NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/28/08
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),
luminous actors including Sandy Rustin (Comedy Central's upcoming The Scariest Show on TV)
and Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire and The Sopranos mixing it up with brilliant
improvisors Tara Copeland, Becky Drysdale, Christina Gausas, Anthony King, and more,
as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),
stellar stand-ups at Liam McEneaney's free show Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
delightful stand-up Jackie Monahan and friends at Dykes on Mics (8:00ish pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with author Eric Alterman (Why We're Liberals:
A Political Handbook to Post-Bush America), at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
LOGO's Kate McKinnon doing a one-woman show about pill-popping fairy princesses, and a
smartly silly sketch comedy from Sidecar, in Disenchanted and This One's for the Losers (9:30 pm),
and two of the quickest & funniest stand-ups in the country, John Mulaney and Pete Holmes, plus other
comics TBA, at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC—which just happens to be free—Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 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)
Becky Drysdale, Ptolemy Slocum, and Sandy Rustin...
...and Anthony King, Tara Copeland, and Christina Gausas
Classic theatre scenes performed by professional actors who stay on book—
and an improv comic who hasn't read the play and has to make up lines on the fly.
Starring world-class improvisers (in alphabetical order):
Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member
of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel),
Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; weekly shows include Mother: The Soundtrack, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),
Becky Drysdale (stellar charismatic performer; acclaimed one-woman show
One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),
Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress;
Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), and
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Happy Hour,
Let's Have a Ball, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical).
And also starring are some of NYC's top theatre & TV actors: Jeremy Bobb (Is He Dead?),
Nick Offerman (American Body Shop, FOX's 24), Sandy Rustin (Neil Simon's Hotel Suite,
Comedy Central's The Scariest Show on TV), Sarah Saltzberg (The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee), and Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire; improv troupe Neutrino).
Gravid Water is directed, hosted, and co-stars Stephen Ruddy—
and is one of the finest comedy productions in New York.
If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Liam McEneaney
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 lineup hasn't been announced, but it's usually stellar.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
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.
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:
Susan Alexander, Tara Devlin, Chesslee Calloway, and Danny Leary.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Author Eric Alterman & his new book Why We're Liberals, 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 Eric Alterman, who runs the popular political blog Altercation, is a professor of English and Journalism at CUNY, and is the author of seven books including the brand new Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook to Post-Bush America.
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.
Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar; and Kate McKinnon in Disenchanted
Sidecar: This One's for the Losers and Kate McKinnon: Disenchanted
Two sketch shows about folks not entirely reaching their potential.
First up is absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar, which consists
of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
The official description: "A lot of sketch shows are for guys like David Beckham and George Clooney, but not this one. This one's for the rest of us, this one's for you, This One's For The Losers." For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
The double-bill then continues with actress Kate McKinnon, who's
a cast member on LOGO TV's series The Big Gay Sketch Show.
The official description: "Watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood
pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma."
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Concerned citizens, and world-class stand-ups Pete Holmes and John Mulaney
This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.
However, it's enormous fun...and free.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for John's two Conan appearances, please click here and here),
Pete Holmes (like John, lightning-fast mind and one of the best stand-ups in the country;
VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload;
writer for CollegeHumor.com; cartoonist for mags ranging from
The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl; host of UCBT's monthly open-mic extravaganza Gutbucket),
and more comics not yet announced.
Tonight's show—produced by Jeremy Levenbach—is likely to be one of the funniest in NYC.
And have I mentioned it's free?
