NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/1/09
Ted Alexandro (Whiplash), Janeane Garofalo (Tell Your Friends), and Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans, open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—tonight including Livia Scott, Jared Logan, RG Daniels, Luke Cunningham, Mark Normand, Hilary Schwartz, Julia Segal, Karen Batista, Francoise Gordon, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, Aalap Patel, Matteson Perry, and John Morrison—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] movie and TV superstar Janeane Garofalo, Dave Hill (brilliant alt comic; HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), Adam Lowitt (producer for The Daily Show, host of This Is It!), Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), and more at Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
[TOP PICK] an intimate interview with the former writing partner of Al Franken about his new book, Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There: Tom Davis (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] world-class comedic freestyle hip-hop from the stars of Freestyle Love Supreme (9:00 pm),
a one-man show from beloved comic Gabe Liedman and a musical comedy from sketch troupe The Calgary Whalers in No Answers and Serious Play: A Musical (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show featuring some of the best stand-up comics in the country—who tonight include Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials), Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Ahna Tessler (sketch comic, screenwriter, New Yorker cartoon deconstructionist), and Team Submarine (comedy duo Nate Fernald & Steve O'Brien)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central, HBO) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).
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 groups of stand-ups.
Tonight's 6:30 lineup includes Livia Scott, Julia Segal, Marsha Clarke, Mona Cooper, RG Daniels, Luke Cunningham, Mark Normand, Dan Cartwright, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, and John Morrison.
And the 9:00 pm lineup includes Jared Logan, Hilary Schwartz, Karen Batista, Francoise Gordon, Shannon Brandt, Lisa Haim, Upa Downa, Amy Albery, Billy Reno, Joe Pera, Jay Welch, Mike Payne, 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)
Janeane Garofalo and Dave Hill...
...and Wyatt Cenac, Adam Lowitt, and Jena Friedman
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's host is Jena Friedman (razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Entertaining the Bartender; playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here; for stand-up video on Sarah Palin's choice of child names, please click here),
And tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Janeane Garofalo (quite simply, one of the most influential and beloved comics of our time—no matter how much she gripes or pretends otherwise; most recently, Janeane was co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the FOX's hit series 24; Janeane's also a frequent guest on cable king Keith Olbermann's Countdown on MSNBC (patiently explaining why far-right Republicans can't be judged too harshly because they all suffer from malformed brains...); sample quote: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth;" for two decades of breathtakingly impressive credits, please click here),
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),
Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of 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),
Adam Lowitt (producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show
It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here).
and more.
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); tickets are $5
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z
Interviewer Carl Arnheiter and SNL pioneer Tom Davis
Host Carl Arnheiter (writer for ABC News, The Discovery Channel,
People Magazine, Time Out New York, and a superb interviewer)
will tonight conduct a heavily-researched 90-minute chat with an Emmy-winning SNL legend.
Tom Davis is best known for his work with Al Franken in the comedy duo Franken & Davis. He and Franken were among the original writers of Saturday Night Live back in 1975, and Davis spent 12 years on SNL helping make it into a comedy institution that defined a generation.
Davis is also the author of the new book Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There. Tonight he's likely to talk about "everything from coming up with the idea for the Coneheads with Dan Aykroyd, to bar-hopping around Manhattan with Bill Murray and Paul Shaffer creating the Nick the Lounge Singer sketches, to his 20-year relationship with comedy partner Al Franken, to creating The Continental sketches for Christopher Walken"—and more.
This is likely to be a very fun interview, with fascinating insider anecdotes about the early days of SNL.
It's not sold out yet, but oughta be. Grab reservations by clicking here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Freestyle Love Supreme is an amazing comedic freestyle hip-hop group, using audience suggestions as a springboard for creating improvised music inspired by jazz, rap, and comedy. Tonight's performers include Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale. The last three guys co-founded FLS; and Miranda and Veneziale are the writer and director of the Broadway hit In the Heights, which recently won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical. Don't miss this chance to catch these exceptional performers while they're still charging affordable prices to see them.
This comedy club show is $25, plus a one-item minimum (with tax & tip, figure about $7 or up).
For more info and/or to order tickets, please click here.
9:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); $25 plus 1-item minimum
Gabe Liedman: No Answers and The Calgary Whalers: Serious Play—A Musical
Two comedy shows for a mere five bucks.
First up is the debut of No Answers, a one-man show from adorable foul-mouthed comic Gabe Liedman, co-host of the highly popular weekly NYC live comedy show Big Terrific.
The double-bill then continues with the musical comedy Serious Play: A Musical from sketch troupe The Calgary Whalers, consisting of Mike Pullan, Justin Grace, Liz Varner, Evan Johnston, and Reni Calister.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Leo Allen and Ted Alexandro...
