Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

This Saturday, October 29th the UCB East is hosting its official Grand Opening shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. These shows are not open to the public, but we have some seats available for the 9:30pm show that we will give to randomly selected fans!

To enter the UCB East Grand Opening Show lottery, please email your name and the number of tickets you'd like to [email protected]. The deadline for entry is Midnight on Friday, October 28th. If you are selected you will be notified via... Read More

<b>It’s time for the 11th Annual 3 on 3 Improv Tournament! Registration
is now open!</b>

There will be four qualifying rounds (Thursday November 3rd, 10th, and
17th at 11pm and Friday November 25th at 10:30pm). Each qualifying
round will feature eight teams – seven pre-selected groups, and one
wildcard team that will be made up of audience members drawn out of a
hat that night. Each team will have seven minutes of stage time. The
audience will vote for their favorite teams, and the... Read More

From the Huffington Post:

Mild mannered storyteller, comedian, actor and talk show host, Chris Gethard &mdash; the guy who got P. Diddy to come to the UCB Theater &mdash; was an incredibly evil baby. It might be hard to believe, but that's why we have the magic of animated storytelling.

This cheeky animation was created by artist Maëlle Doliveux, and it was created as part of the monthly show "Animated Stories" which runs at UCB's new East Village, NYC location. Check it out and learn how Gethard... Read More

<b>
BRAD SACKS GETS A HANDJOB @ THE UCBT</b>

Illustration: Ramsey Ess

By: Lucas Hazlett

According to Joseph Campbell's definition of a monomyth, or Hero's Journey, every great narrative -- whether it be a movie, television show, play or novel -- follows the same essential story line. A single character leaves his or her normal way of life after another character compels them to obtain a valuable object or perform an important task.

In Lord of the Rings, Frodo leaves the shire after... Read More

<b>
You Know, Those Black Girls Who Do Improv</b>
Grace Evans


“Our tagline on our website is ‘You know...that black girl who does improv’ because I imagine that's how people in the improv community would try to describe us,” Sasheer Zamata of Doppelganger told me. “There was a time when there were so few black girls around, [but now] there are many more black girls doing improv and the community is getting much more diverse.”

Zamata is one third of improv team... Read More

<b>
"Kate McKinnon on Ice," A One-Woman Sketch-tacular!</b>


Kate McKinnon earned a nomination for the ECNY's Emerging Comic Award in 2010, but how she hasn't emerged already as a comedy star is beyond me. Yes, McKinnon got to showcase her chops in Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show, but odds are, you weren't watching Logo nor even know what channel that is on your cable/satellite provider.

You do have the opportunity to see how brilliant McKinnon is, live onstage, in her new... Read More

<b>
Two Women That Make Me Laugh Wearing Mustaches or Sweater Sets</b>
Grace Evans

I’ve had the recent pleasure of watching sketch team Somebody’s in the Doghouse perform their hilarious sketches. The duo, Leah Gotcsik and Marty Johnson. have been performing all over the country since 2003. With a plethora of prestigious credentials between them, the ladies just competed as finalists in the Friar's Club Improv + Sketch Competition for the second year in a row.

Gotcsik and... Read More

<b>
Who's Next In NYC</b>


Ryan Karels

<b>Ryan Karels
Comic Performer</b>
Age: 33
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Known for: Representing North Dakota in HuffPo’s “United States of Comedy”.
Unknown for: Appearing in a Castrol Motor Oil commercial wearing a mullet.

<b>About Ryan Karels</b>

<b>You are the star of Radio Rogue (one of the most-talked about new shows among in-the-knows) at world famous Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre — how did it come to this?</b>

I moved to New York the day after... Read More

<b>
SketchFest NYC</b>
<b>The scripted-comedy festival gets bigger and further from the page.</b>
By Matthew Love and Jane Borden

In its seventh year, the annual
SketchFest NYC has grown significantly, from a three-day run to four, and has also begun working with big brands, including Comedy Central and Marvel Entertainment. Wait­—what?

“I’ve been aware of sketch trends,” explains festival executive producer, Alex Zalben, also a member of local troupe Elephant Larry. “And I realize... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PRESS CONTACT: Kambri Crews
[email protected]
(347) 451-3873

<b>TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR SKETCHFEST NYC AT UCB THEATRE</b>
New York’s Seventh Annual International Sketch Comedy Festival Begins June 8th

New York, May 18, 2011 -
SketchFest NYC is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s seventh anniversary Festival. SketchFest NYC will run from June 8 – 11, 2011 at
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 307 West 26th... Read More

<b>
Scouring the City for a Laugh</b>
By ANDREW MARANTZ


Photo by Ari Scott
Comedian Chris Gethard, right, welcomed rapper Diddy to his monthly show in January.