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/29/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
stand-up comics (most of them taller than their hosts) offering non-mainstream voices
at Helen Hong's and Maria Shehata's Little Ethnic Girls and Friends (7:30 pm),
lively & fun discussions about comic books—with the best Batman ever, the actor behind
the voice of the Batman animated TV shows & films, Kevin Conroy—at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
comedy giant Horatio Sanz (Saturday Night Live cast member 1998-2006), brilliant stand-up comic
Pete Holmes (Comedy Central), acclaimed improvisor Peter Grosz (staff writer for The Colbert Report),
world-class storyteller Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Stripped Stories), and more at one of the finest comedy shows
in NYC, hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (just back from entertaining our troops): Sweet (9:00 pm),
typically terrific stand-up comics at Carol Hartsell & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (9:00 pm),
and a gathering of fun quirky comics—Pangea 3000 (sketch comedy troupe), Brandy & Sara
(The Kissing Booth), Adam Newman, Jon Lang, and Sam Grittner—at Her Majesty's Stand-Up (9:30 pm).
Maria Shehata 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).
Their mostly-taller-than-them guests tonight include
Jackie Monahan (delightful co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Dykes on Mics at RubyFruit and monthly show Doris Yeltsin at Karma Lounge; Lesbians of Laughter Tour;
for sharp stand-up video, please click here),
Ruby J. Wendell (former New Yorker, now LA comic with cable access show
You Know What I Mean;" for brief stand-up videos about Ruby's tendency to hug
and a peak into her inner world, please click here and here),
Daniel Siegel (co-host of the twice-weekly NYC live comedy show
Donkey Punch at the Village Lantern), and
Joe Pontillo (Joe Franklin's, Broadway Comedy Club).
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)
The wonderful animated version of Batman (by far the best of all the media adaptations)...
...and by far the best Batman: Kevin Conroy
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is Kevin Conroy, the magnificent actor
who's brought Batman to life more effectively
(by leaps and bounds) than any other TV or film performer...
and has done so working exclusively behind the camera.
Since 1992, Conroy has been the voice of Batman for the wonderful animated
TV shows Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures,
Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Superman: The Animated Series
(and, yes, the painful Batman Beyond and Static Shock...).
Conroy has also been Batman for several animated feature films:
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero,
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
Not only has Conroy played Batman far better than anyone else,
he's also played him more often—over the past 16 years, tackling the role
more times than Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney,
and Christian Bale combined.
And he's done so once again recently, for the new animated
direct-to-DVD release Batman: Gotham Knight.
This evening offers a rare chance to meet the man behind the voice.
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—
DeCoster, Bastian, fwa, 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
Horatio Sanz and Seth Herzog...
...and Pete Holmes, Giulia Rozzi, and Peter Grosz
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever)...
who's just back from a couple of weeks of entertaining our troops in the Middle East
and will have stories to tell.
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's wonderful guests include
Horatio Sanz (comedy giant who was a cast member of Saturday Night Live
from 1998 through 2006, appearing in 160 episodes; founding member of the
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; numerous films include School for Scoundrels,
The Smiths, Road Trip, Boat Trip, and the upcoming May the Best Man Win),
Pete Holmes (lightning-fast mind and one of the best stand-ups in the country;
VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload;
writer for CollegeHumor.com; cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker
to Cosmo Girl; host of UCBT's monthly open-mic extravaganza Gutbucket),
Peter Grosz (staff writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, member of Chicago's Second City acclaimed improv troupe 4 Square), and
Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts; monthly video series The Message Board, which makes fun of brides, on ComedyNet.com; co-producer of East coast version of hit national show Mortified; co-host of monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Carol Hartsell and Sean Crespo
Weekly show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo
(stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).
The lineup often isn't announced until the day of the show.
To check for a last-minute update, please click here.
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)
Adam Newman, Pangea 3000, and Brandy & Sara
Hosted by Jon Bander, Dan Gregor, and Lucas Held.
Tonight's enjoyably off-beat comics are
Brandy & Sara (hosts of the NYC live comedy show The Kissing Booth),
Pangea 3000 (sketch troupe consisting of Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein, Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss; to view two of their surreal tales of games guys play, involving whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here),
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, The Tyra Banks Show;
co-host of monthly NYC live comedy shows Street Meat and biweekly Faux Show;
host of weekly NYC live open-mic comedy show Blowtorch Slaughter;
half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal),
Jon Lang (for stand-up about learning his brother is gay, please click here), and
Sam Grittner (for stand-up about the gayness of Heaven, please click here).
