Janeane Garofalo | Best New York Comedy

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 4/2/12

April 2, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Todd Bieber screens terrible TV ads to create one of the best solo comedy shows in NYC: Commercial Interruption...

...comedy star & NYC treasure Janeane Garofalo performs at Hot Tub Variety...

...and true tales of young romance doomed to failure, accompanied by singing & piano playing from the irresistible Camille Harris at My High School Boyfriend Was Gay

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 stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with each of the four audience members chosen from the bucket of names getting to tell tales for 7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump

7:00 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4 minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2 hours—with an early show hosted by Sean Donnelly & Blaine Perry at 7:00 pm, and an entirely different group of stand-ups hosted by Dan Cartwright & Dave Greek at 9:00 pm—at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for Carol Hartsell’s & John Morrison’s Motel Luca

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): World-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 17-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of The Adam Wade Show; for Adam’s award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O’Brien, 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 Michelle Markowitz (host of Failing Our Twenties), Bruce Cherry, Deborah Gross, Chano Garcia, and Dan Berman: Adam Wade’s Whatever Happened to the Nerds?

[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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Todd Bieber, the razor-sharp Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com, has had his video/film work viewed over 25 million times via such sites as YouTube.com, NewYorkTimes.com, and EntertainmentWeekly.com. But before his success, Todd spent a couple of years churning out, as he bluntly puts it, “shitty local commercials in rural Pennsylvania.” If you’re a filmmaker, a fan of ridiculously awful late-night TV ads, or someone who likes to laugh, come enjoy this fascinating and hilarious insider look at microbudget commercials and the creative process (for a trailer, please click here). Directed by UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, this is one of the very best solo shows in NYC: Commercial Interruption…

…and in the second half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, a meta-comedy about a real estate agent who tries to convince a couple that the actual theatre you’re in would be a great home for them. He does this by putting on a series of sketches that are presented as a random sampling of what UCBT has to offer but that, directly or indirectly, each promote the stage as a wonderful residence. It’s a way fun idea—for a 5-minute sketch. However, this entire show is handled like a single multi-jointed sketch, and 30 minutes is an awfully long time to essentially tell one joke. If the script was further developed to use the internal sketches as stepping stones to achieve a larger and emotionally compelling story, this could become something quite special. Even as is, though, it’s great fun at the start; and if you find it wearing out its welcome after that, you’ll still enjoy sporadic laughs from individual bits and performers—especially standouts Brandon Gulya and Brandon Scott Jones—in the a-bit-too-clever-for-its-own-good This is Not a Sketch Show—A Sketch 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 Jeremy Jordan King (author of upcoming novel In Stone), Shawn Hollenbach (Logo TV), and Michelle Wolf (Cats in Pants) hosted by Damian Bellino, and the super-delightful Camille Harris whose piano playing and singing will make you grin and dance in your seat—and who currently needs your money for her first CD, so please visit her Indiegogo campaign by clicking here to watch her super-delightful video: My High School Boyfriend Was Gay

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Movie & TV star Janeane Garofalo, Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central’s Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), and Nimesh Patel performing at Brooklyn’s Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from a duo who between them won four 2011 ECNY Awards—including Best Variety Show and Best Hosts—Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Jamie Lee (Last Comic Standing, MTV’s Ridiculousness, VH1) performs her college stand-up show, which covers “drunk dialing her parents, hitting on married men, and losing her keys and pride” at The PIT upstairs theatre: Jamie Lee: Can You Call My Mom?

[DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($11.34 [vs. $21.69] online using discount code LLED10): NYC stand-ups specializing in political humor make fun of our current election cycle at The Playroom Theater (151 West 46th Street); take advantage of discount code LLED10 to see this off-Broadway show for under $12: Laughing Liberally: Electile Dysfunction

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet double-bill, a one-man show by Robert Weinstein about Smooching & Slashing: Anatomy of a First Kiss

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: Gramp’s (the finest of UCBT’s Maude sketch troupes, thanks to such talents as Laura Grey, Abbi Crutchfield, Don Fanelli, Rachael Mason, and a strong writing team) and Onassis (which has seldom been strong on the writing side but includes superb actress Lauren Conlin Adams): Maude Night: Gramp’s and Onassis

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Debates by NYC comics at UCB East, with tonight’s participants Nikki Glaser (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, podcast You Had to Be There), Joe Pera (very funny deadpan comic; for reasons to hire Joe, please click here), Jeff Wesselschmidt, Dan Licata Jake Young, Kenny & Keith Lucas, Reid Faylor, and Andrew Short, hosted by Michael Shawki: The Great Debate

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Improv spinning off a stand-up set by Josh Gondelman, with the improvisors typically including such talents as Micah Sherman, Cathleen Carr, Nick Vatterott, and Sarah Nowak performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with host Micah Sherman: Fun

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Becky Yamamoto, Seaton Smith, Jon Savoy, Kyle Bostic, Angela Cobb, and Jason Kanter performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Freddy’s Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O’Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling show at The Magnet hosted by Kelly Buttermore: Storytelling Mixer

[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 & Keith Huang: Base Jam

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who haven’t yet been announced, but you can check for an update here—performing at UCB Chelsea and hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central) at 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 stand-up open-mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Michelle Wolf and the hilarious Erin Lennox (for a sample of Erin’s dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here): Fresh

For more, 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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, My High School Boyfriend Was Gay, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, Todd Bieber's Commercial Interruption | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Thursday 3/29/12

March 29, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Craig Rowin debuts his sketch play about crime fighting canines from outer space: Dog Fleet...

