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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 11/5/12

November 5, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

It’s a good night to be in Brookln, with The Daily Show’s Wyatt Cenac debuting weekly stand-up show Night Train…

…and Erin Lennox hosting a superb group of stand-ups, including Jared Logan, Mike Lawrence, and Mark Normand, at DTF

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] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Weekly open-mic storytelling show, with audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 8 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart—and tonight might feature some tales of Sandy: The Dump

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): World-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 18-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Tales of the Cosmos and The Adam Wade Show; for a sampling of Adam’s award-winning tales, please click here), hosts a show at The Magnet that’s “like watching the characters of The Wonder Years and Freaks & Geeks all grown up and telling coming-of-age tales of love, lost, regret, and redemption,” with tonight’s guests Jenny Rubin, Caitlin Brodnick, Ana Jimenez, and Andrew Linderman: Adam Wade’s Whatever Happened to the Nerds?

7:00 pm ($8): A group of actors and improvisors attempt to duplicate the success of UCBT’s Gravid Water by putting improvisors in the middle of classic theatre scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre. UCBT uses top Broadway and improv talent for its show, making it extraordinary. The participants of this show are unannounced; but the format is so strong that this might work anyway, despite the awful title: The Actor’s Worst Nightmare

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they’ve never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope

7:30 pm ($10; sign-up starts at 7:00 pm): Open mic for stand-ups, storytellers, singers, poets, actors, and more, with 5 minutes per performer and 25 slots available, at One and One Bar’s Downstairs Nexus Lounge (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word’s Open Mic Joint

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim’s awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo that’s become one of the very best attractions at UCB Chelsea and should not be missed: John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): The debut of a weekly comedy show hosted by Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent of The Daily Show), with tonight’s guests including Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who’s one of the best stand-ups in the country; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Eugene Mirman (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, FOX’s Bob’s Burgers, Adult Swim’s Delocated, VH1; pioneer of NYC downtown comedy), and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): Night Train with Wyatt Cenac

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up), Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We’re All Friends Here), Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment, notable hair), and Michael Che (IFC’s Bunk, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Grand Victory Bar (245 Grand Street) for this twice-a-month extravaganza hosted by the razor-sharp & delightful Erin Lennox (co-host of The Orphanage; for a sample of Erin’s dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here) and Nick Maritato, followed afterwards by wild karaoke party: DTF

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A comic book themed show with so much diverse stuff that I’m not going to even try describing it (please simply click here), at Brooklyn’s Public Assembly (70th North 6th Street, by the L subway’s Bedford Avenue stop) along with sketches from Moon regulars Jordan Clifford, Bryan Condon, Stephanie Fagan, Tim Skinner, and Tim Whitney, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Inspired by the popular blog My High School Boyfriend Was Gay, this superb show at UCB East “celebrates our most tragic, hilarious, and heinous teenage memories, full of chaste hugs, Grease sing-alongs, and trips to the stage door to accost the cast of Rent,” with true stories tonight from Alysha Umphress (Broadway: American Idiot, Bring it On), Brent Sullivan (It Gets Betterish, Fag Life), Michelle Wolf, and Adam Lehman, with hosts Damian Bellino, and the super-delightful Camille Harris whose piano playing and singing will make you grin and dance in your seat: My High School Boyfriend Was Gay

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, sketch comedy from a small army of young comics about tomorrow’s election: We Need a President

9:00 pm ($8): “Becky Flaum thinks she’s Julia Roberts. And Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan, Drew Barrymore, even Katherine Heigel. But her high cinematic hopes for her love life get in the way of reality on her quest to find the perfect co-star.” This one-woman show is at The PIT upstairs theatre: Hopeless Romantic Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new material: Supereasy (which includes comedy chameleon Livia Scott) and Dinner (which includes terrific writers Silvija Ozols and Caitlin Bitzegaio, and performers Don Fanelli and Eddie Dunn): Maude Night: Supereasy and Dinner

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Following a club format, hosts Nore Davis & Andrew Short perform stand-up throughout for a total of 25 minutes, two comics each perform a 15-minute set, and then a seasoned headliner closes out the show with a 20-minute set, all at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: On the Road

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Kevin Mccaffrey, George Gordon, Irene Bremis, Ritch Duncan, Josh Carter, Jeff Sussman and Ethan Stanislawski performing at Brooklyn’s Freddy’s Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O’Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

