NYC Comedy Picks for Week of June 18, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/18/12

Wyatt Cenac Dan St. Germain

Wyatt Cenac and Dan St. Germain are among the stand-ups at tonight's Morrison Motel...

The Gregory Brothers Sasheer Zamata

...The Gregory Brothers are at Hot Tub, and Sasheer Zamata performs in sketch troupe The Prom

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

 

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with each of the four audience members chosen from the bucket of names getting to tell tales for 7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($12 at the door or $11.30 online): Storytellers Brad Lawrence (Moth GrandSlam Champion, FringeNYC, co-host of The Standard Issues), Blaise Allysen Kearsley (How I Learned series), Dana Rossi (Soundtrack series), and another TBA telling tales about this month's topic "Gemini: Tales of Duality, Two-Facedness, Twins, and Doubles" at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place) with host Seth Lind (NPR's This American Life): Told: Gemini

7:00 pm ($5): An improv show in the format of a TV news broadcast at The Magnet auditioning for a regular time slot: News! Show! Now!

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

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Two sketch shows end their months-long runs tonight at UCB Chelsea. First up, Sue Galloway delivers smart, organic, beautifully crafted physical & verbal comedy that's fresh, specific, at times surreal, and very funny. It's no easy thing to walk the tightrope between darkness and hilarity, but Sue manages it here with impressive grace. Kudos also go to UCBT's Artistic Director Nate Dern, who did a brilliant job of providing guidance and judgment as the show's director. Ignore this production's lame title and official description, which don't do it justice, and simply come to see one of the best one-woman sketch shows of 2012: Pose...

...and in the other half of this double-bill, unique and relentlessly silly performer Brandon Gulya does a one-man sketch show at UCB Chelsea that's at times hilarious (the restaurant bit, which is an instant classic) , and at other times less so, in the hope that Brandon Gulya Will Be Famous Soon

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): The Gregory Brothers (Auto-Tune the News), John Roy (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing), and Jeff Maurer (DC Improv) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from a duo who between them won four 2011 ECNY Awards—including Best Variety Show and Best Hosts—Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety with Kurt & Kristen

8:00 pm ($5): Julie Klausner (razor-sharp comic & storyteller; host of How Was Your Week podcast; author of I Don't Care About Your Band), Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri (co-hosts of Big Terrific), and Team Submarine (sketch duo Nate Fernald & Steve O'Brien; SketchFest NYC), performing stand-up at UCB East with the blessings of a highly notable TV network: Comedy Central Corporate Retreat

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon), Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), Nore Davis (Comedy Central's Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus, MTV), Janine Brito, and Vinnie Brad  performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Mike Denyy, and/or Michael Che—and celebrating Michael Che's birthday!: Broken Comedy

8:00 pm ($8): Improv performed by talented duos at The PIT upstairs theatre: Ampers&nd

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15 if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $20], which includes one drink; calling 212.989.9319 to reserve seats is wise just in case the show sells out): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Lee Camp (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, Showtime, The Onion), Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award), Robin Fox (Last Comic Standing), and Andy de la Tour performing stand-up at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm ($15): A musical comedy at The Magnet "inspired by the real life plans of the US military to build a bomb that would make their enemies gay. The show is a cautionary tale set in a not-to-distant America that is a xenophobic, homophobic wet dream. This timely political piece is not only topical but extremely on point, leaving no stereotype unscathed." Directed by Michael Martin, with music by Frank Spitznagel, and book and lyrics by Chris Friden & Steve Whyte: Gay Bomb

9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: The Prom (which includes such talents as Sasheer Zamata, Stephen Soroka, Amber Nelson, John Milhiser, Siobhan Thompson, and Ari Scott), and Everything Rabbits (which includes the lovely & uniquely hilarious Violet Krumbein): Maude Night: The Prom & Everything Rabbits

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Paul Oddo (stand-up at New York Comedy Festival), Michele Carlo (storyteller at The Moth), MC Chris (white rapper, animator/voiceover actor for Adult Swim), and more performing at UCB East hosted by Sharon Spell and featuring the Shrink Dancers: The Big Shrink

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

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Tom Dunlap, Jaqi Furback, Charlie Gaeta, Shawn Jones, Erik Levi, Samma Jamma, Mike Trainor, and Kevin Janaway performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

10:15 pm ($5): A variety show in which comics perform characters, stand-up, and other bits at The Magnet hosted by Jon Bander: What's to Get?

