Guidebook for Vancouver
Entertainment & Activities
A chill space that embraces otherness, I go here for the friendships and homey vibe. You’ll never feel like a stranger here! On Saturday nights, go for The Cast—an all-female cast improvises a new play each week, ranging from mime work to a performance of visual albums. These ladies play inside genuine spontaneity, allowing for discovery and fun.
For a crazy Thursday night, go to Inspirado, the only improv competition in the world. Two teams choose a challenge inspired by one of the letters that spell Inspirado. Once for the “Oh Shit” challenge, a team had to get two people in the building to agree to get married in under an hour. THEY DID IT.
9 recommandé par les habitants
Magnet Theater
254 W 29th StA chill space that embraces otherness, I go here for the friendships and homey vibe. You’ll never feel like a stranger here! On Saturday nights, go for The Cast—an all-female cast improvises a new play each week, ranging from mime work to a performance of visual albums. These ladies play inside genuine spontaneity, allowing for discovery and fun.
For a crazy Thursday night, go to Inspirado, the only improv competition in the world. Two teams choose a challenge inspired by one of the letters that spell Inspirado. Once for the “Oh Shit” challenge, a team had to get two people in the building to agree to get married in under an hour. THEY DID IT.
Open Michelle nights on Thursdays at the groundbreaking UCB rock. A supportive space for female comics to do open mic, I encourage all genders to come and watch. Jokes range from Magic School Bus to Trump’s hand size to dog potty training. Classic lady comedy! There’s a decent audience of non-comics, so you can workshop jokes in front of “regular” folk.
Everyone who wants a turn at the mic puts their name in a bucket, and if your name is drawn, you go up. You can always put your name in the bucket even if the show has started! So even if you’re an hour late, you might be up next. But also, try not to be an hour late.
124 recommandé par les habitants
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre East Village
45 Bleecker StOpen Michelle nights on Thursdays at the groundbreaking UCB rock. A supportive space for female comics to do open mic, I encourage all genders to come and watch. Jokes range from Magic School Bus to Trump’s hand size to dog potty training. Classic lady comedy! There’s a decent audience of non-comics, so you can workshop jokes in front of “regular” folk.
Everyone who wants a turn at the mic puts their name in a bucket, and if your name is drawn, you go up. You can always put your name in the bucket even if the show has started! So even if you’re an hour late, you might be up next. But also, try not to be an hour late.
The first Wednesday of the month at 9 pm, this club hosts Female Gaze. It’s a daytime talk show at night with 12 women hosts. 12! It’s like a version of The Chew that went completely off the rails. The show includes some of the top up-and-coming women of color in the city. While the show is really silly and high energy, there’s such an artistry to it.
If the night’s topic doesn’t speak to you, it doesn’t matter, because they’ll always scatter to something else anyway, keeping you as well as themselves on those proverbial toes!
UCB Training Center
520 8th AveThe first Wednesday of the month at 9 pm, this club hosts Female Gaze. It’s a daytime talk show at night with 12 women hosts. 12! It’s like a version of The Chew that went completely off the rails. The show includes some of the top up-and-coming women of color in the city. While the show is really silly and high energy, there’s such an artistry to it.
If the night’s topic doesn’t speak to you, it doesn’t matter, because they’ll always scatter to something else anyway, keeping you as well as themselves on those proverbial toes!
An intimate venue with an off-Broadway crowd, I go for Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind on weekend nights. The cast tries to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes. Each sketch is raw and kinetic because the audience shouts the number of the sketch they want to see. I once saw a sketch where they all pulled their pants down and spoke with their assholes.
Sit in the front rows if you’re game to be involved in the sketches. There is a lot of audience participation in this show.
7 recommandé par les habitants
Kraine Theater
85 E 4th StAn intimate venue with an off-Broadway crowd, I go for Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind on weekend nights. The cast tries to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes. Each sketch is raw and kinetic because the audience shouts the number of the sketch they want to see. I once saw a sketch where they all pulled their pants down and spoke with their assholes.
Sit in the front rows if you’re game to be involved in the sketches. There is a lot of audience participation in this show.
It hosts a kickass show on first Tuesdays called The Scientists. Blythe Roberson and Madelyn Freed delve into a scientific concept that science kinda got wrong the first time. The best alt comedians in the city do hysterical bits about the concept, and the show ends interviewing an actual scientist. It’s funny and intellectually rewarding.
Look out for Blythe. I’ve never met someone with a sharper tongue, who hysterically packs a punch with every word she says.