9:30 pm ($5): Superb improvisors Jordon Klepper, Kate Riley, and more at UCB East making stuff up: The Comedy Week Improv Show

10:00 pm ($5): Improv is dominated by guys, so this is a rare treat—a dozen female improvisors “for an evening of comedy that will delight men, women, babies, and kittens” at The Magnet hosted by Megan Gray: We Might Just Kiss

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Langston Belton: Base Jam

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who are no longer being announced in advance, but it’s virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea probably hosted by someone wonderful: Whiplash

[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you’re an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you’re a comic who couldn’t get booked on UCBT’s all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this exceptionally supportive stand-up open-mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jared Reed: Fresh

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Erin Lennox, Improv, New York Comedy, Night Train with Wyatt Cenac, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, Wyatt Cenac | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 11/4/12

November 4, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Delayed by Sandy but still a great event, dozens of NYC comics gather tonight to impersonate other comics (Groucho Marx, Ricky Gervais, Lisa Lampanelli, Maria Bamford, and lots more) at The 5th Annual Schtick or Treat

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] [$] 3:00 pm ($65): This isn’t pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen’s two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you’re likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen’s world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Emmy Blotnick, Matt Nedostup, and/or Sachi Ezurafor: Sledgehammer

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year’s FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse’s upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & R an Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[$] 7:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who’s performed on 30 Rock and Comedy Central headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Mark Viera

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at door, $11.78 in advance online): For the fifth year of this fabulous annual event, dozens of NYC comics get two minutes each to do a set as a famous comedian. This 2012 edition is slated to include impersonations of Ricky Gervais, Maria Bamford, Mike Birbiglia, Wanda Sykes, Chelsea Handler, Flight of the Conchords, Lisa Lampanelli, Pete Holmes, Reggie Watts, and lots more. It all takes place at Brooklyn’s Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Matt Ruby & Mark Normand. Please note that N subway service hasn’t yet been restored in Brooklyn, but taking the 2/4/5 to Atlantic Avenue and then walking around 8 blocks along 4th Avenue to Degraw Street will get you to The 5th Annual Schtick or Treat

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Zoe Coombs Marr (visiting from Australia; for a love letter to a dinosaur, please click here), Max Silvestri (co-host of Big Terrific), and Kendra Cunnigham performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Union Hall guest-hosted tonight by Caroline Creaghead: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Kevin Allison, Dan St. Germain, The Reformed Whores, and more tell stories about sex and romance at Brooklyn’s The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues) with host Jefferson: Bare: True Stories of Sex, Desire, and Romance

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): From Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman (producers of The Scene), improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, with tonight’s groups including Pumpkin, Maybe Sherman, and The Lottery: Act One

8:00 pm ($5): A weekly show at The Magnet featuring sketches, jokes, interviews, and more focused on the upcoming Presidential election: The Great American Sketch Show

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm (no cover if you reserve at (212) 367-9000 using code POWER, but 2-drink min.): Typically sharp NYC comics, such as Vic Henley and Ophira Eisenberg, performing at the Gotham Comedy Club: Gotham All-Stars

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Michael Kupperman, Aparna Nancherla, Mike Recine, Ryan McKee, and Jaqi Furback performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at the L’asso East Village lounge (107 First Avenue, off 7th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Nick Hart, Jono Zalay, Emmy Blotnik, and Josh Rabinowitz performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

9:30 pm ($8): Improvisors and more gather to make fun of the Presidential election at The PIT upstairs theatre: Electoral Dysfunction 2012

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comedy teams Risky Bottom and Jacktown try out new material at this show with the on-the-nose title Magnet Sketch Teams

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle

10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience…and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Improv, Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, New York Comedy, Schtick Or Treat, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 11/3/12

November 3, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

: Catch one of the funniest comedic plays in New York at “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche”…

: …or catch Christian Finnegan headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club

…or enjoy Marina Franklin (above) and Janeane Garofalo at the reopening of the Eastville Comedy Club

Please note: The East Village is up and running again: UCB East, The PIT, and the Eastville Comedy Club all have shows tonight. Also, the Lexington Avenue 4/5/6 subways are now providing full service. Comedy is back on both sides of NYC.

