Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre East

Went to see the Channel LOL the other day. I was impressed that tickets were only $ 5, and the venue itself is nice. However, it seemed like we were the only people there who weren’t involved in the productions or knew one of the comics. It felt like we were at a school play but didn’t know any of the children performing, so it was just one long private joke. I don’t think I’d go again based on how totally and painfully unfunny the whole show was.

This particular writer is no stranger to the trappings of sketch and improv comedy; no no no, I’ve never been a performer, I leave that to far more talented persons than myself… however, I have heard plenty of insight from those who go through the grind, night in and night out, in the efforts to have their passion for for making others laugh into a fruitful career. The competition is tough, it’s a dog eat dog dynamic in the world of comedy… do you play hero with your comedy troupe/​team while gambling with the synergy of your squad, or do you play the good soldier while running the risk of being overshadowed by your buddy that set up perfectly? Luckily for me, I do not have to worry about these things as an audience member at this particular comedy house (which specializes in the likes of sketch and improv… if you wanna see solo stand up acts, this ain’t really the place for that).
The art of comedy is subjective, but there’s definitely certain tactics and subjects that can appeal to the masses. While plenty of the performers here aren’t your big names (yet), they certainly know their craft, and whether their sets are rehearsed/​scripted or off the cuff, one can’t help but be impressed. Even when jokes don’t exactly land, it isn’t for lack in ingenuity in the idea behind the gag, but more because of the execution (don’t worry Ladies… you’ll kill ‘em next time out).
I’m definitely a fan of the seating here at the UCBeast as compared to the forerunner location to the west. More traditional theater seating, with a slight incline from the stage to the last row, creating a stadium seating effect. While that style of seating doesn’t offer the option of offering different vantage points during sets, I believe it allows for the performers to actually be more focused in their performance (playing to one side of the theatre as opposed to three sides… think about it).
All in all, I appreciate what this place has to offer, and the quality comedians that perform for our pleasure. Behind façade of humor and lightheartedness that’s shown on stage, more often than not, the material used was likely forged in the pressure cooker/​crucible of life (as per the testimony of plenty of many comedic performers); not exactly the happiest of experiences are used as inspiration for the material, but I appreciate that these performers can find the levity in life, and help make this particular writer to always look at the sunny side.

One word: WEIRD. My first comedy show and I was honestly confused, I noticed only the white folks in this place were laughing hysterically at all the jokes, lol. I can honestly say the experience was so weird and baffling that it almost made it funny. Probably won’t be back because I think all of the scenes were inconsistent and not relating to each other, I would’ve also liked to see some diversity among the comedians. Maybe if it wasn’t a group of 4 white women there might have been some diversity in the jokes.

The prices are very affordable, and the show was very funny. It would be nice if the seats were upgraded. They were old movie theater style seats and they were a bit uncomfortable.
I would definitely recommend getting tickets to one of the improv shows for a fun night!

If you like improv this is the place to go in NYC. It’ll never be IO, or 2^nd city, but these guys and gals were spot on. That being said, they have a lot of different shows so I’m only speaking of the Saturday 9ish show. I hung out at the bar after the show and heard the next show which was more of a sketch show and not short form improv, so make sure you know what you want to see before you go.

Yayyyyy! So much love for this place. Thanks for putting on a great show at an affordable price in a wonderful location. Wish I could go more often!

I love this place!!! Love the area!!! Cheap tix and cheap drinks! Doesn’t get much better!!! Will keep coming back!!!

4 stars for a $ 10 show 7−8pm Saturday show (The Living Room)
THE IMPROV: The improv started off a little slow/​awkward, but the group really hit its roll after 10 minutes, and the second half of the show was hilarious. We’ll definitely be back to check out more in the future.
THE LOGISTICS:
–I would suggest getting there 15 – 20 minutes early. We arrived about 20 minutes early and had our pick of seats, but by 10 minutes before the start, the room was pretty packed.
–We purchased our tickets online. Note that there is a $ 1 service fee per ticket purchased online so a $ 10 show is actually $ 11
–2 single stall bathrooms, noticed a line forming a few minutes before the show
–COLD! It’s weird bc we went during the winter and many of the patrons (esp those in the standby line) had just come out of the freezing cold. The room was just heating up with some collective body warmth when they started blasting cold air on the audience. Why???
–We sat in the 5^th row and could hear everything clearly, but my guess is that those in the 8^th row and beyond might have some trouble. Only one of the actors was projecting loudly, the others were speaking at a normal volume w/​o mics.