...and Janeane Garofalo tells what's likely to be a memorable tale at Risk!

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 storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn (and no guest this week because the show will run only till 7:00): Oh, Hey Guys!

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics’ names drawn from a bucket and each chosen one receiving three minutes at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Corby Haas

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Murray Hill (“drag king”), Hari Kunzru (novelist), and Anya Kamenetz (economic journalist) describing what it’s like to have a dreamy job at UCB Chelsea to host Catie Lazarus with musical accompaniment by Chris Sullivan (a.k.a., Shockwave; amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown) & Arthur Lewis; plus New Yorker cartoonist Farley Katz and character comic Rob Lathan: Employee of the Month

7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill atThe PIT upstairs theatre: Hot Diner and THEM

7:00 pm ($5): A show I know nothing about but has a fun title auditions for a run at the prestigiousUCB Chelsea stage: The Improvised Play Presents An Actor’s Nightmare

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Sketch duo BoF (Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka), Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), and Keisha Zollar (Doppleganger) join terrific sketch duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting (Leah Rudick and Katie Hartman) performing at The PIT basement lounge: Daddy’s Basement: A Comedy Variety Freakshow

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Todd Bieber, the razor-sharp Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com, has had his video/film work viewed over 25 million times via such sites asYouTube.com, NewYorkTimes.com, and EntertainmentWeekly.com. But before his success, Todd spent a couple of years churning out, as he bluntly puts it, “shitty local commercials in rural Pennsylvania.” If you’re a filmmaker, a fan of ridiculously awful late-night TV ads, or someone who likes to laugh, come enjoy this fascinating and hilarious insider look at microbudget commercials and the creative process (for a trailer, please click here). Directed by UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, this is one of the very best solo shows in NYC: Commercial Interruption…

…and in the second half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, the debut of a sketch play about crime fighting dogs from outer space co-written and co-starring Craig Rowin, and performed by such other stars as Neil Casey, Sue Galloway, Jim Santangeli , Rob Lathan, and Lou Perez: Dog Fleet

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up veteran who’s appeared on David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Last Comic Standing; hosted the HBO stand-up showcase Down and Dirty; was a cast member of the wonderful though short-lived HBO sitcom Lucky Louie, and performed his own HBO half-hour One Night Stand special; has appeared in such hit films asSpider-Man; is a regular on XM Satellite Radio’s The Opie & Anthony Show; and is the author of the book Happy Endings, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jim Norton

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house improv troupes Hello Laser, Junior Varsity, The Boss, and Phooka performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Alan Fessenden directing The Monoscene (an improvised play that takes place entirely in one location with no edits of any kind), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT’s Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component): 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 & Jessica Gross: Cookies!

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): 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?

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Vanessa Bayer (cast member of Saturday Night Live), Jen Kirkman (Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately), and more performing at UCB East with best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster): Totally J/K

[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 and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): John Moses, Corey Reppond, Matt Graham, and Benjamin Walker performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for this weekly comedy show hosted by Sean Crespo & Dan Wilbur and produced by Carol Hartsell: Lasers in the Jungle

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Catie Lazarus (host of Employee of the Month), David Henry Sterry (Sex Worker Literati, The Art of the Memoir), Aaron Wolfe (two-time winner of The Moth StorySLAM), and William Mullin performing at The PIT upstairs theatre to share tales on tonight’s theme Clusterfuck at one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk!

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:30 pm: Comedy troupe Private Cabin has been skewering trashy cinema since 2010 via its podcast, and tonight will “chronicle our love for that noblest of all on-screen losers: the degenerate alcoholic. Come on out for a smashed evening of comedy and performance, including a plethora of hand-picked film clips guaranteed to make you run for the bottle” at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: We Hate Movies

9:30 pm ($5): If you’re a fan of CollegeHumor.com, you can see the folks behind it on the UCB Weststage—along with the Found Footage Festival (sharing hilariously odd amateur videos), and stand-ups Emily Axford and Josh Ruben—at CollegeHumor Live

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PITdownstairs lounge for The Scene

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Shannon O’Neil (comedy genius), Morgan Grace Jarrett (wonderful comedic actress), and Lydia Hensler (don’t know her but am guessing she’s keen too) host a showcase of female comics at UCB East who include Laura Grey (sketch), Halle Keifer (stand-up), and Cocoon (dance moves), and Emily Axford (songs): Ladies Night: Men Welcome

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): In the most unpredictable show at UCB Chelsea, last week Airwolf utterly crushed the seemingly unstoppable champion North Coast 105-50. Tonight the new king of improv will compete with the US National Improv Team for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

For more, 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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Craig Rowin, Dog Fleet, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 12/24/11

December 24, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

TV & movie stars Janeane Garofalo...

...and Todd Barry celebrate the holidays in their own special ways at 92Y Tribeca's "Hanukkomedy"...