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who are no longer being announced in advance, but it's virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): Whiplash

[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this exceptionally supportive stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jarrid Reed: Fresh

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/19/12

Tell Your Friends Finale  Jessi Klein

A star-studded farewell, including Kurt & Kristen and Wyatt Cenac, to the long-running Tell Your Friends;
Jessi Klein performs at Sweet

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Chesley Calloway (co-host of renowned Comedy as a Second Language): The Ches Club

7:00 pm-9:00 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes The Regulars, Johnny Romance, and The Pox at this first half of Harold Night

7:00 pm ($5): In this double-bill at The Magnet, first improvisors make up scenes about objects provided by the audience in Anoush Talks to Stuff; and then "Of all mankind's achievements throughout history, the most impressive was definitely...landing on the moon. But the invention of the letter is a close second. Come see what God had to say in his eviction notice to Adam and Eve, why the Declaration of Independence was written in invisible ink, and the reason you should never write an email describing your masturbation habits unless you fully intend to send it:" The History of the Letter

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The final edition of this long-running show at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney, with tonight's blowout lineup TV & movie star Kristen Schaal (one of the funniest women alive; shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords and NBC's 30 Rock; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; FOX's Bob's Burgers; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; co-author of bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex), Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live), and "a secret famous comedian," plus musical guests Eden & John's East River String Band and A Brief View of the Hudson: Tell Your Friends

8:00 pm ($8): Head writer & director Jen Curran (Harvard Sailing Team, The Baldwins, Jen & Steve) and a dozen other talents perform brand new sketch comedy at The PIT downstairs lounge: Big Business

8:00 pm ($5): A mostly-gal lineup of stand-ups (unfortunately, not announced, which kind of defeats the purpose of doing an alternative show like this) performing at UCB East hosted by Ilana Glazer: Bunch a Pussies

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), Greg Barris (host of Heart of Darkness, MTV), "a special guest," and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, Comedy Central, VH1): Sweet

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not yet announced, but you can check for an update here) at Brooklyn's The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Steve O'Brien and produced by Sean Donnelly: Comedy at Alligator Lounge

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Bucky, Surfing, and Sandino—plus at 11:00 pm four separate three-person groups of advanced students each perform one long scene in a form called The Three-Hander—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives) and tonight's co-host Andy Rocco (Underground Americana) mix dark sketch with dark character-based improv at UCB East as they welcome guests Justin Shanes (writer for Jimmy Fallon), Emmy Blotnick (blogger for Jimmy Fallon), and Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV): The Tony and Andy Show

9:30 pm ($5): Sketch comedy from a troupe born in a Boston college but tonight performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Astronaut Theatre

9:30 pm ($5): Tom DiMenna (one-man show Who Loves You, Baby? at Soho Playhouse), Jen Curran (Harvard Sailing Team, The Baldwins, Jen & Steve), Robin Cloud, and Fariaz Rabbiani performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Jen Mutascio (NBC, HBO), Gabe Morales, and William Mullin performing stand-up at this monthly gay-themed show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Tom Steffen: Rapier Wit

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Bryan Callen (The Hangover 1 and 2, Warrior, HBO, Comedy Central, Mad TV), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, MTV's new Punk'd, TBS' Men of a Certain Age), Lee Camp (Showtime, The Onion, CNN, MSNBC), and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

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

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

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 6/20/12

Newsadoozies: A Man-Eating Musical  Mamrie Hart

Enjoy dancing orphans, a cannibalistic sex cult, and more in the 30-minute dark musical romp Newsadoozies;
then catch John Flynn tell tales of dating at This is Awkward: True Stories of of Love, Lust, and Lubrication...

