NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/14/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect comedy show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
genius stand-up comic—and star Daily Show correspondent—John Oliver, plus Rob Paravonian
(tours with George Carlin; immensely popular YouTube video Pachelbel Rant), ventriloquist
Carla Rhodes, and more at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
brilliant, fresh, and sexy headliners Adira Amram, Heather Lawless, and Carolyn Castiglia, plus
Rachel Feinstein, Ophira Eisenberg, Bridget Everett, and Mel & El—i.e., some of the most amazing
women in NYC—raise money for the upcoming all-female comedy Hysterical Festival (8:00 pm),
and political sketch comedy, plus an interview with author Mark Crispin Miller (Fooled Again;
Cruel and Unusual; The Bush Dyslexicon) at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 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 30+ 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.
Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
There are two shows tonight, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
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 (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Carla Rhodes & friend, John Oliver, and Rob Paravonian
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 Chris DeLuca (writer for a slew of TV shows; has performed on
VH1's Best Week Ever and CBS' former Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn).
And tonight's wonderful guests are
John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;
delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
co-writer/star of The Department for BBC Radio 4; be sure to catch his first
Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times, which premieres this weekend),
Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; opens for George Carlin on tour; to see his hit video
Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 4.5 million people on YouTube, please click here,), and
Carla Rhodes ("rock 'n roll ventriloquist;" for shout-out from David Letterman, please click here;
for act with "Keith Richards," please click here; if John Oliver brings his talking Noam Chomsky
doll, demand that it and Carla's Cecil dummy interact on stage for your amusement...).
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); free
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z.
Heather Lawless, Adira Amram, and Carolyn Castiglia...
...and Bridget Everett and Rachel Feinstein
This show is both a teaser and fundraiser for the upcoming Hysterical Festival
featuring some of the funniest women in the country.
Tonight is hosted by the wonderful Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio; writer for The Huffington Post; host & co-producer of NYC live comedy show Chicks & Giggles).
And this evening's guests are some of the most amazing women in NYC:
Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy songwriter/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;
co-star of UCBT's Get Psyched!; for sample songs & videos, please click here),
Heather Lawless (brilliantly funny and sexy stand-up comic; winner of the 2005 ECNY Award
for Best Female Stand-Up; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
MTV2's Wonder Showzen, 2007 feature film Be Kind Rewind; member of superb female
comedy group Variety Shac; for brief video about Heather's new book, please click here),
Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, Court TV's
Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine),
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever,
E!, US Weekly's Fashion Police),
Bridget Everett (co-star of cabaret show At Least It's Pink at Ars Nova), and
Mel and El (New York Musical Theatre Festival Concert Series at Ars Nova).
For more info and/or to order tickets, please click here.
Note: Please use discount code EBLAST for $5 off each ticket.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$15 per ticket with discount code EBLAST (to order online, please click here),
plus two-item drink or food minimum (with tax & tip, figure on paying additional $13 or up)
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's terrific guests:
Danny Leary, Caroline Waxler, Emmy Rivera and Hailey Boyle .
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Author Mark Crispin Miller & his election book Fooled Again, and STM host Lizz Winstead
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 guest is Mark Crispin Miller, author of the books Boxed in: The Culture of TV, The Bush Dyslexicon: Observations on a National Disorder, Cruel and Unusual: Bush/Cheney's New World Order, and Fooled Again (which argues the last Presidential election was literally stolen).
To get a feel for STM, please view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here
and read a March 2008 New York Times article about the show by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12.50
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Storked: A Journey in Fatherhood
George Clark returns to The PIT with this one-man show
about becoming a dad.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Writers, performers, and directors, most of whom are students at UCBT,
try out their sketch comedy routines.
Tonight features six groups in three double-bill slots:
at the 8:00-9:15 pm show, mixtape '98 and 27 Kidneys;
at the 9:30-10:45 pm show, The Skuntz and Stone Cold Fox;
and at the 11:00 pm-12:15 am show, Last Laid Off and The Spin Room.
Some of the material will probably be very funny.
And a lot of it probably won't.