...and Myq Kaplan, Rich Vos, and other Jews perform at Carolines as "The Chosen Ones"

Most comedy venues are dark for Christmas Eve, but there are still events well worth attending for those of us in need of laughs beyond the painfully awkward ones provided by relatives. Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

[$] 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who’s appeared on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, and The Apprentice headlining tonight at the Gotham Comedy Club with fellow Jews Rachel Feinstein and Barry Weintraub: Jon Fisch

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX’s Louie, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Sandy Marks (CBS’ King of Queens, director of documentary Manhattan Comedy Nights), and MC Mr. Napkins performing (mostly) stand-up at 92Y Tribeca with host Liam McEneaney: Hanukkomedy

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) Utilizing its network of expert talent scouts, theCarolines Comedy Club has managed to locate several Jewish comedians in New York City: 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), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and onTough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and currently on the Opie & Anthony radio show), Bonnie MacFarlane (Comedy Central, Cheat; okay, not born Jewish, but Jew-ish via marriage osmosis), Adam Newman (MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), and Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award) . The results are on stage tonight celebrating the Festival of Lights: The Chosen Ones

[$] [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): Nikki Glaser (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, podcast You Had to Be There), Mike Yard, Aaron Berg, and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[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

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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Carolines Comedy Club, Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Hanukkomedy, Janeane Garofalo, Myq Kaplan, Rich Vos, Stand-Up, Todd Barry | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 12/3/11

December 3, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo performs at the Eastville Comedy Club...

...and TV & movie star Richard Lewis headlines at the Carolines Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm ($13.37 online): One of my all-time favorite theatre duos is Rachel Buethe and James Presson, who co-run the stellar theatrical company Less Than Rent. Buethe has previously done phenomenal work as an actress, writer, and producer, and Presson is a genius director. For this new show, though, they’ve switched roles; Buethe is the director and Presson is the playwright. For Buethe, it’s an unqualified home run; she clearly applied loving care to every detail of the production, from the carefully thought-out set, to the clever staging, to the spot-on casting, pitch-perfect timing, and blend of over-the-top and nuanced performances. (There are even such lovely little touches as a humble placard on the wall—that only audience members studying the stage during intermission will ever notice—offering advice eerily resonant for the play: “To deal with worry, work is better than whiskey.”) For Presson, the results are a bit more mixed (e.g., while Hedda Gabler was the inspiration, I’d recommend recognizing this is its own story and invent an entirely different ending); but the positives strongly outweigh the structural issues. This is a fresh, ambitious work that pushes at the borders between art, reality, entertainment, and meaning. And while it’s not a comedy—in some ways, it’s actually an anti-comedy—at its core is a TV sitcom. If you’re open to something different, don’t miss the two-week run of this vibrant show at Walkerspace (46 Walker Street, near the Canal Street stops of the A/E/C/N/R/1/2/3/6 subways): Friends Don’t Let Friends

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Ryanna, Upstate, and Scoresby at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): “Stories of all sizes that define our place in the universe,” hosted at UCB East by Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 17-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Real Tales of College and The Adam Wade show; for Adam’s award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O’Brien, please click here), and featuring storytellers Bob Powers (author of The Werewolf’s Guide to Life), Sarah Rainone, and Jeff Simmermon): Tales of the Cosmos

7:00 pm ($7): Sketches, improv scenes, and videos from a small army of female comics at The PIT upstairs theatre that answer such questions as “Why can’t you touch a black girl’s hair? Why do some of us burn our cheating man’s clothes in his car and can’t wait to exhale? How did Foxy Brown know how to get down? Why can two play that game? Why do mad black women write so many diaries?” and more: Mrs Jones

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Comedic solo performances—storytelling, sketch, and whatever else isn’t stand-up or improv—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Bill Stiteler & Adam Schwartz: Wank

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star who’s snared just about every major credit a comic can—and is a long-time cast member of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm—headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Richard Lewis

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, and/or other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions performing at UCB Chelsea while joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft at The Magnetmaking up a play on the spot: Theory of Everything

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups are invited to perform anything except stand-up—e.g., sketch, storytelling, improv, songs, dance, puppetry, and things we can’t even imagine—atThe Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Kelly Fastuca, Reid Faylor, and Andrew Short: Underbelly

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

[FREE] 8:00 pm: From the producers of The Scene, improvisors at The PIT downstairs lounge make up one-act plays on the spot: Act One

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who’s performed on Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson, Showtime, and his own hour-long Comedy Central special headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Sebastian Maniscalco

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, film actor; host of Sweet), James Harris, and Lance Weiss performing stand-up at One and One (76 East 1st Street, corner of First Avenue), plus host Sean Donnelly & friends performing sketches, at Lil’ Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV’s NewNowNext, Sirius Radio’s Frank DeCaro Show), 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), Katina Corrao (HBO, VH1, Logo), and John F. O’Donnell (co-host of 50 First Jokes) performing stand-up at UCB East, hosted by Kara Klenk and Nick Turner: 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, Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), 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

9:00 pm ($10): NYC sketch comedy duo Jamaal Sedayao and Brian Lisi at The Magnet providing “unfamiliar, often absurd stories full of unexpected laughs:” Turboner Bigoté

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

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount codeSBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and the “choreography” are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come to the Soho Playhouse tonight to see why BWC won aFringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event: Baby Wants Candy

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Ben Rodgers, Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then create an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

10:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf makes stuff up at UCB East: Airwolf: Let’s Go Back to Your Place

