NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wed. 11/14/09

October 14, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Melanie Hamlett and other stellar storytellers reveal how they broke the law tonight at Risk!

Melanie Hamlett and other stellar storytellers reveal how they broke the law tonight 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 to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($12, plus 2-drink or $12 food min.): Top comics and comedic storytellers—who tonight are Christian Finnegan (three Comedy Central specials, commentator on MNBC’s Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1’s Best Week Ever; Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), Melanie Hamlett (Moth GrandSlam Champion, roving adventurer), Faye Lane (Beauty Shop Stories), and Zak Orth—join brilliant sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State) in Joe’s Pub to share their tales of going “Against The Law” at the exciting new weekly storytelling event Risk!

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Top writers and comedians—who tonight are Tracy Rowland, Jeff Simmermon, DJ Hazard, and Jenna Brister—join world-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 10-time StorySlam Champion; for Adam’s award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O’Brien, please click here) in Ochi’s Lounge to share their favorite true campus anecdotes at True Tales of College

[FREE] 8:00: Human dynamo Ali Wong, plus stand-ups Jay Bois, Dan Hirshon, Sam Fortenbaugh, Alec Sobel, and Wes Cannon, performing at this free weekly show tonight guest-hosted by Emmy Rivera: Shrink

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Wonderful stand-ups Anthony Jeselnik (writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Hannibal Burress (writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), and Jon Gabrus (Spike TV) performing at a free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn’s Cameo (behind Lovin’ Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Several musicals made up entirely on the spot by award-winning improv comedy duo Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner as I Eat Pandas

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) providing 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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 10/9/09

October 9, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Melanie Hamlett tells amazing tales of cross-country adventures this summer in her live-in truck (and unique bed) at The Hobo Show

Melanie Hamlett tells amazing tales of cross-country adventures this summer in her live-in truck (and unique bed) at The Hobo Show

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): Sketch duo Leah Rudick & Katie Hartman perform an acclaimed show that played at this August’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): From a comic Time Out New York says delivers “categorically pitch- perfect one-man comedy” comes this one-man show: “When Ryan Paulson moved to New York City he was a husky boy. And he’d never had sex. Even with himself. How did this happen? Well, he grew up speaking in tongues in an ultra-conservative, fundamentalist church. But now he’s taking a crash course in sex, alcohol and self-pleasure. And it’s going pretty well…other than regularly being condemned to hell on MySpace:” Ryan Paulson: I’m Uncomfortable

[FREE] 8:00 pm: “This is the theme show that says FU! to all other theme shows: Straight white American male non-skinny non-religious non-musical comics.” Terrific stand-ups Sean Patton (Comedy Central, VH1) Jared Logan ((Comedy Central), Pat Stango (Don’t Touch Me There), Sean O’Connor (NPR’s This American Life), and Zack Sims are the lineup at Brooklyn’s Coco 66 for Nick Turner’s one-night-only closed tent event Too Cool for School

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups performing in Ochi’s Lounge at gay-themed show The Back Room

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Unique, hilarious, and endearing Melanie Hamlett (Moth GrandSlam Champion) spent this summer traveling cross-country in her barely functioning truck to have adventures only she could have. Come tonight to experience some of the best of the tales (complete with photos), as well as the stories behind the stories reported on Melanie’s amazing blog. Plus joining Melanie will be four of the finest storytellers in NYC: Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, host of—crossed fingers—TV version of The Liar Show), Kevin Allison (brilliant sketch comic of The State, host of Risk!), Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 10-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of Real Tales of College), and John Flynn (co-star of UCBT genius storytelling show The Nights of Our Lives) at The Creek in Queens’ Long Island City: The Hobo Show—A Narcoleptic’s Return

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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Comedy superstar Janeane Garofalo, plus red-hot stand-up Kumail Nanjiani (writer/performer for Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues; Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for Best Male Stand-Up) and Trevor Williams (CollegeHumor) joining sketch troupe Olde English for a monthly show that promises to deliver all-new material: Very Fresh

[FREE] 12:20ish am: A free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 6/20/09

June 20, 2009

For your last chance to win free tickets to a star-studded comedy club show on June 24th, please click here.

For full details about tonight’s shows, please visit HyReviews.com.