But if you enjoy the raw energy of young artists trying out bits,
come and support tonight's experiments, live on stage.
8:00 pm & 9:30 pm & 11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show
One of the finest talents in NYC is Kimmy Gatewood, who produces, directs, writes, acts, sings, dances, performs improv & sketch comedy—and tonight is doing this one-woman show.
The scenario: "Kim's getting married! It's the rehearsal dinner, and everyone is there—family, friends, co-workers...everyone, that is, except her husband-to-be. Kim runs into the coat room and refuses to come out. The whole family rallies: her best friend, her sister Val, her mother, her stepmother, her Youtubing younger cousin, and even Monkey the family dog. Things only get worse when the best man tries to hit on her..."
Frankly, the idea is better than the actual script, which needs a few rewrites.
But Kimmy's performance of the material is at times magical, and well worth catching.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/15/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Helen Hong hosting a new show with comics taller than her—tonight including terrific stand-ups
Michelle Buteau and Danny Leary—at Little Ethnic Girls and Friends (7:30 pm),
a refreshing collection of voices not often heard, from stand-up comics whose origins are
Arab, Indian, Asian, Muslim, etc., hosted by The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi: The Others (8:00 pm),
lively & fun discussions about comic books, with guests including the co-creator of a series about
science fiction sanitation workers, plus a writer for Dr. Who, at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
and brilliant comics Anthony Jeselnik (Comedy Central, MTV), Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award),
Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central Presents) , Eddie Pepitone (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing),
and more at a blowout edition of Carol Hartsell & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (9:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
Please Note: Seth Herzog—bless him—is currently in Kuwait entertaining US troops in Iraq.
However, I just got word his Tuesday show Sweet is happening anyway. It's helmed tonight by stellar hosts Bobby Tisdale and Craig Baldo, and slated guests include superb comics Roger Hailes and Eddie Pepitone (presumably racing from his gig at Drink at Work). The show is at 9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5.
Michelle Buteau and Helen Hong
Little Ethnic Girls and Friends
This new biweekly comedy show is hosted by two petite women,
one Korean-American and the other Arab-American, who like to make you laugh:
Helen Hong (TLC's What Not to Wear; E!'s Exposed: 25 Most Notorious Fashion Week Moments; Helen says " I love it when people ask me 'Where are you from?' and I say 'New York' and they say 'No, where are you really from???' I know they want me to name some Asian country like Japan or Korea. Instead I just stab them in the eye with a chopstick and scream 'I'm from the Land of Deadly Chopsticks, you evil Round Eye!' And then I shuffle away like a dainty geisha...;"
for Helen's hilarious stand-up video about false assumptions
and verbal misunderstandings, please click here), and
Maria Shehata (Comedy Central's The Watch List, TLC, Women's Entertainment Network, numerous appearances on Sirius Satellite Radio; for a stand-up video about Maria's parents' arranged marriage, please click here).
Maria is slated to perform elsewhere (for details, please click here),
so Helen is hosting solo tonight. Joining the chopsticks-wielding femme fatale are
Michelle Buteau (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend;
for stand-up video about Utah, sharing, and tits, please click here),
Danny Leary (host of weekly NYC live comedy show On the Rocks)
Liz Miele (Carolines; for wry, fun stand-up video, please click here), and
Danny Lobell (interviewer of such comedy giants as George Carlin on radio show The Comical Radio), and
Dave Kinney (for stand-up video involving dating above one's level, please click here).
7:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Negin Farsad and Maria Shehata
This show is based on the notion that "if you are not white, black, or hispanic in America, you are an other. The Others features these very funny other voices of stand-up comedy, including Arab, Indian, Muslim, Asian, and Iranian."
Tonight's extravaganza is hosted by Daily Show correspondent Aasif Mandvi,
and produced by Dean Obeidallah (Comedy Central's Axis of Evil) and
Maysoon Zayid (Comedy Central's The Watch List).
