NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/13/08
Todd Barry, Mike Still of Maude troupe The Skuntz, and Dave Hill
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:
the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Livia Scott, Jena Friedman,
Mike Drucker, and Jiwon Lee—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
stand-ups Jenny Rubin, Paul Case, and Sue Funke joining delightful hosts
Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, and Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] the debut of a new free weekly stand-up comedy show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman, with tonight's guests including top comics Thomas Middleditch, Jared Logan, and Brooke Van Poppelen: Entertaining Tammy (8:00 pm),
three hours of new sketch comedy by UCBT students at Maude Night (8:00 pm & 9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest stand-up comics in the country—who tonight include two of my all-time favorites, comedy geniuses Todd Barry and Dave Hill—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (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.
There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
Tonight's 6:30 lineup includes such great stand-ups as Livia Scott, Jena Friedman,
Mike Drucker, Jiwon Lee, and Myq Kaplan.
And the 9:00 pm show includes such fine talents as Matt Ruby and Amy Beckerman.
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.
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 (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, and Jackie Monahan
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guests
Jenny Rubin, Paul Case, and Sue Funke.
7:00 pm at The Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher Street (at 7th Avenue South); free
Jena Friedman
Entertaining Tammy with Jena Friedman
Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) tonight debuts a free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. (When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success.)
Tonight's scheduled guests are Jena's wonderful Chicago-to-NYC transplant pals:
Thomas Middleditch (quick-witted organic talent who honed his improv & comedy skills at Second City and iO Chicago, and is currently a member of superb improv troupes Baby Wants Candy, Broad Shoulders, and The Improvised Shakespeare Co; star of upcoming film Splinterheads and character "Marverick" in upcoming film The Rebound; one-man character sketch show Littlebitch at UCBT; co-host of monthly UCBT show Game Bros. Live!; wildly popular character performer at the monthly Morrison Motel),
Jared Logan (hilarious kinetic comic; named Best Comedian by the Chicago Comedy Awards; won Detroit's contest for Comedy Idol; for stand-up video about fast food and comic books, please click here; for set on scary things, including toy ads for girls, please click here), and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; co-star of sketch show Macho!; co-host of New Jacks Showcase and Slumber Party at Comix; for a video sample, please click here),
sketch troupe The Monkey Kids, and
singer/songwriter Justin Ettinger.
I have high hopes for this show, and encourage you to check it out.
8:00 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free
Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street
Writers, performers, and directors, most of whom are students at UCBT,
try out their sketch comedy routines.
Tonight features four groups in two double-bill slots:
at the 8:00-9:15 pm show, Stone Cold Fox and mixtape '98;
and at the 9:30-10:45 pm show, The Skuntz and 27 Kidneys.
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 at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show
Todd Barry and Koala bear in cuteness contest...
...and Leo Allen and Dave Hill
Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free
Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, this new show is produced by Jeremy).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include
Todd Barry (wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz;
Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Lucky Louie, and Sex in the City;
Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties;
Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Tom Goes To The Mayor;
recently acted in the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film The Wrestler;
check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),
Dave Hill (written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie
Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here),
and from across the ocean, an award-winning special guest
I'm not allowed to name who'll be performing a 30-minute set.
