Brooklyn Comedy Festival Preview: Michael Che, Aparna Nancherla, Sean Patton and More
Michael Che at his Comedy Central Half Hour special. (Screenshot via Comedy Central)
The borough of Brooklyn is blessed with many funny people, which means that every night of the week, there’s bound to be a friend’s open mic or a seemingly low-profile show in the back room of some bar until somebody like Dan St. Germain or Hannibal Buress just happens to drop in for a set. But as much as we love the unpredictability of Brooklyn’s stand-up scene, it’s nice to attend a show where it’s about 99% guaranteed to be really, really funny. And next week, there’s going to be tons of them!
From Monday through next Sunday, the Brooklyn Comedy Festival will host a few (mostly free) shows per night at Brooklyn’s best comedy venues like Littlefield, the Knitting Factory, and Union Hall, where there’ll be stand-up, improv and sketch shows featuring both up-and-comers and veterans, some of whom have even graced us with a visit from LA. Here are the fest’s funniest shows:
Monday: Broken Comedy, 9pm at Bar Matchless, Free
Recent Daily Show correspondent Michael Che hosts this stand-up set, featuring Dan Soder, the Lucas Brothers (creators of the FOX animated show Lucas Bros Moving Co.) and more. Afterwards, head over to Union Pool’s back room for a free after party hosted by Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir.
Tuesday: Grocery at the Brewery, 8pm at Brooklyn Brewery, $5
The monthly comedy show at Arlene’s Grocery travels from the LES to Williamsburg for the BKCF, and will have Nikki Glaser, Brooke Van Poppelen and Mark Normand.
Wednesday: Impro(VS)tandup, 8pm at Glasslands, $8
Can’t decide between stand-up or improv? Ted Alexandro, Sasheer Zamata and others will take care of the former, while the U.S. National Improv Team will do their thing. Stay after the show (without having to pay another fee) for a bonus performance at 10pm, where Sean Patton, Dan Wilbur and sketch team Stone Cold Fox will perform.
Wednesday: Friends of Single People, 9pm at Littlefield, $7
Nominate an unspoken-for friend to enter this dating game show, and you’ll have to sell their most attractive qualities, live and onstage, to a “chooser,” with whom, if picked, your poor, likely highly embarrassed friend will meet for free drinks. No less than 21 comedians will be in attendance, including Dave Hill and Aparna Nancherla, so if things get awkward, at least you’ll be able to laugh it off.
Saturday: Comedy’s Place in American Culture Today Panel, 5:30pm at Videology, Free
Panels are boring; panels made entirely of comedians are not. The New York Times‘ Jason Zinoman moderates five comedy writers, including Kevin Avery of Last Week Tonight, Lizz Winstead of The Daily Show and Hari Kondabolu of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell who’ll discuss, well, comedy’s place in American culture today.
Saturday: Closing Night, 9pm at Baby’s All Right, $10
For the night’s first show, Julian Kiani and Chris Nester host a lineup of six comedians, including Michelle Buteau and Matt Koff. Stick around for Part II at 11pm, where the same hosts will welcome Jermaine Fowler, the Lucas Brothers and more.
Check out the full schedule here.
Follow Rebecca Jennings on Twitter @rebexxxxa.
