NYC Comedy Picks for Week of December 1, 2008

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 12/1/08

Abbi Crutchfield (Entertaining the Bartender), Demetri Martin (Stand-Up), and Arj Barker (Entertaining the Bartender)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, tonight including Kumail Nanjiani, Blaine Perry, Margie Kment,

Chelsea White, Josh Comers, Sean Donnelly, Aalap Patel, Matteson Perry, and John Morrison—

at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] ace NYC stand-up comics Todd Barry, Chelsea Peretti, Christian Finnegan, Joe List, and Dan Boulger, plus stellar comedic storyteller Chris Gethard and UK comedy star Robin Ice, as the ingredients for a blowout show at tonight's biweekly Comedy Central at Crash Mansion (8:00 pm),

superb comics including Arj Barker and Abby Crutchfield at a free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and one of the sharpest and most popular stand-up comics in the country performing an hour-long set: Demetri Martin (11:00 pm).

For details, please click here.

Album of the Month: Jessica Delfino's I Wanna Be Famous

Funny, filthy, graceful, seething, and always artful, Jessica Delfino is a rare treasure:

a stellar comic who employs the voice of an angel to sing lyrics that would make a sailor blush.

At times she tries too hard on the latter, going for shock over substance; but more often Jessica hits the right notes via marvelous songs such as I Wanna Be Famous, Don't Rape Me, and Only a Stranger's C*ck. Not for every taste; but if you're open to a different kind of comedy, this imaginative and beautifully packaged combination CD/DVD is a steal at $10 plus $2.99 shipping. To check out some of its tracks, and to then order multiple copies for yourself and your more unusual friends, please click here. Please also visit Jessica's Myspace page by clicking here; check out her music videos (which are previous HyReviews.com Video Clips of the Month) by clicking here; and keep an eye on this promising rising star.

Video Clip of the Month:

Sarah Palin Celebrates Thanksgiving

On November 20th, following the traditional cute pardoning of a single turkey, Sarah Palin decided to conduct an interview while the other non-pardoned turkeys are being slaughtered directly behind her. The resulting disconnect between her words (about her "values and convictions," the political process being "brutal," etc.) and what's happening mere feet away—not to mention the interviewer asking a question about state programs "being on the chopping block"—is one of the the most surreal and hilarious political interviews, ever.

(Note: After this blew up into a national story, Governor Palin said she didn't know what was going on in the background. Observers find this tough to swallow. My own perspective is that it's hard to say which is funnier: her being oblivious, or being utterly insensitive, to the carnage. Please judge for yourself; and either way, enjoy.)

For a slightly sanitized version, please click here.

For the complete gruesome version, please click here.

For a Twilight Zone version that speculates on what else Governor Palin might miss while conducting an interview (from Slate.com), please click here.

Ochi's Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).

Tonight's 6:30 lineup includes such fine stand-ups as Kumail Nanjiani, Margie Kment, Jon Bander, Josh Comers, Sue Funke, Jeff Ragsdale, Sean Donnelly, and John Morrison.

And the 9:00 pm show includes such talents as Blaine Perry, Chelsea White, Luke Cunningham, Sean Donnelly, Leslie Goshko, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry.

Ochi's Motel is hosted by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Comedy Central at Crash Mansion

The TV network with Comedy in its name demonstrates it truly knows what's funny by showcasing some of the finest comics in New York in this biweekly show.

Tonight's bash is hosted by

Christian Finnegan (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show, host of TVLand's Game Time, former staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; comedy CD Two For Flinching;  for stand-up videos on how to get rid of a boring  guy and what your movie choices say about you, please click here and here).

Christian's stellar stand-up guests are listed above. Todd Barry is one of the finest stand-ups in the country; Chris Gethard is one of NYC's most hilarious storytellers; Chelsea Peretti is an exceptionally fresh comic with a unique voice; and Robin Ince is a huge UK star visiting NYC for just a few days, and is well worth catching (he's also performing a one-man show at UCBT on Wednesday).

8:00 pm at Crash Mansion, 199 Bowery (at Spring Street); $5 cover plus 2-drink minimum

Take the J/M/Z subway to the Bowery stop or the 6 subway to the Spring Street stop

Arj Barker and Jena Friedman

Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman

Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. (When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success.)