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/30/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
an extended showing off of both veteran comics and new faces at the
world-famous Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, starting at an extra early time:
UCBT's Spring Showcase (5:00 pm),
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),
stellar comics Aziz Ansari (co-star of hit MTV comedy series Human Giant), Heather Lawless
(HBO, Comedy Central, Variety SHAC), Kurt Braunohler (Hot Tub Variety, Penelope Princess of Pets),
and Death by Roo Roo (brilliant improv comedy group) joining comedic chameleon Brett Gelman
(Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report) for the weekly extravaganza men call Gelmania (8:30 pm),
one of NYC's wittiest naughty singer/songwriters raisin' the roof
with her band, the outrageous Shayna Ferm and the Upper Decks (9:00 pm),
delicious comics Margaret Champagne, Joselyn Hughes, and Brooke Van Poppelen inviting
a few of the coolest gals and guys they know for stand-up comedy fun at their Slumber Party (9:00 pm),
some of most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—including
Chris Gethard, John Flynn, Dave Martin, and John Mulaney—telling fascinating personal tales
about sports at one of the flat-out finest shows in NYC, The Nights of Our Lives (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: South Park is one of the funniest shows in TV history, and this season
has been especially superb—which, considering the series is in its 11th year,
is little short of astonishing. On tonight's repeat, Cartman contracts a terrible disease...and then
does something shockingly wrong, even for him. If you aren't already tuning in, for goodness sakes,
set your TiVo for Comedy Central at 10:00 pm and discover the latest catch-phrase
South Park has contributed to our culture: "I'm not only sure, I'm HIV-positive..."
Comedy DVD of the Month (April 2008):
It's notoriously difficult to make pure stage improv work on film.
That's why this ASSSSCAT! DVD is so special...and exhilarating.
As far as I know, it's the best state-of-the-art improv comedy
ever captured by a camera and available for enjoyment & scrutiny at your leisure.
The direction is so unobtrusive that you almost feel like
you're there in the theatre watching it happen live.
It was performed in 2007 by the comedy geniuses of the Upright Citizens Brigade—
Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh—
along with some friends at the UCB Theatre in LA.
If you've ever wondered why there's so much interest in improv—
or, conversely, have tried to explain the appeal to a friend or loved one—
this DVD is the answer.
For further details and/or to purchase a copy, please
click here
To learn more about the Upright Citizens Brigade—
as well as about its newest cool Web site—please click here.
& 
Both seasoned pros and less experienced talents strut their stuff today at UCBT
This extra-early event is a showcase for both established UCBT performers
and newer talents...and, I'm guessing, a sneak peak at upcoming shows.
Considering it's starting at 5:00 pm, I'm also guessing this will run for quite a while.
There's no telling how enjoyable the showcase will be; but if (like me) you appreciate
seeing a whole bunch of funny NYC performers back to back, and getting a feel
for what's currently happening in NYC comedy, this is a great opportunity.
5:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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
Adam Newman and Shawn Pearlman
Weekly comedy show hosted by
Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of
monthly NYC live comedy show Street Meat; host of weekly NYC live open-mic comedy show
Blowtorch Slaughter; half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal) and
Shawn Pearlman ("If you're in a bad neighborhood, blowing a rape whistle
is like ringing a dinner bell;" for stand-up videos, please click here and here).
Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're likely to be
highly talented stand-up comics.
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)
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 has written in Time Out New York that Lennon's antics "will leave you wondering why she isn't famous yet;" and writes in this week's edition, "Attention Lorne Michaels, please give Lennon Parham a job." )
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.
(And TONY's Jane Borden found it "a candid and hilariously awkward monologue...")
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
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,