NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 10/21/11

October 21, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

D.L Hughley

D. L. Hughley headlines through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club...

Nightfall on Miranga Island

...and musical comedy "Nightfall on Miranga Island" debuts tonight at The Magnet

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:

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creekupstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Mike Recine and Annie Lederman: The Shinebox

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): Some of The Magnet’s finest comics—including the brilliant and delightful Lauren Olson (powerhouse one-woman show Our Condolences at last year’s FringeNYC)—team up with Magnet co-owner Armando Diaz to deliver comedy as sketch troupe Good Morning, Ladies in this show charmingly titled Fuck You, I’m Reasonable

7:00 pm ($10): A respected improv troupe returns to perform at The PIT downstairs lounge: Sid Viscous

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): In one of the best scripted ensemble shows to grace UCB West for some time, troupe Stone Cold Fox performs hilarious parodies of off-off-Broadway theatre, as well as some of the very best sketches it’s crafted over the years, in a tight hour-long show directed by comedy genius Neil Casey (who, after also recently directing stellar one-person shows by Kate McKinnon and Mike Still, apparently can do no wrong), featuring delightful performances by Fran Gillespie, Molly Lloyd, D’Arcy Carden (watch for these three gals playing existential Truth or Dare), John Murray, Nate Smith, Brandon Scott Jones, and Jonathan Fernandez, and the writing of Leila Cohan-Miccio, Evan Greenspoon, Brandon Gulya, Matt Hunziker, Owen Parsons, and Michael Trapp: Stone Cold Fox: This Is Not Art

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—tonight featuring guests Connor Ratliff (The Stepfathers), Lauren Adams (Onassis), and Emily Axford (Airwolf)—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.) A comedy superstar (for a sample set, please click here) headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: D.L Hughley

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: At this unique show, comics play videos they’ve made about themselves and then perform sets, with tonight’s guests Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys), Phoebe Robinson (host of Case of the Mondays Comedy), Joe Pera (very funny deadpan comic; for reasons to hire Joe, please click here), and Gonzalo Cordova at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Charlie Kasov & Gabe Pacheco: Anecdotal Evidence

8:00 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello; plus in the other half of this double-bill, troupe Epic Beards

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($20 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BOOK): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse’s downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas…who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson’s writing isn’t consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($7): The winning team that created Pope!: An Epic Musical (a big hit at last year’s FringeNYC) and The Spidey Project (a media sensation) is now debuting a pirate musical atThe Magnet about “the dashing young hero Declan as he seeks out the vicious Martin La Foe, the second most famous pirate ever,” with book and lyrics by Justin Moran & Jon Roufaeal, and music by Adam & Matt Podd. See it for a mere seven bucks before it moves to theatrical houses for $18 and up: Nightfall on Mirango Island

[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who’s starred in his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and performed on HBO’s Tourgasm, FX’s Louie, MTV, and VH1 headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Robert Kelly

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), Rob Cantrell (organic & delightful pothead stand-up who’s performed onLast Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and VH1, and written for High Times), Travis Irvine, Team Submarine, Damien Lemon, Kyle Chandler, Ryan Conner, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Red Star Bar (37 Greenpoint Avenue) for hosts Nick Turner’s & Jason Sáenz’s Too Cool for School

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from UCB West’s all-star members ofThe Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): The unsinkable Mamrie Hart (rising star who’s snared over 195,000 visits to date with her Harry Potter viral video) hosts eulogies at UCB East for universally loved actor Will Smith, with participants Matt McCarthy, Henry Zebrowski, Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, Steve Soroka, Carla Rhodes, and a small army of other comics: Celebrity Funeral: Will Smith

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there’s still a 2-drink min. per person): Judah Friedlander (30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:30 pm ($5): “Where there is a stage and a piano, she will be there. Where there are strangers with embarrassing stories, she will be there. Where there is a group of people willing to sit and watch someone make up songs, she will be there. A one-woman musical improv journey through the lives of the audience. You tell the story, Rebecca Vigil sings the soundtrack” at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Vigilante

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics performing at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Jackie Zebrowski, Julia Johns, and Sharron Paul: Twat’s Up!