Attended What I Did For Love on 12÷19÷15 and spent time at the adjacent bar UCB Video (which has no dedicated listing despite not being restricted to UCB ticket holders). Well-​run operation, with an inconsistent quality of comedy, but such is improv. Overall, one of the better ways to spend $ 10pp for an hour of entertainment.

A friend highly recommended Upright Citizens Brigade when I mentioned that I would be in NYC for the weekend. I checked their website and booked tickets ($ 10) in advance for the Hip Hop Improv show (Friday at 9pm).
We arrived close to 9pm-​ish. Grabbed a pitcher of beer from the bar ($ 16) and headed in. The theatre was very long and narrow. It was pretty full already so we ended up sitting close to the back, which didn’t allow for a great view of the stage as the seats were very soft and not staggered enough for a view between heads.
When the show began, we were completely lost as none of the actors we mic-​ed and we couldn’t hear a thing. I don’t doubt that they were very funny actors but it was hard to follow what was going on when we couldn’t really see or hear the action on stage.
Looked forward to the show/​concept but in the end was disappointed by the venue.

If you’re looking for a laugh filled night for $ 10 or less then look no further! They have a variety of shows ranging from standup to sketches to battle comedy raps, so there’s something for everyone. Just make sure you buy your tickets online ahead of time. I watched battlelicious which is a comedy rap battle and me and my friends were laughing from beginning to end. These people were funny and they could spit bars. There’s also drinks available for purchase during the show and it’s attached to a bar so you can socialize before and after the show

Every Tuesday at 11pm (and some other times) they have a free show. The comedians aren’t great, but it’s free so why not go check it out and get a few laughs in?!
You only have to show up minutes before, especially at the late shows when it’s pretty empty. I’m looking forward to checking out a popular show to see the really good comedians!

One of the East Village’s hidden treasures! If you’re a fan of improv, sketch comedy and love to see up and coming and veteran comedians def. make your way to the UBC theater. I’ve been here a couple of times to check out my friend’s show the Late Show With Katie Kester. Tickets are super affordable $ 5-​$ 10 on any given night. They have a bar in the entrance so if you’re into beer get there early and enjoy yourself a cold inexpensive brew. Doesn’t hurt that they’re right next to TWO-​BOOTS PIZZA. I always stop by for a slice before every show. I love a good laugh, and they just added a Friday show with Cipha Sounds radio personality on Hot 97. He was a guest at my friend show and was actually pretty funny. I did not know he was into stand up!
Always a good laugh when I come here!

What are you going to do? You pay $ 5 for a ticket and proceed to set high expectations. I’m not talking about the comedy, mind you; the shows are great and exactly the hit-​or-​miss experience you would expect for improv. In that respect, all UCB locations are uniformly great and basically the only game in town (in NYC) for improv. So, on to the other criteria.
The seating is awkward. Basically, this is a long skinny hall with a narrow stage. You’ll want to be as close to the front as possible since this is not an «oh, all the seats are good!» kind of establishment.
Complicating matters is the two-​entrance system. There is a bar on the Ave. A side of the building. This is the one you want. You can come in to the bar, use the restroom, order a drink if you want, and hover near the entrance to the «auditorium».
When the previous show lets out, you must hold on to a table or other fixed furniture assembly. Imagine yourself as an intertidal bivalve mollusc resisting the rush of water urging you to deep sea — stay rooted! At this point the sound volume of the establishment will have raised by several orders of magnitude (rowdy comedy people). Now the disorganized frenzy will begin: without announcement, impromptu feeder lines will funnel in for the next show past a lone, frazzled ticket checker at the entrance. If you managed to stay near the door during the prior audience’s egress, you are positioned to get a good seat! The other entrance on the E. 3^rd St. is probably going much more slowly. Who knows what goes on over there. Get in, and save a seat for your late friend who didn’t know the score and went to the wrong entrance. Now you can watch some improv from a decent vantage point. I hope it was worth it.
Beyond that… there’s a bar. It’s alright and the staff are pretty awesome. They have a short list of not-​too-​adventurous craft beers on tap, trending towards the safe harbors of IPA territory. The wine is okay, but nothing special. You probably won’t be enjoying your drink that much anyway because you’ll be struggling to hear your friend talk over the noisy crowd in the bar. That’s a shame. Go somewhere else nearby to have an actual conversation with your drink. Anyway, you only came here for the comedy in the first place.

