NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 7/30/07
Jason Mantzoukas and Jessica St. Clair are two of UCBT's brightest stars. The duo previously shined in their wonderful comedic plays We Used to Go Out and I Will Not Apologize; and they've been making audiences happy Saturday nights as members of Mother: The Soundtrack. In this improv show, they ask an audience member about a dating experience as a launching pad for their own simulated special evening. At the premiere about a month ago, the date took place at Chili's, and an initial scene led a less-than-enlightened audience member to storm out. Jessica responded by pushing the envelope even further, taking chances in risking audience ire that made even Jason uncomfortable—and we loved her for it. The second show was two weeks ago, and took place in a cemetery...with Jason playing a guy who had a torrid affair with his mother. Lord know what will happen tonight; but be sure you don't want to miss it. Also, please note that—sadly for us—Jessica will soon be moving to LA, so catch her at UCBT-NY while you can.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Alana Harrison
Alana Harrison is a sharp and chameleon-like performer who's in constant motion, whether she's dancing, using body language to convey character, and or simply letting her imaginative mind race. This one-woman show is written, stars—and, at times, is animated—by the always inventive Alana, and is worth catching.
The other half of this double-bill is long-form improv by two powerhouse talents: Ellie Kemper (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Onion, McSweeney's) and Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Stepfathers). And pitching in will be Andy Blitz.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
My Sunny-Side Up: Improv for Kids! and Blackout: Improv in the Dark
It'll be tough to top the dark humor of last year's musical Oedipus for Kids, but it'll be fun to watch this talented cast try. The "Sunny-Side Up Players" are Amey Goerlich, Don P. Hooper, Angie Martin, DC Pierson, Katie Schorr, Ari Scott, Nathan Shelkey, and Michael Short.
And speaking of dark, the second half of this double-bill is improvisation set during a NYC blackout. You'll be hearing the voices of Cory Cavin, Kirk Damato, Michael Martin, Pam Murphy, Beth Newell, Craig Rowin, Anna Rubanova, and Kristy Webb.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Normally hosted by Aziz Ansari (one of the best stand-up comics on the planet); but Aziz will be in LA for a while with Paul and Rob shooting the second season of Human Giant. Substituting will be stellar hosts such as John Mulaney; while the guests are superb 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 7/31/07
Nick Swardson, Jamie Kilstein, Leo Allen, and Michael Showalter
Hosted by the sharp & witty Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Scheduled to make this final Sweet show for the summer a memorable one are guests Nick Swardson (writer/co-producer/co-star of feature films The Benchwarmers and Grandma's Boy; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Human Giant, Reno 911, Comedy Central Presents; and currently acting in his second Adam Sandler film); Jamie Kilstein (who most recently opened for Lewis Black on tour, and then performed at the Montreal Comedy Festival's Best of the Fest show); Michael Showalter (MTV's The State, Stella comedy troupe, 2001 comedy feature Wet Hot American Summer); and 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).
8:30 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
A showcase for comedy twosomes.
Scheduled performers are Michelle Medlin & Jeff Scherer, Megan Gray & Louis Kornfeld, Leanne Linski & Mark Grenier, and Jon Kern & Matt Koff.
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/1/07
Free and typically fine stand-up comedy
hosted by Jenny Rubin and Matt McCarthy (above).
The lineup wasn't posted as of 3:00 pm today,
but you can check for a last-minute update by clicking here.
To get a feel for the show overall, please click here.
8:00 pm at Mo Pitkin's, 34 Avenue A (between East 2nd & 3rd Streets); free
Hosted by comedy greats Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale (above).
Tonight's terrific lineup includes Michelle Collins (VH1's Best Week Ever and All Access, MTV U, YouCantMakeItUp.org; for a memorable chat about the power of penises over vaginas, please click here); Jon Daly & Brett Gelman as Cracked Out (a parody of a hip-hop group that's just released a bona-fide album: Fleetwood Cracked); and 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).
8:45ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Comic actress Sue Ball performs as one of several characters
in a dysfunctional family. Disturbingly funny.
9:30 pm at Mo Pitkin's, 34 Avenue A (between East 2nd & 3rd Streets); free
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 8/2/07
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.
Featuring genius improvisers such as Michael Delaney and Anthony King;
and tonight, also The Daily Show's Dan Bakkedahl (pictured above).
If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: C, C + C Improv Factory vs. Slideburgers
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 proving to be a formidable Cage Match opponent, first winning a close battle against the wonderful Working Girls, and then responding to a fine performance from 4 Track! with an even better one. Tonight the trio will be facing the new group Slideburgers: Birch Harms, Will Hines, Rebekka Johnson, Ellie Kemper, Porter Mason, Jim Santangeli, Nate Shelkey, Rob Webber, and Beth White. Will gooey fast food gum up the factory? Will a team three times the size of the C's make their numbers work for them, or will it impede their flow?
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
Tonight's guests include John Oliver (news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), Dan Allen (Comedy Central's Premium Blend; claims to be writing Kevin Bacon's biography in the sixth person), and Dominic Dierkes (comedy troupes Derrick and Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz, 2006 FUSE series The Nighttime Clap).
11:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/3/07
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
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
Cathleen Carr and Daiva Deupree perform sketch comedy for eight bucks tonight, but it'll still be worth it. At the recent SketchFest NYC 07, one of Deupree's bits involved leaving the sort of phone message one never should on an ex-boyfriend's answering machine, with such self-recriminating lines as, "Maybe we wouldn't have broken up if I'd given you more blow jobs."
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!
If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.
But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.
Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/4/07
Rob Lathan (with the help of "Shammy") wants to help you Get Psyched!;
Kate McKinnon explores the joys of depression
Kate McKinnons 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 a parody of faddish life coaching seminars like The Secret. Hyperactive host Lanny Lathan (Rob Lathan) has his own book, Top Secret, which he explains is much better because it reveals what you really must do to succeed: "Get Psyched!"
Aiding him is his lovely assistant Shammy (the amazing Adira Amram), who adds even more energy to the show with her witty singing. And along for the ride is a hapless audience member who didn't even realize he needed Lanny's aid (Nate Shelkey). Lathan's script isn't perfect, but the dynamic performances make this worth catching; Lathan is a UCBT veteran, and Amram is a rising star who can stand toe to toe with any comic in NYC.
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
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
Log Cabin Dreams: A Musical Based on the Life and Opinions of President Abraham Lincoln
The story of Abraham Lincoln told through song and dance. Written, directed, and starring Blaine Kneece.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/5/07
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.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2007 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
