NYC Comedy Picks for Week of December 15, 2008

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 12/15/08

Dave Hill (Entertaining the B.), Macho! (Entertaining the B.), and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, tonight including Joe DeVito, Amy Beckerman, Margot Leitman,

Chelsea White, Karen Batista, Josh Comers, Myq Kaplan, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, Aalap Patel,

Matteson Perry, and John Morrison.—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] a comedic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, and more) as shared by their original authors in the hit storytelling show Mortified (8:00 pm),

Jamie Lee and other sharp NYC stand-ups at the biweekly Comedy Central at Crash Mansion (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] a blowout holiday event with stellar comics Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Chelsea Peretti (Comedy Central, Variety SHAC), Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show), Joselyn Hughes & Brooke Van Poppelen (sketch duo Macho!), and more at a free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] an entirely improvised musical from a genius improv duo (and among Eliza Skinner's

final NYC performances before moving to LA), and an improvised soap opera,

in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free weekly show typically featuring some of the finest comics in the country—Anthony Jeselnik (Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), Pete Holmes (VH1, Comedy Central), and Whyatt Cenac (correspoindent for The Daily Show)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

Ochi's Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).

Tonight's 6:30 lineup includes such fine stand-ups as Joe DeVito, Amy Beckerman, Chelsea White, Myq Kaplan, Gilad Foss, Luke Cunningham, Andy Haynes, Matt Ruby, Mike Warsaw, Phil Murphy, Jon Lang, Mike Lawrence, Latif Loveless, Upa Daisy, Michelle Dobrawsky, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, and John Morrison.

And the 9:00 pm show includes such talents as Margot Leitman, Karen Batista, Josh Comers, John Razos, Tim Ryan, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry.

Ochi's Motel is hosted at 6:30 by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry:

...and at 9:00 pm by Aalap Patel and Matteson Perry:

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Mortified

Mortified has been hailed as a "cultural phenomenon" by Newsweek, and celebrated by This American Life, The Today Show, The Onion AV Club, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and Daily Candy. The show is a comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) as shared by their original authors before total strangers. As the largest and longest-running project of its kind, its grassroots comedy collective has spent years sifting through hundreds of otherwise forgotten notebooks on a mission to celebrate the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Mortified is co-produced in New York by Brandy Barber & Anne Altman.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)

by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Comedy Central's Got Talent at Crash Mansion

The TV network with Comedy in its name demonstrates it truly knows what's funny by showcasing some of the finest comics in New York in this biweekly show.

Tonight's lineup of up-and-comers comics hasn't been announced, but it includes sharp stand-up Jamie Lee (above).

8:00 pm at Crash Mansion, 199 Bowery (at Spring Street); $5 cover plus 2-drink minimum

Take the J/M/Z subway to the Bowery stop or the 6 subway to the Spring Street stop

Chelsea Peretti, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen...

...and Dave Hill and Jena Friedman

Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman

Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. (When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success.)

Tonight's wonderful guests are

Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here),

Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; member of superb comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,

blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990),

Jon Friedman (host of the superb NYC live comedy extravaganza The Rejection Show; author of the book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled),

Joselyn Hughes (Comedysmack.com, Maxim radio, co-star of sketch duo Macho!; for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here),

Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; co-star of sketch show Macho!; co-host of New Jacks Showcase and Slumber Party at Comix; for a video sample, please click here),

Josh Filipowski (co-host of Carolines' annual March Comedy Madness competition),

Gabe Pacheco (Latino Comedy Hour), and

music from Chris Lind.

8:30 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street

Glennis & Eliza: I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns

Two unique improvisation shows for a mere five bucks.

Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses

at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating

an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,

immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist

Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;

what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.

You don't have to take my word for it, either:

the duo won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group; and they

recently starred in the Fringe festival hit Gem! A Truly Outrageous Parody,

which won two FringeNYC 2008 Awards.

Eliza will soon be moving to LA. Don't miss one of your final chances

to enjoy these comedic wizards at play on an NYC stage.

