Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Meh. I’ve been to several improv comedy clubs in Boston, Chicago, Austin to name a few and had high hopes for this one. The good part was it only cost $ 10. There was a big pillar in the way so anything that happened to my right went unseen. There were a few lines of genius. But the rest was just not that funny. It was ok. Very disappointing. They said it was «long improv» meaning that the whole first part was one long theme and then after intermission was another different long theme.
I think maybe shorter improv would be better.
A little preparation and polish would be helpful.

I came here on a Sunday night for «New Team Harold», an hour long show performed by UCB’s advanced studies students. It was only $ 5 and was absolutely hysterical. Perfect way to spend an hour!

The shows can range from good to spectacular, and the price is $ 5-​$ 10.
Tuesday night Harolds, Stepfathers on Friday, Whiplash on Mondays, and Gravid Water on the last Monday of every month are all great shows to check out if you can get a ticket, but in general pick any show and you’ll get your money’s worth
$ 3 PBRs, good comedy, and the dingiest toilets in NYC, what’s not to love?

Compared to the other UCB location there’s no bar, but the show and the stage set-​up was a lot better! We went to see «The Curfew» and it was amazeballs! The cast members were amazing, one of the better improv shows I’ve seen so far. It was the best $ 10 I spent :)

I’ve seen a few Harold’s and a few maude and it all sucks. No one’s funny. Who do these people think they are? Comedians? Actors? More like smelly frauds if you ask me. Especially the one with the glasses and the striped sweater (they all wear that). Improv is so stupid… can’t they make it up in the spot better!!!
This place gets 5 stars

Had a great time at UCG.
If you’ve never experienced improv this is the place to do it for the first time. Customer service was friendly and relaxed. The show was outstanding and the crowd added to the experience. I’m going back for sure.

We laughed so hard! Great time. Will be back on a Monday for sure!

A super fun, no thrills comedy show every time! I have been twice so far, and it has been to the Grandmas Ashes show on Saturday nights at 10:30. I went about 2 years ago, and last night and the cast was the same.
I really love it, the audience laughs and the comedians are super chill and laugh at themselves too. It’s a fun improv show that I recommend to everyone looking for a cheap date night or a cheap night out with friends. I need to get back here and see more of the shows! The drinks are also super reasonably priced, you can grab a beer for $ 4 and not feel like you’re spending a fortune.

Maybe I’ll just never like improv. I usually head to the bar at Second City when they decide to do some during one of their shows because even the best improv actors will never be as funny as cleverly-​written sketch comedy. UCB, however, makes improv at Second City look legitimately and hilariously good. The actors spent way too much time (at least 10 – 15 minute of an hour long show) quizzing the audience and getting them to essentially lay out the whole plot of the first scene (s) they did (which kind of all blended together). Then after a short break, they came back and spent the final 20-​ish minutes on one really cringe-​worthy scene that started incorporating pedophilia and rampant use of the word f*** by one of the actors who clearly was running out of ideas on how to keep the scene alive (here’s a hint; stop and begin a new scene; we won’t know it wasn’t planned). Of the actors in this group, I’d say only one was actually funny. Luckily, at $ 10 and an hour of your time, not the biggest tragedy. I recommend getting very drunk ahead of time, especially since they don’t let any of the audience into the building until almost show time, and the tiny bar staffed by 1 bartender is in the theater itself. Maybe this was a REALLY off night.

Great quality improv actors but I found the show really difficult to follow. Perhaps a better way to explain what’s happening to help follow? For $ 10 I guess it’s not exactly bad– just didn’t find myself hysterically laughing because I didn’t understand what was happening.
If invited again I’ll go and try to get better seats to hear and follow what the hell was happening. Lol

Great place to go for an inexpensive night’s entertainment. Tickets are generally $ 5 — $ 10 and even if you go as a stand-​by (line is on the side of Gristides), they let people in. Improv’s funny!