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

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): A freestyle rap contest at UCB East that includes superb NYC comics—unfortunately, not yet announced this time, but previous winners have included Dave Hill and Myq Kaplan—plus a volunteer from the audience!, hosted by genius human beatbox Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan (The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme) and Victor Varnado (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central) at one of my favorite monthly shows: The BEATdown

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock, Conan O’Brien, Huffington Post, Death by Roo Roo, The Nights of Our Lives, The Tony and Johnny Show), Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, film actor; host of Sweet), and Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV) performing at UCB Chelsea with host Andy Rocco at Underground Americana

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: Along the lines of Mystery Science Theater 3000, NYC comics make comments about a terrible movie at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Big Fat Scary Saturday

Midnight ($10): Typically disturbing and semi-obscene sketches at The PIT downstairs lounge from troupe FUCT

[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

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:

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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Carolines Comedy Club, Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Eastville Comedy Club, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, Richard Lewis, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
Posted by hybender

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 11/22/11

November 22, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Cyndi Freeman preps for Thanksgiving with a Brooklyn storytelling show about family gatherings: "The Standard Issues;" the delightful Ellena Chmielewski and her improv troupe Tesla host variety show "The Lab"...

TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo does stand-up at "Tell Your Friends," and Justin Long co-hosts at "Sweet"

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:

7:00 pm ($5): In this double-bill of shows auditioning for a spot on the Magnet schedule, Dreagn Foltz performs original comedic songs with such titles as Beer Goggles, Ethnomonogamy, and Let Me Be That Douche in Love Songs Gone Wrong ; and then a sketch troupe does a show with no description titled 100 Years of Ballitude

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC’sThe Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean’s List

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 9 million people on YouTube, please click here), Eric Kirchberger (Comedy Central), Aidan BIshop (visiting from Dublin), Jermaine Fowler, and musical guest Eden & John’s East River String Band performing at the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Host Cyndi Freeman (FringeNYC, burlesque star) and fellow storytellers Brad Lawrence (Moth GrandSlam Champion, FringeNYC), Alex Gallefant, Steven Berkowitz, and more tell tales about this month’s pre-Thanksgiving topic “Gatherings” at Brooklyn’s Pacific Standard (82 Fourth Avenue): The Standard Issues: Gatherings

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Jeff Simmermon (writer), Matt Mercier (writer), Olivia Henderson (real estate agent), Jordan Reeves (concierge), Joanne Solomon (performer), and host Ben Lillie (scientist) tell funny tales at this science-based monthly show that tonight focuses on a potentially hot topic—Bodies in Motion—at Brooklyn’s Union Hall : The Story Collider

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Adira Amram (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Musical Act), Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Timesand The New Yorker; former beard-wearing member of band Stickerbook), and Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel) performing at UCB East for a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran on behalf of a great late actor: After Hours with Gene Hackman and Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT downstairs lounge: Comic Book Club

8:00 pm ($10): This intriguing-sounding show at the Gershwin Hotel (7 East 27th Street) is “a showcase for performers who appropriate the space of stand-up comedy to stage projects that, while undeniably humorous, don’t always deliver a punch line. Along with providing a legitimate venue for creative misfits known to disingenuously market themselves as musicians, dancers, singing telegrams, novelty strippers, college professors, and perfect for your child’s next birthday party, it explores the intersection of popular forms of entertainment and performance art. The talent featured tonight draws from diverse artistic backgrounds, and each performance dislodges stand-up from its current trajectory and points it in a strange, new direction:” Chuckles Plus

8:00 pm ($10): At The PIT upstairs theatre, the worlds of “magic, mind-reading, and mutilation” are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw and Prakash Puru: Strange Things

8:00 pm-11:00 pm ($5): Three full hours of improv at UCB Chelsea for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Dance Break, Mr. Crime, Creature, Very Good Kiss, and Sandino—followed at 11:00 by advanced improv students (plus Pat Baer) making up The Lost Stories of Philip K. DIck: Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly show features “a swarthy selection of fine stand-up comics and mildly entertaining recurring segments” at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre, hosted by Jim Tews & Brendan Eyre: Chest Hair

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor for FOX’s Bob’s Burgers, Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans, Adult Swim’sAssy McGee and Home Movies, and numerous other shows), and delightful singer Shonali Bhowmik & her band (Variety SHAC, recent solo album 100 Oaks Revival) performing at Brooklyn’sPublic Assembly (70th North 6th Street, by the L subway’s Bedford Avenue stop) along with sketches from Moon regulars Camille Harris, Jordan Clifford, Bryan Condon, James Beard, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm ($21.78, plus 2-drink min. or $20 unlimited nonalcoholic drinks): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), 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, VH1, Comedy Central’sPremium Blend), Paul Mecurio (Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Andy Pitz (David Letterman, Craig Ferguson), Brian Scott McFadden (Conan O’Brien, MTV), host Dean Obeidallah, and more performing stand-up at the Comic Strip Live Comedy Club (1568 2nd Avenue off 81st Street): Alexandro, Franklin, Mecurio, and More at Comic Strip Live

[$] 8:30 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who’s appeared on Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central, and starred in her own CBS series Costello, headlining for one night only at the GothamComedy Club: Sue Costello

8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet’s singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Aquarius and Rosencrantz