Tonight's terrific guests are

Arj Barker (superb and internationally popular stand-up; cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues),

Abbi Crutchfield (delightful, energetic stand-up and character actress),

Bobby Miyamoto (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson),

Josh Homer (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),

Scott Moran (co-host of NYC comedy show Sweet Haven), and Matty Goldberg,

plus music from indie band Pete Weiss & Co.

8:30 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street

Demetri Martin: Stand-Up

An hour-long set from one of the sharpest and most popular stand-ups anywhere, the wonderful Demetri Martin (immensely popular comedy star with his own segment, Trendspotting, on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart  [13 appearances]; Demetri has also been on Late Night with Conan O'Brien [4 appearances]; performed a Comedy Central Presents 30-minute special, and a Comedy Central 2007 one-hour special titled Demetri Martin. Person. [both specials now available on DVD]; published a These Are Jokes CD/DVD; and has a TV series coming up produced by Jon Stewart titled Important Things).

Please Note: Because Demetri is a huge star and tonight's performance is a mere $5, reservations for seats sold out almost immediately. However, if you're okay with standing

you can still come and enjoy this.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 12/2/08

Anthony Jeselnik (Sweet), Robin Ince (Sweet), and Moral Orel co-director Scott Adsit (Comic Book Club)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Aalap Patel, Doug Adler, Leslie Goshko,

Chanelle Futrell, and John Morrison—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock and Moral Orel) and Jonathan Bresnan (author of

MAD About Star Wars and The Art of Star Wars, Episode I) joining in on a lively & hilarious

discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

three full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes

Whorenado, Ragnaröck, Bangs, Bastian, and DeCoster—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a breathtaking collection of all-star comedy talent—Nick Kroll (star of ABC's Cavemen,

Conan O'Brien, MTV, VH1), Anthony Jeselnik (HBO, Comedy Central), Arj Barker (David Letterman,

Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), Robin Ince (UK's The Office), and Kumail Nanjiani (Comedy Central)—

at this blowout edition of one of the finest and funniest shows in NYC, Sweet (9:00 pm).

Broadway Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

Tonight's lineup includes such talents as Aalap Patel, Doug Adler, Leslie Goshko,

Chanelle Futrell, and John Morrison.

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum

Scott Adsit (30 Rock), and one of the books by writer Jonathan Bresnan

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's wonderful guests are

Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), and

Jonathan Bresman (writer for Mad Magazine;, e.g., wrote the book MAD About Star Wars; and works with Lucasfilm, e.g., wrote the book The Art of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace).

To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—

that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.

(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.)

Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

Whorenado, Ragnaröck, Bangs, Bastian, and DeCoster—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.

Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show

is designed more for students of improv than the general public.

But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you

a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.

8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Nick Kroll, and Anthony Jeselnik (being lauded by Robin Williams)...

...and Arj Barker, Robin Ince, and Kumail Nanjiani

Sweet

This amazing show's usual host, the razor-sharp Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever), is off in LA this week. Guest-hosting will be Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about experiences with Islam—for my review, please click here; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here). And Kumail will be helming a spectacular lineup.

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include

Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics working today;

co-star, and clear highlight, of ABC's Cavemen sitcom; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,

VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award

for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among

the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a few videos, please click here),

Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of

my favorite stand-ups ever; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, upcoming Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,  NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players;

for stand-up videos, please click here and here),

Arj Barker (superb and internationally popular stand-up; cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues), and

Robin Ince (UK star on such shows as BBC's The Office and on comedy tours with Ricky Gervais who's visiting NYC for just a few days, and is well worth catching—he's also performing a one-man show at UCBT on Wednesday; to listen to podcasts of his delightfully quirky & very Brit radio series Show & Tell, please click here).

