NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 8/6/07
Dan Allen, Eric Andre, and Shayna Ferm
Variety show hosted by Sean Lynch and Francesco Marciuliano.
Tonight's guests are entertainment goddess Shayna Ferm (wonderfully funny singer/songwriter with an upcoming album, and member of stellar sketch group Fearsome; for samples of Shay's songs, please click here ), Dan Allen (Comedy Central's Premium Blend; claims to be writing Kevin Bacon's biography in the sixth person; for a stand-up sample, please click here), and Eric Andre (stand-up comic and Geico caveman; for a video sample, please click here).
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Lizz Winstead & friend, and cartoonist/columnist Ted Rall
Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; and a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night. (She's also a character; e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling her appearance on the live NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)
Tonight's scheduled guest is political cartoonist & columnist Ted Rall. For samples of Rall's cartoons done for Time Magazine, please click here. For his latest column, please click here.
8:00 pm at Ace of Clubs, 9 Great Jones Street (3rd St. between Lafayette and Broadway);$10
This theatre is downstairs from the Acme restaurant. Nearest subway stops are
Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Matt DeCoster, Will Hines, and Sean Hart
Hines & DeCoster and Sean Hart
Will Hines and Matt DeCoster, formerly of acclaimed improv group Monkeydick,
perform some hilarious sketches (e.g., a political debate in which a guy with a bloody harpoon through him denies he's been impaled); and Sean Hart shows off his stand-up and funny films.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Aziz Ansari is in LA for a while with Paul and Rob shooting the second season of Human Giant. Substitute hosting is stellar comic John Mulaney (above); and guests are typically great stand-up comedians trying out new material. This is often one of the funniest shows in New York.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 8/7/07
Shayna Ferm and the Upper Deckers
Shayna Ferm is a superb sketch comedy performer (with her ace troupe Fearsome), a wonderfully funny singer/songwriter, and all-round entertainment goddess. Tonight she debuts her new rock group Shayna and The Upper Deckers in a benefit concert for an upcoming punk musical version of Romeo and Juliet, titled Ben (in which Shayna plays Mercutio). This will also be a preview of Shay's comedic music album, which she'll be recording with her band at the end of the summer. Come enjoy yourself, support punk Shakespeare, and rock with Shayna.
Doors open at 7:00 pm; Shayna and her band will get onstage around 9:30 or 10:00 pm;
Ace of Clubs, 9 Great Jones Street (3rd St. between Lafayette and Broadway); $8
This theatre is downstairs from the Acme restaurant. Nearest subway stops are
Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Giulia Rozzi
Hosted by Josh Filipowski. Tonight's scheduled comics are Giulia Rozzi
(VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts, Stripped Stories; for a video sample,
please click here); and Ryan Bozsan, Bruce Cherry, Matt Daly, Lisa Harmon,
Bill Michaels, Dave Rosner, Josh Spear, Charles Star, and Luca Tesconi.
10:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/8/07
The 7:00 Workout: Glennis McMurray
Glennis McMurray is a member of the acclaimed musical improv group I Eat Pandas (with Eliza Skinner and pianist Travis Ploeger). She's also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, writes a popular blog, and creates sketch comedy and funny films (for samples, please click here and here). Come help her test out material and try to delight you.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
(Note: This show had to be cancelled due to a temporary water overflow at UCBT.
Hopefully it'll be rescheduled.)
Billy Merritt & Christina Gausas
Ampers&nd: Two Year Annivers&ry
A showcase for funny twosomes celebrates two years of comedic togetherness.
The star performers scheduled are Christina Gausas & Billy Merritt, Matt DeCoster & Andy Rocco, Samantha Gurewitz & Ernie Privetera, and hosts David Furfero & Alex Marino.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Amy Heidt, and characters from the minds of Mark Sarian & Ari Voukydis
Booze Cruise and Mark & Ari: Loft
This double-bill offers a parade of characters so horrible that you have to laugh.
In Booze Cruise, Amy Heidt takes you on a corporate cruise and, says, Time Out NY, "introduces you, with spot-on and very funny impersonations, to five dysfunctional women you'll instantly recognize and love to loathe." For samples, please click here and here.
In Loft, Mark Sarian & Ari Voukydis perform a sketch show with yet more quirky characters, including "unreliable supers, meth-crazed neighbor, and Ikea-induced madness."
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Hosted by comedy greats Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale (above).
The lineup (which is usually great) typically isn't posted until late afternoon;
you can check whether the show's Web page has been updated yet by clicking here.