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Justin Long (NBC’s Ed, Galaxy Quest, Going the Distance, Live Free or Die Hard, the Mac in Apple Computer commercials), Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Pointless; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets;co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), Rob Lathan (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, ABC), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups Craig Baldo (Conan O’Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, The Onion), Katrin Hier, Tyler Gildin, and Ramzi Bautista performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by twins Adam & Todd Stone, who for this weekly show leave behind their trademark suits: Jackets Off

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Terrific comedy duo Leah Rudick & Katie Hartman, a.k.a. Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, back from their second year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they were proclaimed “biggest revelation” by the Guardian, performing a new sketch show about reality TV at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Underdeveloped and Overexposed Life and Death of Deena Domino

9:30 pm ($5): Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Shannon Hatch (blog I Hope The Worst Isn’t Over), and Jeff Klinger performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill): Righteous Kill

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up and sketch at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre, typically hosted by sketch troupes Savage Animal and/or Jerk Practice: Savage Animal

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Improv troupe Tesla—which includes one of my favorite young comics, Ellena Chmielewski—takes the UCB East stage for one night only, accompanied by troupes Sven, The Mondays, and musical group Jonny Tables, for a variety show it calls: Tesla Presents: The Lab

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members can join in with musical improv troupe Aquarius to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open-mic stand-up show at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

[FREE] 11:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 11/11/11

November 11, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Two of the best: Kumail Nanjiani performs for an hour at UCB East in "Just Me Talking"...

...and Janeane Garofalo headlines at the Eastville 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:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] November 11th-13th: Among the stellar events at this year’s New York Comedy Festival are shows by comedy titans Tracy Morgan (11/11 at the Beacon Theatre), Bill Burr (11/11 at Carnegie Hall), Louis C.K. (11/12 at the Beacon Theatre), and Sarah Silverman (11/12 at BAM); shows by comedy stars Kumail Nanjiani (11/11 at UCB East), Bill Maher (11/12 at the Beacon Theatre), Norm MacDonald (11/12 at Town Hall), and Kathy Griffin (11/12 at Carnegie Hall); three panels on the art of comedy writing & performing (11/12 at UCB East), plus a panel discussion with the writers of Saturday Night Live (11/13 at the Paley Center); and a leisurely chat with Ricky Gervais (11/13 at the 92nd Street Y). For the complete massive schedule, please click: New York Comedy Festival

[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 ($5): At this PIT double-bill, award-winning improv duo Lucas Kavner and Bradford Jordan make stuff up with “a celebrity guest improvisor’ at Swords, while all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

[FREE] 7:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Roger Hailes, Matt Ruby, Liam McEneany, Leah Bonnema, Jason Saenz, and Carolina Hidalgo performing at Beauty Bar (231 East 14th Street) at this biweekly show hosted by Peter Ostrovski & Ilya Gofshteyn: Beautiful Comedy

[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

7:30 pm ($10): NYC comics that Time Out New York selected to showcase—Kurt Braunohler, Eliza Skinner, Adrienne Lapalucci, BriTANick, Damien Lemon, Sean Donnelly, and Gabe Liedman—performing at UCB East: Time Out Live

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($15): This acclaimed 10-year-and-counting sketch troupe has “amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts….join them for a hilariously unsettling look at growing older, having children, killing your dreams, and settling.” For examples of the troupe’s work, please clickhere and here, and then come to The PIT downstairs lounge to see Spurn

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($35 using discount code FTBBOX online or at the box office): One of my favorite FringeNYC shows (for my 2006 review, please click here) is finally enjoying a commercial run. The mostly-true tale of a man who became the toast of Paris by making music with his ass is playing at Sofia’s Downstairs Theater (221 West 46th Street): The Fartiste

[$] [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?

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

[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 ($18): 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 developing a pirate musical at The 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: Nightfall on Mirango Island

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($14): A red-hot rising star who’s one of the most thoughtful stand-ups in the biz, has appeared on David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel, and Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues, and won the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up performs a solo show at UCB East for one night only: Kumail Nanjiani: Just Me Talking

[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, and more (but do you even need more?) performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): “Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is on the ground in New York City, and he’s assembled a team of investigative experts to uncover the biggest conspiracy yet. The New World Order might keep Conspiracy Theory off the air, but we take the action outside the ring and straight to the people…because they can cancel a TV show, but they can’t cancel the truth,” with James Adomian as Jesse Ventura, Anthony Atamanuik as David Icke, John Gemberling as Sirhan Sirhan, plus Rob Lathan (Conan O’Brien), Ron Krasnow, Brad Steuernagel, and Todd Womack doing crazy shit at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Conspiracy Theory Live with Jesse Ventura

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: An all-musical comedy night with Camille Harris, David Smithyman, Glennis McMurray, and Hardcore Boris performing at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Ben Lerman and Tim Dimond: Now That’s What I Call Musical Comedy

9:30 pm ($10): Sketch comedy from hosts Jen Curran (Harvard Sailing Team) Clayton Early (Harvard Sailing Team), and Chris Roberti (New Excitement), plus guests The Chris & Paul Show, Adrienne Iapalucci, Only Son, and—via Skype—the Harvard Sailing Team at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Monster Show