John Oliver

...or come to a free blowup show outdoors with Daily Show stars John Oliver, Kristen Schaal,
John Hodgman, Wyatt Cenac, Al Madrigal, Rory Albanese, and more at Central Park SummerStage

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

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

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

7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes The Party Lions, Leviathan, Brick, Featherweight, The Wrath, Chet Watkins, Silver Fox, and Horses performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with Horses at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

7:00 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Graceland and Kinsey: Lloyd Night

7:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by the delightful Abbi Crutchfield (VH1) and comedic rapper Andrew Singer (Atom TV): Positively Awesome

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: A wonderful—and free!—outdoor concert at Central Park, with Daily Show star stand-ups John Oliver, Kristen Schaal, John Hodgman, Wyatt Cenac, Al Madrigal, Rory Albanese, and more at Central Park SummerStage

Even though SummerStage is spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of visitors,

it's not uncommon for every square inch of ground to be occupied with folks eager to laugh.

It's therefore recommended you arrive early for this lovely comedy party

to ensure you get in, and can nab either a seat or a comfortable spot on the grass.

(And consider bringing a large blanket...)

 

Directions to SummerStage

 

 

SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.

 

From the East side: Take the #6 subway to 68th Street and Lexington,

or the M1/M2/M3/M4 bus to 72nd Street and 5th Avenue;

enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue;

and then walk a bit following the map above.

 

Traveling crosstown: Take the M-66 or M72 bus to Fifth Avenue;

enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue;

and then walk a bit following the map above.

 

From the West side: Take the 1/2/3/B/C subway to 72nd Street,

or the M7/M10/M11 bus to 72nd Street and Central Park West;

enter the park at 72nd Street and Central Park West;

and then walk a whole lot following the map above.

 

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, a delightful dark musical about the rich consuming the poor—literally. Witty songs from Brian Glidewell, Marcy Jarreau, and Kevin Carter, a uniformly strong cast (Megan Maes, Aaron Jackson, Kevin Michael Murphy, Katie Schorr, Dan Hodapp, Brian Glidewell, and Stephanie Streisand), and sharp direction from Christopher Gladysz and Lauren Conlin Adams make this 30-minute surreal parody of Newsies a winner as a UCBT comedy, and recommended. That said, right now the story is paper-thin and the characters cardboard. While the latter is turned into an asset (e.g., Kevin Michael Murphy's ieg-injured character is hilariously named "Cripply"), I'm hoping the creators consider making all the elements deeper and more nuanced, and expanding the production to a 90-minute legit theatre length. Meanwhile, enjoy this remarkably compact version that delivers a quick, sharp punch to the gut you're likely to remember: Newsadoozies: A Man-Eating Musical...

...plus in the other half of this double-bill, "Matt Hobby & Mary Grill have a love deeper than one thousand really deep oceans. Through storytelling and sketch comedy, Matt & Mary show you the characters who helped them on their journey from fiancés to newlyweds:" Tying the Knot

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB East, Nicole Byer, Sasheer Zamata, and Keisha Zollar are the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Paul Oddo, Neil Constantine, Jeff Wesselschmidt, Seaton Smith, and Joe Zimmerman performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Ryan Conner (freelance writer for SNL, BBC): Free Healthcare

[FREE—plus FREE PIZZA!] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Becky Yamamoto, Aaron Sweeney, Kat Radley, and Meena Dimian performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar with hosts Negin Farsad, Amy Albert, and Beth McGregor for their free weekly show Comedy School Dropout

8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; WNYC, Manhattan Monologue Slam Champ, host of Sideshow Goshko), Jason Marcus, Corey Reppond, Katie Compa, and Jon Savoy performing at McSwiggan's (393 Second Avenue off 23rd Street) produced by Emily Epstein White and hosted by Selena Coppock & Danny Cartwright: Connotation

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): A rare opportunity to see an acclaimed UK improv troupe visiting from Oxford University and performing at UCB East for one night only: The Oxford Imps

