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All Comics Are Bastards
The people of Kickstand Comedy and the Hard Times believe that All Comics Are Bastards. To that effect, they will be presenting a star-studded local showcase featuring Hunter Donaldson, Dylan Reiff, Jeff Kelsay, Ben Harkins, Nariko Ott, and Curtis Cook. Kickstand Comedy Space, 315 NW Davis St. 8 pm Wednesday, May 11. $5 suggested donation.
Animal Kingdom
All the animal-themed sketches that Shelley McLendon and Michael Fetters have done in their five years as the Aces combine in one show. Portland's best improv duo play bees trapped in cars, raccoons that are up to no good, gorillas and many other animals, like maybe the mosquito from their National Park show last month. "These are not parodies," McLendon told WW about the creatures in that show, "we actually play them." The Siren Theater, 315 NW Davis St., 8 pm Friday-Saturday, May 6-14. $20.
Bae Cliche's Mixxed Bag o' Nuts: The Prince Edition
A burlesque, comedy and musical showcase honoring the purple and paisley Prince. Serenades by 2014 Portland Idol winner Danie Ward and standup by sexism silencer Jen Tam and the classic Portland comedian Adam "Power of Pasitivity" Pasi. Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave., 503-309-3723. 9:30 pm Friday, May 13. $15.
The Brody Open Mic
Twice-weekly, Portland's most prolific improv venue opens its stage to everyone for 3-minute bits. Sign up online day of before 1 pm. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 8:30 pm Tuesday-Wednesday. Free.
Curious Comedy Open Mic
Sign up start at 7:15, and every comic gets a tight three minutes onstage in this weekly show hosted by Andie Main. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 8 pm Sundays. Free.
David Cross
The Arrested Development and Mr. Show veteran kicked off his first comedy tour in six years last January. Cross brings his biting sarcasm through Portland with a two-show run of Making America Great Again, a show that's equal parts satire, political commentary and observational comedy. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, 8 pm, Tuesday-Wednesday, May 10-11. Sold out.
Some of WW's favorite funny Portlanders—and sometimes contributors—showcase famous and not-so-famous, local and not-so-local comedians. Hosted by Curtis Cook, Alex Falcone, Anthony Lopez and Bri Pruett inside a pretty epic bike shop. This week, Idaho native Eli Nary Boise is visiting, plus Funniest Five veteran Nariko Ott and Alana Eisner. Velo Cult Bike Shop, 1969 NE 42nd Ave., 922-2012. 9 pm every Wednesday. Free, $5 suggested donation. 21+.
Extra Cheese
Brodie Kelly's weekly pizza party/comedy showcase gives locals a tight 5 for standup, and coincides with happy hour: $2.50 pints. Hotlips Pizza, 2211 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 234-9999. 8pm Mondays. Free.
Geoff Tate
One of comedy's newest upstarts, Geoff Tate, has made a name for himself through his performances on Mike Birbiglia's "Secret Public Journal Live" tour and Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham." Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave.. 8 pm. Free.
Graham Elwood
First, the comedian got a boo-boo, and then he threw a palm-strike dance party. Graham Elwood loves surfing, samurai swords and vegan stuff. He also tells jokes for a living, co-hosts the Comedy Film Nerds podcast, is one of the creators of Ear Buds: The Podcasting Documentary and the Los Angeles Podcast Festival, and has appeared as the sober friend in a number of Doug Benson pot-umentaries. Helium Comedy Club. 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 8 pm Thursday, May 12. $15-$23. 21+.
Iliza Shlesinger
The only woman ever to win Last Comic Standing is also the youngest comic to ever claim the title. Iliza Shlesinger's standup special War Paint put her on the map in 2013, and her follow-up Freezing Hot dropped to outstanding reviews in 2015. Shelsinger's one-night engagement is sure to be a highlight of the 2016 comedy calendar. Revolution Hall, 1300 Stark St., 808-5094. 7:30 pm Saturday, May 14. $25. 21+.
Open Court
This weekly, long-form improv show combines performers from many Portland theaters and troupes. Newbies are welcome and teams are picked at random, then coached by an improv veteran before taking the stage. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 7:30 pm Thursdays. $5.
Speechless: Improvised Competitive PowerPoint Presentations
An Office Space bub's worst nightmare: You show up to the conference room, ingeniously crafted PowerPoint at the ready, pitch practiced, one-liners perfectly timed with the fade-in transitions between slides. Power on. That's not my PowerPoint. What is this fucking exposé on chimpanzee extinction? Cold sweat. Improvise. Improvise. Speechless makes local comedians improvise a presentation on the spot, with the genre—TED Talk, Shark Tank pitch, seminar—chosen by the audience. Lez Stand Up's Kirsten Kuppenbender hosts, featuring the hilarious Caitlin Weierhauser, Brad Fortier, Shannon Graves and Chad Parsons. The Siren Theater, 315 NW Davis St. 8 pm Thursday, May 12. $16.
Sunday School
Workshop students, veteran crews and groups that pre-register online perform long form improv every Sunday. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 6 pm Sundays. $5 suggested donation.
Supernova
Brody's students showcase their improv, sketch and standup skills—a different class each week. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 7:30 pm Thursdays. $5. The Brody, 16 NW Broadway Portland OR 97209. Thursday. Free.
Thursday Night Throwdown
Curious' twice-monthly competition pits teams that apply in advance online against one another for a chance to compete in Friday Night Fights the next week. It's first come, first served, and every groups gets 17 minutes. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm every second and fourth Thursday. Free.
Todd Armstrong Variety Hour
Permanent Comedy's Todd Armstrong is headed back to Helium for the next edition of the Todd Armstrong Variety Hour, featuring comedy from some of Portland and Seattle's finest including Carl Lee, Jamal Harrington, Freddie Walker, Christian Ricketts, Jason Traeger, Adam Dahl, and Belinda Carroll. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave. 8 pm. Free.
Willamette Week