Best New York Comedy

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci will be brilliant, sexy, and irresistibly fun tonight at Gotham Comedy as musical duo "Garfunkel & Oates"

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] One of the most magical events in NYC, the annual Del Close Improv Marathon will run continuously from 4:30 pm on Friday August 12th until 9:30ish pm on Sunday August 14th. Improv troupes from all around the US and Canada—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Austin, Miami, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Phoenix, Raleigh, Toronto, Vancouver, and more—will perform over 150 shows, typically in 30 minute blocks, for 55+ hours. Tickets will be $25 for the entire weekend—an incredible bargain. Paul Scheer said several  years ago the appropriate charge would be around $600, and he mostly wasn’t kidding.

As in past years, the only down side is way more patrons than available space, which will cause long waits to get into the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre at 307 West 26th Street, which seats about 150. However, the congestion will be somewhat eased by three additional venues just a couple of blocks from UCBT: The Hudson Guild Theatre at 441 West 26th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues), which seats 99; Urban Stages at 259 West 30th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues), which seats 74; and the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre at corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue, which seats 280. To learn more, please click here.

The listings below include DCM shows at the FIT Auditorium that are an additional $12 to see—unless they don’t sell out, in which case those with marathon passes can receive any remaining seats free of charge.

 [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 ($12): 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. Please note this is among the last chances to enjoy improv genius Tara Copeland on an NYC stage before Tara moves to LA next month. Come see why BWC won aFringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event—performing tonight at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Baby Wants Candy

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($18 at the box office by mentioning discount codeFAYEB): One of the very best shows at FringeNYC 2010 was an award-winning comedy from NYC’s own Faye Lane, a luminous storyteller and singer who will charm your socks off—and possibly give you a moon pie to boot—at the Soho Playhouse’s downstairs Huron Club. This marvelous event recently received a 2011 Bistro Award for Musical Comedy and 2011 MAC Award for Special Production. Please read my review by clicking here, watch Faye make a pecan pie by clicking here, see Faye be a Green Bean by clicking here, and then take advantage of this revival running Friday nights to experience the hilarious and unforgettable Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan’s breakup, please click here), Joe List (Comedy Central), Liz Miele (Comedy Central), Kara Klenk (co-host of If You Build It), and Matt Baetz performing stand-up at O’Hanlon’s(14th Street off 1st Avenue) hosted by Mark Normand: Hot Soup

8:00 pm ($10): An improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A comic who won Last Comic Standing Season 3, has performed on Jay Leno, and starred in his own Showtime one-hour special Who’s Paying Attention?, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Alonzo Bodden

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are an adorably dark comedy folk duo who have appeared on such network TV shows on Scrubs and Jay Leno (to check out their videos, please click here); and they’re headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club via their stage names Garfunkel & Oates

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($12): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim’s awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer forSaturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo who should not be missed…and are performing tonight at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($12): The Emmy-winning writers of The Colbert Report—and possibly a surprise star or two—gather on stage to perform an all-improvised show at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Seize the Mustard

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors, including such world-class performers as the breathtakingly talented Tara Copeland, using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:15 pm ($5): A brilliant group of improvisors from Chicago and New York—spearheaded by Improv legend Joe Bill, who’s coming into town this weekend for the Del Close Marathon—offers lightning-quick dark comedy unlike anything else in NYC. In addition to Joe, the troupe consists of Jordan Klepper (Klepper & Grey, iO, ), Jodi Lennon (Comedy Central’s Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (UCB instructor, VH!’s Best Week Ever), Doug Stoley (Conan O’Brien, UCB), Rick Andrews (Magnet performer), Mark Grenier (Magnet instructor), Jen Sanders (Magnet performer), and Chet Siegel (Magnet performer). While this Magnet show isn’t part of DCM, with Joe Bill participating it’s likely to be as awesome as anything at the UCBT festival: Lights Out, Shirley!

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($12): TV star & improv legend Horatio Sanz gets together with some of his friends to make stuff up at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Horatio Sanz & the Kings of Comedy

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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