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] [$] 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($65): This isn’t pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen’s two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you’re likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen’s world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show (“starts late enough to sleep off that hangover but ends just in time to begin a new one”) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Jhoel Walkowski & Evan Davis: The Amateur Hour

[FREE] 6:00 pm: “A monthly show that you control. Your suggestions, blurt-outs, and whatever else you feel like doing or saying will guide us through an hour of good times” at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: YBTHR

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Frosting Hangover, Wando, and Johnny Velvet & the Moonbeams at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

7:00 pm ($5): At this PIT double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell “bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure” as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($7): Sharp improvisors—including improv master Ed Herbstman—”perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind-blowing parts; the only rule is that there are no rules” at The Magnet theatre: The Weave

7:30 pm ($10): Talented improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then “turn that town’s tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:” The Curfew: Not From Around Here

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A comic who’s co-starred in TBS’ Are We There Yet?, starred in three Comedy Central specials, and performed on performed on Conan O’Brien, MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, and The Today Show headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Christian Finnegan

[FREE] 8:00 pm: “Want to see your favorite stand-up comics get slapped by Satan himself? He only hosts bringer shows, but join Matt Wayne and Doug Smith as they step into the Big Man’s shoes and put NYC’s finest through comedy purgatory. Hula-hoops, celebrity impressions, unwanted audience participation, all incorporated into each performance! Will they triumph or will the nether world eat their souls? Come see for yourself in this monthly showcase” at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre: See You in Hell

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill—and occasionally with comedy giants Kristen Schaal and/or Kurt Braunohler participating: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who’s performed on 30 Rock and Comedy Central headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Mark Viera

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up), James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment, notable hair), Zoe Coombs Marr (visiting from Australia; for a love letter to a dinosaur, please click here), Greg Barris (host of Heart of Darkness), and Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon, VH1) performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea’s genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

[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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Marina Franklin (developing into one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with an uncommonly gentle, graceful style that’s pure joy; Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, Craig Ferguson, VH1, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

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 and now enjoying a long run at The PIT upstairs theatre: Political Subversities

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year’s FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse’s upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Hilarious, organic show in which tonight’s stand-ups Erik Bergstrom, James Harris, Mike Cronin, Jason Burke, Jono Zalay, Eli Sairs, and Dan Kilpatrick perform anything except stand-up—e.g., sketch, storytelling, improv, songs, dance, puppetry, and things we can’t even imagine—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Reid Faylor, Kelly Fastuca, and/or Andrew Short: Underbelly

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): At UCB Chelsea, improv troupe Grandma’s Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to “take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter:” Grandma’s Ashes Gets Dark

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford—makes stuff up at UCB East based on hellish experiences of audience members: Airwolf: Let’s Go Back to Your Place

10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

11:00 pm ($8): A young all-guy improv troupe making stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gentlemen Party

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Sketch comedy in the form of crazy ass wrestling, with main events including “Christians vs. Mormons: Father Nelson & Altar Boy vs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—winner gets their own planet” at UCB Chelsea; :Hilarious real wrestling matches live! Get your tickets NOW! Only 14,000 seats available!:” UCBW Electiongeddon

[FREE] Midnight: A small army of comics pay homage to the cult classic film Rocky Horror Picture Show at The PIT upstairs theatre: Rocky Whorer PIT-ure Show

[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine at The Magnet, as students and veteran improvisors share the stage to form “rare and wonderful one-night-only teams,” with sign-up starting at 11:30 pm: Magnet Mixer

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, Christian Finnegan, Comedy, Improv, Marina Franklin, New York Comedy, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 11/2/12

November 2, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Stellar stand-up (and rock god) Dave Hill performs at Brooklyn’s Pirate Party…

…and comedy goddess Shannon O’Neill interviews audience members—probably about Sandy—at Strangers Wanted, then performs improv with Chris Gethard at The Stepfathers

Please note: The East Village was pummeled by Sandy, and so most comedy venues in that area are dark until power is restored. These include UCB East, The PIT, Under St. Marks, and the Eastville Comedy Club. But comedy on the West side, and in Brooklyn and LIC, goes on…

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 happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

7:00 pm ($7): A one-woman show by Jenice Matias that “includes original songs and dance, and fictional scenarios of politicians exploiting women: prostitution being legalized, the enforcement of ex-gay camps, mandatory registration of genitals at a government agency, and prosthetic vaginas”at The Magnet; plus a second show that from a comedy troupe whose name will make you hungry and want to dance at the same time: Pussinomics and The Rolling Scones