3.5 stars. Came here for an improv show. I liked the venue-​plenty of seating. Also appreciated that there was a bar outside where you could get cheap drinks before the show but there were no forced drink minimums during the show or anything. The show itself was good for the most part-​I felt that towards the end it kind of lost its steam, but I liked the comedians’ incorporation of audience members throughout the show. Overall, had some good laughs here for a very reasonable price. Not sure I want to come back any time soon because it doesn’t stick out in my mind as amazing, but a cool thing to check out one night!

Lineup for the 10:00 «WHAT I DID FOR LOVE» show didn’t begin until 9:40 — no reason to get there earlier than 9:30, unless to get a beer beforehand. It did get crowded pretty quickly, and the movie-​theater style seating was really deep and narrow, so if you weren’t early in line, you could be sitting pretty far away.
I try to mitigate my expectations for improv — you never know what source material you’re going to get, and it is such a mixed bag creative process! That being said… I feel like the only people getting a hearty laugh out of it were those with a couple empty beer glasses below their seats.
I enjoyed audience member being interviewed about her love life more than the improv that followed (although she did seem kind of scripted) and wished they hadn’t spent so much time on each prompt. There were only 2 prompts the whole night, and the half hour that followed was a little too drawn out.
Wouldn’t pay $ 10 for it again.

Went on Friday for thank f it’s Friday. Was $ 10 per person, reserved online and they just scan your email barcode. Got there at 7:10 for the 7:30 and plenty of time to get a decent seat — like the fifth row. Those guys have to be so smart to be able to do improv based on lame audience stories. I thought they were very clever and I admire them. They seem like they take credit card at the bar now btw. $ 6 Pinot noir with a generous pour.
The whole experience totally worth the price. Not much hassle. Admire those comedians. All in all very pleasant time.

Kinda a long walk from any subway stop, but… Dope place for those looking for a good time on a budget.
As a student, I don’t have a lot to spend on going out and this place always seems to have some hilarious shenanigans going on and at dirt cheap rates. Most of the time, the night’s subway fare was the same as the ticket.
Highly recommend the rap battle that is on the first Saturday of every month, called Battlicious. Even when it was a rather weak audience with low attendance, it still managed to make my friends and I (all of us sober I might add) laugh pretty darn hard.
A safe and fun choice to entertain yourself, your date, and your friends!

it’s a really cool space, however the show i saw «Hip Hop improv» was pretty lame. It was 3 white dudes who use hip hop lyrics and translate those lyrics into a mini play/​It is a cool concept that has a lot of potential, but it was rarely funny. Out of the three guys there was just 1 that really stood as a professional improv actor and you could tell he was trying his hardest to help out his co-​actors but the other two were just not able to very good improv.

We went to the 8:30pm show at Upright Citizens Brigade in the East Village.
There is no drink minimum and tickets were only $ 10 each! The shows are primarily improv, to my knowledge, and the shows last about an hour at length.
The performers were excellent — the show was funny, entertaining, and definitely had us wanting to come back to see the other shows on their schedules!
To start the different acts, they take random suggestions, words, and stories from the audience and go from there. You’re really getting an authentic improv show here.
This is a great date night spot, birthday party idea, or just something different if you’re looking for a fun and entertaining night.
We will definitely be back in the near future!