If you love comedy, make a habit of attending this wonderful free weekly extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 10/14/08
Arj Barker (Sweet), Thomas Middleditch (Morrison Motel), and DC Pierson of The Law Firm (Harold Night)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:
15 NYC stand-ups—including John Knefel, Kevin McCaffrey, Danny Lobell, and Margie Kment—
competing for audience laughs and votes at Eric I's Comedy Showdown (7:00 pm),
an entirely free taping at the gorgeous Comix showroom of a new Comedy Central show
focused on Latino comics, with Becky Donohue and Carmen Lynch: Los LOLs (8:00 pm),
award-winning writer/artist Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze) joining in on
a lively & hilarious discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] a small mob of top comics—Lee Camp, Nate Bargatze, Thomas Middleditch, Maureen Langan,
Reese Waters, Ross Hyzer, and David Cope—at John Morrison's The Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes
The F*cking Kennedys, Bangs, Bastian, The Law Firm, and DeCoster—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] world-class stand-up comics Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1)
and Arj Barker (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents),
plus acclaimed comedic TV & film actors Peter Dinklage (CBS, FX, The Station Agent, Elf)
and Jason Nash (Comedy Central, ESPN), at one of the finest and
funniest shows in NYC, the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
a funny exploration of where comedy comes from in Roots (9:00 pm),
and former Kissing Booth hosts Brandy Barber and Sara Jo Allocco debuting a sketch show directed by the superb Owen Brimer: Jar Full of Roaches (9:30 pm).
John Knefel, Danny Lobell, and Margie Kment
This biweekly extravaganza is a comedy competition hosted by Eric I.
Tonight's small mob of 15 participating stand-ups are, in scheduled order, Kevin McCaffrey, John Knefel, Gary Vider, Alec Sobel, Jay Welch, Mickey Wind, Thomas Newell, Mel Hammill, Danny Lobell, Brian Bruner, Meghan Hanley, Mara Herron, Jesse Richardson, Lori Sommer, and Margie Kment, each of whom will perform a short set.
The audience will then vote on which of the comics was the most hilarious. The two winners will receive additional stage time to make comedic fun of the losers; and also move on to a final round later this year to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).
7:30 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Comedy Central Presents Los LOLs—Entirely Free Taping
Comedy Central invites you to be a part of the taping of a showcase of rising star NYC Latino comics. Scheduled performers include Gina Brillon, Sergio Chicon, Becky Donohue, Angelo Lozado, and Carmen Lynch.
Please Note: This event is entirely free—no cover, no minimum.
To make a reservation (which is required), please call (212) 524-2500.
8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Eric Shanower and his Eisner Award-winning series about the Trojan War
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest is writer/artist Eric Shanower, who won the prestigious Will Eisner award in 2001 and 2003 as Best Writer/Artist for his Trojan War series Age of Bronze, and whose second graphic novel of the series, Age of Bronze: Sacrifice, was selected by Publisher's Weekly as one of the best books of 2004.
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.
(And for my fave, a delightful show with Kevin "Batman" Conroy, please click 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—
The F*cking Kennedys, Bangs, Bastian, The Law Firm, and DeCoster—
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
David Cope and Lee Camp...
...Ross Hyzer, Maureen Langan, and Reese Waters...
...and Thomas Middleditch, John Morrison, and Nate Bargatze
John Morrison, a wise & razor-sharp comic who produces the NYC weekly
open-mic show Ochi's Motel, welcomes veteran stand-up talents in this monthly showcase:
Tonight's superb guests are
Lee Camp (Comedy Central’s Fresh Debate, MTV’s Walk Of Shame; Sometimes Funny Hurts DVD; SharkBaby Comedy News Webcast; Spike TV, E!, Law and Order: SVU; for stand-up video on political hypocrisy, please click here),
Thomas Middleditch (quick-witted organic talent who honed his improv & comedy skills at Second City and iO Chicago, and is currently a member of superb improv troupes Baby Wants Candy, Broad Shoulders, and The Improvised Shakespeare Co; star of the upcoming film Splinterheads; star of UCBT one-man character sketch show Littlebitch; co-host of monthly UCBT show Game Bros. Live!; and a wildly popular character performer at this show—see, for example, the get-up in his photo above...),
Nate Bargatze (Nashville-born comic; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; for his Conan set, please click here),
Maureen Langan ( winner of the Bud Light "Ladies of Laughter" Contest;
named by Backstage as one of the "Ten Standout Stand-ups Worth Watching"),
Reese Waters (winner of 2008 Carolines March Comedy Madness, beating out 63 other talented comics; for a Carolines stand-up video, please click here),
Ross Hyzer (host of NYC live extravaganza County Fair Comedy Show;
for stand-up videos, please click here and here), and
David Cope (comedic storyteller, and member of Sweet Haven sketch troupe; for videos of David relating an encounter with a prophet and reading his romance novel, please click here and here).