The double-bill then continues with Hot Lather, an improv group that specializes

in the soap opera format. Its members include some powerhouse performers:

Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher,  Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova, Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen, and Paul Welsh,

with direction by Rob Webber.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Pete Holmes, Anthony Jeselnik (being lauded by Robin Williams)...

...Leo Allen, and Wyatt Cenak

Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free

Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, Whiplash is produced by Jeremy).

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include

Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of

my favorite stand-ups ever; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, upcoming Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,  NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players;

for stand-up videos, please click here and here),

Pete Holmes (brilliant, lightning-fast stand-up;  VH1's Best Week Ever,

Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;

cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;

host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket), and

Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of upcoming indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here).

These are some of the funniest guys in the country.

If you love comedy, make a habit of attending this amazing free weekly extravaganza.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 12/16/08

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Amy Beckerman, Chelsea White, Chris

Conway, Gilad Foss, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Timmy Williams (member of star sketch troupe & IFC TV show Whitest Kids U' Know),

Eliza Skinner (half of genius musical improv duo I Eat Pandas), and MC Chris (popular comedic white nerd

rapper) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring all eight UCBT Harold

house troupes—at the gala extra-long holiday edition of Harold Night (8:00 pm),

terrific stand-ups Eric André, Becky Donohue, Nick Turner, Sean O’Connor, Matt Goldich, and

Pat Dixon at VH1's biweekly live comedy show VH to the One Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and hilarious star comics Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN),

God's Pottery (standouts on this past summer's Last Comic Standing), and Andres
du Bouchet (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, FOX) at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).

Broadway Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

Tonight's lineup includes such talents as Amy Beckerman, Chelsea White, Chris Conway, Gilad Foss, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry.

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum

MC Chris, Eliza Skinner, and Timmy Williams

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

A gala holiday edition & second anniversary celebration of this wonderful show tonight features these extra-special comedy guests—each of whom is also a comics fan:

Timmy Williams (member of star comedy group Whitest Kids U' Know, which currently has a TV show on the Independent Film Channel; writes a sharp comic book blog),

Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook; co-host of UCBT's The BEATdown; MTV's Damage Control); voice of the animated X-Men's Kitty Pryde), and

MC Chris (a.k.a. Christopher Ward; combines his love of pop culture and hip hop as popular nerdcore rapper; animator, voice artist, writer, and/or producer of such Adult Swim shows as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, and the upcoming Cheyenne Cinnamon and the Fantabulous Unicorn of Sugar Town Candy Fudge).

To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—

that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.

(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.)

Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

The Longest Harold Night of the Year

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

In tonight's extra-special holiday edition, every single UCBT Harold improv troupe

will perform for 25 minutes! The participating groups, in scheduled order, are:

8:00 pm: Ragnaröck

8:30 pm: DeCoster

9:00 pm: Whorenado

9:30 pm: Bangs

10:00 pm: Bastian

10:30 pm: The F*cking Kennedys

11:00 pm: The Scam

11:30 pm: Law Firm

This four-hour extravaganza is only $5!

Seats are sold out. However, you might be able to get in for standing room—especially as the evening wears on. (Not everyone will be staying for the entire event.)

Also (if memory serves), there might be a celebration involving beer after the final show.

8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Becky Donohue and Eric Andre

VH to the One Comedy Showcase

TV network VH1 sponsors this new NYC live comedy show, which happens

every other Tuesday at famed rock club The Bitter End.

Tonight's terrific scheduled comics are Eric André, Becky Donohue,

Nick Turner, Sean O’Connor, Matt Goldich, and Pat Dixon.

8:00 pm at The Bitter End, 147 Bleecker Street (bet. La Guardia Place and Thompson Street);

tickets are $5; take the A/C/E/F/V subway To West 4th Street stop

Seth Herzog, God's Pottery, and Jessi Klein

Sweet

Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).

Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.

Tonight's wonderful guests include

Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star; Rolling Stones' comedy

"Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn;

VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade;

voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil;

for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save

 the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here),

God's Pottery (Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson's delightful parody of a Christian folk singing duo who were shining stars on this summer's Last Comic Standing; UK TV comedy showcase The World Stands Up; Comedy Central album God's Pottery: Live at Comix!), and

Andres du Bouchet (writer for & performer on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten; also performed on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, and ESPN's Cheap Seats; to watch Andres explain song lyrics, please click here; and for lots more videos, please click here).

