319 to reserve seats): The editors and writers of The Onion—Todd Hanson, Joe Garden, Baratunde Thurston, and Lane Moore—plus musical guest Brittain Ashford performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe with host Liam McEneaney: Peeling The Onion

[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—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($7): "Strange, mysterious, beautiful, and disgusting, this show will dazzle you with sketch comedy... and magic!" from witchy duo Angela DeManti & Emily Shapiro: The Weird Sisters

[TOP PICK] [$] 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): Killer line-up of Marina Franklin, Judah Friedlander, Amy Schumer, and DC Benny performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club's A-List

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: 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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe interviews an audience member about where he or she grew up and then creates 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): From the fearless and always innovative Shannon O'Neill, who won the 2011 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show: "I seem to have made a big ole mistake. I wrote a script, I purchased the props, but I forgot to rehearse it. And on top of that I HAVE NO CAST!!!! So... I am going to cast YOU, moments before the show starts. I will hand you a script, give you some props and instruct you to just listen and get ready to perform. Oh man this is going to be a fucking mess of BEAUTY!! If you want a chance to be cast, make reservations and get in line by 11:15pm. I, Shannon O'Neill will personally come out and hand pick the best damn group of Thespians this play has ever seen and will ever see because this play will only be performed ONCE, never to be seen again! What do I look for in a cast? I love fatties, I love skinnies, I love sober people, I love drunk people. I love you all. Every shape, size, and ethnicity. Let's hold hands and spin the world! What is this play about? Something real fucking weird. Thanks for helping me fix my mistake. I'll see you soon friends!:" The Unrehearsed, Historically Inaccurate Story of...

[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine, 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

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups James Adomian, Barry Rothbart, Adam Newman, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, with hosts Andy Haynes & Nick Turner promising "a rowdy late night comedy melee with beers being thrown, jokes being told, partial nudity, audience participation...there's no telling what might happen:" Midnight Run

[$] 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 Carolines: Paul Mooney

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/21/11

Matt McCarthy Ophira Eisenberg

Matt McCarthy, Ophira Eisenberg, and more celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of Vince Averill's Beauty Bar Comedy

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy today & tonight

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

 

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 2:00 pm: Vanessa Hollingshead (Comedy Central Presents, Showtime special, VH1), Gina Yashere (Conan O'Brien, regular on Jay Leno, Showtime one-hour special Skinny Bitch), and more performing for a free outdoor show at Mineral Springs in Central Park: Laughter in the Park

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open mic stand-up show (for details, please click here) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 6:00 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!

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT'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

[$] 8:00 pm ($30.50 & 2-drink min.) The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

8:00 pm ($5): Auditions for a show at Beaver Area High School: Beaver Drama; and in the other half of this double-bill, sketch troupe The Disappointments perform their best material to date in 100 Years of Ballitude

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Steve Hofstetter (Craig Ferguson), Jon Savoy, Daniel Carroll, Alex Grubard, and Tony Lajeune performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys), Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller with notable bangs; VH1, Showtime, host of TV pilot of The Liar Show), Greg Johnson, Katina Corrao, Adam Sokol, and Chris Jurek performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar to celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of Vince Averill's free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): A monthly screening of new short filmed sketch and comedy produced by members of the Magnet community: Flick Video Showcase

[$] 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 Carolines: Paul Mooney

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Brad Loekle celebrates the Third Year Anniversary of hosting this gay-themed show at Therapy with special guests, giveaways, and sup rises: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 4 minutes per comic, at The PIT's downstairs lounge hosted by Rob Stern: Vicious Cycle

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Two master improvisors: Ed Herbstman & David Razowsky

 

 

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