8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);
$5 for ticket, plus $7 food or drink minimum
Pete Holmes and Arj Barker...
...and Seth Herzog and Peter Dinklage
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Pete Holmes (razor-sharp & lightning-fast mind, and one of the finest 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),
Arj Barker (superb and internationally popular stand-up; cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues),
Peter Dinklage (best known for his acting in such movies as The Station Agent, Underdog, Death at a Funeral, and Elf, and such TV series as CBS' Threshold and FX's Nip/Tuck), and
Jason Nash (LA-based comedy actor who's performed on such shows as Comedy Central's Reno: 911, Miss Match, and ESPN's Cheap Seats, and co-hosts the podcast Men with Feelings and the Web series Supernews).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Where Does Comedy Come From?—Roots
In this new biweekly show, performers explore the origins of funny via "stand-up, sketches, essays, videos, songs, prayers, tears, and mortal screams of sepulchral terror." Hosted by Joe Powers and Chris Conway.
Tonight's lineup is a mystery; here's hoping Joe and Chris get in the habit of announcing their guests. Nonetheless, if you're not going to Sweet, this could be worth checking out.
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Former Kissing Booth hosts Brandy Barber and Sara Jo Allocco wrote & perform
this sketch show, directed by acclaimed comedy short film director Orem Brimer.
The official description: "Some simp may have said that life is just a bowl full of cherries, but Brandy & Sara think it's more like a jar full of roaches. Will there be demented workout videos? Seething hostility expressed through offers of kindness? Screeching? You betcha. And one lucky guest will win his or her very own Jar Full Of Roaches at each and every show."
So even if you don't like the show, the price is clearly worth it for the raffle entry...
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 10/15/08
Livia Scott (Hysterical Festival Kickoff), Violet Krumbein (Human Painkiller), and Sara Schaefer (Word!)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:
[TOP PICK] deliciously smart and varied productions showcasing NYC's enormously funny women on this first day of The Hysterical Festival (6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:00 pm, and 9:30 pm),
five free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (7:00 pm-midnight),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest female comics in NYC, including magical comedic chameleon
Livia Scott, world-class sketch comedy group The Apple Sisters, and genius musical improv
group I Eat Pandas, in The Hysterical Festival Kickoffl (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] razor-sharp writer/comic Joe Mande, with the aid of superb performers Chris Gethard
and Jenny Slate, recreating on stage Joe's experiences interning for The Maury Povich Show,
PLUS Violet Krumbein demonstrating she's one of the most breathtakingly original
and darkly funny talents in NYC, in one of the finest double-bills to grace NYC this year:
Workdays with Maury and Human Painkiller (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] razor-sharp female writers taking their work from page to stage in Word! (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC
at Margot Leitman's & Giulia Rozzi's Stripped Stories (9:30),
a comedic one-woman show about weddings in Megan Grano: Obliged (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
For four hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Vacation Island and The Wilhelm perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon go on at 8:00 pm; and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous show their stuff at 9:30. Rounding out the evening are The Faculty, consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood.
If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.
7:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
The Hysterical Festival is a celebration of hilarious New York City female comics. It starts with this show, and runs through Saturday (culminating with star Maria Bamford).
Don't miss this opening, which features a delicious mix of talent including hilarious musical sketch group The Apple Sisters, musical improv geniuses I Eat Pandas, brilliant comedic chameleon Livia Scott, sharp stand-up Claudia Cogan, and hula-hooping burlesque star Miss Saturn. Hosted by superb stand-up Michelle Buteau.
Also consider getting a ticket for Stripped Stories, which directly follows this show.
