Best New York Comedy

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Brilliant & irresistible sketch comic Mary Theresa Archbold returns to the NYC stage tonight as part of her ace comedy troupe Drop Six

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 ($10): One of my favorite sketch troupes, making great use of physical comedy and music, returns to the NYC stage tonight for what I hope is a long run. It consists of Mary Theresa Archbold (for my review of this star’s funny & touching 2007 FringeNYC show Jazz Hand, please click here), Tim Girrbach, Jason Salmon, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen, and has received acclaim at numerous top comedy and theatre festivals. For a brief medley of memorable moments, please click here; and then come tonight to experience all-new material from Drop Six

7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Sharp NYC stand-ups (who, unusually, haven’t been announced this week) performing in Ochi’s Lounge at Lil’ Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisor Christina Gausas and friends she originally made in Chicago—which include writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously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

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($23 online if you use code VIPJAN [otherwise $30], plus 2-item minimum): A star stand-up who’s performed on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Jay Leno; performed three of his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; was a regular on Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and Shorties Watchin’ Shorties; is a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show and the Opie and Anthony radio show; hosted his own radio program on NYC’s 92.3 Free FM; creates periodic Web-based free audio shows for Blog Talk Radio; and has acted on such TV shows as HBO’s The Sopranos and Lucky Louie, and was nominated twice for an Emmy award for his writing on The Chris Rock Show, concluding his headlining run at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Nick DiPaolo

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history, genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

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

[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): The Harvard Sailing Team

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($20): Chicago-based TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi are widely considered among the finest long-form improvisors alive. Just by feeling their way through moment by moment, they create one-hour tales that most authors couldn’t match with months of labored writing. They’re visiting NYC for this weekend only, and tonight’s show is sold out, but you can still purchase tickets for Sunday at 10:00 pm to experience TJ & Dave

[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] Midnight ($5): Adam Lustick and Billy Scafuri are stellar members of world-class sketch troupe The Harvard Sailing Team; and they’ve now branched out to form comedic rap duo Snakes. Check out their debut album, which can be downloaded from BillyandAdam.com, and then join them and their delightfully unusual guests at Snakes: FutureSex/LoveSnakees

[$] 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

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