....and Tom Shillue, the special wit of Ahna Tessler, and Team Submarine
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 half-hour specials; done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; and is in an upcoming HBO miniseries. Plus Leo's the host of this show—for which he crafts inventive, hilarious material week after week, and always generously demonstrates his warm appreciation of his fellow comedians. For all these reasons and more, Whiplash is one of the finest showcases of top comedy talent in the country...and it's entirely free.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Ted Alexandro (one of the best stand-ups around; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The View, and two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; described by Uproar as having "an appeal similar to Ray Romano and Jerry Seinfeld"),
Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; does storytelling podcasts; hosts acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork; one-man show Supernormal; comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),
Ahna Tessler (innovative sketch comedy performer, usually with partner Lauren Engel; written pilots for NBC and a movie for Dimension Films, and currently writing film for Relativity Films; performed in horror movie Offspring), and
Team Submarine (comedy duo Nate Fernald & Steve O'Brien who were one of the highlights of last year's SketchFest NYC 08; perform very smartly written dialogues, delivered with a crisp timing and comfortable camaraderie).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/2/09
Eugene Mirman (Punch Up Your Life), X-Men writer Chris Claremont (Comic Book Club), and Hannibal Buress (Sweet)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),
comedians getting rid of their stuff by telling tales about the items and then selling to the highest bidder at the way fun Auction! (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] witty writers offering delightfully silly lectures about riding the NYC subway in the Brooklyn comedic show Adult Education (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] legendary comics writer Chris Claremont (X-Men Forever) and book author Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes DeCoster, Scootch, Ragnaröck, The Scam, and The Bishop—followed by two top improv troupes, Outlook of the Poet and Gwindleditch, all at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Adult Swim's Delocated, VH1, book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life, host of Tearing the Veil of Maya), John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy CD The Top Part), and Nick Stevens (VH1's All Access, The Shark Show) performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson, concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy), Kevin Allison (HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Reno 911, legendary MTV sketch show The State), John Hamburg (writer/director of hit film I Love You, Man), Wayne Federman (head monologue writer for Jimmy Fallon), and Amy Schumer (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central) performing at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).
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.
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
This fun show hosted by Chris Sifflet and Kevin Tor "acts as an alternative to the impersonality of eBay and the seriousness of The Antiques Road Show. At Auction!, comedians bring hilarious stories along with their objects, and you bring riot gear and a few bucks for the bid wars that follow."
Expect to be given 25 cents for your kick-off bid. Most items sell for under $5; and they can range from hockey posters to drug paraphernalia.
7:30 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)
This monthly comedy show hosted by Charles Star tackles a subject with humorous "lectures." Tonight's topic is the NYC subway system.
The lectures are
Building a Better Subway Map: Can the NYC subway map be improved? Designer Eddie Jabbour thinks so.
Take the A Train: Author Suzanne Reisman provides a guide to hidden treasures along the A train's route.
The Passive-Aggressive Turd From the Suburbs: How Matt Munro learned about the true nature of his soul after building what he thought was a silly Web site: www.peoplewhositinthedisabilityseatswhenimstandingonmycrutches.com.
Underground Life Drawing: On the subway, you might see people reading, sleeping, listening to music, or just generally zoned out. Cully Long sees models for his sketches.
This promises to be smart, witty, and enormous fun.
Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue
in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $5
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guests are legendary comics writer Chris Claremont, who helped make the X-Men one of the great success stories in the biz and is currently writing X-Men Forever; and Douglas Wolk, author of the 2007 analytical book Reading Comics.
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.) Please also check out the YouTube version of the show by clicking here.
Also be sure to watch a tale about Wolverine's powers from sketch duo Greg & Lou by clicking here; and a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.
And if by some fluke you don't already know: See Star Trek, which is wonderful; avoid X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is nightmarishly dreadful; and catch a Green Lantern sneak peak by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
DeCoster, Scootch, Ragnaröck, The Scam, and The Bishop—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
And at 11:00 pm, there'll be 30-minute performances from each of two exceptional improv troupes: Outlook of the Poet, consisting of Jonathan Gabrus (The Law Firm), Ben Rodgers (Reuben Williams), and Gavin Speiller (Death By Roo Roo); and Gwindleditch, consisting of Peter Gwinn (The Colbert Report) and Thomas Middleditch (Improvised Shakespeare, Baby Wants Candy).
Some of the groups before 11:00 pm are great; some are less so. And the
first three hours are designed more for students of improv than the general public.
But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you
a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.
Tonight's show is sold out of seats; but if you're okay with standing,
come
and laugh with a boisterous packed house.
8:00-midnight pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Eugene Mirman and John Mulaney...
...and brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein
This free weekly stand-up show is a spectacular addition to NYC Tuesday night comedy. Its hosts are two of the finest comics in the country:
Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star—and now also proving to be, along with Pete, among the finest comedy hosts in NYC; 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) and
Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; 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;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and
En Garde, Society!; award-winning co-host of hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),
John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; since August 2008 has been staff writer for Saturday Night Live; frequently appears on VH1's Best Week Ever; performed stand-up twice on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up Comedian; selected by Variety as among the 10 Comics to Watch for 2008; just released his first comedy CD, The Top Part; to check out videos of John's two Conan sets, please click here and here), and
Nick Stevens (VH1's All Access; Boston fan Fitzy on ESPN; hosted 2001-2007 NYC live comedy production The Shark Show).
8:30 pm at Housing Works’ Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street (bet. Prince & Houston); free
Nearest subway stops are Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the B/D/F/V
John Hamburg and Hannibal Buress...
