Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Variety February 17, 2012
Rob Corddry in talks for 'Pain and Gain'
by Jeff Sneider Michael Bay's low budget bodybuilding pic set up at Par "Children's Hospital" star Rob Corddry is in talks to join Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Ed Harris in Michael Bay's low-budget Paramount pic "Pain and Gain." Based on a true story first told in an article from the Miami New Times, film follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in... Read More

/Film February 7, 2012
Black List Scribes Van Robichaux and Evan Susser Rewriting Warner Bros.’ ‘The Jetsons’
by Angie Han If and how exactly Kanye West will be involved in Warner Bros.’ The Jetsons movie remains unclear, but the project has just picked up some fresh talent on the screenwriting side. Van Robichaux and Evan Susser, who landed on the 2011 Black List for their Star Wars-inspired satire Chewie, have been tapped to do a rewrite on the film. The last draft of the script... Read More

Comedy Central Insider February 16, 2012
Come See 12 Comics Tape Their Half Hour Comedy Central Specials in Boston
by Matt Tobey Comedy Central will be at The Royale in Boston February 28 through March 1 to tape a dozen half-hour specials for a new stand-up series, and you could be in the audience. As you can see above, it is a seriously impressive lineup of some of the best up-and-comers in comedy, so click here to request your tickets. Of course, if you can't make it to... Read More

NJ.com February 15, 2012
'Parks and Recreation' co-producer, writer Katie Dippold: Making people laugh
by Mark Maurer/The Star-Ledger Why was her degree from Rutgers in journalism? Katie Dippold — now one of the most successful comedy writers in the country — says she can only attribute her pursuit of the degree to a long-time love for the movie “The Killing Fields.” Still, as she spoke to a class of aspiring newshounds at her alma mater last semester, the co-producer and... Read More

Deadline February 14, 2012
Michael Arden Joins ‘Anger Management’, Echo Kellum Cast In ‘Ben Fox Is My Manny’
by Nellie Andreeva Newcomer Echo Kellum has been cast in Fox’s comedy Ben Fox Is My Manny, about Kate, a single mother whose brother Ben who moves in with her to help her raise her young daughter (Maggie Jones). Kellum, repped by TalentWorks and Odenkirk Provissiero, will play Tommy, Ben’s longtime friend and partner in crime in all things ridiculous who has fallen hard for... Read More

Deadline February 10, 2012
Christine Woods To Star In NBC Pilot ‘Daddy’s Girls’, ‘Friday Night Dinner’ Adds 3
by Nellie Andreeva Kevin Bigley, Gil Ozeri, and Aya Cash round out the cast of Greg Daniels’ single-camera comedy pilot Friday Night Dinner. The single-camera project, based on the British format, centers on a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night. Bigley will play one of the older son Paul who is a little immature and sells batteries over the Internet.... Read More

The Roses! The Romance! The Roasts!
By MEGAN ANGELO
“The Bachelor: Romance, Roses and Romance” at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Chelsea.
Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times ON a recent evening the Chelsea basement theater of the Upright Citizens Brigade was packed, with people and tension. Six women paced the stage, fists clenched, eyes watering, on the brink of tears, or possibly murder. There might not have been anything funny about that the scene if they hadn’t all been... Read More

Deadline February 10, 2012
Christine Woods To Star In NBC Pilot ‘Daddy’s Girls’, ‘Friday Night Dinner’ Adds 3
by Nellie Andreeva Kevin Bigley, Gil Ozeri, and Aya Cash round out the cast of Greg Daniels’ single-camera comedy pilot Friday Night Dinner. The single-camera project, based on the British format, centers on a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night. Bigley will play one of the older son Paul who is a little immature and sells batteries over the Internet.... Read More

MTV January 19, 2012
Childish Gambino's 'Heartbeat' Video Fits Song's 'Mood'
by Rob Markman, with reporting by Ross McAlpine 'Fans should be able to check this out and just see my visualization of the song,' 'Community' star-turned-rapper tells MTV News. Don't call Childish Gambino's upcoming "Heartbeat" clip a video; rather, it's a reflection of how the actor-turned-rapper was feeling when he recorded it. "I do not really have a set of things in mind. I thought the best way... Read More

Chicago Tribune February 10, 2012
Chicago actresses stand out as quirky TV sidekicks
by Nina Metz Some actors seem destined to play the quirky sidekick. One suspects that was the consensus on Melissa McCarthy during her seven-year run as Sookie St. James on "Gilmore Girls." Funny, yes. But future Oscar nominee? It makes you wonder if we should be paying better attention to all those supporting actors who flesh out a TV series — even those shows with unimpressive ratings and... Read More