9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street  (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 12/17/08

Chris Gethard, Bobby Moynihan (cast member at SNL), and Noah Garfinkel will tell hilarious tales at The Nights of Our Lives

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

five free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (7:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] stellar comic Patrick Borelli (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central) sharing highlights and inside stories about his fascinating new humor book on aspiring actors and their primary marketing tool: Holy Headshot! (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—Chris Gethard, Bobby Moynihan, John Flynn, Noah Garfinkel, and Dave Martin—performing a "Year in Review" at one of the finest shows in NYC, The Nights of Our Lives (9:30 pm),

a comedic holiday celebration from a YouTube star: John Roberts' Holiday Show (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

For four hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Vacation Island and The Wilhelm perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon go on at 8:00 pm; and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous show their stuff at 9:30. Rounding out the evening are The Faculty, consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, and Rebekka Johnson.

If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.

7:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free

Holy Headshot! Book Promo & Showcase

Superb NYC comic Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ESPN's Cheap Seats, SuperDeluxe's Thunderpoint, Video Power Hour) and show biz photographer Douglas Gorenstein have teamed up to create the hilarious book Holy Headshot!: A Celebration of America's Undiscovered Talent, a collection of the oddest and funniest performers' headshots & resumes you're ever likely to see. Patrick and Douglas poured over 50,000 headshots to put together this remarkable gallery, which showcases everyone from aspiring amateurs striving to live out Hollywood dreams to seasoned professionals you might recognize from the big screen. A celebration of our national obsession with getting famous, Holy Headshot! offers up plenty of "What were they thinking!?" chuckles, but you'll also find yourself rooting for the performers who populate its pages. Tonight's show features slides from the book, insider "tales behind the tales" from Patrick, photos that didn't make the cut, and maybe even some of the folks included in the book.

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

The Nights  of Our Lives: The Year in Review

This is one of the best shows in New York.

The format is simple: A bunch of razor-sharp writer/performers tell stories

about themselves revolving around the evening's theme—which tonight

is "The Year in Review."

The only rules of the show are that the tales must be true, and must be funny.

The brutal honesty, and jarring bravery, of some the participants can be hair-raising.

What they offer aren't merely jokes, but resonant, humane perspectives on life.

At the same time, there are very few shows, on or off Broadway,

that will make you laugh as consistently and as loud.

Enormous kudos go to host David Martin; and to brilliant storytellers

Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Chris Gethard, Curtis Gwinn, Anthony King,

Margot Leitman, Adam Pally, and the other comedy soldiers who've bared

some of their darkest and funniest secrets on the Nights of Our Lives stage.

This evening's scheduled yarn-spinners are stellar core regulars Chris Gethard, John Flynn, and Dave Martin, plus comedy genius Bobby Moynihan (cast member on Saturday Night Live, member of Friday night UCBT improv star troupe The Stepfathers) and Noah Garfinkel (co-host with Joe Mande of wonderful NYC comedy show Totally J/K; for video dissections of Andy Rooney and Bill Engvall, please click here and here; for dueling birthday videos with Joe Mande, please click here and here).

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

John Roberts' Holiday Show

John Roberts is a member of acclaimed comedy troupe Pu-Pu Platter, and half of sketch troupe The Dregs...which was recently nominated for a broadband Emmy.

Roberts also heads rock band Opti-Grab, which has played with such stars as Blondie, Gogol Bordello, Scissor Sisters, and Tom Tom Club; and he recently collaborated musically with Debbie Harry, Jack Pierson, and The Ones.

For video samples from this YouTube comedy star, please click here and here and here.

Please Note: You can save $5 on tonight's $25 cover or save $10 before day of show on Thursday (i.e., pay $20 or $15 per ticket) by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

Tonight at 9:30 pm & Thursday at 8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between

8th & 9th Avenues); $20 per ticket tonight or $15 for Thursday

if you order online today using discount code HyReviews

Justin Purnell

School Night

Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,

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.