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups do sets "and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): "Jonathan Blank and Samara Doucette say what everyone else thinks on dates, but never says; so join them and guest comedians as they divulge all of their wildest and most embarrassing dating stories. This monthly storytelling show contains the truth and nothing but the truth, but most of the stories are more surreal than if David Lynch directed romantic comedies. Everything from wild hookups to emotional breakups are on the table." Tonight's storytelling guests at The PIT downstairs lounge are John Flynn (The Nights of Our Lives, host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!) and Sara Jonsson (Camp Sunshine): This is Awkward: True Stories of of Love, Lust, and Lubrication

9:30 pm ($5): Two sketch shows I haven't yet seen at UCB Chelsea: Brent Sullivan presents fake profiles he used to communicate via social networks with people he'd normally be terrified to contact at Profiles in Cowardice; and a (mostly) one-man show by George Kareman titled Incredibly Extreme and Extremely Incredible

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): The instructors of UCB's classes include some of the finest improvisors in the country. In this new weekly show a bunch of them get on stage at UCB East, along with hosts Betsy Stover and Ari Voukydis: Hot for Teacher: The UCB Faculty Show

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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): "Oscar Montoya heads to gay rehab for a weekend of renewal while Jen Tullock and a cast of various others attempt to help him find his way" in this sketch comedy at The PIT downstairs lounge: Pray It Away with Oscar & Jen

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

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/21/12

Livia Scott Ann Carr

The magical Livia Scott celebrates her birthday today resurrecting six celebrities
with the help of guest host Ann Carr at Livia's Castle of Enchantment: Birthday Blowout Fun-splosion

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

 

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here) is tonight's guest at this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn: Oh, Hey Guys!

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

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

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows about which I know nothing audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: The State vs. Josh: The Trial of the Millenials and Rockefeller Centaur. These might be great or awful; but at $2.50 per show, you can't go far wrong either way. That's part of the fun of Spank

7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hot Diner and THEM

7:00 pm ($8): A one-woman show by Amanda Ronconi about "disgruntled postal worker, Marjorie Kempner, who sets her birdbrained roommate up on a date with the Long Island Serial Killer" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Kempner

[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with improv troupe Phooka to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): A beloved show that brings dead celebrities back to life has itself been resurrected at UCB East, with magical comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Conan O'Brien, Law & Order, Dirty Movie) hosting tonight—and celebrating her birthday!—along with guest host Ann Carr (The Actress), as they become Lizzy Borden & Joan Crawford, Carol Channing & Sam Kinison, and Andy Warhol & Seamus Romney, plus stand-up from Kate Berlant, and musical guest Squirm & Germ, all at Livia's Castle of Enchantment: Birthday Blowout Fun-splosion

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door, which includes free pint of beer; $11.54 in advance online): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers comics to tell funny stories at UCB East, with tonight's guests John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Bobby Tisdale (NYC indie comedy pioneer; writer for Jimmy Fallon), and more: Tom Shillue's Funny Story

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7.61 online with code RUNNINGLATE, $10 at the door): The staff writers of Jimmy Fallon are at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Scott Rogowsky (writer for The Onion, co-host of 12 Angry Mascots) for "a unique talk show experience that needs to be experienced to be experienced. There will be plenty of bits, skits, chits and chats, and maybe that pretty girl you saw on the 6 train last night will be in the audience! It's a big city, but you run into people:" Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At this UCB Chelsea improv double-bill, first ace all-gal troupe Doppelganger makes up scenes based around audience tattoos in Doppelganger Gets Inked; and then a group of sharp improvisors—including Fran Gillespie and John Frusciante—sit around drinking and telling stories until they're inspired to make up scenes based on their drunken chatter in Happy Hour

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

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Junior Varsity, Hello Laser, and Phooka performing improv, followed at 10:00 pm by Charlie Whitcroft directing Jazz Freddie (improvised scenes that focus on show the past, present, and future of one character and then spirals into an exploration of the character's world), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) with two troupes battling for laughs & votes: The Magnet's Night Out