9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street  (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 12/3/08

Dan St. Germain (Drink at Work), Robin Ince (Bleeding Heart Liberal), and Kristen Schaal (Totally J/K)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

five free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (7:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] UK comedy star Robin Ince in a rare NYC appearance performing his one-man show

Bleeding Heart Liberal (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Lizz Winstead (The Daily Show), Kurt Braunohler (master sketch comic,

ECNY award winner), and terrific stand-ups Jamie Kilstein, Dan St. Germain, Brent Sullivan,

and Barry Rothbart (Comedy Central) at Carol Hartsell's & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] a super-show with star comedy genius Kristen Schaal (The Daily Show, HBO), Kurt Braunohler

(master sketch comic & Kristen's long-time comedy partner), Patrick Borelli (Conan O'Brien,

Comedy Central, Adult Swim), and Greg Johnson (host of NYC comedy show President Johnson)

in Brooklyn at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] a holiday-themed show with gay and gay-friendly comics including Kate McKinnon,

Mel & El, Murray Hill, Jackie Hoffman, Jonny McGovern, and Wendy Ho, hosted by

sharp stand-up Becky Donohue (Comedy Central, TLC) in A Very Gay Christmas (10:00 pm),

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

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

For four hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Vacation Island and The Wilhelm perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon go on at 8:00 pm; and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous show their stuff at 9:30. Rounding out the evening are The Faculty, consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, and Rebekka Johnson.

If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.

7:00 pm-midnight at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free

Robin Ince: Bleeding Heart Liberal

Robin Ince is a UK star on such shows as BBC's The Office and on comedy tours with Ricky Gervais. Visiting NYC for just a few days, Robin is providing us with a rare opportunity to experience his quirky and very Brit humor live in this one-man show.

To get a feel for Robin—as well as for his delightful sidekick, Josie Long, who graced the UCBT stage for several performances last year—please check out podcasts of Robin's & Josie's radio program Show & Tell by clicking here.

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Jamie Kilstein, Lizz Winstead, and Kurt Braunohler...

...and Carol Hartsell and Sean Crespo

Drink at Work: Crespo, Winstead, Braunohler, Kilstein, and More

Drink at Work is a popular NYC comedy show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo (stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).

Tonight's terrific scheduled comics are

Lizz Winstead (co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night; star/host of weekly NYC live comedy show Shoot the Messenger; and a character—e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling Drink at Work when the show was running in the East Village, please click here),

Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing  sketches that are hilariously indescribable; also a co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director; and

co-host with Kristen of NYC/LA comedy extravaganza Hot Tub Variety Show),

Jamie Kilstein (2007 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; has opened for Lewis Black,

Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron),

Dan St. Germain (sharp, funny stand-up who looks like wild prophet; MTV;

for stand-up video about picking up women with literary references, please click here),

Brent Sullivan (for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here),

and Barry Rothbart (Comedy Central, Discovery Channel; for stand-up video about magic and break-ups, please click here).

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay $15 per ticket)

by ordering online using discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$15 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Totally J/K

Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and

Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.

(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; for their

recent appearance on The McLaughlin Group, please click here;

and for other videos, please click here and here.)

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are

Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;

thoroughly delightful correspondent and shining star on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;

co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; writer for MTV's Human Giant;

AMC's Mad Men; upcoming feature film Cirque du Freak (with Salma Hayek);

co-star of Web video series Penelope: Princess of Pets; winner of numerous comedy awards, including the prestigious 2nd Annual Andy Kaufman Award and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up; to read about Kristen's killer set headlining at Comix, please click here),

Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing  sketches that are hilariously indescribable; also a co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director; and

co-host with Kristen of NYC/LA comedy extravaganza Hot Tub Variety Show),

Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ESPN's Cheap Seats, writer for Adult Swim's Assy McGee, SuperDeluxe's Thunderpoint, Video Power Hour, co-author of new book Holy Headshot!), and

Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic who co-hosts the NYC comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show, which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show).

9:30 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Becky Donohue and Kate McKinnon

Becky Donohue's A Very Gay Christmas

Sharp stand-up Becky Donohue (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and Shorties Watchin' Shorties; TLC's Trading Spaces; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly) presents an evening of gay and gay-friendly comics in anticipation of the holidays.

The fine talents scheduled include Kate McKinnon, Mel & El, Murray Hill, Jackie Hoffman, Jonny McGovern, and Wendy Ho.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $25 cover (i.e., pay $20 per ticket)

by ordering online using discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$20 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Justin Purnell

School Night

Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,

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.

