Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

On any given night at the intimate L.A. location of Upright Citizens Brigade—the comedy institution Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh cofounded in New York in 1996—you’ll find three or four shows across a variety of disciplines: There’s stand-up, improv, sketch and off-kilter comedy. UCB’s flagship improv show, ASSSSCAT, where improvisers turn an often-recognizable guest monologist’s suggestions into a sketch, is still a popular draw each weekend over two decades later.

Once the city’s improv darling, UCB’s L.A. presence had contracted a bit a few years ago—a second location on Sunset Boulevard had to close in 2020—but it’s begun to rebound more recently, and the institution remains a local treasure that anchors Franklin Village. Just around the corner from the theater, you’ll find a second, even more intimate space: the UCB Annex (1925 N Bronson Ave), where up-and-comers and UCB students work out new material at informal, oftentimes free shows.