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)
by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's also a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
7:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Joe Mande: Workdays with Maury and Violet Krumbein: Human Painkiller
A superb comedic mini-play and mind-blowing one-woman show
for a mere five bucks add up to the best entertainment value in NYC.
The evening kicks off with Violet Krumbein, an immensely appealing rising star who's performed on Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and UCBT Harold Night improv troupes Tantrum and Whorenado. (For a sample of Violet's sharp acting and vocal skills, please click here.) Tonight Violet demonstrates she has one of the most disturbingly inventive comedic minds to ever grace an NYC stage via a show she wrote and performs solo—with the aid of a dancer's grace, impeccable timing, and myriad props...including an unforgettable life-size doll. Imagine combining the playfulness of Sesame Street with the dark side of Andy Kaufman and you'll get some glimmer of what's in store for you. (Adult Swim, please take note...) Not for every taste; but if you feel adventurous, don't miss this breathtakingly original show by the stunningly beautiful and delightfully twisted Ms. Krumbein. Directed by Megan Neuringer (VH1's Best Week Ever, All Access).
The double-bill then continues with Workdays with Maury, a hilarious memoir about interning on The Maury Povich Show. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to pursue your dreams by moving to NYC and end up working for free on a seedy talk show, don't miss this smartly written true-life tale written and starring Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb weekly NYC show Totally J/K).
The mini-play also co-stars these two razor-sharp comedic actors:
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York), and
Jenny Slate (VH1; co-host of Brooklyn live comedy show A New Experience with Gabe & Jenny;
for very funny video, please click here).
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Margot & Giulia are two fun-lovin' gals...who are world-class storytellers
Hysterical Festival: Stripped Stories
Sexual storytelling with a comedic slant.
Expect shocking and highly entertaining yarns from tonight's guests—Adrianne Frost, Megan Neuringer (Strangers with Candy, VH1's All Access), Erin Markey (Joe's Pub, 2008 Sex Workers Art Show Tour), and Bridget Everett (At Least It's Pink)—as well as from the two sensual hosts, Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts) and Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien).
In addition, there'll be "audience interviews, sex games, and hookups...hopefully." Come to laugh, to get turned on, and to make choices you'll regret in the morning.
This is a wonderful show, and highly recommended.
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)
by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's also a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
7:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Catie Lazarus, Sara Schaefer, and Kambri Crews
This Hysterical Festival show features highly talented female writer/comics taking their words from the page to the stage, hosted by the delightful The delightful Sara Schaefer (MTV, VH1's Best Week Ever, E! Network's Rise of the Geeks;, Video Gaga, Name That Tune).
The superb guests are:
Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here; and keep an eye out for Kambri's first autobiographical book in 2009),
Catie Lazarus (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, AMC, FOX News; former editor
of Heeb Magazine; written for Time Out New York, New York Post, Gawker.com;
host of live comedy shows Fresh Meat and Stand for Peace;
for video on STDs & men talking more than women, please click here);
Rachel Shukert (Wasp Cove, Have You No Shame? And Other Regrettable Stories),
Allison Kilkenny (Sirius Radio, Huffington Post),
Christen Clifford (BabyLove, Salon.com),
Catie Lazarus (Comedy Central, The Customer is Always Wrong),
Cheryl B. (Poets vs. Comics), and Michele Carlo (The Moth).
Hosted by the wonderful Sara Schaefer (Video Gaga, MTV).
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 cover, plus 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
This brand new one-woman show from Megan Grano is about weddings. The official description:
"While the divorce rate escalates, weddings have taken on an unprecedented importance, becoming the quintessential day for self-indulgence, extravagance, and unbridled ostentation. Megan Grano exposes the state of weddings by following one bride's story, starting with her engagement. We meet the self-centered bride, her parents, her sad but eager-to-please maid of honor, her terrified florist, her wacky minister, and a multitude of other characters all involved in making this the biggest, and (therefore) bestest day of her life!"