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this typically wonderful free show makes possible.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 12/4/08

Nick Kroll (FatSmiles), C, C + C Improv Factory (Cage Match), and Eugene Mirman (FatSmiles)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] star Daily Show correspondents such as John Oliver and Rob Riggle hosted by

the former co-Executive Producer of The Daily Show: Rory Albanese and Friends (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] two of the most energetic & inventive improv troupes in the country,

Death by Roo Roo and C, C + C Improv Factory, competing for audience laughs & votes

at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm), and

[TOP PICK] a blowout gathering of star stand-up comics, including Nick Kroll, Eugene Mirman,

Robin Ince, Kumail Nanjiani, and Hannibal Buress, at FatSmiles (11:30 pm).

John Oliver, Rory Albanese, and Rob Riggle

The Daily Show's Rory Albanese and Friends

The Daily Show's former co-executive producer & multiple Emmy Award winner Rory Albanese hosts this monthly show; and he's put together quite an event.

Tonight's lineup is subject to change, but tentatively scheduled are these wonderful Daily Show correspondents and staffers:

John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;

delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;

recently aired a superb hour-long Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times; is co-writer/star

of The Department for BBC Radio 4, and host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),

Rob Riggle (hilarious, organic, honest; correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;

other credits include Saturday Night Live, The Office, Arrested Development, Human Giant),

Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; cast member on upcoming HBO Kanye West show; star of upcoming indie feature film Medicine for Melancholy; former staff writer/editor for three years on King of the Hill; for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here),

Adam Lowitt (staffer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show

It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click here).

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $20 cover (i.e., $15 per ticket)

by ordering online with discount code HyReviews.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$15 online with code HyReviews, plus two-item food or drink minimum

vs.

Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. C, C + C Improv Factory

This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the

atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows

as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.

(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)

The team that won the most matches this season is arguably the gutsiest improv group in NYC: Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn. This year DBRR trounced 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! And this juggernaut doesn't merely walk over opponents, it pounds them into the ground: DBRR won a total of 1,760 audience votes vs. a mere 675 for all its opponents combined.

Tonight's other troupe is just as formidable, however: C, C + C Improv Factory, consisting of Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams). These guys are the 2008 Champions of Cage Match, having beat out some of the most spectacularly funny improvisors in the country who'd duked it out on stage during 2007.

The trio were also a standout—amidst over 150 troupes— at July 2007's Del Close Improv Marathon, expertly demonstrating how to keep raising the stakes throughout a long-form improvisation by playing three guys revealing all the lies they've been suppressing while they've hung out together: e.g., one of them admits that despite his frequent television references, he actually never watches TV; then that he's Amish; and finally that he's blind. The exploration of the logical ramifications of each revelation led the audience into hysterical laughter.

DBRR vs. CCC will be a battle of titans, and there's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Nick Kroll, Eugene Mirman, and Robin Ince...

...and Hannibal Buress and Kumail Nanjiani

FatSmiles

This show aims to combine the best of US and UK comedy.

Tonight's blowout lineup includes these thoroughly wonderful comics:

Nick Kroll (one of the most razor-sharp and hilarious comics working today;

co-star, and clear highlight, of ABC's Cavemen sitcom; Late Night with Conan O'Brien,

VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Human Giant; winner of the 2008 ECNY Award

for Best One-Person Show—Fabrice Fabrice, which was among

the funniest shows I've ever seen; for a few videos, please click here),

Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,

Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;

two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman

and En Garde, Society!, and currently at work on his third; award-winning

co-host of hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya),

Robin Ince (UK star on such shows as BBC's The Office and on comedy tours with Ricky Gervais who's visiting NYC for just a few days, and is well worth catching—he's also performing a one-man show at UCBT on Wednesday; to listen to podcasts of his delightfully quirky & very Brit radio series Show & Tell, please click here).

Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about experiences with Islam—for my review, please click here; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here), and

Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chicago's Finest,

upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy).