Maria Bamford
Maria Bamford

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] a Long Island City party for Melanie Hamlett (Moth StorySlam Champion and superb writer/adventurer) who’s about to embark on a cross-country tour living in her truck for the summer, and who’ll be bid farewell by some of the most brilliant storytellers in NYC: Charlie Sanders, Adam Wade, Ophira Eisenberg, Margot Leitman, Jim O’Grady, and John Flynn, after which there’ll be a fun auction to raise money for the trip, all at Melanie Hamlett’s Going Away Party (6:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Lauren Olson performing a one-woman show about the death of her mom that’s reportedly funny and superb in Our Condolences (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] two star comics—beloved comedy genius Maria Bamford (The Comedians of Comedy) and respected satirist of the comedy scene Andy Kindler (co-star of The Root of All Evil)—completing their joint run tonight Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] Curb Your Enthusiasm star Susie Essman completing her run tonight Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] a gathering of top comedy shows—Big Terrific, Comedy As a Second Language, and Murderfist—running from 8:00 pm through 1:00 am at this one-time free Long Island City extravaganza: LIC Comedy Festival (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (9:00 pm),

organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

vibrant improv from acclaimed trio Statues of LIberty (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a small mob of superb comedic performers join —Livia Scott, Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, Andrea Rosen, John Gemberling, Elephant Larry, Rob Lathan, Adolpho Blaire, and Andree Vermeulen—and show creators Ilana & Eliot Glazer, performing highly unusual acts at High School Talent Show (midnight).

For your last chance to win free tickets to a star-studded comedy club show on June 24th, please click here.

For full details about tonight’s shows, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 5/20/09

May 20, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Moby

Moby

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] music superstar Moby, youngest staff writer in history of Saturday Night Live Simon Rich, stand-up Mike Weiss, and more at a live broadcast of the WFMU radio show 7 Second Delay (6:00 pm),

[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] stellar comedic storytellers Charlie Sanders (genius storytelling one-man show Minnesota Muslim; Conan O’Brien, star improv troupes Reuben Williams and C, C + C Improv Factory), Adam Pally (ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, star improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and Hot Sauce), Andy Christie (The New York Times; Moth GrandSlam Champion; author of book I Wasn’t Kidding; host of The Liar Show), Melanie Hamlett (Moth StorySlam Champion), and Ben Kissel (The Brain and the Beast podcast)—plus live accordion music by Michelle Leona, and a quiz for a free bottle of wine—at a show hosted by the razor-sharp and immensely talented Leslie Goshko (Manhattan Monologue Champion, UCBT) in which top comics and storytellers reveal odd aspects of themselves: Sideshow Goshko (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] sharp stand-ups Roger Hailes (Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, Chappelle’s Show, VH1), Katina Corrao (VH1’s Best Week Ever, HBO, Comedy Central), Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central, AMC, ESPN), and Brent Sullivan at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),

[FREE] Myq Kaplan (Comedy Central), Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN, Too Cool for School), Raquel D’Apice (The Ugly Volvo), H. Alan Scott (here! TV’s Hot Gay Comics), and Ryan McKee (Modest Proposal magazine) at a free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno & the luminous Margie Kment: Now We’re Talking (8:00 pm),

[FREE] NYC stand-ups Myq Kaplan, Hardcore Boris, Sue Funke, Judy Ortiz, Pat O’Shea, and Troy Bynum at a free show hosted by Sharon “Mama” Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),

comics, writers, and others telling tales of their worst NYC experiences in New York Sh*tty (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE COOKIES] Baron Vaughn (Comedy Central, MTV, Cloverfield, Shoot the Messenger), Donald Glover (30 Rock, Conan O’Brien, Derrick, Mystery Team), Gilad Foss (co-host of Night Kitchen), Matt Maragno (co-host of Now We’re Talking), Dan Mahoney, and luminous & lovely host Margie Kment performing a full-blown stand-up comedy show at 10:00 pm, preceded by a wonderful networking event mixing folks from the NYC theatre and comedy scenes—plus intense free homemade chocolate chip cookies baked by Margie that have come to be known as “Stoner Cookies”—all at Hold for the Laughs (9:30 pm party/networking/cookies, 10:00 pm show),

[TOP PICK] an entirely improvised musical from a genius comedy duo, and an improvised soap opera, in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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