Scheduled performers include
Negin Farsad (Comedy Central's The Watch List, comedy troupes Madame Funnypants
and Three Jews and a Persian, Laughing Liberally at Town Hall, host of NYC
live comedy show Dirty Immigrant Collective; for a video sample, please click here),
Maria Shehata (Comedy Central's The Watch List, TLC, Women's Entertainment Network,
Sirius Satellite Radio; co-host of new NYC live comedy show Little Ethnic Girls and Friends;
for a stand-up video about Maria's parents' arranged marriage, please click here),
Mohamed Masoud (New York Arab-American Comedy Festival),
Fariaz Rabbani, Rio, and more.
Note: Please mention this site, HyReviews.com, to get half off the $10 ticket price.
8:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 per ticket (vs. $10) by mentioning HyReviews.com via phone (212/757-2323) or at the door,
plus two-item drink or food minimum (with tax & tip, figure on paying additional $13 or up)
The first two issues of illustrator Robbi Rodriguez's comics series Maintenance...
...and images from writer Christos N. Gage's The Authority: Prime and writer Tony Lee's Dr. Who
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Comedy giant David Cross recently remarked that the one thing TV science fiction series have in common is the inevitable appearance of two guys who, no matter when or where in the universe the story is set, talk like sanitation workers from New Jersey. One of tonight's guests, artist Robbi Rodriguez, has taken this a step further by basing an entire comics series, Maintenance, on two regular joes who make a living cleaning up assorted space sludge.
Also visiting tonight are Christos N. Gage (screenwriter of pulp movies such as 2002's
Teenage Caveman, and writer of comics series including Thunderbolts and The Authority),
and Tony Lee (writer of such comics series as Hope Falls and Doctor Who).
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.
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—
T.R.U.C.K.S., Twelve Thousand Dollars, DeCoster, 1985, and Tantrum—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show
is 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.
8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
A new sketch comedy show by Lizzie Goldberg-Redner, Dave Maulbeck,
Lauren Olson, and Jana Schmieding. The official description:
"Inept characters and human folly give rise to this original compilation of sketches.
Employing witty transitions and the occasional dance number, Les Encompentent
is a fresh reminder of how silly sketch can become. "
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Anthony Jeselnik (being lauded by Robin Williams), Leo Allen, and Reggie Watts...
...and Carol Hartsell, Sean Crespo, and Becky Donohue
Weekly show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo
(stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).
Tonight's amazing stand-up comedy lineup includes
Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of
my favorite stand-ups ever; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,
NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Walk of Shame;
for a video stand-up sample, please click here),
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award;
scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you;
to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; and for video samples of what Reggie does,
Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents, Ed, Sex and the City),
Eddie Pepitone (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Comic Standing,
King of Queens, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, hit movie Old School;
for a stand-up video about personalized heckling, please click here), and
Becky Donohue (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and
Shorties Watchin' Shorties; TLC's Trading Spaces; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly).
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/16/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage,
tackling eight wildly different characters, plus the understated Nick Zimmerman performing
a mini-play, in Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Out of Africa My Mind (8:00 pm),
a breathtaking gathering of uniformly brilliant comics, including David Cross (HBO, Comedy Central),
Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock), Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award), Bobby Tisdale, Chelsea Peretti,
Neil Casey, and host Brett Gelman—tonight playing an evil German children's entertainer—at Gelmania (8:30 pm),
an entirely improvised musical from magical duo Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner as I Eat Pandas (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
For details, please click here.
TV Alert: A strong case can be made that the best comedy show in the history of television
is South Park. I don't normally recommend it here for the same reason I don't plug, say,
the first month of auditions of American Idol; it just seems so obvious you should be watching...
This has been a particularly fine season of South Park, though—
which, considering how long the series has been going, is little short of astonishing.
And this evening's new episode involves the Internet.
So if you aren't already tuning in (as hard as that is for me to even contemplate),
for goodness sakes, set your TiVo to Comedy Central tonight at 10:00.
As Sparks Fly Upward: Stories->Improv->Sketch
This comedy troupe tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises
scenes based on the tales...which may later turn into scripted sketches.
It's a clever way of crafting a sketch show organically, week by week—and you can
watch the whole process, at no charge. The group consists of Kevin Allison,
Chris Caniglia, Scott Eckert, Sarah Nowak, Nate Starkey, and Shelly Stover.