This is an AMAZING place. I loved the show I saw here and the bar attached to UCB.
We bought a bunch of tickets for our group and all met before the show at the bar. It’s a pretty simple bar but they were quick and it was mostly people there to watch the show and performers.
The tickets were so cheap! $ 10 for a good hour of laughs. They had an intermission for a chance to use the restrooms or grab another drink. And they usher you out so they can get the next show going right away. I think the acts/​performances vary quite a bit, so you’ll just have to come back.
I would recommend this place even if you don’t know any of the performers or can’t watch the more popular shows. It’s just a good time for very little $$$

Went here last Friday for their weekly show. I had a blast. The show is only 10 bucks, and even totally sober I found it to be hilarious.
The two hosts were great and helped transition the shows well. They seemed to play off each other well. The rest of the comedians were great, especially dude with glasses and bearded guy. I forgot their names, but they were great and I must say that their jokes had everyone floored.
Finally, it’s a fairly long show (1hr) for the price you’re paying. My only gripe is that the audience gave a crap word to improv on in the end — taxi. I would have chosen poop or cunninglingus, but I’m immature.
Overall great fun time, no minimum for drinking, and it’s a cool neighborhood, so check it out.

Fun place to check out! Only $ 10 for a top-​notch Friday night show. Went with a group of friends. Small venue, feels quite intimate. Talented group of comedians. The first half was a whole bunch of small sketches based on random events that people volunteered about their past week. I enjoyed the second half of the hour long show better, which was long form comedy and felt more like a mini-​sitcom episode. Go a littler earlier to get good seats! The place is narrow and LONG so it’s nicer to have seats closer to the stage.

Admission is affordable, shows are plentiful, the talent is pretty great. The staff, meanwhile, looks miserable. Smile, damnit. Also, why is the stand-​by line outside? It’s 0 degrees and the lobby is huge.

UCB! I can’t believe I’ve lived in New York City for the longest time and not known about these little gems hidden in downtown Manhattan. So, I’ve never been to a comedy club (surprising, I know but they always charge drink minimums etc.) but UCB is something of its own. Meant to make comedy available to everyone for a low fee of free to $ 10 (usually $ 5), it’s a wonderful experience if it’s your first time in NYC or if this is the city you call home. Note that this section of the review goes for both the UCBs: East Village and Chelsea locations. The staff is so nice and the acts are really awesome (I don’t know much about Comedy Central or SNL, but apparently many alumni of UCB are now on TV and come back to perform). There are also multiple acts, all listed with price, lineup, etc. on the UCB website, which I highly recommend using to buy your tickets because it just means you are guaranteed a spot in the show (not a seat per say, you might end up standing in the aisle, but at least you will be let inside v. buying on the spot which is also an option).
For the East Village location: This location has a bar out in the front where you can get beer, so it’s nice but not mandatory as a lot of other comedy clubs make it. Also, note the crowd here is much younger (early 20s to mid-​30s) so the comedy is better suited for that age range. Also, I recommend that you come earlier (maybe 30 – 45 minutes) to line up so you can get a seat. If you’ve bought tickets online, you can pick it up and wait to line up. The stage is not very large, but the whole thing is a row formation of seats, maybe 8 across with 20 rows? One of the ones I recommend seeing here is Matt and Betsy do music — what’s better than musical comedy?! I absolutely love UCB and I highly recommend that you bring yourself and all your friends and family because it is an absolutely perfect way to start off a great night.

I think UCB is one of New Yorks best kept secrets. The shows are really affordable, seriously I think the show I went to cost the same price as my soy caramel macchiato at Starbucks!
The night I went had several comedians, I could not stop laughing. I’ve been to Gotham, carolines and a few other smaller clubs but I must say this place is pretty freaking awesome.
My one complaint was the movie theater seating. However I would def go back and it’s a great date spot!

You’ve got to give it up to these guys for the courage and audacity it takes to stand up in front of a crowd and try to make them laugh.
Some things were not funny at all and some were. Dee Dee Ramone was clever, quick witted and hilarious. The boner… Please don’t do that ever again. Sex jokes are lame and immature unless you tell them like Amy Schumer.
Comedy works best when it’s relatable and cathartic. Let people laugh about something that needs to be released rather than one dimensional sex jokes. All in all, it was a fun atmosphere and for $ 5 you can’t go wrong.

I came by for a UCB cage match. Love the indie comedy! Ya know what else is great? No drink minimums! I end up drinking more at shows that do not make me buy anyway. Especially when you sell beer by the pitcher. Especially when you sell GOOD beer by the pitcher.
I can definitely recommend catching a UCB show here. Make sure you bring cash!