...and Seth Herzog and Kevin Allison
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 superb guests include
Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy),
Kevin Allison (former cast member of legendary MTV sketch comedy show The State, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Reno 911),
John Hamburg (writer/director of hit film I Love You, Man),
Wayne Federman (head monologue writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), and
Amy Schumer (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars and Reality Bites Back, Ellen; for Amy's video interview with Sarah Silverman, 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 6/3/09
Super-storyteller Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim) and John Mulaney (Big Terrific)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),
[TOP PICK] razor-sharp writer/comic Joe Mande, with the aid of superb performers Chris Gethard and Jenny Slate, recreating on stage Joe's experiences interning for The Maury Povich Show at Workdays with Maury (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious autobiographical shows you'll ever see, plus a one-woman comedic play performed and co-written by Jill Donnelly, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Amnesia (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Adult Swim's Delocated, VH1, book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life, host of Tearing the Veil of Maya), John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy CD The Top Part), Anthony Jeselnik (writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), and more at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),
[FREE] Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson, concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy) and other sharp NYC stand-ups at a free weekly comedy show hosted tonight by Matt Maragno: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),
[FREE] stellar storyteller Melanie Hamlett; NYC stand-ups Pat Galante, Brendan Fitzgibbons, and Mara Herron; and sketch comedy performers Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting at a free show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a fun new monthly show featuring sharp NYC comics telling their funniest one-liners at host Matt Goldich's 25 Words or Less (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 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 five hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Party Lights and Ali Farahnakian kick things off at 6:00 pm; The Wilhelm and Tomahawk perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Mrs. Esterhouse go on at 8:00 pm; The Baldwins and Punch show their stuff at 9:00; and Halfbear and The Faculty (consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, Chris Grace, and Rebekka Johnson) round out the evening at 10:00.
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.
6:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Joe Mande: Workdays with Maury
Joe Mande wrote and co-stars in the comedic mini-play Workdays with Maury, a hilarious memoir about interning on The Maury Povich Show. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to pursue your dreams by moving to NYC and end up working for free on a seedy talk show, don't miss this smartly written true-life tale by Joe (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb monthly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K).
The show also co-stars these two razor-sharp comedic actors:
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York), and
Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006).
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Ace storyteller Charlie Sanders, and writer/actress Jill Donnelly
Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Jill Donnelly: Amnesia & Attempted Murder in Upstate NY
A phenomenal storytelling event, and a one-woman comedic play, all for a mere five 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 fun then continues with the comedic play Amnesia & Attempted Murder in Upstate NY written by Jill Donnelly & Amy Flanagan, performed by Jill, and directed by Amy. The official description: "We've all been pushed down the stairs once or twice by a family member and fallen into a coma, right? And who hasn't woken up a year later with amnesia? This one-woman show explores the characters, the comedy, and the dark side of this strangely common story. Ten characters fill in the details for one amnesiac, Jane, in a night filled with dirty tales, creepy songs, deranged siblings, dungeons and dragons, and more." Sounds cool.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Eugene Mirman and John Mulaney...
...and co-hosts Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate, and Anthony Jeselnik
Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for Jenny's dating tips, please click here and here) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show.
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and
En Garde, Society!; award-winning co-host of hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),
John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; since August 2008 has been staff writer for Saturday Night Live; frequently appears on VH1's Best Week Ever; performed stand-up twice on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up Comedian; selected by Variety as among the 10 Comics to Watch for 2008; just released his first comedy CD, The Top Part; to check out videos of John's two Conan sets, please click here and here), and
Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of
my favorite stand-ups ever; staff writer for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO's Down & Dirty, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players; for hilarious stand-up videos, please click here).
8:00ish pm at Cameo, 93 North 6th Street (behind Lovin' Cup) in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk two blocks; between Berry & Wythe
Hannibal Buress
This fun new weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment (also host of the monthly comedy/theatre networking extravaganza Hold for the Laughs), and character-based comic Matt Maragno (who's going solo tonight, as Margie is in LA).
Tonight's guests are
Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy),
and Sean Pearlman, Harrison Greenbaum, Katie Riffey, and Trey Galyon.
8:00 pm at Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street); free
This free weekly show tonight features stellar storyteller Melanie Hamlett; NYC stand-ups Pat Galante, Brendan Fitzgibbons, and Mara Herron; and sketch comedy performers Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting.
And a videographer will be preserving tonight's show for posterity.
Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.
8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
Host Matt Goldich
This fun new monthly show features "some of New York's best comedians telling their funniest one-liners." It's hosted by Matt Goldich (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NY1's The Call, contributor to book Bar Mitzvah Disco; for a stand-up sample, please click here).
Tonight's guests include
Ali Waller (writer for Late Night with Jimmy
Fallon),
Julian McCullough (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),
Rena Zager (Comedy Central's Premium Blend),
Scott Rogowsky (writer for The Onion),
Jiwon Lee (http://jiwonleecomedy.blogspot.com),
and
Scott Boxenbaum (visiting from LA).
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)
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) provides a mix of guests who perform 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.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.
Please note that while it costs nothing to get in, if you have a good time (which is likely), you should drop a dollar or two into the contribution bucket on your way out. It's the only way this beloved show—which has been running for over five years—can stay alive as a vibrant showcase.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/4/09
Gavin Speiller (Cage Match), Gilbert Gottfried (Headlining at Carolines), and Marc Maron (Comedy Below Canal)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] world-class improvisor and utterly unique comic Eugene Cordero performing his special brand of silliness in a solo show, plus Caitlin Tegart, Timothy Dunn, and D'Arcy Erokan delivering sketch comedy, in the double-bill Weird Birds and How Rude (8:00 pm),
[$] a unique comedy star headlining at Carolines for one night only: Gilbert Gottfried (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] Adira Amram (brilliantly funny, sexy, rising star writer/singer), Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson, concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy), Jamie Kilstein (Just for Laughs Festival; writer for Huffington Post, 236.com, McSweeney's; opened for Lewis Black, Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, Marc Maron), Becky Yamamoto (Stickerbook), Julia Siegal, and more performing at a weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30ish pm),
[TOP PICK] one of the most respected comics in the biz, Marc Maron (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central, one-man show Scorching the Earth) and other talented stand-ups at the 92YTribeca comedy showcase Comedy Below Canal (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] stellar stand-up comics Jessica Kirson (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, Bravo), Bobby Tisdale (legendary co-host of the seminal and much-beloved former NYC comedy show Invite Them Up), and Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Comix, Maxim Radio, Macho!) joining the fresh, sexy, and razor-sharp gals of Variety SHAC (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and Scootch, in a battle to win audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Eugene Cordero
Eugene Cordero: Weird Birds and Tegart, Dunn, and Erokan: How Rude
Two sketch comedy shows for a mere five bucks.