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this typically wonderful free show makes possible.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 12/18/08

Chris Gethard (Magic Box of Stories), Margie Kment (Hold for the Laughs), and Dave Hill (The Dave Hill Explosion)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] a wonderful networking event mixing folks from the NYC theatre and comedy scenes—with free wine and snacks!—followed by a full-blown comedy show with superb comics TJ Miller (David Letterman, co-star of ABC's Carpoolers), Kumail Nanjiani (Comedy Central rising star), Leslie Goshko (stellar storyteller & 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion), Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour), and more—hosted by the lovely & hilarious Margie Kment at Hold for the Laughs (6:30 pm party/networking, 8:00 pm show),

[TOP PICK] one of the most razor-sharp, oddball, and uproariously funny storytellers in the country debuting his one-man show in Chris Gethard's Magic Box of Stories (8:00 pm),

a comedic holiday celebration from a YouTube star: John Roberts' Holiday Show (8:00 pm),

Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), Hannibal Buress (Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), Brent Sullivan, and Patrick Borelli & Matt Hall (as wizards!), plus a gala after-party, at the holiday edition of this free weekly Brooklyn show hosted by Gabe Liedman & Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:15ish pm),

[TOP PICK] Dave Hill demonstrating he's one of the sharpest, freshest, funniest comics around

—accompanied this evening by star musician A. C. Newman—at The Dave Hill Explosion (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and the phenomenal Ben Rodgers pitting his solo improv skills against

troupe Bastion as they compete for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).

Kumail Nanjiani, Leslie Goshko, and TJ Miller...

...and Jacqueline Novak, Margie Kment, and David Cope

Hold for the Laughs

This is an exciting attempt to bring NYC's vibrant comedy and theatre worlds together.

It opens at 6:30 pm with a free wine and snacks networking party in which theatre and comedy folks can meet each other, and also get to know the artists involved in upcoming theatrical shows produced by the sponsor, Small Pond Entertainment. Come chat it up with producers, actors, comedians, technicians, theatre company reps, and other lovely folks who work in NYC's performing arts.

The event then shifts at 8:00 pm into a full-blown comedy show hosted by the

lovely and hilarious Margie Kment (for stand-up video about dating a stoner, please click here).

Tonight's superb stand-ups and comedic storytellers are

TJ Miller (co-star of ABC's Carpoolers; co-star of hit movie Cloverfield; razor-sharp

stand-up who's performed on Late Show with David Letterman and Opie & Anthony),

Leslie Goshko (exceptionally sharp comedic actress/writer; 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion; for Leslie's award-winning comedy bit about Internet dating, please click here; and for her bit on "the End Times Awareness Carnival," please click here),

Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about experiences with Islam—for my review, please click here; to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here),

Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here),

Sean O'Connor (VH1, NPR's This American Life; for fun stand-up videos, please click here and here), and

David Cope (comedic storyteller, and member of Sweet Haven sketch troupe; for videos of David relating an encounter with a prophet and reading his romance novel, please click here and here).

Please Note: It's recommended that you reserve in advance by emailing holdforthelaughs@gmail.com. First, this will allow you to purchase tickets for $10 instead of $12. Second, this will give you the opportunity to fill out a short questionnaire about your role in the NYC comedy and/or theatre community; your answers will be included in an information packet handed out to everyone to enhance networking both before and after the show. And third, last month's show sold out, so it's wise to ensure you don't get shut out of this superb holiday party celebrating NYC's theatre & comedy scenes.

6:30-8:00 pm for networking, 8:00 pm for comedy show at the Sage Theatre,

711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (between 47th & 48th Streets);

tickets are $10 if you reserve by emailing holdforthelaughs@gmail.com, $12 at the door

Brilliant comedic storyteller Chris Gethard will shower us tonight with his magically hilarious tales

Chris Gethard's Magic Box of Stories

Chris Gethard is one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York. Chris can be seen every Friday night as a member of ace improv group The Stepfathers, and every month as a member of the razor-sharp storytelling show the The Nights of Our Lives. Chris is also the author of the book Weird New York.

