Best New York Comedy

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The wonderful Natasha Leggero heats up NYC tonight and Saturday headlining at Comix...

...and beloved comedy stars Paul Scheer (above) and Nick Kroll team up for a live version of their FX TV series The League

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Brilliant improvisor and storyteller Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock, Huffington Post, Death by Roo Roo, The Nights of Our Lives) performing a one-man autobiographical show about doing drugs and booze while writing for children’s television; and Nicole Shabtai performing a one-woman show about “illustrious a 13-year-old socialite and notorious Upper East Side private schooler we all love to hate,” in the double-bill Pissing My Pants on Vine and Citizen Rothstein

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($24.78 online with discount code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): Genius improvisors and comedic character actors Paul Scheer and Nick Kroll (both dearly loved NYC comics who moved to LA for TV & movie careers), along with some of their fellow cast members from the FX TV series The League, performing live on stage for one night only at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, and More at FX’s The League Live

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): The phenomenal Tara Copeland and veteran comic Jessica Allen performing as an improv duo at Tara & Jess

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC’s Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1’s Best Week Ever; Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), Julian McCullough (Comedy Central Presents), Phil Hanley, Matt Donaher, and Jessie Geller performing stand-up with host David Cope: Hot Soup

8:00 pm & 9:30 pm ($12 at the door, $10.98 per show online): NYC improv and sketch troupes—many of whom perform at The PIT—compete against each other via this unusual annual contest in which each group, regardless of specialty, will perform both improv and sketch…as well as a comedy form known as sketchprov using the Second City routine The Pad. The competition, running through Saturday, is SketchProv

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up who’s appeared on HBO’sDown and Dirty, performed his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, co-hosts the weekly Tuesday NYC comedy show Punch Up Your Life, and recently released his comedy CD The Depression Auction, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Joe DeRosa

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($26.95 online if you use code PLAYBILL, plus 2-item minimum): A razor-sharp and irresistible star who was the stand-out judge on this summer’s Last Comic Standing; who’s performed on Jay Leno, Comedy Central, FX, Chelsea Lately, and more (for samples, please click here); and who loves music, dark comedy, and mercilessly parodying the rich, performing not-to-be-missed headlining sets tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Natasha Leggero

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

[$] 10:00 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.)  A comic perhaps best known for his appearances on celebrity roasts, but who’s also performed on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, and more, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Jeffrey Ross

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

11:30 ($5): Improvisors Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela parodying The View in a show self-described as “Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel of five of New York’s most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week’s events, and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more. Let’s talk about issues, over drinks!” This show will keep you in Focus

Midnight ($5): Sketch comedy troupes Boat and Dependable Felons compete for audience laughs and votes, with troupe Sidecar hosting, in Backyard Brawl

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