The best comedy shows in NYC this month

Once a week, after closing time, 10 people convene at the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there's a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine's show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.

As any single straight woman in New York City surely knows, the Big Apple is full of big fuckboys. To make that fact slightly less depressing, two NYC women—Val Bodurtha and Andrea Popova—have decided to stop trying to understand fuckboy behavior themselves and instead have created a panel of fuckboys to get answers from the source. During this show on November 20 a Sugar Mouse in Manhattan, three to five women will share a romantic experience that left them confused. Then, both the fuckboy panel and the audience will weigh in with their own dating insights.

If you're an up-and-coming comedian and want to try your luck, the comedy lottery hosted by Demetrius Fields and Austin Locke might just give you the platform you need—with a potentially big money prize attached. Every Monday at Flop House Comedy Club, hopeful comedians donate $1 to enter a lucky draw. Fifteen names are drawn and the comedian voted the best receives all the signup money plus half of ticket sales, which once added up to a whopping $238. 

If you're looking for some good laughs in Bushwick while sticking to a budget, then your best bet is to head to Starr Bar's free stand up comedy shows every Wednesday at 10pm. Hosts James Donlon, Aditya Mayya, and Paddy DeFino will showcase new sets of comedians every week with no cover charge, drink minimum or ticket fee. 

Before everyone goes off to Thanksgiving family drama, gather for a night of comedy, community and some Central Perk Love at this Friends-themed shindig at the Capish?! Club in Little Italy. Along with a stellar lineup of comedians that includes Will Morrison, Dave Terruso, Abby Ballin, Darius Emadi and a secret VIP guest performer, the evening will include Friends sitcom trivia and a dress-up contest—whoever is gussied up as the best Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe or Ross will take home a prize!

Equal parts fun and flabbergasting, Hell Yeah! is a comedy group that creates high-energy, fully-improvised musicals. Yes, musicals. Armed with only a blank stage, a piano “and a burning desire to sing about our feelings,” the troupe—which includes performers PJ Nally, Maria Schroeder, Tony Harkin and Taylor Michelle Feldman, among others—builds an entire narrative based on a simple audience suggestion. Hell Yeah! will be putting on several upcoming shows at the Peoples Improv Theater! but given that each edition features entirely fresh material “that’s never been seen before, and will never be seen again,” we won’t blame you if you want to attend more than one. Upcoming show dates are April 12, April 26, May 10, May 24, June 14, June 28, July 12, July 26, August 9, August 23, September 13, and September 27. 

Don’t let the title fool you—this show is going to be Lil Dumplings’ biggest gig yet, as part of the New York Comedy Festival. Held on Saturday, November 9 at midtown’s Room 52, the funny showcase combines producer-slash-chef David Jin’s love for food together with great comedy. Taking the stage will be a truly tasty lineup of performers, including Aaron Berg, Rory Lutz, Mike Favor, Vee Lince, Misha Han, David Jin and Jared Waters.

Head to a beloved West Village music shop for a banging musical comedy blowout every Friday night. This variety show mixes music, comedy, and characters with apperances by Stephen Sihelnik (NY Comedy Festival), Natan Badalov (Adult Swim), Alexander Payne (Netflix), and surprise guests. Fun fact: The event's set in New York's oldest continually-run music and record store, Music Inn World Instruments. It's been in operation since 1958 and has been heavily featured in the first two seasons of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Show up early, save a seat and BYOB: You're in for a party.

Comedian-slash-"dancing philosopher" Toni Nagy is coming to Caveat on the Lower East Side on November 1 with her solo show. The show, "Men, Come Inside of Me," sees the performer embody—you guessed it—all the men that have ejaculated inside her so she can better understand "her own inner man." An exploration of gender, sexuality and identity that aims at "building empathy and understanding for all the parts of ourselves that we often feel shame towards," the show will feature a combination of clowning, storytelling, stand-up, audience interaction, dance and, of course, genital-based humor.

What happens when the master builder of New York, Robert Moses, loses his power and attempts to host a late night talk show? This one-hour comedy show inspired by Moses and his 1974 biography, The Power Broker by Robert Caro, explores just that. Congestion pricing expert Charles Komanoff (Transportation Alternatives, Streetsblog) and hosts of The Climate Denier’s Playbook Rollie Williams (Climate Town) and Nicole Conlan (The Daily Show, The Late Show) take to the stage alongside the late Moses himself. There will be live music from Zenizen as well as the comedic talents of Lana Schwartz, Rod O’Toole, Adrienne Ianniciello, Fallon Boles and Will Jacobs.