Came here to see the stepfathers (happens every Friday night) and was laughing for an hour straight! For $ 10 and NO DRINK MINIMUM this really is the best comedy show deal in the entire city. The stepfathers is an improv show where they take prompts with the audience to act out skits on a whim– but every single one was hilarious, even when the prompt from an audience member was «salamander» (random). The drink minimum thing with comedy clubs really gets to me so I love that there is no minimum, though you can buy drinks if you choose. Definitely make sure to get to the show 15ish minutes early to get a good seat because the theater really fills up quickly!

Without a doubt the worst comedy show I have ever seen (was two sketches). Unnecessary rules everywhere like making us wait outside in a line before the first act! Can only buy two drinks maximum! — really? Is that such a problem over one hour?
I heard this place was overrated. Now I believe it!

If you’re a normal person, and not an improv nerd, like some of us, UCB is a fun and affordable option for comedy in New York. As others have stated, you can see a great show here for $ 0 to $ 10.
If you’re into improv, come any show on Friday or Saturday night will have more hits than misses. For standup, check out Whiplash, 11 pm every Monday (there’s always a special drop-​in as well as some hip local comics). If you want to see something really special, make a reservation for Gravid Water (gets booked up early), once a month. Also, some great two-​prov is usually available mid-​week.
The seats are old and beat-​up, but the army of UCB employees and interns works hard to make it all work. Improv, by nature, is hit or miss, but if you’re a patient the laughs will come (no guarantees though:).
There are a few beers and basic wines available, but don’t expect anything beyond that.
Protip: Come at least 30 minutes early for popular show if you want want to jostle for good seats.

Good, cheap fun in the city… I’ll take it! For $ 11 a person you really can’t beat an hour of comedy improv. We had a friend in town and wanted to do something different. Most comedy clubs were sold out of the times we wanted, and UCB had some available. The price is fantastic and best of all, no 2 drink minimum. They do have a bar, but beware it is cash only!
The place is small and intimate, get there about 20 – 30 minutes early so you can have the seat of your choice. You pretty much have to pre-​order tickets for a Friday or Saturday show. We came for 10:30 Grandma’s Ashes and it was packed.
They did a great job overall. There were some times when it went off and there was a bit of drowning but they did a good job of saving each other and tying in every secret they chose. We were laughing almost the whole hour, so no complaints at all.
If you want a cheap date night, this is a great spot. I’ll definitely come back for more shows.

Even if you hit a few dud sketches during one of the free nights, you can’t help but love the warm, community vibe of this place, further enhanced by the close theatre seats you’re squeezed into. Get here 20 min early to ensure good seats and purchase drinks as necessary (no minimum), and hit up Doughnut Plant when you’re done for a perfect evening in Chelsea.

I go here almost every Friday to catch my favorite improv troupe, The Law Firm. They’re super funny. The theater is small, they play good music, and it’s cheap. Where can you go wrong?
The guy who stands outside to direct the line, ken I believe, is crazy rude though. Only downside.

I’ve recently been going into the city and seeing some of these shows. I really wish I had started visiting earlier, because I’m going to miss this theater when I move again.
The theater itself is rather small, which means no matter where you are, you’ve got a great view of the stage and are usually just a few feet away from the performers.
I’d recommend Harold Night on Tuesdays, as well as reserving tickets ahead of time and arriving about 20 minutes early if you can. The tickets are $ 5 each for weekdays, $ 10 for weekends (free on weekdays for UCB students as well,) so the bang for your buck ratio here is, I feel very high.
I don’t want to talk too much about the place, but if you like comedy/​long-​form improv, you should definitely come and check this place out! \
Oh yeah, and decent selection of beers for a tiny little theater!