Eugene Cordero is a brilliant improvisor who performs in troupes Reuben Williams, The Buffoons, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company. Tonight, however, Eugene goes scripted & solo, pretending to be a variety of oddballs performing at a shabby open mic show. Expect fun. Directed by brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director Anthony King.
The double-bill then continues with How Rude, a sketch comedy show written by Caitlin Tegart, performed by Timothy Dunn and D'Arcy Erokan, and directed by comedy genius Neil Casey (Death by Roo Roo, Krompf).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Gilbert Gottfried: Headlining at Carolines
Gilbert Gottfried is performing for one night only at Carolines.
This New York comedy club show has a $24.50 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$24.50 ticket plus two-drink minimum
James Eason and Tara Copeland
A group of stellar improvisors, some of whom are former members of legendary improv troupe Mother, perform long-form improv based on an audience suggestion. This new group's members are Tara Copeland, James Eason, Jessica Allen, Paul W. Downs, Jesse Falcon, and Rachel Hamilton.
Please note: Paying $5 actually entitles you to see shows at The Magnet for the entire evening, which includes several improv shows following this one. For details, please click here and then scroll down to Thursday's listings.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hannibal Buress, Adira Amram, and Becky Yamamoto
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 superb guests are
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;
co-star of Get Psyched!, one-woman show Adira Amram is an American Idol at Ars Nova; upcoming second album Hot Jams 4 Teens; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy),
Jamie Kilstein (Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; writes for Huffington Post, 236.com, McSweeney's; has opened for Lewis Black, Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron; for stand-up video about gay sex and Texas, please click here),
Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Times, The New Yorker, etc.
for her recent performance in the play Songs of the Dragon Flying to Heaven;
member of all-female comedic rock band Stickerbook),
and Julia Siegal, Jason Kanter, and Scott Boxenbaum.
8:30 pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); tickers are $5
Take the F subway to 2nd Avenue & Houston stop or the L subway to 1st Avenue & 14th Street stop
Marc Maron and Jamie Lee
Comedy Below Canal: Marc Maron, and More
Marc Maron is a star comic who's a frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman
and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Marc has performed a solo comedy special for
HBO Comedy Half-Hour, and two solo specials for Comedy Central Presents.
Marc's many other TV appearances include being a regular on
Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.
In addition, Marc performed a popular off-Broadway one-man show,
Jerusalem Syndrome, which he then turned into a 2001 book;
and he co-hosted Morning Sedition on Air America Radio, and hosted
The Marc Maron Show on LA's KTLK-AM.
Marc is a comic's comic, highly respected for his observations
about culture, politics, and life in general.
Tonight Marc performs along with such other talented NYC stand-ups as Greg Johnson, Jamie Lee, Myq Kaplan, and Nikki Glaser.
For more info and/or to order tickets, please click here.
9:00 pm at 92YTribeca Mainstage, 200 Hudson Street (intersection of Canal & Hudson Streets); $10
Take the 1/6/E subway to Canal Street stop
SHAC hosts/stars Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, & Shonali Bhowmik
The hard-to-resist members of this hilarious group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik,
and superbly quirky comics Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen.
The show typically features songs, brilliant stand-up comedy, and funny short films
made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Jessica Kirson (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend), VH1, Bravo),
Bobby Tisdale (comedy giant who for five years co-hosted the seminal
NYC weekly live comedy show Invite Them Up with Eugene; Comedy Central album;
film Junebug; HBO's Hysterical Blindness; show on SuperDeluxe.com), and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Comix; other half of sketch duo Macho!; Chicago Public Radio, Cosmo Radio, Maxim Radio; popular blog NYisretarded.blogspot.com; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Scootch
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.)
This season's champion, for several months running, is arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller.
DBRR was by far the winning-est group last season, trouncing 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! It went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace. And it's repeating history this season, steamrolling over opponents with apparent ease—though last week for, fir the first time this season, a squeaker, with DBRR garnering 97 votes to Robber Baron's 86.
Tonight's improv team aimed at toppling a giant is Harold Night troupe Scootch, consisting of Jennifer Bartels, D'arcy Erokan, Brian Faas. John Frusciante, Jon Gutierrez, Hal Phillips, Kate Riley, and Nick Ross.
As last week's voting demonstrates, 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 6/5/09
Miranda Sings (The Back Room), Jenny Slate (Dead Millionaire), and Shockwave (The BEATdown)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
Ann Carr doing a one-woman show about the hardships of being a struggling New York actress in Use It (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a one-woman show from Jenny Slate (one of the most unique and intriguing comics in NYC, who co-hosts acclaimed weekly comedy show Big Terrific), plus the debut of a fantasy play about our President, in Dead Millionaire and Waiting for Obama (8:00 pm),
[$] internationally popular comedy star Arj Barker (HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents) performing tonight and Saturday night Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[FREE] sharp stand-ups Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents), Roger Hailes (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and Chappelle's Show, VH1's Best Week Ever), Julia Segal, Scott Boxenbaum, Trey Galyon, and more at this free weekly show in Brooklyn hosted by Nick Turner and Cassidy Henehan: Too Cool for School (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] an extra-special musical comedy lineup tonight, including stellar singer/songwriter Ben Lerman, hilarious YouTube sensation Miranda Sings, Danny Leary (MTV, here! TV), Chris Ducette (FOX, NPR), and more at a gay-themed 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),
a groundbreaking and surreal improv troupe tackling our new hard times
in Centralia: The Really Great Depression (9:30 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a comedic freestyle rap contest featuring some of the funniest & sharpest comics in NYC—who tonight are Adira Amram, MC Chris, Victor Varnado, John Gemberling, and Utkash Ambudkar—plus a volunteer from the audience!, hosted by genius comedic musical performers Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme) and Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas), all at The BEATdown (11:00 pm).
