What are you typically doing at 11:30PM on a Sunday Night? My bet is that you fall into one of these categories:
A) You’ve got a case of the Sunday Scaries, looking for something to combat the impending Monday Blues.
B) You’ve been in your house all weekend catching up on Netflix and need some human interaction.
C) You had a boozy brunch, napped all afternoon, and are now wide awake, unsure of what to do with yourself.
D) You are a human who enjoys laughing.
That covers just about everyone, yes? Then you’re all in luck! Consider your Sunday night spoken for.
54 Below has added a new program to their spring calendar: Late Nite Comedy at 54. Produced by David De Almo (Mike Birbiglia’s Thank God for Jokes, Chris Gethard: Career Suicide) and hosted by Tyler Fischer (America’s Got Talent, Younger), this bi-weekly late-nite special is proving to be an essential new weekend home for standups, Broadway regulars (and their fans!) alike.
“The way comedy works is…” De Almo discusses the series with the heart of a seasoned performer and the chutzpah of a passionate producer. He is committed to showcasing both established and up-and-coming talent, crossing borders of Broadway and stand-up, and leaning into “slash generation” energy, giving cross-disciplinary artists a chance to step out of their comfort zones on a stage that may, in fact, be familiar to them– the home-field advantage that is 54 Below.
The venue has become a staple of cabaret and concerts in recent years, a midtown Mecca for post-Broadway revues, celebrations, premieres, showcases, and boundless original content and character. A silly motif of the evening’s patter was, “we’re comedians! We’re not used to being somewhere so fancy!”
I sat down with De Almo and Fischer before the show to talk about the inception of the series and ask, “So why here and why now?”
After a thoughtful conversation about accessing new talents, communities, and experience, the simplest answer is a resounding “why NOT?” And I couldn’t agree more. Late Nite Comedy is a refreshing change of pace for 54 Below and an opportunity to see another side of some of our favorite performers and friends.
De Almo and Fischer bring multidisciplinary backgrounds to the series, having gone to college together and reconnected in recent years to collaborate and develop comedy like this. Spanning from De Almo’s theatre and producing experience to Fischer’s television and viral video talents, what results is a full-hearted approach to the comedy realm and a commitment to engaging with whomever may walk in through the door at 54 Below.
As an audience member (and somewhat new to the stand up scene), what stands out (stands up? …bad joke) in my memory of the evening is the wide array of set structures. From strings of stand-alone jokes to anecdotes, traditional standup flow to audience engagement, the show was ever-changing and ever-engaging. Six performers took the stage (plus Fischer’s duty as active host, opening/closing and constantly on his toes between sets)–Broadway’s Alex Brightman and Julia Mattison, comedians Von Decarlo, Matt Ruby, Harrison Greenbaum, and De Almo himself.
In such an intimate setting, the wave of laughs is just as much of a player as the comedians themselves. With direct interaction between audience and performer, which jokes soar and which jokes stall are a critical part of the ride. And with such different styles on stage, a consistent awareness of rhythm, bounce, and energy of laughs is required.
Mattison and Brightman (regulars to 54 Below) delighted with stories and observations on city life. No strangers to comedy, but new to the role of “standup,” their sets prove the successful design of this series: let’s merge the comedy and theatre worlds and see what creative zanies ensue. In bringing prompts and notes to the stage, we got a BTS glimpse at the writing process, something that every writer or performer can appreciate.
De Carlo, Ruby, and Greenbaum quickly connected to the new venue, scanning the crowd and playing off of the vibe that comes from a new crew, almost like the anxious excitement of a first date. Greenbaum’s set about the man who was struck by lightning SEVEN times had the audience howling. Consider this a belated THANK YOU for that energy spike to start the week, Mr. Greenbaum (personally, I fell into a combination category A and D before arriving).
Lucky for us all, you can catch Fischer’s smart quips and De Almo’s witty self-portraits as the series continues every other Sunday this spring. What the late night programming offers is a supportive crowd, dedicated performers, and a more wallet-friendly option than many other weekend shows. I’ll certainly be back. So to all you A, B, C, and definitely you, Ds–join us, won’t you?
Live, Love, Learn,
- Late Nite Comedy at 54 continues through the end of May. Tickets for next week’s show available here