186 recommandé par les habitants
Union Hall
702 Union StIt hosts a kickass show on first Tuesdays called The Scientists. Blythe Roberson and Madelyn Freed delve into a scientific concept that science kinda got wrong the first time. The best alt comedians in the city do hysterical bits about the concept, and the show ends interviewing an actual scientist. It’s funny and intellectually rewarding.
Look out for Blythe. I’ve never met someone with a sharper tongue, who hysterically packs a punch with every word she says.
Latina duo Anita Flores and Vanessa Valerio host a monthly show here called Party of Two that brings together the city’s best comedians to recount their most embarrassing, heartbreaking, ridiculous dating experiences. Once Anita shared how she botched her first attempt at putting a condom on a banana in sex ed class, and boy, it was not pretty.
By the end, you’ll feel better about your own love life, Scout’s honor.
85 recommandé par les habitants
Threes Brewing
333 Douglass StLatina duo Anita Flores and Vanessa Valerio host a monthly show here called Party of Two that brings together the city’s best comedians to recount their most embarrassing, heartbreaking, ridiculous dating experiences. Once Anita shared how she botched her first attempt at putting a condom on a banana in sex ed class, and boy, it was not pretty.
By the end, you’ll feel better about your own love life, Scout’s honor.
This funky, DIY Brooklyn space hosts Just a Show on the last Sunday of the month. You’ll see some of New York’s best, established comedians working alongside some up and comers. It explores the experimental while guaranteeing laughs! The comedians truly do whatever they want.
Big comedy names sometimes come here, along with SNL and Upright Citizens Brigade cast members, so keep your eyes peeled.
11 recommandé par les habitants
Sunnyvale
1031 Grand StThis funky, DIY Brooklyn space hosts Just a Show on the last Sunday of the month. You’ll see some of New York’s best, established comedians working alongside some up and comers. It explores the experimental while guaranteeing laughs! The comedians truly do whatever they want.
Big comedy names sometimes come here, along with SNL and Upright Citizens Brigade cast members, so keep your eyes peeled.
An awesome community spot with classes, shows, and trivia. I go for Q.E.D.’s monthly Brutally Honest share and tell. It’s literally just people being incredibly honest in a space that allows the audience to digest it so that it resonates as hilarious and refreshing. One girl told a story about how she peed herself in public. Anyone can participate.
The slogan here is, “TMI is always better than not enough.” So put your name in the bucket more than once.
22 recommandé par les habitants
Q.E.D.
27-16 23rd AveAn awesome community spot with classes, shows, and trivia. I go for Q.E.D.’s monthly Brutally Honest share and tell. It’s literally just people being incredibly honest in a space that allows the audience to digest it so that it resonates as hilarious and refreshing. One girl told a story about how she peed herself in public. Anyone can participate.
The slogan here is, “TMI is always better than not enough.” So put your name in the bucket more than once.
Food Scene
Head to this Mexican restaurant and comedy club on Saturdays for Power Hour! Open Mic night. There'll always be someone on stage during your set to help give it an extra layer of support, and a lot of liquid courage gets drunk here. It’s a fun vibe where silliness is guaranteed, as well as a different space to try out jokes and laugh at them.
It’s all about audience participation, so everyone should go up. You’re all drinking, anyway.
36 recommandé par les habitants
The Creek & The Cave
10-93 Jackson AveHead to this Mexican restaurant and comedy club on Saturdays for Power Hour! Open Mic night. There'll always be someone on stage during your set to help give it an extra layer of support, and a lot of liquid courage gets drunk here. It’s a fun vibe where silliness is guaranteed, as well as a different space to try out jokes and laugh at them.
It’s all about audience participation, so everyone should go up. You’re all drinking, anyway.
Drinks & Nightlife
Go to this Brooklyn rock bar for Night Train, a weekly comedy show hosted by Wyatt Cenac that manages to never run out of fresh, funny talent. Well worth the $5, it always has a diverse lineup. And you’ll never know what big-time comic will drop in for a set—past drop ins include Chris Rock and Mike Birbiglia.
Many NYC comedy shows have a two-drink minimum, but Littlefield doesn’t, so use that money on the fun night ahead!
42 recommandé par les habitants
Littlefield
635 Sackett StGo to this Brooklyn rock bar for Night Train, a weekly comedy show hosted by Wyatt Cenac that manages to never run out of fresh, funny talent. Well worth the $5, it always has a diverse lineup. And you’ll never know what big-time comic will drop in for a set—past drop ins include Chris Rock and Mike Birbiglia.
Many NYC comedy shows have a two-drink minimum, but Littlefield doesn’t, so use that money on the fun night ahead!