Improv at the UCB Theatre

The Upright Citizens Brigade grew out of Chicago improv in 1990 and spent its formative New York decades in a series of small theaters, training a long list of comedians who went on to television and film. After its Hell's Kitchen space closed in 2020, the company reopened under new owners on East 14th Street in a basement theater. The format is the same: long-form improv, sketch and stand-up, with house teams, alumni drop-ins and cheap tickets.

Check the theater's site for the weekly lineup and buy ahead for weekend shows, which are small and sell out. Late shows are often the loosest and the cheapest. If you have never seen long-form improv, pick a show by a house team or a well-reviewed alumni group; one audience suggestion can turn into a 25-minute piece. During the New York Comedy Festival in November, the theater hosts festival shows too.