Best New York Comedy

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s coverage of the spectacular FringeNYC 2010 Festival, please click here.

Genius comic Thomas Middleditch performs improv tonight at The Law Firm and then sketch comedy at Beneath Gristedes

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): A delightful tale of heartbreak by Leslie Meisel—who manages the impressive feat of being adorable, sexy, and hilarious all at the same time, and is a sharp comedic talent very much worth keeping an eye on—quite ably abetted by co-writer Megan Neuringer in one of the smartest theatrical shows to grace UCBT this year: Love Can Suck a Dick…and So Can I

The other half of this double-bill is a one-man show that walks a challenging line between gay confessional and comic nerd celebration…and unfortunately ends up falling short on both sides. For example, I adored the name-dropping of my favorite Superman artist Wayne Boring, yet not a moment was spent following it to explain what made him so special. Plus who wants to see a show about someone “liking” Superman? If you aren’t passionately in love with the fiction—and commited to saying so, and to clearly articulating why—what’s the point? The production is nonetheless a laudable try at mixing the worlds of mainstream and genre; and if you’re not ascomics-obsessed as I am, maybe the skim-the-surface approach won’t be an issue for you at So I Like Superman: A One-Nerd Show

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($19.33 online if you use code VIPAUG, plus 2-item minimum): Past contestants of NBC’s Last Comic Standing—including Marina Franklin, Jon Fisch, and Jessica Kirson—performing tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club:Still Standing Up: A Last Comic Standing Showcase

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A groundbreaking and surreal improv/sketch troupe performing with new guests each Friday and making a valid complaint: Centralia: We Were Supposed To Have Flying Cars By Now

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00: Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Funny or Die, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Streeter Seidell (CollegeHumor.com star), John Roberts (YouTube star), Erik Bergstrom, and David Cope performing at O’Hanlon’s (14th Street off 1st Avenue), hosted by Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday ($39.50 online or at the box office using discount code PPBBOX): This is a show for which I have enormous affection; although my joy came from watching not only what occurred on stage, but the faces of the women in the audience turning stonier and stonier as they visibly projected the thought, “Dick tricks? This entire show really consists of dick tricks? All my suspicions about men have just been confirmed…” If you cherish bravery in performers, go forth to the 45 Bleecker Theatre (right next to the #6 subway’s Bleecker Street stop) and experience Puppetry of the Penis

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Thomas Middleditch, Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other superb improvisors make up scenes about an audience member’s legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Top UCBT talents—tonight featuring Nate Lang, Kate McKinnon, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Rodgers and Andree Vermuelen as the performers, and Adam Conover, John Frusciante, Kevin Hines, Anthony King, Shannon O’Neill, Craig Rowin, Jim Santangeli, Eric Scott, Nate Smith, Gavin Speiller, Erik Tanouye, and Caitlin Tegart as the writers—creating a one-night-only sketch comedy show directed by comedy genius Gavin Speiller, with musical guest McGinty & White: Beneath Gristedes

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s coverage of the spectacular FringeNYC 2010 Festival, please click here.