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Comedy genius Shannon O’Neill (breathtakingly innovative, lighting-quick, and fearless improvisor/sketch comic and rising star; The Stepfathers, Diamond Lion) does a monthly show at UCB Chelsea based on nothing but interviews with the audience and sheer guts: Strangers Wanted with Shannon O’Neill

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Nick Cobb (NBC, Comedy Central, Super Bowl commercials), Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), Ray Devito (E!), and Vladimir Caamano (Carolines) performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Postmark Cafe (326 6th Street) hosted by Abbi Crutchfield & Luke Thayer: The Living Room

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A comic who’s a cast member of MTV’s Guy Code headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Lil Duval

[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 in Queens’ Long Island City downstairs lounge: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A comic who’s co-starred in TBS’ Are We There Yet?, starred in three Comedy Central specials, and performed on performed on Conan O’Brien, MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, and The Today Show headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Christian Finnegan

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper; new book Tasteful Nudes), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Aparna Nancherla (FX’s Totally Biased), Roger Hailes (Chappelle’s Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE’s A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Red Star (37 Greenpoint Avenue) hosted by Annie Lederman, followed by wild Karaoke: Pirate Party

8:30 pm ($7): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The Magnet as troupe Lead McEnroe

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from comedy geniuses Chris Gethard and Shannon O’Neill, plus stellar comics Silvija Ozols, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, Will Hines, and Connor Ratliff, performing at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers

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: Long-form improv from troupe CSO at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Casual Sex Offenders

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

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before the show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups—sometimes stellar ones—pushing boundaries for a show designed for looseness and experimentation at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker: Permission to Fail

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Dave Hill, Improv, New York Comedy, Shannon O'Neill, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, Strangers Wanted with Shannon O'Neill | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Thursday 11/1/12

November 1, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

The Chris Gethard Show Presents: Come Take A Ride With The Weirdest Bands We Know

Comedy genius Chris Gethard hosts a night of oddball music in Brooklyn at The Weirdest Bands We Know

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: Open-mic stand-up with comics’ names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving two minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Brandon Gulya auditions his new one-man show Tom Cruise World and Other Novels, and a whole bunch of folks audition The 2017 Tony Awards, hoping for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage: Spank

[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with improv troupe Junior Varsity to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7 at the door or $8.44 in advance online): Comedy genius Chris Gethard hosts a musical show with bands Big Digits, Stumblebum Brass Band, The Naked Heroes, and Mindtroll. Says Chris, “While the bands on this bill might not share commonalities regarding genre, approach, or tone, they do all have one thing in common—each has been a standout musical guest on the public access comedy cult hit known as The Chris Gethard Show. Come celebrate the strange musical underbelly of New York as curated by the same weirdos who transform TCGS from a poorly made comedy show into a poorly made comedy show that features some of the weirdest, best, and most interesting music NYC has to offer. This event will be hosted by Chris Gethard along with many of the oddballs who appear on the show, and will feature not just music but ill-advised crowd participation, stunts, and prize giveaways. Come take a ride with the weirdest bands we know.” It’s all happening at Brooklyn’s Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): The Chris Gethard Show Presents: Come Take A Ride With The Weirdest Bands We Know

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): A former roommate & drinking buddy of such comedy giants as David Cross and Marc Maron performs a one-man show that was such a hit at August’s FringeNYC it’s been extended indefinitely. Please read my review by clicking here, and Jason Zinoman’s New York Times review by clicking here; and then come share an intimate hour with Matt Graham at the Soho Playhouse’s downstairs Huron Club so he can explain life and meaning and why This Too Shall Suck

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Debuting at UCB Chelsea is a one-woman show by superb sketch comic Pam Murphy about characters who “lead terrible lives:” Pam Murphy: Like Me…

…and in the other half of this double-bill, a two-man sketch show by Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp that very loosely springs off the real events of the title but is mostly meta-comedy. I would’ve preferred something meatier, especially given the fascinating subject—436 people killed by a tiger whose damaged teeth made it difficult to eat anything other than humans—but there’s lots of energy and performance talent here, making this a solid first-time effort: Maneater: The True Story of the Champawat Tigress

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($65): This isn’t pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen’s two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you’re likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen’s world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes Featherweight, Junior Varsity, The Boss, and Hello Laser performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Medusa (all improvisers stay on stage at all times, and alternate between speaking roles and playing inanimate objects), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT’s Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) featuring Horses vs. Orange Augustus: The Magnet’s Night Out

[FREE] 8:00 pm: “A stand-up comedy showcase and baking competition—come to eat or come to compete” at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Cody Hess: Cookies!