Tonight he's debuting a show crammed with memorable and jaw-droppingly funny tales that shouldn't be missed. Come catch this rising star.

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman & Max Silvestri

Gabe Liedman (of adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show. Tonight is the last for 2008, and will be a holiday bash.

The superb guests include Wyatt Cenac, Hannibal Buress, Brent Sullivan, and Patrick Borelli & Matt Hall (as wizards!).

And directly following the show will be "a spectacular after-party."

8:15ish pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street

John Roberts' Holiday Show

John Roberts is a member of acclaimed comedy troupe Pu-Pu Platter, and half of sketch troupe The Dregs...which was recently nominated for a broadband Emmy.

Roberts also heads rock band Opti-Grab, which has played with such stars as Blondie, Gogol Bordello, Scissor Sisters, and Tom Tom Club; and he recently collaborated musically with Debbie Harry, Jack Pierson, and The Ones.

For video samples from this YouTube comedy star, please click here and here and here.

Please Note: You can save $5 on tonight's $25 cover (i.e., pay $20 per ticket)

by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$20 per ticket if you order online using discount code HyReviews, plus two-item minimum

Dave Hill and Carl Newman

The Dave Hill Explosion

Dave Hill has written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues. Dave has also written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; starred in the MOJO Network TV series The King of Miami; creates comedic short films for both SuperDeluxe.com and Bud.com; and hosts this monthly extravaganza (to learn more, please click here). Dave says, "Sometimes I miss being able to walk into the free clinic and stuff without being harassed by people who watch television really late at night, but for the most part I gotta say this 'fame thing' suits me well. Really, really well." Indeed it does; Dave is an enormously witty, razor-sharp comic.

Dave's star musical guest is Carl Newman of The New Pornographers.

This show is likely to sell out. To make your reservation, please click here.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

vs.

Cage Match: Ben Rodgers vs. Bastian

This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the

atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows

as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.

(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)

Tonight is extra special as it features brilliant improvisor Ben Rodgers—normally the pitch-perfect and thoroughly hilarious co-announcer of Cage Match, and member of improv troupe Outlook of the Poet (which won this year's epic 3-on-3 Improv Tournament)—who's the only person in the history of Cage Match to compete solo! Ben wowed audiences this season with his ability to take over the stage and conjure complex tales filled with quirky characters using only his quick-witted imagination, acting skills, guts, and charisma.To read a description of the electric night Ben won against one of the very finest improv troupes in the country, Death by Roo Roo, please click here; and to read about Ben's defeat by another of the greatest improv troupes around, C, C + C Improv Factory, please click here.

Battling Ben this evening will be UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Bastian—Brian Barrett, Maggie Carey, Adam Frucci, Brandon Gardner, Lydia Hensler, Molly Lloyd, Oscar Magallanes, and John Murray.

Can one man triumph over eight seasoned improvisors—particularly when a key element of this unique art is forming a group mind? There's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 12/19/08

Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim) and Dave Hill (Of the Moment)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] superb stand-up guests Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central) and Claudia Cogan

(Logo, Sirius), and regulars including Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1), plus a visit

from "Jesus Claus," at this holiday edition of occasionally uncomfortable comedy

hosted by Blaine Perry & Pat Stango: Don't Touch Me There (7:30ish pm),

[TOP PICK] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious

autobiographical shows you'll ever see, plus comedic actor Nick Ross performing a show about

desperate characters, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Cool Your J (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] the blowout season finale of this terrific show mixing comedy and music,

with lots of fun bits planned by hosts Tim Ellis & Matthew Parks, plus stellar guests

Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Kevin Allison (legendary sketch troupe

The State), Ann Carr (VH1, Comedy Central), and Phil Yanos (guitarist for Dangaru) ,

all performing Of the Moment (8:00 pm),

a gay-themed stand-up comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),

sharp comics Matt McCarthy and Jamie Lee joining ace sketch troupe & host

Olde English performing all-new material for a show that's Very Fresh (11:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously odd things

tend to happen around 1:30 am, hosted by lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes

(Comedy Central, VH1; one of the finest comics in the country) at Gutbucket (12:20ish am).