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is proud to announce the dates for the 14th Annual Del Close Marathon! This year's marathon will be the last weekend of June: June 29th - July 1st. As before, it will take place on multiple stages. We'll also have awesome special shows during the week leading up to the marathon (June 25th-28th). And all week long we'll be offering special workshops (details forthcoming - stay tuned!). So: If you'd like to submit your team to be a part of... Read More

Review: This Is Not a Sketch Show: A Sketch Show
This clever, self-referential show aims to rent out the UCB Theatre as an apartment.
Matthew Love
Brandon Scott Jones cajoles Jon Gutierrez and Alison Bennett
Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson Hey, reader. Yeah, you: Looking for a nice apartment? You might want to talk to Andy Stevens, the Realtor (and aspiring comedian) who seems to be behind This Is Not a Sketch Show: A Sketch Show. He’s got this really hot property, perfect... Read More

Gotham Magazine January 23, 2012
The Stars of NBC's BFF Make Us Laugh
by Jill Sieracki
photo by Gregg Delman Comediennes Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham met more than a decade ago at New York’s famed improvisational comedy theater the Upright Citizens Brigade, and as St. Clair recalls, came together over a mutual appreciation of sweater sets. Today, their friendship has morphed into a new comedy, BFF, which debuts on NBC this spring. In the show, newly divorced Jessica... Read More

GQ February 2, 2012
Eliza Coupe on the Comedic Origins of Happy Endings, Her Passion for Michael Fassbender, and her Obsession with Ace Ventura
by Mike Ayers In just its second full season, Happy Endings has joined joining the conversation for Funniest Show on Television. For the uninitiated, it follows Modern Family on ABC on Wednesday nights and has a Friends-esque ensemble set-up: three girls, three guys, some ex-lovers, some current lovers. But unlike Friends, there's an... Read More

Grantland January 30, 2012
Grantland Infographic: The TV Comedy Cabal
by Tara Ariano and David T. Cole The hardest-working contemporary comedy icons and the sitcoms that repeatedly employ them When Fox's Breaking In returns for its second season, it will have many challenges to overcome. For one, it's on a network with few live-action comedy hits at the moment, due in part to the fact that it has few non-American Idol time slots available for programming. For another, viewers who see... Read More

Gotham Magazine January 23, 2012
The Stars of NBC's BFF Make Us Laugh
by Jill Sieracki
photo by Gregg Delman Comediennes Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham met more than a decade ago at New York’s famed improvisational comedy theater the Upright Citizens Brigade, and as St. Clair recalls, came together over a mutual appreciation of sweater sets. Today, their friendship has morphed into a new comedy, BFF, which debuts on NBC this spring. In the show, newly divorced Jessica... Read More

One Man's Story of Making Some of the Worst Commercials Ever
Todd Bieber on being amazing at something awful
By David Gianatasio Showing commercials during live theater—has it really come to that? For Todd Bieber, it most definitely has. The filmmaker is launching an advertising-themed one-man show at New York's Uptight Citizens Brigade Theatre, where he also serves as content and production director. In "Commercial Interruption," Bieber shares stories from his "secret life"... Read More

New sketch show, "Key & Peele" premieres on Comedy Central, Tues., Jan 31 at 10:30 PM/9:30 central! "Key & Peele" stars Mad TV alumni Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. The show is executive produced by UCB founding member, Ian Roberts and his writing partner Jay Martel, and the writing staff is comprised almost entirely of UCB performers and alumni, including Colton Dunn, Charlie Sanders, Alex Rubens, Rebecca Drysdale and Sean Conroy! After its premiere, "Key & Peele" will air every... Read More

Variety January 23, 2012
Thesp trio 'Hell'-bound
by Justin Kroll Riggle, Posehn, Nanjiani board animated pic Rob Riggle, Brian Posehn and Kumail Nanjiani have joined the cast of the stop-motion animation laffer "Hell & Back" starring T.J. Miller and Nick Swardson. Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman will helm. Story revolves around two best friends who must rescue their buddy when he's accidentally dragged to hell. Riggle will play a 20-year old who's starting to grow up, much to... Read More

New sketch show, "Key & Peele" premieres on Comedy Central, Tues., Jan 31 at 10:30 PM/9:30 central! "Key & Peele" stars Mad TV alumni Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. The show is executive produced by UCB founding member, Ian Roberts and his writing partner Jay Martel, and the writing staff is comprised almost entirely of UCB performers and alumni, including Colton Dunn, Charlie Sanders, Alex Rubens, Rebecca Drysdale and Sean Conroy! After its premiere, "Key & Peele" will air every... Read More