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

[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 ($10): Three of the finest improvisors alive—Chris Gethard, John Gemberling, and Anthony Atamanuik—plus stellar improvisors John Frusciante, Silvija Ozols, Chelsea Clarke, and D’Arcy Carden make stuff up to delight you at UCB East for one night only: UCB NYC Improv All-Stars

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10): Smart, fun sketch comedy & talk show that’s happening at The PITupstairs theatre but is actually a TV series in development from host/creator Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central, IFC, Hot Tub Variety), with tonight’s guests including Jon Benjamin (star/creator of Comedy Central’s Jon Benjamin Has a Van; FOX, Adult Swim, MTV’s Human Giant) and “a secret awesome guy,” plus phenom house band Adira Amram and the Experience: Night of the Living with Kurt Braunohler

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet event, 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

[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: This show typically isn’t much fun for audience members—which is why it hasn’t been on the UCBT schedule for a long time—but it’s an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB West stage. Hosted by Maude troupe Onassis: Liquid Courage

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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Eastville Comedy Club, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, Kumail Nanjiani, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 10/8/11

October 8, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Ali Wong headlines one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club, and Janeane Garofalo performs at the Eastville 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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Listen Kid!, Sneaky Beatings, and Old Timey Radio Show at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[FREE] 6:00 pm: A “sacrificial” improv team performs a quick set, then is split up among three other waiting improv troupes, each of which then performs a full set. This ritual letting go for the good of the whole takes place at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: The Sacrifice

7:00 pm ($5): Improv troupe Cake-Fest tries to recreate the tone and themes of an animated cartoon live on stage at The PIT upstairs theatre in AdventureProv

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, and/or other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions, at UCB West all joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft at The Magnetmaking up a play on the spot: Theory of Everything

7:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf makes stuff up at UCB East: Airwolf: Let’s Go Back to Your Place

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A petite comedy dynamo, this razor-sharp rising star who recently performed on Jay Leno and FOX, and is a cast member of the upcoming NBC sitcom Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea and the upcoming Oliver Stone filmSavages, will shock you and make you roar with laughter thanks to a fearlessness that’s won her acclaim in San Francisco and, over the past two years, a devoted following in NYC. Headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club, treat yourself to Ali Wong

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and UCBT’s The Chris Gethard Show; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York; winner of 2011 ECNY Award for Best Tweeter), Nate Bargatze (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central), Greg Johnson (Sirius Radio host), Susan Prekel (Comedy Central), and Dan Shaki performing stand-up at One and One (76 East 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) at Sean Donnelly’s Lil’ Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($30 & 2-drink min.): A TV & movie star who created & hostedLast Comic Standing, was a cast member of CBS’ Gary Unmarried and Ghost Whisperer, has done extensive sports broadcasting for ESPN, and has appeared in such feature films as Jerry MacGuire, Pay It Forward, and Hereafter (opposite Matt Damon) headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Jay Mohr

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Jessimae Peluso (Last Comic Standing, TruTV, Tyra Banks), Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Gutbucket), and Andy Sandford (Adult Swim, The Beards of Comedy) performing sets and then being interviewed about theirpersonal lives at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Matt Ruby &Mark Normand (who says “all these guys were hand-picked because they’re funny and have some serious problems; when you read this lineup you’re gonna be like “oh yeah, that guy is a mess”):We’re All Friends Here

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Pat O’Shea (host of Ed Sullivan on Acid), Liz Simons, Stephanie Acevedo, Dan Hirshon, J-L Cauvin, Bryan Bruner, and Teresa DeGaetano performing at The Creekdownstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City with host Evan Morgenstern: SNC: Hot Blooded

[$] 8:00 pm ($10 plus 2-drink min.): Joe Hutcheson scored a hit at last year’s FringeNYC with hisone-man show about a gay New Yorker having this body inhabited by the ghost of a pre-Civil War Southern debutante. Joe’s bringing the show back for a brief revival tonight, and next Friday & Saturday, at the Times Square Arts Center’s Roy Arias Cabaret, 300 West 43rd Street (off 8th Avenue), 5th Floor: Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($8): NYC’s heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won last year’s ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—performing this monthly show at The PIT downstairs lounge: Murderfist

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Arden Myrin (Conan O’Brien, Mad TV, Chelsea Lately, host of The Party Machine; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here), Nate Bargatze (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Kimmel), Michelle Buteau (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; for stand-up video about Utah, sharing, and tits, please click here), Sean Donnelly (host of Lil’ Seany Boy), and Jono Zalay performing stand-up at UCB East, hosted by Kara Klenk and 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, Christian Finnegan (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 finalist, Comedy Central Presents), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($10): Sketch comedy duo Jamaal Sedayao and Brian Lisi at The Magnet providing “unfamiliar, often absurd stories full of unexpected laughs:” Turboner Bigoté

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Sketch duo Chris O’Neill and Paul Valenti describe themselves as “vaudeville gold for a 2011 crowd.” Whatever. They’re funny. Especially the bit with the nose. Come catch their latest material tonight at The PIT: The Chris and Paul Show

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) bringing their A-game—because their sets are captured at this new monthly show as audition tapes—performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Grass Route: Built from the Underground Up

[FREE] 10:00 pm: A sketch & interview show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Zach Sims: Too Late With Zachary Sims