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced by 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway: Comedy as a Second Language

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): The first round of a beloved annual November tradition at UCB Chelsea—Pat Baer’s 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 10/31/12

October 31, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Laugh at Sandy and other disasters via tons of Halloween-themed shows tonight, including Monster Night (sketch), Ghoul Night (sketch/improv), and Matt & Meg’s HaLOLween Party (stand-up)

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: Open-mic stand-up hosted by Cody Hess at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre: Listen! The Open Mic

7:00 pm-10:00 pm ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes Nintendo, Bloomer, Horses, Dr. Champagne, The Wrath, Featherweight, Flower Girl, Chet Watkins, and Brick performing improv: The Magnet’s Megawatt

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; co-star of MTV’s The Nikki and Sara Show; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1’s Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Frank Conniff (Frank from MST3K), Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up), Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV), Michael Che (IFC’s Bunk, Comedy Central), and Dan McCoy (The Daily Show) performing at Brooklyn’s Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream) & Meghan O’Neill (The Story Pirates): Matt & Meg’s HaLOLween Party

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): One of UCB Chelsea’s best sketch troupes, Thunder Gulch, performs a special show for Halloween: Monster Night Live

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Murderfist (NYC’s fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), The Cowmen (hilarious dark comedy singer/songwriters who include members of Murderfist), and stand-ups Joe Machi and Jesse Joyce performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Ben Kissel & Ed Larson: Bag of Flaming Dog Shit

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics (not announced) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn’s Cameo (behind Lovin’ Cup) typically hosted by Gabe Liedman and/or Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups perform along with side-show attractions such as jugglers, contortionists, and fire eaters at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City for this unusual carny experience: Abigoliah’s Bizzarre Bazaar

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Doppelganger, Livia Scott, Mindy Raf, Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, and more will perform scary & hilarious sketch and/or improv at UCB Chelsea for Halloween’s Ghoul Night

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up running until 1:00 am, with time divided evenly between performers (up to five minutes), at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City with host Rob Stern: Bucket ‘O Buckets

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 10/28/12

October 29, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight are to stay home.

Because of the hurricane heading our way, mass transit has been shut down.

Stay home, and be warm and safe.

Comedy listings will resume here once NYC subways and buses are moving again.

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Hurricane Sandy, Improv, New York Comedy, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 10/28/12

October 28, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Mike Lawrence and A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

Mike Lawrence performs razor-sharp nerd stand-up at Pretty Good Friends and Comedy at the Beauty Bar; and Peanuts goes radioactive in the mini-play A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up), Myq & Micah (comedic singing duo Myq Kaplan & Micah Sherman; for a song about distribution of natural resources, please click here), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, Comedy Central, MTV’s Punk’d, IFC’s Do Whatever), and Zoe Coombs Marr (visiting from Australia; for a love letter to a dinosaur, please click here) performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): “It’s Judgment Day, and Chuck Black can’t wait to meet Jesus! But things seem to go terribly awry when he has a crisis of faith. Who can blame him? All his pals seem a bit more interested in getting presents from ChristCo than trying to save their souls. And don’t even get Chuck started on Mocha Mint Mel, the know-it-all atheist with two moms.” This mini-play by Matt Fried is at The PIT downstairs lounge: A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): John Flynn (superb storyteller/actor/host; The Nights of Our Lives, host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!), The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; new album Ladies Don’t Spit), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Amy Sohn, Mo Beasley, Glennis McCarthy, and musical group Kill The Band (Mock Bottom) performing at Brooklyn’s The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues) with host Jefferson: Bare: True Stories of Sex, Desire, and Romance

[$] 8:00 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

8:00 pm ($5): A weekly show at The Magnet featuring sketches, jokes, interviews, and more focused on the upcoming Presidential election: The Great American Sketch Show

8:00 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors Nate Starkey & Chris Grace makes stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre as Starkey & Grace

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: John Roy (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central), Adam Cayton-Holland (co-host of Grawlix), Monroe Martin, Megan Gailey, Stroy Moyd, and Adam Burke performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show; one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up), Tim Warner, Oni Perez, and Sandy Danto performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comedy teams Breakfast for Dinner and Dispacho try out new material at this show with the on-the-nose title Magnet Sketch Teams