Chris Gethard, a pale, compact man with the trusting face of a child, looked up from his laptop. "This guy says he has a strong desire to be nude in front of people." He leaned forward and began typing. "Hi! Would you like to get naked tonight in front of 250 people? This is not a joke."

Mr. Gethard, 31, was in the lobby of the... Read More

<b>
Ding Dong Meow (Cookie!), aka The Andrea Rosen Show</b>

Andrea Rosen's current show at the UCB Theatre, "Ding Dong Meow," really should be called "Ding Dong Meow (Cookie!)"

It's neither one-woman show nor performance art piece, but rather a showcase for Rosen's variety of talents as a comedian. Want to hear her stand-up comedy about true and often embarrassing stories from her life? Ding! Want to see her portray various oddball characters such as a half-deaf bride, an embarrassed... Read More

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the performance of JOHN MULANEY: For the Hour at the UCB Theatre on Thursday, April 28th at 8pm has been cancelled. We apologize for this unexpected occurrence and for any inconvenience it may cause.

The show on the 28th will be replaced with <b>HAPPY HOUR</b> - Some of your favorite UCBT improvisers saddle up to the bar with their favorite drinks and spin their ribald and ridiculous bar tales into improv comedy you'll still remember in the morning.

Make... Read More

<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b>        

<b>PRESS CONTACT:</b>
Kambri Crews
[email protected]
(347) 451-3873

<b>WHITEST KIDS U KNOW, COLLEGE HUMOR, MARVEL COMICS
AND MORE TO APPEAR AT SKETCHFEST NYC</b>
Featured Shows to Honor the Past, Present and Future of Sketch Comedy

<b>New York, April 15, 2011 -</b> SketchFest NYC is pleased to announce the featured shows at this year’s seventh anniversary Festival, including the Whitest Kids U Know, College Humor, and Marvel Comics.

The seventh... Read More

<b>
Review: Ding Dong Meow: The Andrea Rosen Show</b>
A childlike adult writes herself into a smart, infectiously silly show.
—Matthew Love

In the first moments of
Ding Dong Meow: The Andrea Rosen Show, the comic solemnly kneels, prays that her dead cat Pico Oscar Boulevard gets a good view of her show from Heaven and is answered by Jesus (whose real name is Bernice, but who prefers Bernie, Bern or Buh). Twenty-five minutes later, Rosen’s show ends as it began: powered by smart... Read More

<b>INSIDE WITH: STEVE SOROKA & MAMRIE HART OF BÅŒF</b>


Matt Fisher, Steve Soroka & Mamrie Hart
Photo: Eric Michael Pearson

By: Meghan O'Keefe

Friends are people who see the best in us and like us for it. Best friends are people who see the best and the worst in us and still love us for it. Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka are best friends who combine their friendship and their foibles to create the sketch group, BoF. In their latest show, “BoF: It’s Pronounced Boaf!” the duo combines... Read More

<b>
The C Word: Making Fun of Breast Cancer</b>
by Amelia Harnish

First,
Pam Murphy was a comedian. Then she got breast cancer. Now she’s merged the two for a one-woman comedy show about her life as a cancer survivor. Since opening last October at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (founded by Amy Poehler and friends) in New York City, Time Out New York named it the best solo show of 2010.

“The C Word” is only a half-hour long, but Murphy packs in more than a handful of... Read More

<b>The Friars Club Improv + Sketch Competition [FrISC] is back for 2011!</b>

Attention improv and sketch performers: FrISC submissions are now open!  Enter your team for a chance to win this year's FrISC title, cash prize and the chance to make a short film that will debut at the 2011 Friars Club Comedy Film Festival in October.  

Open to improv and sketch performers worldwide, FrISC was launched last year by the Friars Club in effort to foster the next generation of comedy filmmakers.... Read More

<b>
Citizen Radio LIVE!</b>

A pair of talk-show hosts make their laughs lean left.
By Jane Borden


Left, Kilstein and Kilkenny; below, Comedy Central star Sarah Silverman.
Photograph: C. S. Muncy

Once a month in the basement of the UCB Theatre—and more regularly in their free and independent podcasts—Citizen Radio is strengthening the link between progressive politics and comedy. Jamie Kilstein and Allison Kilkenny started the project last year. Kilkenny, a writer for The... Read More

<b>The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NY is proud to announce the dates for the 13th Annual Del Close Marathon!</b>

This year's marathon will be the weekend of <b>August 12-14</b>, and will take place on multiple stages in NYC. We'll also have awesome special shows during the week leading up to the marathon (August 8-11)

And all week long we'll be offering special workshops. Details TBA.

If you'd like to submit your group to be a part of the DCM, please see our submission guidelines and... Read More