With summer in full swing, many comedians are finding more time to learn or hone their craft. In a city that always has something going on, performers may find it difficult to narrow down events to exactly what they need to see or know. Check out Backstage’s list of classes, shows, and more for comedians to do this month.
Performances
Whether you’re in the mood for some uncomfortably funny sketches or awkward improv, Tim & Eric 10 Year Anniversary Awesome Tour has it. The comedy duo, who rose to cult fame after “Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Good Job!” ran for three years on Adult Swim, have embarked on a tour to bring spoofs, songs, and celebrity drop-ins to stages around the nation. The duo stops in New York from July 15-16.
Gilbert Gottfried is a legendary comedian who has done everything from stand-up to roasts to a reading of “50 Shades of Grey” online. If you’re someone who loves to be surprised by the performer who continues to be unpredictable despite his experience, get ready to see Gottfried himself on July 20 at Caroline’s on Broadway. Don’t miss a chance to hear his iconic voice in person!
Setting out on their first North American tour, Aunty Donna, an Australian sketch comedy troupe, is ready to bring absurdist humor to the Big Apple. Snag tickets to “Aunty Donna: New Show,” the show that people will be talking about for weeks after. It runs from July 18-July 22 at Theatre 80.
Get ready for bad sci-fi movies and amazing movie riffs, it’s the MST3K Live! Watch Out For Snakes! Tour. MST3K, or Mystery Science Theater 3000, is a show where robots and a man trapped by mad scientists watch old science fiction movies and discuss them while they’re screening. Intrigued? The show hits NYC on July 8, with both early and late shows available.
Classes
If you know you’re funny but are looking for a way to channel that humor into an on-stage stand-up performance, Sue Smith can help. A comedy veteran who performed with Upright Citizen’s Brigade and who runs the podcast “Tits & Giggles,” Smith’s Improv to Standup Two Day Workshop takes place on July 8 and July 15 at Q.E.D. in Queens.
Maybe stand-up isn’t your thing, but comedy writing is. If that’s the case, Adrienne Cooper is teaching an Intro to Sketch Comedy Writing workshop starting July 16. This course promises to help all students take their humorous ideas from their brains to the stage.
Events
The Peoples Improv Theater will be presenting StoryFest from July 14-16. With an aim to highlight the various themed shows around NYC, StoryFest promises to remind you why the city’s storytelling scene is so strong.
Casting Calls
Are you a part of a sketch comedy group who’s looking for their big shot? Bonner and Company are looking for you to perform in a comedy club in Midtown Manhattan. Check out the Backstage listing for more information!
If comedy and musicals are both two of your favorite things, audition to be part of the Musical Mayhem Cabaret! Described as an “under-rehearsed and over-dramatic” musical comedy, this production puts on a variety of famous Broadway productions with a lot of variables, like comedy, booze, and much, much more.
Looking to try your hand at comedy on new media? New Media Company is currently looking for female comedians to be part of an Instagram Sketch Show in an attempt to create the first show that is completely posted on the social media network. If Instagram isn’t your thing, though, New Media Company is also looking for comedians to share original one to three-minute monologues to be presented in a recurring YouTube series.
Ready to get cast in comedy? Check out Backstage’s New York City audition listings!