Comedy here is a great way to have a cheap, fun date. Second time seeing ASSSSSSSSSSCAT 3000 (I just put a ridiculous amount of S’s, I have no idea how many there really are.) and it was a little less clever this time and a lot more dick/​immature jokes. I don’t mind immature jokes, but they need to be carefully sprinkled on.
I waited in line for the 10:30 show the first time around and had to wait for 1.5 hours during the summer, so for the 2^nd time, my friend and I decided to buy tickets online. It comes out a month beforehand and the tickets are nonrefundable, so be careful to free up your schedule! The tickets are only $ 11 ($ 10 + $ 1 service), but it’s worth it for 1.5 hours of laughter!
They only had one skit I REALLY appreciated this time around (a LotR skit about the wizard subculture) and I haven’t seen any big names guest appearance yet, but overall, it’s a good time. The writer was FANTASTIC — emotionally easy to connect with, engaging, clever and funny. I really enjoy long form improv, so ASSSCAT has always appealed to me. No photography/​recording inside — respect what they do and give them full attention. I really want to come back for other shows and get a good variety.

Had so much fun! How come I’ve never heard about this place until last night!!!
Grandma’s ashes: The audience members write down secrets (if they want to) and put them in a bucket, then each comedian from the crew pick 2 and read them. The subsequent hour is all improvisation based on the random secrets, more or less smoothly tied to a story. It’s hilarious and amazing. What a talented crew, laughing my head out for an hour. Will make a point to come every few weeks. The concept is brilliant and I think they are having as much fun as we are :) yeah!

Best place to see some of the NYC’s best upcoming comedic talent. Both locations are good; the LES location a bit more divey than the Chelsea one.
Been here many times. Has to be one of the best values for your money. Best place to see nyc’s upcoming comedians. Can’t beat $ 10 especially with no mandatory drinks.

UCB is my new favorite must do/​must see in New York (or LA, I suppose). During my recent trip, I saw the 7:30 ASSSSCAT and it was fantastic. There were no «big names» in the show but later that night, my face hurt from laughing. As a nice little bonus, Amy Poehler walked right past me as I walked out and she walked in.
Some of the info in older reviews is no longer 100% accurate on the ASSSSCAT situation and had me a little confused so here’s the deal as of July 2015:
–tickets for the 7:30 show go on sale on online for $ 10 a few weeks out (they will post the date the tickets go on sale on their online calendar and for the show I went to it was either 11am or noon when they actually went live)
–the 10:30 show is free but you have to wait for tickets. I walked up around 6pm and there was easily 50 people in line in front of me (some for 7:30, some for 10:30)
–everyone gets in one big line and a little after 7pm, someone comes through the line and tells the people with tickets for 7:30 to go ahead in. I can’t speak to what happens after that in regards to the 10:30 show.
I figured I would be the only nerd who would come to something like this alone but there were quite a few people there alone so don’t let that scare you. They have beer, wine, sodas, water, etc for sale (as well as UCB merch) but as everyone mentioned, they only take cash! Even if you buy a $ 10 ticket, it’s money well spent!

Hilarious improv group! Get there early to stand in line and get a good seat. Went to the Chelsea location. We saw «grandma’s ashes» an improv sketch where the audience writes down secrets and then the actors use them as the inspiration. I bought tickets ahead of time. Wide variety of topics and I’m still laughing remembering them weeks later. Good value! There’s no drink minimum so that’s nice too. I would return on my next trip to NYC!

My friend, who’s more aware of quirky and independent events taking place, suggested we go to UCB Theatre one night (May 4^th) to watch a comedy improvisation show.
Obviously given the date it was going to be Star Wars-​themed, given the amusing title ‘A victims of the Death Star fundraiser’.
For $ 5 each it was about an hour long, so terrific value for money. Kudos to the comedy performers, complete with costumes — there were some hilarious bits to the show and they kept things moving along well.
I won’t give any spoilers in case they repeat the performance again in the future. Needless to say, they’re an organisation that should be supported — anywhere that brings the laughter gets my vote :)

*** Cheap, Comfy seating, Great experience ***
I came here on a weekend night to experience a lineup of comedians. It was a great venue. The seating surrounds the stage like a U shape; no matter where you sit, you’ll get a great view. I do recommend front row seating though so you are directly facing the stage. Overall, great experience and highly recommend to check out. Their website gives you a calendar layout of the events and you can arrive early to buy tickets.