Ann Carr
This one-woman show written and performed by Ann Carr (VH1's The Winners Circle, Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding, UCBT's High School Talent Show) deals with the darker side of the biz: "If you find yourself crying openly in a Starbucks about the Webisode audition you just went on, you need to find a way to channel that shit. Ann Carr bites the hand that feeds her (well, almost feeds her) and draws upon her host of experiences as an actress in New York by making fun of the industry and the people who fuel it." In a previous version I saw, some scenes were memorable, some not so much. But the highlight—a confrontation between an actress who's become a star and the one who hasn't—is worth experiencing. Directed by improv genius Eliza Skinner.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jenny Slate
Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire and Waiting for Obama: A Night at the Halls of Presidents
Two superb comedy shows for a mere 10 bucks.
Jenny Slate is a sly, sexy, hilarious comic who's the co-host of acclaimed Brooklyn weekly live comedy show Big Terrific and the co-star of Joe Mande's superb comedic play Workdays with Maury. For some of Jenny's video dating tips, please click here and here.
Tonight Jenny performs a one-woman show which "takes place during my funeral, if I died right now as an eccentric millionaire and left 300 million dollars to my dog. Who will be at my funeral? Who will inherit my dog and his money? Don't you love a good funeral party?" Directed by the witty and razor-sharp John Flynn (The Nights of Our Lives).
The fun then continues with the debut of a comedic one-act play titled Waiting for Obama: A Night at the Halls of Presidents. The official description: "On July 4, 2009, President Barack Obama will be inducted into Disney World's Hall of Presidents. Find out just how the other presidents feel about that. Join Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Hayes, Roosevelt (the one that's a Democrat), Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan as they all vie for the coveted spot next to the Hall's newest occupant. Part political satire, part workplace comedy, it explores the legacy of these vaunted presidents and tests their knowledge of Disney movie lyrics." It's written by Caitlin Tegart, directed by comedy genius Neil Casey, and stars Timothy Dunn, Matt Fisher, Will Hines, John Murray, Winston Noel, Ben Rameaka, and Joe Spellman.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Arj Barker: Headlining at Comix
Arj Barker is a superb and highly popular international comic who's been a cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; performed his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; done stand-up comedy repeatedly on Late Show with David Letterman and Conan O'Brien; and was a cast member of the popular off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues..
This comedy club show is $28 tonight, or $23 for Saturday if you buy today online
Please 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);
tickets are $28 tonight, $23 Saturday if you buy today online, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Roger Hailes, and hosts Cassidy Henehan and Nick Turner
This new & free weekly comedy show is hosted by
Cassidy Henehan (for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and
Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).
Tonight's stand-up guests are
Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, The Bob
and Tom Show, cool suits)
Roger Hailes (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and Chappelle's Show,
VH1's Best Week Ever, cool hair)
Julia Segal (UCB, cool voice),
Scott Boxenbaum (from LA!, cool cross country trip),
Trey Galyon (Rooftop Comedy, recently moved from Austin!, cool medieval sounding
last name),
and probably another really cool guy.
8:00 pm at Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn; free
Take the G subway to Greenpoint Avenue stop
Jenny Rubin, "Miranda Sings," and Ben Lerman
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics)
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).
Tonight's extra-special guests are very funny comics who sing:
Ben Lerman (hilarious, razor-sharp singer/songwriter; Sirius Radio),
Miranda Sings (uproariously funny parody of a singer wannabe—and who's become a genuine YouTube phenom; to see the video that started it all, please click here; and to watch a memorable live performance, please click here),
Danny Leary (MTV, here! TV's Hot Gay Comics),
Chris Ducette (FOX, NPR, Gotham Comedy Club),
plus
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent) and
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted).
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: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil
Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
Just to give you a feel for the talent involved, Delaney and Secunda are members of legendary improv troupe The Swarm; Gethard is a storytelling genius; and Moynihan (who still comes by on Fridays when he can steal the time) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.
With art and grace, these quick-witted comedy stars will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Centralia: The Really Great Depression
Acclaimed improv troupe Centralia consists of Kevin Scott, Jay Rhoderick, and Matt Higgins (Comedy Central, PSNBC; former improv instructor at Yale School of Drama; also founding member of improv troupe Burn Manhattan; three-time finalist for the Andy Kaufman award; for a stand-up sample, please click here).
The official description: "Centralia returns with hit show The Really Great Depression, an improvisational journey through the new Hard Times. Centralia weaves its surreal and hilarious tales inspired in part by market nosedives, corporate bailouts and bank implosions. As we teeter on the brink of new Hoovervilles, breadlines and asking a brother to spare a dime, Centralia delivers its patented brand of script-less scenes, songs and mayhem. Matt Higgins, Jay Rhoderick, and Kevin Scott have been performing together for more than a decade, beginning with the legendary Burn Manhattan. The Really Great Depression is the latest step in their evolution, and it features the amazing musical talents of (Antibalas, TV On The Radio, Fela)."