8:00 pm ($5): Veteran improv troupe SidViscous performs a change-of-pace scripted comedic play about "what happens when a gay single father gets caught in a lie and has to pretend his daughter is his wife whenever these mobsters are around, but can’t let his ex-wife or the private investigator she’s hired find out what he’s up to" at The PIT upstairs theatre: My Daughter, My Wife

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced by 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups Mike O'Gorman, Jess Catrell, and more performing at UCB East for The Greg Johnson Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Kimberlee Auerbach Berlin (sharp storyteller; author of The Devil, The Lovers, & Me: My Life In The Tarot) and George Gordon (The Afterlife) joining sensual hosts Margot Leitman (Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV) and Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1.com, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive Comedy) telling erotic true tales on this month's theme "Out of Town"—plus hot songs from Stuckey & Murray—at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC: Stripped Stories

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

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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Last week Airwolf broke the heart of Johnny Romance...and then pulled out that heart and ground it into a fine powder, with a brutally overpowering win of 123-14. (Even Johnny's best gal didn't vote for him...) With 13 victories in a row, it's questionable anyone can stop this flying juggernaut; but tonight a serious effort will be made by one of UCBT's very best improv troupes, Grandma's Ashes. The heavens will shake as these two giants compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): Summer and Eve (comedy folk rock group), Ben Kissel (Spike TV), Chris Laker (It Could Be Better podcast), and more performing at UCB East with host Chris Wilkes (Thunder Gulch): After Dark

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/22/12

Ted Alexandro Janeane Garofalo

Stand-up stars Ted Alexandro and Janeane Garofalo perform at the Eastville Comedy Club...

John Waters

...and one-of-a-kind filmmaker John Waters performs a show about his career tonight and tomorrow at City Winery

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

 

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): A rare opportunity to see an acclaimed UK improv troupe visiting from Oxford University and performing at The Magnet for one night only: The Oxford Imps

7:00 pm ($5): Hip hop musical improv at The PIT downstairs theatre from Nick Brown, Don Romaniello, and Michael Short pretending to be NYC police officers: Rap Crimes Division

7:00 pm ($8): Young improvisors at The PIT upstairs theatre make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: The Shady Bunch

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch troupe (vs. improv troupe) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It's earned this slot because its cast is one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom; and, at their best, the troupe's writers sizzle too. Both strengths are evident in Crisistown, an interactive sketch show in which the audience is periodically asked to choose which of two paths it wants to go down next. This highly playful approach puts you in charge; and it also tempts you to see the show repeatedly (just as you might return to a favorite improv group week after week), because each performance is a never-to-be-repeated event. A vibrant, brilliant cast and mostly terrific comedy writing—plus what was probably a near-superhuman directorial effort by comedy giant Shannon O'Neil—equals a wonderful way to kick off your Friday evening: Stone Cold Fox: Crisistown

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Tracey Wigfield (writer for 30 Rock), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), Abra Tabak (Grandma's Ashes), and more perform improv at UCB East springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($45 and up): A film parody icon performs a one-man show about his career tonight and tomorrow at the City Winery (155 Varick Street): John Waters

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's hosted MTV's Numbnuts and Money From Strangers, and starred in a Comedy Central Persents special, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Jeff Dye

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm ($15): A musical comedy at The Magnet "inspired by the real life plans of the US military to build a bomb that would make their enemies gay. The show is a cautionary tale set in a not-to-distant America that is a xenophobic, homophobic wet dream. This timely political piece is not only topical but extremely on point, leaving no stereotype unscathed." Directed by Michael Martin, with music by Frank Spitznagel, and book and lyrics by Chris Friden & Steve Whyte: Gay Bomb

[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Last Comic Standing, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, and more headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Jessica Kirson

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.; might be 9:00 pm only), TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot—tonight featuring Kate Riley (Sandino): Diamond Lion

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Stand-up, pastry buns, and jello shots at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Jonathan Powley: Buns and Puns

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

9:30 pm ($5): "Where there is a stage and a piano, she will be there. Where there are strangers with embarrassing stories, she will be there. Where there is a group of people willing to sit and watch someone make up songs, she will be there. A one-woman musical improv journey through the lives of the audience. You tell the story, Rebecca Vigil sings the soundtrack" at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Vigilante