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Ben Rodgers, Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB West interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then create an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($10): A comedic panel show debuting at The PIT, with tonight’s guests Jeff Caldwell (David Letterman), Michelle Buteau (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; for stand-up video about Utah, sharing, and tits, please click here), and Maureen Langan (Joy Behar) “breaking down the week’s weakest, from politics to pop culture,” hosted by Brian Joyce: The Weak in Review

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): James Adomian (talented impressionist; finalist on last summer’s Last Comic Standing), Emmy Blotnick (blogger for Jimmy Fallon), John Milhiser (sketch troupes Dweeband Serious Lunch), and Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Gutbucket), and musical guest Adnan Sabir performing at UCB East with host Andy Rocco at Underground Americana

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Top improvisors pair up for one night only at UCB West: Chris Gethard (comedy genius) & Laura Wilcox, John Gemberling (comedy genius) & Don Fanelli, Fran Gillespie (rising risk-taker) & random audience member, and Lydia Hensler & Alan Starzinski, hosted by Don Fanelli: Couples Skate

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups in a late-night talk show format at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Michael Che: Michael Che’s Community Service

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.

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Ali Wong, Carolines Comedy Club, Chris Gethard, Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 9/13/11

September 13, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the FringeNYC 2011 Encore Series, please click here.

Jessi Klein headlines at the MTV Comedy Showcase, Janeane Garofalo performs at both Tell Your Friends and After Hours with Gene Hackman...

...Wyatt Cenac does stand-up at It Is It, and Rich Vos jokes around at Righteous Kill

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A one-man show by Justin Peters about—wait for it—condiments. “Mitch ‘Packets’ Franco has demonstrated condiments at groceries, farmers’ markets, superstores, and gas stations in all 50 states; over the course of 25 minutes, he’ll give you the inside squeeze on how all your favorite condiments are marketed, shipped, distributed, and sold; how to seduce a checkout girl; how to tell a supermarket by its odor; and other lessons learned during his wild life in America’s grocery aisles” at The Magnet: Confessions of a Condiment Hustler

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean’s List

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Blowout line-up of TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), “secret guests who cannot be named,” plus musical guests Sean Bones and A Brief View of the Hudson, all performing at the Lolita Bar to celebrate the Sixth Anniversary of Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The debut of a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran on behalf of the late great Gene Hackman, with tonight’s guests TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, stand-up Mike Lawrence (shrewdly funny curmudgeon; Comedy Central), sketch duo Team Submarine, singer Amy Miles, tweeter Alex Baze, and more performing at UCBeast (UCB East at 155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B): After Hours with Gene Hackman and Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who’s one of the best stand-ups in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Jared Logan (hilarious angry rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, co-host of Righteous Kill), James Adomian (talented impressionist; finalist on last summer’s Last Comic Standing), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Dan Soder, Michael Che, Reese Waters, and host Andy Haynes performing at Webster Hall’s Marlin Room (125 East 11th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues) for the one-night-only MTV Comedy Showcase

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Marc Bernardin (writer for SyFy Channel’s Aphas) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT’s downstairs lounge: Comic Book Club

[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 musical duo The Reformed Whores, plus stand-ups RG Daniels, Andy Haynes, and Tom Sibley at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre: Anecdotal Evidence

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Mr. Crime, American Cousin, Dance Break, Sandino, and Standard Oil—and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students making up movies—all at Harold Night

8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet’s singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Rosencrantz and BEEES!

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, MTV, VH1), Colin Jost (writer for Saturday Night Live), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) celebrate the birthdays of Harrison Greenberg and Baratunde Thurston at Bar 82 (136 Second Avenue, between 9th & St. Marks Streets): Happy Birthday Harrison & Baratunde

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and currently on the Opie & Anthony radio show), Bonnie MacFarlane (Comedy Central, Cheat), Jane Borden (treasured Comedy Editor of Time Out New York, author of I Totally Meant to Do That), and Tim Dimond performing at the PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

9:30 pm ($5): This showcase for the wonderful Jen Nails’ Do It Yourself class tonight features debuts of the one-person shows How I Learned to Love Getting Fired and And That Responsibility Is Overrated, both with the theme of Blown Jobs

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): A stellar stand-up show hosted by Adam Lowitt (Producer at The Daily Show) moves to UCBeast (UCB East at 155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B), with tonight’s guests Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on last summer’s Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), and Henry Phillips: It Is It

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free show, audience members can join in with veteran musical improv talents to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open-mic stand-up show hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, Jessi Klein, Rich Vos, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, Wyatt Cenac | Permalink
Posted by hybender

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 9/7/11

September 7, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the FringeNYC 2011 Encore Series, please click here.

John Mulaney, Janeane Garofalo (above), Gilbert Gottfried, and more celebrate the Seventh Anniversary of Seth Herzog's "Sweet"...

...and rising star Brooke Van Poppelen headlines—at a bargain price—at the Carolines 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 to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation at The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday

8:00 pm ($5): Remember how your father totally screwed you up? Imagine if you were brought up by Doug Moe: Doug Moe is a Bad Dad; and in the other half of this double-bill, the superb Ryan Karels (Conan O’Brien, Krompf) performs a sketch show titled Radio Rogue

8:00 pm ($8 at the door, $6.84 online with discount code Supermango): Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie), Dan Soder (Comedy Central), Colin Jost (writer for Saturday Night Live), Jamie Greenberg, and “a secret guest” performing at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, off Bleecker Street) with host Dan Allen: Sacapuntas!