(This review is for UCB as it pertains to Asssscat’s free 9:30pm show)
I’m assuming most of you have read other reviews or the website that describe what this event is or how ticketing works.
For what is effectively just herding sheep waiting in line hoping for a ticket, they do a remarkably good job communicating what’s going on and what your chances are like.
We showed up at 7:30 for the 9:30 show free ticket line because us tourists didn’t pay attention to how far in advance online sales happen for the 7:30 show.
At 7:30 we were already behind about 145 people. The theater only seats 150, and they only release 130 initially so that cast family/​friends can see the show if they want. A helpful UCB rep came out and explained all that and also said the chances of us getting in from that zone of the line were dicey, but totally possible.
He also explained that there’s a standby line for those after the lucky 130 for the remaining seats (if any) and standing room in the back.
He did not mention we’d be standing the entire time: 45 minutes to find out we didn’t get confirmed tickets, then another hour to find out if they let in the standby’s, then in our case there was only standing room left… For a 2-​hour show. So yeah, we stood for about 4 hours straight to watch this.
Would I do it again? Probably differently. Standby + standing room only is a tough sell for a free, hit-​or-​miss show (this one had really good moments, but it wasn’t necessarily worth 4 hours of standing just to say I did it).
If I returned, I’d show up earlier (maybe 6:30, bring a book and snacks or something) and camp out to guarantee a ticket, or be smarter about buying an advance ticket.

Luckily, one of my dearest, bestest friends brought me here last weekend for a show she thought I would like, and I loved it! This place is an absolutely gem! We only paid ten dollars to see the show, which included two skits! This is an awesome idea for date night or a night out with a friend, it’s something I can see myself doing often considering the low price. It was really cool to learn that people like Tina Fey and some other SNL cast got their start here. It’s not surprising considering the quality of the performers I saw.
I did not drink the night of the performance, so I can’t comment on the bar, but I’m glad to see there is one :) We saw the United Federation of Teachers skit, written and performed by a former NYC public school teacher. Considering I’m a current and fairly new NYC public school teacher, I found the skit to be so relatable. Even for non-​teachers it was hilarious, the crowd was cracking up the whole time. The performer and creator was so incredibly talented. The second performance was really unique and I was so astounded by the genius and courage that went into the sketch entitled, «The Dead Dad’s Club.» The two performers recently lost their fathers and channeled their grief into a comedy performance which highlights all of the ironies and small funny moments in dealing with the funeral planning process.
I cannot wait to come back here, it’s awesome comedy that everyone can enjoy. My friend who introduced me is looking forward to taking me to the improve Sunday show. I also hear they have improve classes offered, maybe I’ll be brave enough to try one. Woo hoo! Truly as good as it gets. I don’t think I stopped laughing the entire time I was in the audience. Lots of fun! Guaranteed interesting, good time!

I am a regular at UCB East, and I have been looking forward to visiting this famous original improv theatre. I came with my husband to see the John and Scott show featuring Scott Adsit and John Lutz. This was their last show for awhile and they were hilarious! They had the same dynamic chemistry that I saw during the run of 30 Rock.
The layout of the theatre is spread out on three sides of the stage, and if you are sitting in the first row you will definitely be a few feet from the actors! Before the show, ads for other shows run on a screen situated behind the stage, while people line up to get drinks at the bar behind the stage. Drink prices are reasonable and the staff is fairly accommodating. Overall, I do think this theatre has better acts and seating layout then UCB East. The theatre accommodates more people and you are more likely to get a good seat. However, be warned that you will have to wait outside here before entering, while at UCB East you can generally sit in the bar area before the show. This is especially important in cold winter months and for popular acts, when lines tend to get long and the wait times can be as long as 30 minutes.