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied
by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as
Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,
Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
MC Chris and Adira Amram...
This lively show is a comedic freestyle rap competition.
(Think 8 Mile, only way funnier.)
It's hosted by two comedic musical geniuses:
Shockwave (Chris Sullivan, cast member of PBS' The Electric Company
and amazing human beatbox of Freestyle Love Supreme;
The Age wrote he "uses his mouth like a sound effects program that
no computer could possibly match for depth of stored data or
instantaneous retrieval." And Seth Herzog wrote, "One of the most entertaining
sound effect/comedic artists you'll ever see. He stole the show at the
closing night of Mo Pitkins," referring to a 3-hour blowout that Seth hosted
and that featured such artists as Moby!), and
Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas
and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook;
MTV's Damage Control).
Tonight's genius contestants are Adira Amram, MC Chris, Victor Varnado, John Gemberling, and Utkash Ambudkar—plus a volunteer from the audience!
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Raspberry Brothers Tackle Terminator
Effectively providing a live version of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—tear to shreds a Hollywood feature film with clever observations throughout. The movie is screened in a genuine movie theatre, Chelsea Cinemas on 23rd Street off 8th Avenue (just a few blocks away from UCBT).
Tonight's target is Terminator, which is actually one of the finest SF movies of all time. Come and see the boys rise to the challenge of making fun of a genuinely great film.
To purchase tickets in advance, please click here.
Midnight at Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $15
The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!
If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.
But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.
Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
Jay Oakerson and Marina Franklin
Marina Franklin, Big Jay Oakerson, and More at Comic Strip Live
Comic Strip Live's late night lineup includes
Marina Franklin (Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show, Comedy Central's Premium Blend); thoroughly winning host of recent comedy concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy) and
Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO's P. Diddy's Bad Boys of Comedy, Showtime's White Boyz in the Hood, Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn).
This comedy club show is $27, plus a $20 two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $26 or up).
To learn more, please click here; to order tickets, please click here.
12:30 am at Comic Strip Live, 1568 Second Avenue (between 81st & 82nd Street);
tickets are $27, plus 2-drink minimum
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/6/09
Arj Baker (Headlining at Comix), Janeane Garofalo (Diamonds in the Fluff), and Marc Maron (Eastville Comedy Club)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] four sharp storytellers—who tonight are Carolyn Castiglia (Last Comic Standing, VH1), Robin Gelfenbien (VH1, 2008 FringeNYC show My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey), Dan Allen (Comedy Central's Premium Blend), and host Andy Christie (The New York Times, Moth GrandSlam Champion)—trying to mislead the audience at The Liar Show (6:00 pm),
Ali Wong, Kevin McCaffrey, Pat Stango & Blaine Perry, Morgan Venticinque, David Balutanski, and "special guests" at NYC stand-ups at Sean Donnelly's Lil' Seany Boy (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of the most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country performing a one-man show that should not be missed: Chris Gethard's Magic Box of Stories (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] a blow-out gathering of wonderful comedic talent that should not be missed, including superstar Janeane Garofalo, and red-hot comics Baron Vaughn and Livia Scott, at a show benefiting an animal shelter: Diamonds in the Fluff (8:00ish pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] superb and internationally popular comedy star Arj Barker (HBO's Flight of the Conchords, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents) Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] comedy star Marc Maron and more performing at a no-cover show (if you use code HyReviews) at the Eastville Comedy Club (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (9:00 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—making funny remarks about a Hollywood feature film screened in an actual movie theatre, with tonight's victim being The Terminator (midnight),
[TOP PICK] and top UCBT talents—including Neil Casey, Eugene Cordero, Sue Galloway, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, and Gavin Speiller—writing and/or performing sketch comedy Beneath Gristedes (midnight).
Four funny people tell amazing stories. Three of the tales are absolutely true...but one of them is a pack of lies. The audience then asks questions to try and identify the fibbers. Hosted by Andy Christie (The New York Times, 2007 Moth GrandSlam Champion, author of book I Wasn't Kidding).
Tonight's stellar yarn-spinners are
Andy Christie, the show's host,
Carolyn Castiglia (Last Comic Standing, VH1's White Rapper, Nick at Nite, HyReviews.com's Comedy Interview of the Month),
Robin Gelfenbien (VH1's Awesomely Badder Videos and What's My 20?; sings
funny original songs on Sirius Satellite Radio; wrote jokes for Rosie O'Donnell,
2008 FringeNYC show My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey, sketch comedy troupe Freedumb), and
Dan Allen (Comedy Central's Premium Blend; fun comedy site FlockOfMullets.com and blog TaoOfDan.com; host of monthly NYC live comedy show ¡Sacapuntas!; for stand-up video on Dan's vegan ex-girlfriend, please click here).
The Liar Show was a smash hit at last August's Edinburgh Festival, and is recommended.
Please note this show often sells out. To reserve tickets, please call (212) 989-9319.
6:00 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
$5 ticket plus one-drink minimum
<
Sean Donnelly and Ali Wong...
...and Blaine Perry & Pat Stango
Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; co-host of weekly NYC open mic live comedy show Ochi's Motel; member of sketch comedy & funny short film troupe Don't Touch Me There; for a stand-up video, please click here) emcees this showcase for sharp stand-ups.
