Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After several months of previews, the new home of the Upright Citizens Brigade New York officially opened in September at 242 E. 14th St., between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
We checked out the space earlier in the fall...
Here are a few thoughts on this iteration of UCB (see end of the post for background on what has transpired to date).
The Good
Affordability. Depending on the show, tickets run between $10 and $20. (There is also Whiplash, a FREE stand-up showcase hosted by Shalewa Sharpe.)
We decided to check out ASSSSCAT, UCB's signature improv show and enjoyed it more than we expected. (We're not much on comedy clubs, TBH!) Watching the troupe play off each other and off random themes or words from the audience in real time was fascinating. They really had fun with it, and that was giggle-inducing.
The Neutral
The space, down a couple of stairs, is set up so you are on three sides of the stage. It's a different perspective from the side where we sat. Hearing or understanding the actors was sometimes difficult because you couldn't see their faces. Seeing other people react to the performance was fascinating — their laughter was contagious.
There is a mezzanine, and those seats looked great, but we couldn't access them.
It was also quite chilly in the venue (to keep the comedy fresh?), so bring an extra layer.
The Meh
UCB is currently not serving alcohol. They were administratively approved for a beer-wine license, though it has yet to arrive by our visit.
Also, be warned: It's a cash-free venue.
We enjoyed ourselves and would consider another visit — especially when beer or wine is an option.
And here's a look around ...
Some history, as we've previously noted.
UCB's East Village outpost, UCBeast, wrapped up its eight-plus-year run on Avenue A and Third Street in February 2019. At the time, UCB officials blamed the "extreme costs" of operating in the space for its closing.
UCB then presented three nights of programming at SubCulture, a 130-seat venue on Bleecker Street.
Eventually, the whole empire — where Kate McKinnon, Donald Glover, Aubrey Plaza, and Broad City's Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, among many others — got their start, shut down. Amid ongoing financial difficulties made worse by the beginning of the pandemic, UCB closed all its remaining NYC locations in April 2020... and then in Los Angeles in December 2020.
A comeback started in March 2022 when longtime talent manager Jimmy Miller and former CEO/owner of The Onion Mike McAvoy reportedly bought the brand.
Previously on EV Grieve:
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