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Ben Kronberg (Carson Daly), Anna Drezen, and John F. O’Donnell performing in a Brooklyn bowling alley (no, seriously) called The Gutter (200 North 14th Street) hosted by Aaron Glaser & Lee Rubenstein: Get Loose

8:00 pm, 9:00 pm, and 10:00 pm ($7): Magnet house troupes performing improv, followed by a free show at 11:30 pm: The Magnet’s Megawatt

8:00 pm ($5—which includes a free drink!): Typically terrific NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at The Creek in Queens’ Long Island City with host Nick Turner: Monsters

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10 in advance online, $15 at the door): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, TV & movie star Gilbert Gottfried, John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, VH1’s Best Week Ever; for John’s great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), Jon Glaser (creator/star of Adult Swim’s Delocated), and more “special guests” who cannot be named, plus music from Angela McClusky (opened for R.E.M. on tour), performing at Webster Hall’s Marlin Room (125 East 11th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues) for the Seventh Anniversary of Seth Herzog’s Sweet

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Open mic stand-up (with sign-up starting at 8:00) at Brooklyn’s Belleville (330 5th Street) hosted by Josh Guarino: The Belleville Mic

[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Mindy Raf (brilliant comedic singer/songwriter), Scott Bateman (witty comedic animator; Disalmanac, Batemanimation), Pat O’Shea (VH1, NPR, host of Ed Sullivan on Acid), Joel Stice, and Michele Carlo (Moth storyteller) performing at this free weekly show at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:30 pm (just a $5 cover if you call 212.757.4100 for a reservation and mention Brooke’s name, plus 2-drink min.) Brooke Van Poppelen is a brilliant stand-up, writer, and storyteller who’s performed on TLC, is a blogger for trutV, and is co-host of Dive Comedy. For stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here; and then come see this wonderful rising star headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Brooke Van Poppelen

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): “Thin Skin Jonny. They had it all. They were icons, legends, anti-folk superstars. However, tragedy struck and they broke up, citing an alleged statutory charge, gay porn addiction, and Four Loko abuse. Now, two months later, they’re back to do one last show—a benefit! Can they find a way to get along long enough to raise the money needed to re-animate the corpse of Bea Arthur? Maybe, with your help!” Performers include Ari Scott, with direction from Pam Murphy: Thin Skin Jonny: Farewell Reunion Tour

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: A finalist on the last season of Last Comic Standing, and a superb impressionist, headlining at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with opener Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1): James Adomian Live

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: As many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, 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; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible—and don’t forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School 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 full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Brooke Van Poppelen, Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Gilbert Gottfried, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, John Mulaney, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling | Permalink
Posted by hybender

NYC Top Comedy Choices for Thursday 8/18/11

August 18, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the spectacular FringeNYC 2011 Festival, please click here.

Janeane Garofalo performs tonight at The Morrison Motel

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 drawing names from a bucket, with each chosen one receiving three minutes at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Corby Haas

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): An audition for a UCBT run by world-class storyteller Adam Wade: Adam Wade’s Healthy Girls; plus an audition for what I’m guessing is a sketch show titled This is Not a Sketch Show

[FREE] 6:30 pm: In this free show, audience members (signing in at 6) can join in with veteran improv talents to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

8:00 pm ($10): “A 17-person middle school talent show created and performed by two people—Jo Firestone and Dylan Marron—who like themselves more now that they’re older. A comedic tribute to the best three years of our lives, and a comedic play for anyone who ever thought it couldn’t get any better than prank calls and slow-dancing:” Ridgefield Middle School Talent Nite

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Some of the Magnet Theatre’s finest improvisors make up theatrical plays on the spot: Playhouse

8:00 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:” The Vigilante

[$] 8:00 pm ($30.50 & 2-drink min.) The co-author of He’s Just Not That Into You and It’s Called A Breakup Because It’s Broken, and a comic who’s performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15, which includes 1 drink, if you mention HyReviews.com[otherwise $20]; call 212.989.9319 to reserve seats): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, plus Wayne Federman, Liam McEneaney, Baratunde Thurston, Sagar Bhatt, and Carla Rhodes performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison’s Morrison Motel

[FREE] 9:00ish pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups performing on this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

9:30 pm ($5): A brand new episode of a classic sitcom written (by Luke Ward) as if it was happening during the height of the show’s popularity, with tonight’s subject Family Ties: To Be Continued

9:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Jamie Kilstein, Jon Fisch, Adam Newman, and Reformed Whores performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for Sean Crespo’s & Carol Hartsell’s weekly comedy show Lasers in the Jungle

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT’s basement lounger for The Scene

[$] 10:00 pm ($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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Spectacular musical improv troupe Diamond Lion competing against troupe Improv Nerds for audience laughs and votes at the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): Magnet improv troupes Brick and Dunk compete for audience laughs and votes—yes, like UCBT’s Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component—at Inspirado

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Leave a Comment » | Best New York Live Comedy Shows | Tagged: Comedy, Comedy NYC Tonight, Improv, Janeane Garofalo, John Morrison, Sketch, Stand-Up, Storytelling, The Morrison Motel | Permalink
Posted by hybender

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