Tonight's superb comics are Ali Wong, Kevin McCaffrey, Pat Stango & Blaine Perry, Morgan Venticinque, David Balutanski,
and "special guests" (last week Jim Gaffigan dropped by).
7:00 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)
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.
And tonight Chris lets his storytelling prowess fully shine as he asks audience members to pick story titles out of a box filled with his wondrous, unforgettable, and jaw-droppingly funny tales. Since Chris has many more tales in the box than can be told during this 90-minute slot, every performance is fresh and unique.
Come catch this rising star demonstrate why he should be famous in a show that gets my highest recommendation.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Baron Vaughn, Janeane Garofalo, and Livia Scott
This monthly comedy show benefits the B.A.R.C. animal shelter. It's produced by pet lover & sharp comic Jamie Lee. The suggested donation for tonight is $10. (And remember, the more drinks you buy, the more animals you help...)
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Janeane Garofalo (quite simply, one of the most influential and beloved comics of our time—no matter how much she gripes or pretends otherwise; most recently, Janeane was co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the FOX's hit series 24; Janeane's also a frequent guest on cable king Keith Olbermann's Countdown on MSNBC (patiently explaining why far-right Republicans can't be judged too harshly because they all suffer from malformed brains...); sample quote: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth;" for two decades of breathtakingly impressive credits, please click here),
Baron Vaughn (smoking-hot rising star comic, with lightning-fast mind and enormous charisma; NBC's Teachers, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and Best Week Ever, co-star of NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger; feature film Cloverfield, upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy to air on Comedy Central; for a radio interview, please click here; for stand-up videos about the KKK and cell phones, please click here and here),
Livia Scott (brilliant comedic chameleon who's a stellar stand-up and sketch comic, and also an extraordinary actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, world-class sketch groups Meat and Dirty Jeans & Thunderchief, host of NYC comedy show Livia's Castle of Enchantment, 2008 ECNY Award-nominated one-woman show Goodnight, O.J.),
Pat Dixon, Jeff Rubin, and more.
8:00ish pm at Karma Lounge, 51 1st Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets); $10 donation
Arj Barker: Headlining at Comix
Arj Barker is a superb and highly popular international comic who's been a cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; performed his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; done stand-up comedy repeatedly on Late Show with David Letterman and Conan O'Brien; and was a cast member of the popular off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues..
This comedy club show is $28. For more info and/or to buy tickets, please click here.
Please note there's also a two-item food or drink 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);
tickets are $28, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase, and friend
Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;
stand-up, sketch, and improv comics performing in the buff.
A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian
and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."
For a New York Magazine review, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. These winners of the prestigious 2009 Cage Match Championship are always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer
It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.
The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)
Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!
Tickets are $15 at the door, or $15.50 online using discount code STIX (otherwise $18).
9:00 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15
The Harvard Sailing Team, which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group,
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a superb improvisor and actor. Joining him are stellar talents Eugene Cordero, Porter Mason, Lennon Parham, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. These improv stars tonight let "the gloves come off in a show that will give you a bloody nose from laughing so hard, and a bruise on your knee from slapping it the way people do when they laugh...Come get your head blown off as some of NYC's funniest improvisers attack the stage."
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Marc Maron
Big Jay Oakerson, Rob Cantrell, and More at Eastville
Tonight's comics at the Eastville Comedy Club, NYC's only stand-up club in the East Village, include
star stand-up Marc Maron, who's a frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman
and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Marc has performed a solo comedy special for
HBO Comedy Half-Hour, and two solo specials for Comedy Central Presents.
Marc's many other TV appearances include being a regular on
Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.
In addition, Marc performed a popular off-Broadway one-man show,
Jerusalem Syndrome, which he then turned into a 2001 book;
and he co-hosted Morning Sedition on Air America Radio, and hosted
The Marc Maron Show on LA's KTLK-AM.
Marc is a comic's comic, highly respected for his observations
about culture, politics, and life in general.
Tonight Marc performs along with such other talented NYC stand-ups as Joey Gay and Sherrod Small.
Please Note: You can pay nothing instead of the $15 cover price by mentioning discount code HyReviews when you make reservations via email address EastvilleComedy@yahoo.com or by calling (212) 260-2445.
Please also note there's a two-item minimum; with tax & tip, figure on spending $13 or up.
9:00 pm at Eastville Comedy Club, 85 East 4th Street (slightly west of 2nd Avenue);
tickets are free if you mention HyReviews when making reservations, plus two-drink minimum
The Raspberry Brothers Tackle Terminator
Effectively providing a live version of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—tear to shreds a Hollywood feature film with clever observations throughout. The movie is screened in a genuine movie theatre, Chelsea Cinemas on 23rd Street off 8th Avenue (just a few blocks away from UCBT).
Tonight's target is Terminator, which is actually one of the finest SF movies of all time. Come and see the boys rise to the challenge of making fun of a genuinely great film.
To purchase tickets in advance, please click here.
Midnight at Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $15
Some of UCBT's finest performers—Eugene Cordero, Sue Galloway, Adam Pally, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, and Gavin Speiller—deliver sketch comedy in one of the most acclaimed and magical theatres in the world...which happens to be a basement underneath a Gristedes supermarket.