9:30 pm ($8): Sharp improvisors Nate Starkey and Chris Grace make stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre as duo Starkey & Grace

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle

[FREE] 10:00 pm: “Prince Paul is a musical legend. If you like De La Soul, you’ll love Prince Paul because he was the dude behind the legendary sound in the beginning. Anyway, Paul is a Grammy winner (Chris Rock); and his son P. Forreal raps. The father-and-son duo recorded a concept album that’s bananas. Come take a bite!” at UCB East for one night only: Prince Paul & P. Forreal: Negroes On Ice

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: A Charlie Brown Apocalypse, Comedy, Improv, Mike Lawrence, New York Comedy, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 10/27/12

October 27, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

The terrifyingly bad Halloween film Hocus Pocus is screend & mocked at Midnight at Montoya’s…

…and Tom Green headlines 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:

[FREE] 2:00 pm: Students of David Fino’s Puppetry for Improvisors class demonstrate what they’ve learned at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Puppetry Improv: The Graduation

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes The Afterparty, Durian at the Movies, and Human Pyramid at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Stand-up Justin Williams (host of Death Comedy Jam) performs along with sketch comics, plus screens his just-released DVD, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Justin Williams: Black and Comfortably Middle Class

[FREE] 6:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Tyler Fischer (host of Fresh Fisch), Alison Leiby, Casey Salengo, Teresa DeGaetano, and Tim Dillon performing in Halloween costumes—which the audience is encouraged to dress up in as well—at the Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston, between Avenues B and C) along with hosts Missy Baker and Liz Days: Comedy Party Spooktacular

7:00 ($5): Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here) and Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; host of countess shows) performing comedy club-length sets at UCB East hosted by Adam Newman (Comedy Central, College Humor): Big Long Sets

7:00 pm ($8): At this PIT downstairs lounge double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell “bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure” as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

7:30 pm ($7): Seven sharp improvisors “perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind-blowing parts; the only rule is that there are no rules” at The Magnet theatre: The Weave

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A former writer and current warm-up act for The Daily Show—who’s also performed on Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, CNN, and MSNBC—headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Paul Mecurio

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): “Each month the Buttski & Glasscock Talent Agency brings you the best of the worst this small town has to offer. As only two career-savvy former showgirls can, they comb through Craigslist ad after Craigslist ad; but you will determine which act gets a one-year contract.” Tonight’s lucky hopefuls are Becky Yamamoto, Kat Burdick, Tim Girrbach, Kevin Bayes, and Kevin Laferriere, all performing comedic characters at The PIT downstairs lounge with host Jenn Dodd: Buttski & Glasscock’s New Talent Blowout

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill at the upstairs theatre: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing in front of folks they really want to impress (because paying gigs might result) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Industry Showcase

8:30 pm ($10): The Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon), Aparna Nanchera, Josh Gondelman, Amaya Perea, Adam Burke, and Miles K performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk & Nick Turner: If You Build It

[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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Christian Finnegan (Conan O’Brien, co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups tell jokes and perform comedy as original characters at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Shakir Standley: Out of Character

9:00 pm ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

9:00 pm ($5): “Ashley Rebecca King and Gregory von Portz present a post-dinner poolside party for their hippest and most sophisticated friends. Menthol-cool musical stylings and intellectual discourse abound as you are treated to a floor show with a carefully chosen set list, curated by the world’s foremost cover-band artists, that changes monthly. Dip in; it’s never the same dive twice. For tonight’s entertainment: Clueless—an interpretation of the entire Clueless soundtrack” at The PIT downstairs lounge: Moon Pools

10:00 pm ($5): Improvisors make up a Quentin Tarantino movie at The PIT downstairs lounge—”If you like Grindhouse, Kung Fu, Spaghetti Western, Noir, and the entire 1970s, you’ll want to check out:” The Tarantino

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Improv troupe Grandma’s Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to “take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter” at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot: Grandma’s Ashes Gets Dark

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and has so far crushed 10 improv groups in a row at Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let’s Go Back to Your Place

10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney performing at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