11:30 pm at Joe's Pub/The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (bet. East 4th & Astor Place);

tickets are $10 at the door or $13 in advance online

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 12/5/08

Brian Posehn, The Wau Wau Sisters (Offensive Women), and Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious

autobiographical shows you'll ever see, and Violet Krumbein demonstrating she's one of the most darkly funny

talents in NYC, in the spectacular double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Human Painkiller (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] jaw-dropping funny Brian Posehn (Comedians of Comedy tour, co-star of

Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program, regular on Late Night with Conan O'Brien)

in a rare, not-to-be-missed NYC appearance tonight and Saturday night:

Brian Posehn Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) co-producing a collection of some of the sharpest and wackiest female comics in the world, including stand-ups Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, opens for Sarah Silverman), Shazia Mirza (Last Comic Standing, CBS, BBC), Betsy Salkind (Tonight Show with Jay Leno), Katie Rigg (sly comedic singer/songwriter), Wendy Ho (raunchy singer/songwriter), the Wau Wau sisters (acrobatic musical duo), and host Julie Goldman (Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show) at the rockin' comedy event Offensive Women (8:00 pm),

a gay-themed stand-up comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

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

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

[TOP PICK] a comedic freestyle rap contest, tonight including Carolyn Castiglia (see interview

directly below) , DC Pierson and Donald Glover (star comedy troupe Derrick), and genius

comedic musical hosts Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme)

and Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas) at The BEATdown (11:00 pm),

and a free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage (12:20ish am).

Genius comedic storyteller Charlie Sanders...

...and the uniquely dark comedy of Violet Krumbein

Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Violet Krumbein: Human Painkiller

A phenomenal storytelling event, and a delightfully oddball one-woman sketch comedy show,

for a mere 10 bucks.

Charlie Sanders is an extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed numerous sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship). Tonight, however, Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia...as a Muslim.

This is one of the most hilarious and brilliantly performed one-man shows you'll ever see—with definite theatrical potential—and has my highest recommendation. Don't miss rising star Charlie Sanders demonstrate what he can do when running on all gears.

The double-bill then continues with Violet Krumbein, a very appealing young actress who's performed on Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and UCBT Harold Night improv troupes Tantrum and Whorenado. (For a sample of Violet's sharp acting and vocal skills, please click here.) Tonight Violet demonstrates she has one of the most disturbingly inventive comedic minds to grace an NYC stage via a show she wrote and performs solo—with the aid of a dancer's grace, impeccable timing, and myriad props...including an unforgettable life-size doll. Imagine combining the playfulness of Sesame Street with the dark side of Andy Kaufman and you'll get some glimmer of what's in store for you. Not for every taste; but if you feel adventurous, don't miss this breathtakingly original show by the beautiful and delightfully twisted Ms. Krumbein. Directed by Megan Neuringer (VH1's Best Week Ever, All Access).

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Brian Posehn

Brian Posehn is a comedy giant. He's one of the founding members of the Comedians of Comedy tour; is a co-star of Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program; is a regular guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; wrote and performed for HBO's acclaimed Mr. Show; acted on such classic sitcoms as Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Just Shoot Me, and NewsRadio.

Brian has also acted in several feature films, including Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects and the mind-numbingly dreadful Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While the latter was not his fault, he nonetheless helped make up for it by writing a graphic novel, The Last Christmas (2006).

Further, Brian has released a comedy album, Live in Nerd Rage (2006).

Don't miss this rare opportunity to catch one of the funniest guys in the country headlining on a New York City stage. Highly recommended.

Please Note: You can $5 off the $25 cover before day of show or $30 cover on day of show

(i.e., $20 or $25 per ticket) by ordering online using discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$20 BDOS or $25 DOS online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Katie Rigg, the Wau Wau Sisters, and Rachel Feinstein...

...and Shazia Mirza, Betsy Salkind, and Wendy Ho

Offensive Women

This special event spotlights powerhouse national and international female comics, billed as "a no-holds-barred, rock-n-roll comedy show featuring the next generation of outspoken women comedians." It's co-produced by Eve Ensler (creator of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day), co-produced & hosted by Julie Goldman (cast member of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show), and runs this Friday and Saturday at the Zipper Theatre.