Claudia Cogan, Blaine Perry & Pat Stango, and Hannibal Buress

Don't Touch Me There

Blaine Perry and Pat Stango host this comedy show

that doesn't mind being unsettling.

A typical Stango bit: "It creeps me out when I visit my parents' house and listen to them

say what a great sex life they still have. It especially freaks me out because

they died in a car accident 10 years ago."

If that made you laugh, you're a Don't Touch Me There kind of person.

Tonight's superb guests are

Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chicago's Finest,

upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy),

Claudia Cogan (ECNY Award nominee for Best Female Stand-Up;

Logo Network, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be

a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here), and

musical group Fortress of Solitude (UCBT-LA); plus

regulars/co-producers Steve Bossous, Sean Donnelly, Eliza Faria-Santos, and Roger Hailes, and "brand new live sketches, eggnog, short films, Turkey Claus the half-man half-Santa Claus, Rudolph the Incontinent Reindeer, a Nick Stahl Christmas Carol, and of course Jesus Claus!"

7:30 pm at Karma Lounge, 51 1st Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets); free

Charlie Sanders and Nick Ross

Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Nick Ross: Cool Your J

A phenomenal storytelling event, and one-woman sketch comedy, for a mere 10 bucks.

Charlie Sanders is an extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed numerous sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship). Tonight, however, Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia...as a Muslim.

This is one of the most hilarious and brilliantly performed one-man shows you'll ever see—with definite theatrical potential—and has my highest recommendation. Don't miss rising star Charlie Sanders demonstrate what he can do when running on all gears.

The double-bill then continues with Cool Your J, a one-man show by Nick Philip Ross (improv troupes Wilder, Sidework, and T.R.U.C.K.S.), who performs a variety of characters linked by desperation. Directed by Nate Smith (sketch troupe Rogue Elephant).

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Ann Carr and Kevin Allison...

...and Dave Hill, and hosts Tim Ellis & Matthew Park

Of the Moment

Tim Ellis & Matthew Park host this show mixing comedy and music

(for the duo's unique version of "The Sound of Silence," please click here).

Tonight is the season finale, and well worth catching for both the bits planned by the hosts and these exceptional guests:

Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here),

Kevin Allison (member of legendary sketch comedy troupe The State, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever,  Comedy Central's Reno 911, one-man show F*** Up),

Ann Carr (VH1's The Winners Circle, Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding, UCBT's High School Talent Show,The Pit's Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour), and

Phil Yanos (guitarist for the band Dangaru).

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Greg Fitzsimmons

Greg Fitzsimmons is a regular guest on Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel Live; and a regular commentator on VH1's Best Week Ever.

Fitzsimmons recently made his 50th appearance on The Howard Stern Show, and hosts his own radio show on Howard 101 every Monday.

He also hosts a new standup comedy series on STARZ, Special Sauce; and has done two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials.

In 2001, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival presented Fitzsimmons with the Jury Award for Best Comedian.

Fitzsimmons is also an acclaimed comedy writer who's won four Daytime Emmy Awards, wrote for HBO’s Lucky Louie, and was head writer on E!’s The Chelsea Handler Show.

Fitzsimmons is currently executive producing two TV pilots he created.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $32 cover tonight or $27 cover before day of show on Saturday (i.e., pay $27 or $22 per ticket) by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's also a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

Tonight & Saturday at 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between

8th & 9th Avenues); $27 per ticket tonight or $32 for Saturday

if you order online today using discount code HyReviews

Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach

The Back Room

Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),

hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV).

Tonight's stand-ups include

Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio),

Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and

Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).

9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Back: Will Hines, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, and Bobby Moynihan

Front: Chris Gethard, Shannon O'Neilll, and Silvija Ozols

The Stepfathers

Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,

Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,

and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.

With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Matt McCarthy and Jamie Lee...

...and Olde English

Very Fresh with Olde English

World-class sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English

(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)

host this extravaganza mixing sketch, stand-up, short films, and more—

and that asks comics to perform material that's all-new (i.e., Very Fresh).