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Jon Gabrus, Nate Lang, Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Fran Gillespie Sue Galloway, and other superb improvisors at UCB West making up scenes about an audience member’s legal dispute: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): J Hobart and Grace Helbig welcome NYC talents for a morning chat show…that’s happening late at night. Tonight’s guests are Corn Mo (stellar musician), Gregg Goldston (expert mime), and Ashley C. Williams (Human Centipede): The Morning Show with Hobart and Grace

11:00 pm ($5): Ten NYC stand-up comics compete at The PIT downstairs lounge for audience votes, starting tonight, hosted by Max Newman: The PIT Stand-Up Comedy Competition

11:00 pm ($5): Comedy troupe Creature, comedy duo Byer & Alan, and stand-up David Cope performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D’Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

11:30 pm ($10): Magnet improvisers Bianca Casusöl as Madam Ant, Nina Klemow as Fanny Price, and Alex Marino as Larry Lazlo use burlesque dancing to tell a story “and titillate the audience with some seductively fun choreographed burlesque numbers:” Whisky Tango Foxtrot: Burlesque Improv Revue

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups do sets “and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life” at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[FREE] Midnight: Sketches from participants of this past September’s National Sketch Month, which challenged writers to craft 30 sketches in 30 days, brought to life on the UCB West stage, and hosted by Andy Beckerman & Mark Bisi (sketch duo Wrestling Team):NaNaSkeWriMoSkeShow: The National National Sketch Writing Month Sketch Show

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you know anyone who might have a thyroid problem, please tell them about my latest book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 12/10/10

December 10, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

D. L. Hughley and Joe Bob

D. L. Hughley headlines through Sunday at Carolines; and Chicago-based improv star Joe Bob makes a rare NYC appearance tonight at a Magnet mashup titled, for no particular reason, Lights Out, Shirley!

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] 7:00 pm ($7): Comedy veterans Laura Krafft (former writer for The Colbert Report), Jodi Lennon (Exit 57), and Miriam Tolan (The Daily Show) perform an improvised play in What a Year!

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): “John Haskell and Arthur Meyer are two men who like to have fun. Sometimes they sing songs and sometimes they talk loudly, but they always have fun. In this sketch comedy show, they don’t just have regular boring fun, but they have FUN TIME BABY OH YES!!” in the debut of Two Fun Men; plus a show I haven’t seen but have heard good things about,The Paul Downs Syndrome

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Star comics Wyatt Cenac, Christian Finnegan, Joe Mande, Costaki Economopoulos, Mara Herron, Louis Katz, Rob Cantrell, and more performing at Brooklyn’s Happy Ending for wonderful stand-up/comedic rapper host Carolyn Castiglia’s Splurge!

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight through Sunday at Carolines: D.L. Hughley

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

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here) delivering a brand new collection of sketches titled Ms. Larsen’s ClassThe Harvard Sailing Team

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

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

[TOP PICK] 11:15 pm ($5): A spectacular collection of veteran improvisors from Chicago and New York performing for one night only—including Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO teacher, Annoyance co-founder), Jodi Lennon (Comedy Central’s Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (UCB instructor, VH!’s Best Week Ever), Doug Stoley (Conan O’Brien, UCB), Rick Andrews (Magnet performer), Mark Grenier (Magnet teacher), Jen Sanders (Magnet performer), and Chet Siegel (Magnet performer)— Lights Out, Shirley!

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Cultural pundit Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC’s Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1’s Best Week Ever; Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), musicians Jonah Bayer (Alternative Press, Fuse) and Geoff Garlock (Orchid, Panthers), and more joining “opinionated audiophile John Frusciante hosting a revolving panel of music-loving comedians, writers, and musicians for a live monthly discussion about the state of music past and present, what you should and shouldn’t be listening to, and why KISS sucks so much. It is a guarantee that your favorite band will at some point be brought up, dissected, and either praised to the rafters or dismissed with the wave of a hand that knows how to properly handle vinyl:” Break Up Your Band

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 7/17/10

July 17, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.

D. L. Hughley

D. L. Hughley headlines at 8 pm, 10:30 pm, and 12:30 am tonight at Carolines

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): Genius improvisor Christina Gausas and friends she originally made in Chicago—which include writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

7:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Sharp NYC stand-ups Kenny Zimlinghaus, Pat Dixon, Pat Stango, and more—including “a special surprise guest”—performing in Ochi’s Lounge at Lil’ Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm & 12:30 am ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight and Sunday at Carolines: D. L. Hughley

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($26.95 online if you use code VIPJULY, plus 2-item minimum): A star stand-up duo—whose numerous comedy credits include starring in their own MTV show Apartment 2F; performing a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; guest-starring in an Emmy-winning episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, on Entourage, on ABC’sGrey’s Anatomy (as conjoined twins), and FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; and performing in four seasons of ESPN’s Cheap Seats—headlining tonight at the elegant Comix Comedy Club:The Sklar Brothers

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday ($29.50 online or at the box office using discount code PPBBOX through July 24th): This is a show for which I have enormous affection; although my joy came from not just watching 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): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—and the Cage Match Champion for two years in a row!—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($5): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!