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

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

10:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

11:00 pm ($8): Improvised scenes by duos based on a famous relationships section of Craigslist at The PIT upstairs theatre: Missed Connections

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups—sometimes stellar ones—pushing boundaries for a show designed for looseness and experimentation at The Creek downstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker: Permission to Fail

Midnight ($5): A three-person improv competition at UCB East hosted by Brian Glidewell, Josh Patten, and Ben Rameaka: Three for All

[FREE] Midnight: This show might not be much fun for audience members, but it's an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Plus it's hosted by members of Maude troupe Fambly, typically including such wonderful talents as Nicole Byer and Veronica Osorio: Liquid Courage

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/23/12

Ted Alexandro  Jessi Klein

Ted Alexandro co-headlines one last night with Janeane Garofalo at Eastville; Jessi Klein headlines at If You Build It...

John Waters

...and very special filmmaker John Waters performs one last night at City Winery

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

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

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Johnny Velvet, Human Pyramid, and GCA at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): What I'm assuming is a sketch show at UCB East based on this fun premise: "For fans of great TV shows, the end of a beloved series is the beginning of a painful mourning period. Knowing you'll never see those characters again, watch them overcome new obstacles or learn what happened with unresolved plot points is hard to accept. Thankfully, a team of TV executives have heard your cries and are willing to explore these lost treasures one series at a time. They will tie up loose ends, catch up with the characters, and most importantly provide catharsis so the healing process can finally begin:" Executive Decision: Twin Peaks

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, D'Arcy Carden, Chelsea Clarke, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then "turn that town's tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:" The Curfew: Not From Around Here

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, Kevin Cobbs & Alessandro King perform sketch or improv set in old-time Hollywood: Listen, Kid!

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($45 and up): A film parody icon performs a one-man show about his career at the City Winery (155 Varick Street): John Waters

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's hosted MTV's Numbnuts and Money From Strangers, and starred in a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jeff Dye

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Last Comic Standing, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, and more headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club: Jessica Kirson

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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who's one of the best stand-ups in the country; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Jesse Joyce (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), singing duo Myq & Micah, and Kat Radley performing at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Sketch duo Chris & Paul perform at The PIT downstairs lounge before taking their new show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival: The Chris & Paul Show

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.; might be 9:00 pm only), TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): A sharp musical improv troupe at The Magnet makes up stories with song and dance based on an audience suggestion: Choral Rage

9:30 pm ($15): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub and now enjoying a long run at The PIT upstairs theatre: Political Subversities

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: The comics of a popular podcast celebrate its Second Year Anniversary at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Roundtable Of Gentlemen Live: Two Years of Chaos and Horror

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($11.34 online; or $10 at the door—but this show typically sells out in advance): Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, Comedy Central's Indecision 2012), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), Meg Cupernall, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Tim Homayoon, Jeff Wesselschmidt, Eli Sairs, Zach Sims, Brad Austin, Jason Burke, and more performing for this show in which stand-up and burlesque are weirdly blended together based on the reasoning "The nude female form is truly a work of art. That's why people the world over like to jerk off to it. Who are we to disagree with the world?"at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents): Pat Dixon's (Nearly) Naked Lady Hour: Now with Bacon Bar

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Improv troupe Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to "take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter" at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($7): Given that this new Magnet show is described as "a very special movie night with Ed Herbstman, Chet Siegel, Woody Fu, Alex Marino, and Christian Paluck," I'm guessing Ed—who is a master improvisor—and his friends will be making up a movie on the spot. But if not, anything with Ed in it is going to be good regardless: The Movie

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): "Jack Dishel is best known as a songwriter and musician, touring all over the world performing as Only Son and also playing lead guitar in The Moldy Peaches. This year he's exploded onto the comedy scene, doing a two-month run of hour-long shows at the Sidewalk Cafe—without ever repeating material. It’s sometimes hilarious, sometimes dark, but always interesting. Whether speaking as one of his many characters or in his own voice, his ideas come through loud and clear, and it’s a fast hour. Let's see what happens when Dishel brings the drunken night club insanity into The PIT upstairs theatre:" Jack Dishel: And Then Things Got Weird