The sketches were written by Neil Casey, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, Eric Scott, Nate Smith, and Caitlin Tegart.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/7/09
Todd Barry (Veil of Maya), Sara Schaefer (The Comedians), John Hodgman, and Anthony Jeselnik (Veil of Maya)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [FREE] UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors,
ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] three of the most brilliant and hilarious stand-ups in the country—Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Adult Swim, The Wrestler), Anthony Jeselnik (staff writer for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; HBO, Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Carson Daly), John Mulaney (staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever; 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up Comedian)—joining comedy giant Eugene Mirman (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host) for his weekly shindig at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilarious alternative comics in the country; VH1, Spike TV, King of Miami, The New York Times, The Dave Hill Explosion), Sara Schaefer (delightful quick-witted comic; blogger for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever, E!), Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of live comedy show Totally J/K), Sean Patton (VH1, 2008 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival), and more at a free weekly LES show hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians (7:30 pm),
[FREE] Ali Wong (hilarious stand-up dynamo; The Onion), Greg Barris (MTV2's, producer of Heart of Darkness), David Cope (co-host of NYC biweekly comedy show Extra Fancy), Selena Coppock (FOX, Boston Comedy Festival), and more at RG Daniels' free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),
[FREE] Cassidy Henehan & Nick Turner (co-hosts of weekly NYC comedy show Too Cool for School), Ken Zimlinghaus (Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo), and Adam Sokol at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free stand-up show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] and acclaimed author, Daily Show correspondent, and faux PC in Mac ads performing a one-man show at Brooklyn's Union Hall: John Hodgman (9:30 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $10; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm ($10) & 9:30 pm (free) at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Comedy geniuses Todd Barry, Anthony Jeselnik, and John Mulaney
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops beyond Manhattan,
some of the best funny minds in New York can be found at this weekly show
run by comedy giant, and winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host,
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life).
Tonight's guests are three of the most razor-sharp and hilarious stand-up comics in the country:
Todd Barry (wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz;
Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Lucky Louie, and Sex in the City;
Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties;
Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Tom Goes To The Mayor;
acted in the acclaimed Darren Aronofsky hit film The Wrestler and new film Pete Smalls is Dead; check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),
Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of
my favorite stand-ups ever; staff writer for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO's Down & Dirty, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players; for hilarious stand-up videos, please click here),
John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; since August 2008 has been staff writer for Saturday Night Live; frequently appears on VH1's Best Week Ever; performed stand-up twice on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up Comedian; selected by Variety as among the 10 Comics to Watch for 2008; just released his first comedy CD, The Top Part; to check out videos of John's two Conan sets, please click here and here).
8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $7
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
Dave Hill, Sara Schaefer, and Sean Patton
This is often one of the best comedy shows in New York—and is entirely free.
It's hosted by sharp, quick-witted Greg Johnson (check out his hilarious blog by clicking here) and Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
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, IFC, Smoking Gun TV; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion; for sample videos, please click here),
Sara Schaefer (delightful quick-witted comic; blogger for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks, Union Hall's Name That Tune, Video Gaga),
Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here), and
Sean Patton (VH1, 2008 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival; for stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here; for stand-up videos about drugs & weapons and Sean's crackhead aunt, please click here and here).
7:30 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; tickets are $5
Greg Barris, Ali Wong, and David Cope
Sunday Night Stand-Up with RG Daniels
This free weekly stand-up comedy show features both established talents and up-and-comers. It's hosted by RG Daniels (sweetly quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries; occasionally refers to himself as "Hanukah-face").
Tonight's superb performers include
Ali Wong (hilarious stand-up dynamo, recently moved from San Francisco; comedy series for The Onion),
Greg Barris (MTV2's All That Rocks, producer of Heart of Darkness; for stand-up video about instant messaging and connecting through hate, please click here),
David Cope (co-host of NYC biweekly comedy show Extra Fancy; for video of Pabst jokes while playing harp, please click here),
Selena Coppock (FOX; Boston Comedy Festival; for stand-up video about having small breasts, please click here).
8:00 pm at Three of Cups downstairs lounge, 83 1st Avenue (off 5th Street); free
Ken Zimlinghaus, Pat Stango, and Nick Turner...
...and hosts Vince Averill and Jesse Popp
This long-running free weekly comedy show is hosted by Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
Tonight's fun guests are
Cassidy Henehan (co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Too Cool for School; for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and
Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; other co-host of Too Cool for School; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).
Ken Zimlinghaus (can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo), and
Adam Sokol (media credits: "I was in Myrtle Beach while they were filming Chasers. I walked past a camera a couple times. I did not get to meet Tom Berenger.").
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
John Hodgman is most famous for playing a PC (in those fallacious but entertaining Apple Computer ads). However, he's also hilarious as a correspondent on The Daily Show; has written for The New York Times Magazine and The Paris Review; and is the author of the books The Areas of My Expertise and More Information Than You Require.
And tonight he'll be treating Brooklyn to a one-man show. The official description:
"John Hodgman will be reading 700 MOLE-MAN NAMES, with MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT from JONATHAN COULTON. PLEASE NOTE: Tickets will be expensive (10 dollars) and limited (75). We are only thinking of your best interests. BECAUSE: No other performing will occur apart from the reading of mole-man names, and their occupations, plus Coulton endlessly playing the same song in the background. AND we have not yet decided on the song. THAT IS ALL."
Interestingly, the show has not yet sold out.
If you're brave and would like to purchase tickets ($10 plus $2 service charge), please click here.
9:30 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $10
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Theatre Pick for Today: The final performance of a revival of a 1995 play by John Patrick Stanley titled Four Dogs and a Bone, about what goes on behind the scenes during the making of a feature film. The script is observant and absorbing, the direction by Max Hambleton is smart, and the performances of the two "actresses playing actresses" (Sarah-Doe Osborne and Kelly Samara) are fun. For details and/or to order tickets for today's concluding 2:00 pm show, please click here.
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