The show's superb stand-ups and comedic singer/songwriters are

Rachel Feinstein (sharp stand-up; Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, Court TV's Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour),

Shazia Mirza (UK-based stand-up; NBC's Last Comic Standing, BBC's Have I Got News For You, CBS' 60 Minutes; William Cook of UK's newspaper The Guardian wrote "Her laconic one-liners represent something quite unique in modern comedy"),

Katie Rigg (Asian-American stand-up and comedic singer/songwriter; NBC's Late Friday, Comedy Central's Women In Comedy, VH1's Awesomely Bad, NBC's Law & Order, FOX's Family Guy, NPR; written for Time Magazine; Backstage Magazine wrote, "Truly a force to be reckoned with—outrageously funny song parodies, characterizations, political satire, rap, and the very fly Chink-O-Rama dancers"),

Betsy Salkind (stand-up who was the "Squirrel Lady" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; former TV staff writer for Roseanne and Saturday Night Special),

Wendy Ho (raunchy comedic singer/performer; for her music video

Bitch, I Stole Yo' Purse, please click here), and

Wau Wau sisters (unique musical & acrobatic duo; Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Isaac Mizrahi Show, John Cameron Mitchell's feature film Shortbus, NPR's The Next Big Thing).

8:00 pm Tonight and Saturday Night at the Zipper Theatre, 336 West 37th Street

(between 8th and 9th Avenues); tickets are $28 at the door or $32.50 in advance online

Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach

The Back Room

Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),

hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV).

Tonight's stand-ups include

Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio),

Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and

Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).

9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Back: Will Hines, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, and Bobby Moynihan

Front: Chris Gethard, Shannon O'Neil, and Silvija Ozols

The Stepfathers

Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,

Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,

and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.

With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

The Made-Up Musical

Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied

by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as

Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,

 Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray

—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—

turn an interview with an audience member

into a musical they make up on the spot.

10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7

The BEATdown

This new show is a comedic freestyle rap competition.

(Think 8 Mile, only way funnier.)

It's hosted by two comedic musical geniuses:

Shockwave (Chris Sullivan, the amazing human beatbox of Freestyle Love Supreme;

The Age wrote he "uses his mouth like a sound effects program that

no computer could possibly match for depth of stored data or

instantaneous retrieval." And Seth Herzog wrote, "One of the most entertaining

sound effect/comedic artists you'll ever see. He stole the show at the

closing night of Mo Pitkins," referring to a 3-hour blowout that Seth hosted

and that featured such artists as Moby!), and

Eliza Skinner (member of the genius improv musical groups I Eat Pandas

and Baby Wants Candy; drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook;

MTV's Damage Control).

Tonight's contestants are some of the sharpest comics in NYC:

Carolyn Castiglia (VH1's White Rapper, HyReviews.com's Comedy Interview of the Month),

DC Pierson (star comedy troupe Derrick, co-star of feature film Mystery Team to premiere at Sundance; author of upcoming novel The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep And Never Had To),

Donald Glover (writer for NBC's 30 Rock; multiple appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; star comedy troupe Derrick, co-star of feature film Mystery Team to premiere at Sundance),

Dan Curry (Comedy Central's Open Mike Fight; author of book Drunk on a Bike;

for a stand-up video about Christians, please click here),

Andree Vermeulen (CollegeHumor.com, member of UCBT house sketch troupe 27 Kidneys and soap opera improv troupe As the Diamond Burns),

and an audience volunteer!

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Liquid Courage

The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!

If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.

But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.

Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.

12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 12/6/08

Rachel Feinstein (Offensive Women), Hot Sauce (Dirtiest Sketch in NYC Contest), and Brian Posehn

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness

from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (7:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,

and The Daily Show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] jaw-dropping funny Brian Posehn (Comedians of Comedy tour, co-star of

Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program, regular on Late Night with Conan O'Brien)

in a rare, not-to-be-missed NYC appearance:  Brian Posehn at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) co-producing a collection of some of the sharpest and wackiest female comics in the world, including stand-ups Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, opens for Sarah Silverman), Shazia Mirza (Last Comic Standing, CBS, BBC), Betsy Salkind (Tonight Show with Jay Leno), Katie Rigg (sly comedic singer/songwriter), Wendy Ho (raunchy singer/songwriter), the Wau Wau sisters (acrobatic musical duo), and host Julie Goldman (Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show) at the rockin' comedy event Offensive Women (8:00 pm),

comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which this season broke the Cage Match record

for winning streaks with 18 triumphs in a row, and has now taken over UCBT's prestigious prime-time

Saturday night slot—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

a small mob of talented comics telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (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 TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced

theatrical comedy show: The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and razor-sharp UCBT star troupe Hot Sauce hosting a show made special by

knowing no boundaries: The Dirtiest Sketch in NYC Contest (midnight).