9:30 pm ($10): “A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics,” following sold out shows at Joe’s Pub: Political Subversities

9:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Terrific NYC stand-ups Sara Schaefer (brilliant, inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1’s Best Week Ever), Vince Averill (Comedy Central, co-host of Beauty Bar Comedy), Phoebe Robinson (host of Case of the Mondays Comedy), Costaki Economopoulos (Comedy Central), Rob O’Reilly (Last Comic Standing), and more performing at Ochi’s Lounge with adorably sly host Calise Hawkins: Laugh in Limbo

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King: Reuben Williams

10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10): Hilarious sketch duo Chris O’Neill and Paul Valenti describe themselves as “vaudeville gold for a 2010 crowd.” Whatever. They’re funny. Especially the bit with the nose. Come catch their latest material tonight at The Chris and Paul Show

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): “For five years, you have been able to count on the UCBW to bring you hot comedy wrestling action. Plenty has occurred since WrestleSlamMania over three months ago: Little Brother lost the UCBW Championship to Marz and was forced to retire; but a new challenger for the title has emerged in Wall Street. The Bad Boyz continue to be led by evil owner Chuck McMahon. And a partnership of American Heroes, Uncle Eddie and The Fire Man, are here to save the UCBW. It’s revenge. It’s vengeance. It’s hot comedy wrestling action as only the UCBW can bring you. It’s the fifth annual…REVENGEANCE. Hilarious wrestling matches live! Get your tickets NOW! Only 14,000 seats available!:” UCBW: Revengeance

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 7/16/10

July 16, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.

D. L. Hughley

D. L. Hughley headlines tonight through Sunday at Carolines

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] 7:00 pm ($5): In this fun show, 16 musical performers turn an audience member’s suggestion into two musical fairy tales that tell what happened from the viewpoint of first the hero and then the villain, with “all the music and magic of a Disney flick…plus the darkness of the Brothers Grimm:” Once Upon a Time

7:00 pm ($8): Corinne Fisher performing a one-woman show that details how to keep tabs on someone with whom you’re obsessed: I Stalk You

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Kate McKinnon, Sarah Claspell, Nicole Drespel, Jocelyn Guest, Veronica Osorio, and Aaron Glaser performing a sketch show written by Leila Cohan and Caitlin Tegart about Smith, our nation’s largest and gayest women’s college; and Peter Blomquist and Jeff Wiens performing an all-new multimedia sketch show, in the double-bill This is About Smith and Franco & Billy: Diamonds of Fire

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($46.50 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar headlining tonight through Sunday at Carolines: D. L. Hughley

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($26.95 online if you use code VIPJULY, plus 2-item minimum): A star stand-up duo—whose numerous comedy credits include starring in their own MTV show Apartment 2F; performing a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; guest-starring in an Emmy-winning episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, on Entourage, on ABC’sGrey’s Anatomy (as conjoined twins), and FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; and performing in four seasons of ESPN’s Cheap Seats—headlining tonight through Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: The Sklar Brothers

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday ($29.50 online or at the box office using discount code PPBBOX through July 24th): This is a show for which I have enormous affection; although my joy came from not just watching 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] 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

[FREE] 8:00: NYC stand-ups Rob O’Reilly, Zach Sims, Drew Michael, and Dan Boulger performing at O’Hanlon’s (14th Street off 1st Avenue), hosted by Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

[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] 11:30 pm ($5): Dru Johnston, Noah Forman, and Alex Demers springboard off an audience suggestion to improvise an entire silly and energy-charged play in 40 minutes; especially keep an eye on Demers, who has a wild Sean Penn quality that makes you think he might explode into violence or insanity at any moment, adding to the edgy quality of The New Deal

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): “The most fabulous show on Earth,” hosted by Tim Gunn (John Flynn) and Tim Gunn (Michael Hartney), featuring wonderful comedic performers (both straight and gay)—tonight including Adira Amram, Jeff Hiller, Sue Galloway, and Megan Neuringer—performing at The Same Sex-Tacular

[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who’s written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle’s Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.