I haven't seen this production, but the fact it was provided a slot by itself
in UCBT "prime time" indicates it's worth a look.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,
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.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this typically wonderful free show makes possible.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 10/16/08
Carolyn Castiglia (Baby Mamas of Comedy), The Apple Sisters (Ghoul's Night Out), and Desiree Burch (Ambiguously Brown Comedy Hour)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:
deliciously smart and varied productions showcasing NYC's enormously funny women on this second day of The Hysterical Festival (7:30 pm and 9:30 pm),
delightful comics with different voices, including Jiwon Lee, Diana Saez, Aparna Nancharla,
Erin Jackson, Retta, and razor-sharp host Desiree Burch at Ambiguously Brown Comedy Hour (7:30),
[TOP PICK] The Apple Sisters, who are winners of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act,
and one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC—and after this month,
also one of the finest comedy groups in LA as they seek well-deserved fame and fortune—
performing a new Halloween musical: Ghoul's Night Out (8:00 pm),
brilliant comedic storyteller Anthony Atamanuik, plus sketch duo Lance & Ray,
in Pissing My Pants on Vine and The Evil Inside (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] Dave Hill demonstrating he's one of the sharpest, freshest, funniest comics around
—accompanied this evening by star musicians Moby, Walter Schreifels,
and Doug Gillard—at The Dave Hill Explosion (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] hot & hilarious mom comics, including Laurie Kilmartin, Pat Candaras, Corey Kahaney, Kim
"Boney" DeShields, Andrea Henry, and wonderful host Carolyn Castiglia at Baby Mamas of Comedy (9:30),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant & hilarious improv troupes, Classic Masculinity and Hot Sauce,
competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Hysterical Festival: Ambiguously Brown Comedy Hour
The Hysterical Festival is a celebration of hilarious New York City female comics. It runs at Comix through Saturday (culminating with star Maria Bamford).
Tonight's show focuses on ethnically diverse comics, including Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central), Diana Saez (CNN, Sí TV, Sirius Radio), Aparna Nancharla (Last Comic Standing, NBC's Stand Up for Diversity), Erin Jackson (Last Comic Standing, The Ellen DeGeneres Show) and Retta (Comedy Central Presents, Premium Blend, Slackers). Hosted by Desiree Burch (Joe's Pub, VH1's Best Night Ever).
Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)
by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.
Please also note there's also a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
7:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
Photo on right: Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Apple Sisters: Ghoul's Night Out
The delicious Apple Sisters—Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe, with Tom Thomsen on keyboard—have sung, danced, and naughtily joked their ways into New York City's heart. This homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters is one of the great successes in NYC alternative comedy, performing on Comedy Central and the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival, and winning the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act.
Tonight the gals perform a brand new show about Halloween involving spooky magic
and lots of crows. Be sure to catch it soon; after this month, our heroines
plan to head to LA in pursuit of the national fame & riches they deserve.
From the official description: "The Apple Sisters are Candy, Cora, and Seedy. Their mother, Ms. Reddy Apple, was a vaudeville star and she passed down the legacy to her three girls! The trio present their live show, broadcast on WXYZ AM Radio, straight to the troops in Germany, and present the show on stage at the Peoples Improv Theater in their first and favorite home, the Big Apple! Be a chum and always use Doramad Toothpaste, now with Thorium!"
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
The show tends to sell out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket online
($10.22, including service charge, using discount code APPLEFAN) by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $10 at the door
Stellar storyteller Anthony Atamanuik, and sketch duo Lance & Ray
Anthony Atamanuik: Pissing My Pants on Vine and Lance & Ray: The Evil Within
Two fine comedy shows for a mere five bucks.
Pissing My Pants on Vine is a one-man autobiographical show about doing drugs and booze while writing for children's television from the wonderful Anthony Atamanuik (actor on NBC's 30 Rock; hilarious reporter who covered the New Hampshire primaries for The Huffington Post; ace storyteller on NYC monthly comedy show The Nights of Our Lives; member of champion improv troupe Death by