Tonight's terrific guests include

Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show) and

Jamie Lee (VH1.com's Best Night Ever, Archers of Ha, Collegehumor.com).

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Pete Holmes

Gutbucket

UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.

If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be

lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.

But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity

to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.

And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of

a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments

about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever,

Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;

cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl).

Holmes' lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks

in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.

Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;

and this show is free.

On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:20 am to 2:00 am

adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something

weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.

For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both

patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.

12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/20/08

Alex Zalben (Elephant Larry), typical participants at UCBW: Hanukkaos, and Kambri Crews (Family Hour)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness

from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (7:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,

and The Daily Show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] an Emmy-winning comedy star on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Howard Stern, and Comedy Central performing a headlining set at Comix: Greg Fitzsimmons (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell relating their YouTube-documented romantic adventures

live on stage—possibly accompanied by visits from some of the gals—on Double Date Us (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which this season broke the Cage Match record

for winning streaks with 18 triumphs in a row, and has now taken over UCBT's prestigious prime-time

Saturday night slot—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

a small mob of talented comics—including stellar storyteller Kambri Crews, and the lovely & hilarious Margie Kment (accompanied by free baby Jesus cookies!)—telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (8:30 pm),

organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] an office holiday party created on the spot based on audience anecdotes

by brilliant improv troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced

theatrical comedy show—tonight with an open bar!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),

and a real live wresting show enlivened with UCBT raucous comedy at UCBW: Hanukkaos (Midnight).

Elephant Larry

Elephant Larry (above) is a NYC-based sketch group consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alex Zalben (former artistic director of  The PIT, co-host of the Comic Book Club, and co-producer of the spectacular annual SketchFest NYC). The troupe specializes in conceptual humor, silliness, and wordplay—for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For videos about a sci-fi version of Beckett and using Adobe Photoshop, please click here and here.

7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher

Let's Have a Ball

Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.

Among the players often performing are Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Dan Goor (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show).

7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Greg Fitzsimmons

Greg Fitzsimmons is a regular guest on Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel Live; and a regular commentator on VH1's Best Week Ever.

Fitzsimmons recently made his 50th appearance on The Howard Stern Show, and hosts his own radio show on Howard 101 every Monday.

He also hosts a new standup comedy series on STARZ, Special Sauce; and has done two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials.

In 2001, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival presented Fitzsimmons with the Jury Award for Best Comedian.

Fitzsimmons is also an acclaimed comedy writer who's won four Daytime Emmy Awards, wrote for HBO’s Lucky Louie, and was head writer on E!’s The Chelsea Handler Show.

Fitzsimmons is currently executive producing two TV pilots he created.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $32 cover (i.e., pay $27 per ticket)

by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's also a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$27 per ticket if you order online today using discount code HyReviews

Dave and Ethan: Double Date Us

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell challenged pairs of women to double date them,

then documented the results on YouTube. Tonight they relate their tales live on stage...

along with guest appearances. "And possibly even a live date."

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Margie Kment, "Auntie" Sara Benincasa, and Kambri Crews

Family Hour with Auntie Sara

In this unique weekly comedy show, everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to

their family. It's hosted by stand-up comic Sara Benincasa, whose many credits include correspondent for MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign and host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com. (Sara is also a fine comedic actress; to watch her be hilarious as Sarah Palin and as a yoga instructor, please click  here & here and here.)

Tonight's guests are

Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to  stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here; and keep an eye out for Kambri's first autobiographical book in 2009),

Margie Kment (producer/host of superb NYC monthly networking/comedy show Hold for the Laughs; for stand-up video about dating a stoner, please click here),

and (in alphabetical order) Dan Allen, Kevin Allison, Rachel Axelrod, Sean Donnelly, Mike Drucker, Michael Ennis, Eliot Glazer, Jay Hoskins, Mike Lawrence, Todd Montesi, Mark Normand, Harry Terjanian, and Josh Thomas,

plus free baby Jesus cookies!

8:30-9:45 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story

via improvised scenes. Always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.

9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

4 Track!

Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,

George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans

perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.

Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.

There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident

if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball

back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending

a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me

to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.

9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5