Buffalo Comedy: A variety of comedy shows are popping up this weekend in Buffalo. Check out who’s performing and where below.

(Above: Hannibal Buress. Photo via @HannibalBuress on Facebook.)

By Jason Pomietlasz

Recently researchers are puzzled by young male capuchin monkeys kidnapping howler monkey babies, seemingly for amusement or out of boredom. I have the answer to this problem. As primates, they’re basically our understudies, so they have the same needs, which is to go see live comedy. 

Thursday, April 2

Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave., Suite 207, Buffalo.
Improv Mixer, a relaxed environment to try out improv or just to watch. Sign-ups at 6:45 p.m., 7 start. $5 suggested or pay what you can. 

Mr. Goodbar, 1110 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, 8 p.m. Free.
Open mic comedy on the second floor. Sign-ups at 7 p.m, hosted by the above average height Bennett Solowski.

The Wood and Wine’s Comic Strip, 25 N. Johnson Parkway, Buffalo. 7 p.m., free. 

A brand newish open mic in the Elmwood area hosted by Mamudu Kargbo.  With comic in the name of the venue, how could they not have an open mic. Signups at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday – Friday, April 2 – 3

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. Times vary, tickets $44.22 – 217.79 (Couples package).

Hannibal Buress came up in the Chicago comedy scene during the mid-2000’s with T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani, Matt Braunger, Pete Holmes and Kyle Kinane which is the equivalent of the 1983 NFL draft for quarterbacks. Buress continues to evolve as an artist and his shows sometimes include music, poets and last time he was in Buffalo, ballerinas. And he was basically responsible for bringing down Bill Cosby. 

Friday, April 3 

Buffalo Comedy Collective, 155 Chandler Street, Buffalo. 

Comedy Sportz match-up. Two teams “competitively” play short form improv games with suggestions from the audience, who also decides the winner. 7 p.m., tickets $18. 

Dynamic Duos, six roster members from CSz Pros and BCC Shorties Program are paired up for two-person scenes. After each pair performs, the audience votes for their favorite scene and the pairs switch to do it all again, twice. The performer with the most points by the end wins. 9 p.m., tickets $18. 

Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave., Suite 207, Buffalo. 

The Happy Hour Improv Jam. Try improv for the first time with experienced improvisers or practice what you have already learned. 6:30 p.m., tickets $5 or pay what you can. 

BIH’s Collider teams “Suspicious Incident” and musical improv troupe “Bad Haircut” will perform. 7:30 p.m., tickets $8 presale or $10 general admission. 

The Faculty Show. The teachers of BIH come together to put on a show of undetermined improv style. 8:30 p.m., tickets $15 presale or $20 general admission. 

Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St., Buffalo. 7:30 p.m., tickets starting at $90.

John Mulaney brings his “Mister Whatever” Tour to Shea’s. His Thursday show sold out quickly so he added the Friday date. After several stints in rehab, a divorce and other life events, this is his rawest, riskiest, most vulnerable hour of comedy yet.   

Silo City, 85 Silo City Row, Buffalo. 7 p.m., tickets starting at $15. 

“I Know What You Did Last Supper.” A night of drag, standup, poetry, and improv that plays with the things that people who grew up with catholicism survived, with a little bit of tenderness, and blasphemy-adjacent behavior.

Saturday, April 4 

Buffalo Comedy Collective, 155 Chandler Street, Buffalo. 

ComedySportz Saturday match-up. Two teams “competitively” play short form improv games with suggestions from the audience, who also decides the winner. 7 p.m., tickets $18. 

BCC’s house team “Yin Yang Necklace” will take you back to the 90’s with unscripted scenes and characters based entirely on audience suggestions which may be related to the 1990’s. 9 p.m., tickets $12. 

Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave., Suite 207, Buffalo.

“Various Factors,” a broadway-esque improv musical comedy show where everything is made up on the spot, including lyrics, melodies and choreography. All inspired from audience suggestions. 7 p.m., tickets $20 presale or $25 general admission.

Piano Karaoke. Sign up to sing a song with a live piano player, or just hang out and watch people butcher your favorite song. A ticket from Various Factors gets you in for free, otherwise $6.54. 8:30 p.m.

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7 p.m., tickets $13 – 168.99 (Couples package).

If you like comedy and surprises, this show is for you. What’s the lineup? I couldn’t say, even if I knew. Helium handpicks their favorite stand-up comics from around the country to perform secret, one-off shows.

Sunday, April 5

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7 p.m., tickets $48.99 – 214.99 (Couples package).

Mick Foley tells stories from his hallowed wrestling career in his first one-man-show tour in three years. Foley will have new stories and classic ones like how it feels to fall 16 feet, twice. And each show concludes with a 45 minute Q&A. 

Monday, April 6

Tudor Lounge, 335 Franklin Street, Buffalo, 8:30 p.m. 

Comedy Open Mic Comedy. Start your week by hearing new premises and jokes. Once again hosted by the venerable Don Johnson with a bucket draw. Sign-ups at 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday, April 7

Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen Street, Buffalo, 9 p.m. Free

Rust Belt Comedy Showcase, Buffalo’s longest running comedy show hosted by Jake Samson and Jake Piskor also known as the two Jakes. Signups at rustbeltcomedy.weebly.com. Free. 

Third Space Cafe & Entertainment, 777 Main St., Buffalo, 7 p.m.

The Early Bird Comedy Open Mic. The first mic of Tuesdays hosted by Brody Walsh and Connor Mink. Signups start at 6:30 p.m. Free.

Wednesday, April 8

Milkie’s Elmwood Lounge, 522 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo. 

Comedy Open Mic Comedy. Sign-ups at 7 p.m. or online, show starts at 9-ish p.m. Hosted by the super funny Jesse Winterhalter. Free. 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 

Open Mic, where over twenty comics will perform their best 3 minutes, 7 p.m., free with two-item minimum.

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Have a comedy event you want to add, email lakeeffectcomedy@gmail.com.

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