[TOP PICK] 10:00 ($5): Superb NYC stand-ups Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Erin Lennox (co-host of The Orphanage), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central, co-host of Pirate Party), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV, VH1), and Danny Jolles celebrate the 35th birthday of a singer/songwriter/surfer at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Peggy O’Leary & Michael Antonucci: Happy Birthday, Jason Mraz

Midnight ($5): Two relatively obscure sketch troupes, Dinner For One and Coker & Stratton, competing for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea hosted by sketch troupe Sidecar: Backyard Brawl

Midnight ($5): Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) and Poupak Sepehri (runs UCB's Difference Blog) host a variety show at UCB East that's a mix of stand-up, sketch, improv, dance, music, and video: The Soul Glo Project

Midnight ($10): Typically disturbing and semi-obscene sketches at The PIT downstairs lounge from troupe FUCT

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

 

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/24/12

Laurie Stanton's Sound Diet: Extreme Makeover Ed Herbstman

Genius comedic performer Ed Herbstman and much more at Melanie Hoopes' rare gem of a show
blending radio, theatre, and comedy: Laurie Stanton's Sound Diet: Makeover Edition...

Supercute! Jason Trachtenburg & The Pendulum Swings

...and wonderful comedic musicians Supercute! and Pendulum Swings perform at the Vintage Vantage Variety Show

 

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

 

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 2:00 pm: Tom Papa (host of Jerry Seinfeld-produced NBC comedy The Marriage Ref; numerous appearances on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno; three Comedy Central specials), Vic Henley (extremely likeable stand-up veteran; David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, HBO, CBS, NBC, FOX, Bravo, MTV, VH1, CMTV), Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), Kenny Josephs, and John F. O'Donnell performing for a free outdoor show at Tompkins Square Park (at the Old Bandshell Lawn): Laughter in the Park

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: "Are ready for something sweet and something spicy? Long form improv that will satisfy your hunger" hosted by sharp UCBT comic Andy Rocco at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Candy Taco Improv Hour

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($7; be sure to reserve tickets here because this show almost always sells out): An extraordinary event that happens only once every few months at The Magnet, this show mixes the style of live radio with the depth of classic theatre and the energy of stage comedy to create something unique and unforgettable. It's written and produced by Melanie Hoopes, and stars Melanie, her genius husband Ed Herbstman, Kelly Coffield Park, Arthur Aulisi, Jenny Bacon, Eli Janney, Jeff Greenberg, and Lauren Balthrop. The theme of this ninth episode is The Makeover: Laurie Stanton's Sound Diet

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), and Josh Rabinowitz (Comedy Central, FX's Louie, College Humor) performing in Brooklyn's Red Hook Recreation Area: Red Hook SummerStage

7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & Ryan Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): A (mostly) musical comedy evening with Rachel Trachtenberg's young gal band Supercute!, Jason Trachtenburg's superb jazz band Pendulum Swings, storyteller Brandy Barber (Mortified), Laura Zeis (UCB), and more performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Kyle Supley and tonight's guest host Angela Di Carlo: Vintage Vantage Variety Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: The Cowmen (jaw-dropping dark comedy group, with members of Murderfist; worth the trip just to experience them), Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), J-L Cauvin, (comedy CD Too Big To Fail), Taylor Ketchum, and Toby Muresianu performing at RG's free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($8): Improvised episodes of the never-made third season of Twin Peaks at The PIT's upstairs theatre: In These Woods

[$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's hosted MTV's Numbnuts and Money From Strangers, and starred in a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining one more night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jeff Dye

8:00 pm ($5): Short-form improv at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Sunday ShortForm Show

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Seaton Smith, Paul Hooper, Steve Forrest, and Edward Dominguez performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) perform sets that are then used as springboards for improv troupes to make up scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre: Daws of Jeath

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

10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam

 

 

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