11:00 pm ($5): A sketch/variety show at The PIT upstairs theatre operating from a fun dark premise: “When Vincent Welles died and went to Hell, he soon found out his punishment was to host a variety talk show for all eternity in the fiery underworld. Join Vincent as he, along with his demonic producers and werewolf sidekick Warren Talbot, host special guests and surprises:” Welcome to Hell with Vincent Welles

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: This free show at The PIT upstairs theatre does a great job of describing itself: “Bad movies. We can’t stop watching them. Is it because the plot is so enjoyably paper-thin? Or maybe the acting is so deliciously cheesy? Whatever the reason may be, Oscar Montoya (Local 154, Aquarius) is inviting you to his house to watch all of his favorite so-bad-they’re-awesome movies.” Joining him are Greg Portz, Andy Costello, Amanda Peck, and J Hobart B dissecting tonight’s dreadful 1993 Halloween film starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as witches out to steal children’s souls: Midnight Movie at Montoya’s Presents: Hocus Pocus

Midnight ($5): Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) & Anna Suzuki host a variety show at UCB East that’s a mix of forms, with tonight’s performers Chris Lamberth (stand-up), Jenice Mathias (sketch), Paperclip Rockets (improv), and Jeffrey Paul Bobrick (music): The Soul Glo Project

[FREE] Midnight: Stand-up and sketch (performers not announced) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Kingmaker Sketch

Midnight ($5): Sketch troupes Coker & Stratton and Inside Joke Films compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea hosted by sketch troupe Sidecar: Backyard Brawl

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Improv, Midnight Movie at Montoya’s: Hocus Pocus, New York Comedy, Oscar Montoya, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, Tom Green | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 10/26/12

October 26, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Janeane Garofalo (above) and Christian Finnegan perform at the Eastville Comedy Club…

…and Paul Mecurio headlines at the Gotham Comedy Club

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 happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

7:00 pm ($5): Improv that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—”each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper” at The PIT downstairs lounge from Evan Barden, Tony da Costa, Jenny Dunne, Brian Lisi, and Dan Scivoletti: Scoresby

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Nate Dern and Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Tracey Wigfield (writer for 30 Rock), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), and more perform improv at UCB East springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love

7:30 pm ($10): UCB Chelsea Maude team Onassis performs some of its best bits—and features “a super special guest:” Onassis for the Hour

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Matt McCarthy (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bored to Death, host of AMC’s Action Pack, Comedy Central, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys, host of Marking Out), Dante Nero, Warren Holstein, and John F. O’Donnell performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Josh Carter, Josh Homer, and/or Adam Mamawala: Zebra Cake

8:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast clobbered some of the best improv groups in NYC this year at UCBT’s Cage Match. Tonight come see it perform without the pressure of competition at The PIT downstairs lounge, and also catch an improv group that includes Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger): North Coast and Nobody’s Token

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

[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 & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A former writer and current warm-up act for The Daily Show—who’s also performed on Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, CNN, and MSNBC—headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Paul Mecurio

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, top Maude sketch troupe Gramp’s, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—Amber Petty, Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, Michael Kayne, and Winston Noel—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Christian Finnegan (Conan O’Brien, co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($5): Sketch troupe SidViscous performs a brand new and scary show for Halloween at The PIT downstairs lounge: SV Halloween Spooktacular

9:30 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

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: Long-form improv from troupe CSO at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Casual Sex Offenders

10:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D’Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Most of the improv you’ll see in NYC is longform. Tonight at The Magnet the original and still-vibrant short form version will be performed via a variety of quick games played by quick-witted talents: Late Night Party Prov

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and Manhattan Cable Access’ The Chris Gethard Show; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of new bestseller A Bad Idea I’m About to Do and Weird New York), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Brandon Scott Jones & D’arcy Carden (Stone Cold Fox, Death Wears Stilettos: A Noir Comedy), Murray Hill, JD Ama to, Joey Price, and more performing a variety of comedy acts at UCB East hosted by sketch duo Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp: Cool Shit / Weird Shit

[FREE] Midnight: This show might not be much fun for audience members, but it’s an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Plus it’s hosted by members of Maude troupe Fambly, typically including such wonderful talents as Nicole Byer and Veronica Osorio: Liquid Courage

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Gotham Comedy Club, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, New York Comedy, Paul Mecurio, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
Posted by hybender

Best New York Comedy

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 11/5/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 11/4/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 11/3/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 11/2/12

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 10/31/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 10/28/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 10/28/12

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 10/27/12

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