6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Liam McEneaney's Writings with Music
According to the official description, "Every musician secretly wants to be a comedian.
All comedians have a secret yearning to play music. On the third Wednesday each month,
these worlds collide in a music/comedy experiment, as some of New York's best comedy writers read pieces, creating a rhythm that a jazz band will use to create
a live, improvised musical background."
Sounds tough to pull off; but an interesting experiment. There's no cover charge at Ochi's,
so if you're at all curious, poke your head in and see if the show grabs you.
Hosted by Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
7:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Lennon Parham and Nick Zimmerman
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and Out of Africa My Mind
There are few performers, comedic or otherwise, as appealing as
the sexy, laid-back, wry, and hilarious Lennon Parham.
Whether she's playing Nomi Malone (see my review of her Showgirls parody), author JK Rowling (as the clear highlight of a Harry Potter parody, in which Rowling reveals all the novels are based on actual events in her life), Sandy Michaelson as a Solid Gold Dance understudy, or zillions of characters while delivering world-class improvisation every Saturday night as part of stellar troupe Reuben Williams, watching the wonderful Ms. Parham is always a treat.
Tonight Lennon burns up the stage with an array of characters ranging from an unsettling radio DJ to a sweet little girl to Freddy Kruger...and will likely have you helpless with laughter.
(And if you don't want to take just my word for it, Jane Borden writes in this week's Time Out New York that Lennon's antics "will leave you wondering why she isn't famous yet.")
The extravaganza is directed by the brilliant Jason Mantzoukas, who should take a bow for helping Lennon really show off what she can do in this solo outing.
Stop by and fall in love with one of the finest comedic actresses in New York.
The other half of this double-bill is Out of Africa My Mind, a one-man show written and performed by Nick Zimmerman. The material didn't quite resonate with me;
but Zimmerman's gentle and unsettling style makes him a performer worth keeping an eye on.
Directed by the wonderful John Flynn (John Flynn Has Terrible Sex, The Nights of Our Lives).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
This wonderful weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads. Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. (For a recent interview with Brett, please click here; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here, and also check out their new hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked.)
Tonight Brett plays Klaus Van Vunn, "a famous German entertainer bringing joy to children everywhere! After a short time in prison, Klaus is back and ready to make your kids happy."
Joining the party is an awesome all-star collection of comedic talent:
David Cross (comedy genius, and one of the most respected guys in the biz;
credits as writer, actor, and comic include HBO's Mr. Show, FOX's Arrested Development, Comedy Central's Freak Show, Adult Swim's Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show...and scores of other TV and feature film roles),
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award;
scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you;
to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; and for video samples of what Reggie does,
Bobby Tisdale (comedy giant who for five years hosted the wonderful
NYC weekly live comedy show Invite Them Up; Comedy Central album;
film Junebug; HBO's Hysterical Blindness; show on SuperDeluxe.com),
Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; member of superb
comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,
blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990),
Neil Casey (brilliant comedic performer and improvisor; member of arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, Death by Roo Roo; also member of superb troupe Krompf; hilarious periodic announcer at Cage Match and panelist on Shut Up! I Hate You), and
Anthony Atamanuik (brilliant storyteller and improvisor; actor on NBC's 30 Rock; hilarious reporter who recently covered the New Hampshire primaries for The Huffington Post; ace yarnspinner on NYC monthly comedy show The Nights of Our Lives; and, like Brett and Neil, member of world-class NYC Friday night improv show Death by Roo Roo).
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); free
Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon
This free weekly show features the two PIT improv teams above,
each of which performs for about 30 minutes. For a video sample of Big Black Car,
please click here; and for a video sample of Fancy Dragon, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses
at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating
an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,
immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist
Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;
what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.
You don't have to take my word for it, either;
the duo just won this year's ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.
Don't miss any chance to enjoy these comedic wizards at play.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous
Some of the PIT's instructors—who include such talents as Ali Farahnakian,
Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott,
Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood—perform improv for around 30 minutes.
And opening for them will be house improv troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