Elephant Larry

 Elephant Larry (above) is a NYC-based sketch group consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alex Zalben (former artistic director of  The PIT, co-host of the Comic Book Club, and co-producer of the spectacular annual SketchFest NYC). The troupe specializes in conceptual humor, silliness, and wordplay—for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For videos about a sci-fi version of Beckett and using Adobe Photoshop, please click here and here.

7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher

Let's Have a Ball

Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.

Among the players often performing are Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Dan Goor (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show).

7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Brian Posehn

Brian Posehn is a comedy giant. He's one of the founding members of the Comedians of Comedy tour; is a co-star of Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program; is a regular guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; wrote and performed for HBO's acclaimed Mr. Show; acted on such classic sitcoms as Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Just Shoot Me, and NewsRadio.

Brian has also acted in several feature films, including Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects and the mind-numbingly dreadful Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While the latter was not his fault, he nonetheless helped make up for it by writing a graphic novel, The Last Christmas (2006).

Further, Brian has released a comedy album, Live in Nerd Rage (2006).

Don't miss this rare opportunity to catch one of the funniest guys in the country headlining on a New York City stage. Highly recommended.

Please Note: You can get $5 off the $30 cover (i.e., $25 per ticket)

by ordering online using discount code HyReviews.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$25 online using code HYREVIEWS, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Katie Rigg, the Wau Wau Sisters, and Rachel Feinstein...

...and Shazia Mirza, Betsy Salkind, and Wendy Ho

Offensive Women

This special event spotlights powerhouse national and international female comics, billed as "a no-holds-barred, rock-n-roll comedy show featuring the next generation of outspoken women comedians." It's co-produced by Eve Ensler (creator of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day), co-produced & hosted by Julie Goldman (cast member of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show), and concluding its run tonight at the Zipper Theatre.

The show's superb stand-ups and comedic singer/songwriters are

Rachel Feinstein (sharp stand-up; Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, Court TV's Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour),

Shazia Mirza (UK-based stand-up; NBC's Last Comic Standing, BBC's Have I Got News For You, CBS' 60 Minutes; William Cook of UK's newspaper The Guardian wrote "Her laconic one-liners represent something quite unique in modern comedy"),

Katie Rigg (Asian-American stand-up and comedic singer/songwriter; NBC's Late Friday, Comedy Central's Women In Comedy, VH1's Awesomely Bad, NBC's Law & Order, FOX's Family Guy, NPR; written for Time Magazine; Backstage Magazine wrote, "Truly a force to be reckoned with—outrageously funny song parodies, characterizations, political satire, rap, and the very fly Chink-O-Rama dancers"),

Betsy Salkind (stand-up who was the "Squirrel Lady" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; former TV staff writer for Roseanne and Saturday Night Special),

Wendy Ho (raunchy comedic singer/performer; for her music video

Bitch, I Stole Yo' Purse, please click here), and

Wau Wau sisters (unique musical & acrobatic duo; Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Isaac Mizrahi Show, John Cameron Mitchell's feature film Shortbus, NPR's The Next Big Thing).

8:00 pm at the Zipper Theatre, 336 West 37th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues);

tickets are $28 at the door or $32.50 in advance online

Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase

The Naked Comedy Showcase

Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;

stand-up, sketch, and improv comics performing in the buff.

A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian

and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."

For a New York Magazine review, please click here.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story

via improvised scenes. Always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.

9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

"Auntie" Sara Benincasa

Family Hour with Auntie Sara

In this unique weekly comedy show, everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to

their family. It's hosted by stand-up comic Sara Benincasa, whose many credits include correspondent for MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign and host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com. (Sara is also a fine comedic actress; to watch her be hilarious as Sarah Palin and as a yoga instructor, please click  here & here and here.)

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they usually consist of around 10 terrific NYC stand-up comics.

9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

4 Track!

Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,

George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans

perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.

Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.

There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident

if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball

back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending

a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me

to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.

9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5