9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Two gals who know how to have fun...and are world-class storytellers
Stripped Stories: Sexual Dilemmas
Sexual storytelling with a comedic slant, tonight offering frank confessions about choices, challenges and kinky compromises with guests comic Alison Becker (FUSE), musician Leybia Rodgers (aka Mindy Raf from VH1's Best Night Ever), and art student Al Fields; and from the two sensual hosts, Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts) and Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)—or, as Margot likes to describe it, "newly married Giulia Rozzi and the eternal bridesmaid Margot Leitman." In addition, there'll be "a spontaneous audience interview, sex games, and a drunken afterparty in Sadie's Lounge." Come to laugh, to get turned on, and to make choices you'll regret in the morning. This wonderful show often sells out—plus it's a Time Out New York pick this week—so it's recommended you buy tickets in advance by clicking here.
9:30 pm at Mo Pitkin's, 34 Avenue A (between East 2nd & 3rd Streets); tickets are $5
Justin Purnell wrangling comedy acts
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,
and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent varies wildly—
but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun.
Come to support the experimentation, and periodic delightful surprises,
that this free show makes possible.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 8/9/07
Drink at Work Presents: Barely Famous
Hosted by Lizz Winstead (co-creator & former head writer of original The Daily Show, former VP of Air America Radio, and host of the new weekly NYC live show Shoot the Messenger).
Tonight's fabulous lineup includes Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer, and
host of the monthly NYC live show Boom Boom; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts, co-host of the monthly NYC live show Stripped Stories; for a video sample, please click here); Sean Crespo (stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here and here and here), Katina Corao (SNL, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever), Greg Barris (MTV2's All That Rocks, Carolines), Jon Lang, Jesse Pop, and musical guest Lonesome Jack.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (off 9th Avenue); tickets are $10 at the door,
or just $5 online using discount code DAW89
Peter Karinen, Brian Sacca, and Joe Schiappa state the obvious
Attractive Guys and Trophy Dad: Teenager High
There's no way to improve on the official description of Attractive Guys, so here it is verbatim:
"Following up on their lackluster appearance at the 2007 Aspen Comedy Festival, mediocre comedy duo Pete and Brian once again join forces with the always boring Joe Schiappa, this time to perform something totally unique: 3-person sketch comedy. This has never been done before. Ever. In this wholly original show, one sketch involves a wacky character. Another involves two people and miscommunication. Another sketch features funny accents. There will be an unexpected plant in the audience. Also, there is an introduction. And an ending. And plenty of self-conscious, self-deprecating, self-referentiality." How can you resist? For sample sketches from these oddly witty guys, please click here & here.
The other half of this double-bill is sketch troupe Trophy Dad—Bradley Bazzle, Matteo Borghese, Scott Hoffer, and John Phillips—who've written and perform a 45-minute play titled Teenager High involving a talent show, drugs, and international conspiracies. The script doesn't quite hang together, but there are periodic fun scenes; and visiting actors Chris O'Connor (member of stellar sketch group Fearsome) and Julie Lake (a Yale Drama grad) are especially appealing.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Leo Allen and Seth Herzog
Jackie Clarke and Julie Klausner are creating some of
the smartest, freshest material in NYC—
please check out their recent short films by clicking here.
They also tend to start off each monthly show with a
PowerPoint presentation that's hysterically funny,
both for its smartly crafted content and
for the perfectly timed patter between the duo.
Tonight's guests are Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005;
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City;
and currently perfecting material for his first solo Comedy Central special in August);
and Seth Herzog (host of the superb weekly live comedy show Sweet).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: C, C + C Improv Factory vs. Death League Tea Party
This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the
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...).
C, C + C Improv Factory—consisting of Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams)—is beginning to look unstoppable. It first won a close battle against the stellar Working Girls; then responded to a fine performance from 4 Track! with an even better one; and while I missed the show last week, Slideburgers apparently got chowed down, with the final votes 51-19 for the three C's.
Tonight the guys face the intimidatingly-named Death League Tea Party: Joe Spellman
Anna Rubanova, Cesa Kobe-Smith, Kristy Webb, Alden Ford, Steven Slate, and Marcos Sanchez, whose motto is the terrifying "Good Day! Wonderful Day!" Will this troupe, with the guidance of the wonderful Neil Casey, prove to be the Factory's beverage of doom? There's no telling what will happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this show.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/10/07
Now That's What I Call Rogue Elephant
Sketch comedy group Rogue Elephant performs its best routines from the past three years.
For a sample, please click here. Cast members are Susannah Becket and Silvija Ozols of Working Girls, and Tim Curcio, Eddie Dunn, Jim Santangeli, Nate Smith, and Gavin Speiller.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Jason Mantzoukas (We Used to Go Out, Mother: The Soundtrack) and Ed Herbstman (co-founder of the Magnet Theater) show off how damn smart and breathtakingly talented they are. Time Out New York named these guys Best Improv Duo of 2006. Take advantage of a great opportunity to see these improvisation comedy stars shine in an intimate setting.
8:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Some of the best improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas, Chris Gethard, Billy Merritt, Bobby Moynihan, Silvija Ozols, and Zach Woods—make stuff up, and make you laugh.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Comedic powerhouses Jackie Clarke, Curtis Gwinn, Brett Gelman, Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, and John Gemberling interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improv scenes. Scary and funny.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Pete Holmes and TJ Miller
UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics. If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who shows up. If you're a comic yourself, though, it's a nice opportunity to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.
Hosted by Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com; cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl) and TJ Miller (ESPN Hollywood, PBS' The Standard Deviants, ABC's upcoming Carpoolers; writer for Blerds.com and verybadporn.com).
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/11/07
Kate McKinnon explores the joys of depression;
The Situation Room perform a comedic play about doctors
Clinical D! and Smellin' Up the Den
Kate McKinnon's one-woman show (directed by Rebecca Drysdale) portrays six characters who party away with depression. "Full of broken hearts, shattered dreams, and dead daddies...and its hilarious! Leave your Zoloft behind and laugh your tears away."
The other half of this double-bill is described as follows: "When Dr. Richards, a no-nonsense oncologist with a penchant for compassion, and Dr. Larry, a medical malcontent with 'rapier wit,' begin taking appointments down the hall from one another, only one thing can happen: Tomfoolery." From sketch group The Situation Room: Scott Courlander, David Juliano, Seth Kirschner, and Todd Blass.
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Magnet's instructors, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack (see below) Jason Mantzoukas, Tara Copeland, James Eason, Christine Walters, plus occasional special guests (such as superstar Mike Meyers), turn a tiny suggestion into larger-than-life improvised scenes.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jacob Brown, Jared Robinson, Michelle O'Connor, and Katie Goan
Want to buy a couch? Find a date? Complain about your roommate? This 90-minute play "explores the carnivalistic, cult-like phenomenon that is Craigslist. Combining actual postings from the New York Web site with scripted material and live music, the play tells the true stories that are locked inside an online community that has shaped and inspired today's Internet generation." Written by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez, and directed by the brilliantly talented Kimmy Gatewood. For brief samples, please click here and here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Jason Mantzoukas leads a vibrant team of improv comics—Scot Armstrong, Tara Copeland, Jon Daly, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Doug Moe, and Christine Walters—who make up scenes based on CD tracks contributed by the audience. (Note: Jessica St. Clair will be appearing again later in August...and then, sadly for New Yorkers, moving to LA.) One of UCBT's most beloved shows.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: On the Jitney
The highly inventive sketch troupe Harvard Sailing Team (which recently
appeared in SketchFest NYC) performs its newest show.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a formidable improv performer. Joining him are stellar talents Lennon Parham (see my review of her Showgirls parody), Chris Kula, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Jackie Clarke and Hot Sauce
The Dirtiest Sketch in New York
If you're easily offended, don't even consider coming to this show.
But if you appreciate comedy that pushes the envelope without hurting anyone
(with the possible exception of prudes), you'll applaud this wild, uninhibited
breaking of taboos to get laughs. The show is an open contest to see who can
create the most shockingly funny sketch running three minutes or less.
If a sketch is dreadful (many will be), the festivities will be maintained
by stellar hosts Jackie Clarke (Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made Ever!, Julie & Jackie) and
sketch/improv group Hot Sauce (Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally and Ben Schwartz;
for some samples of their work, please click here and here).
For a review of the UCBT-LA version of the show, please click here.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/12/07
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 celebs 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 $8; tonight's advance tickets are sold out, but a limited number of seats may be available at the door for those who arrive early enough to nab 'em. 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 & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
If you're looking for a good time, this might not be it.
But if you're interested in getting on the Mo Pitkin's stage and
performing stand-up—or any other kind of act—a mere $4 will buy you
a chance at being selected via the show's lottery system. The rules are:
Sign-up is at 9:00 pm sharp.
You get eight minutes maximum for your act.
You can do anything you'd like on stage, with two exceptions:
1. Don't damage the stage or equipment (respect the space).
2. Don't pick out people in the audience, even just to say something nice (respect the audience).
No online reservations available; simply pay at the door.
Again, this show isn't for everyone.
But if you're a performer, you've probably risked
a lot more that $4 to nab an NYC stage credit...
9:00 pm at Mo Pitkin's, 34 Avenue A (between East 2nd & 3rd Streets); tickets are $4
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 each—
please visit this site's newest page Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Finally, consider catching some of the wonderful shows
at this year's New York International Fringe Festival.
For comprehensive coverage of the festival, please click here.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2007 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
