[title]
This weekend, you could likely see celebrities like Nick Kroll, local favorites like Chris Gethard and a few (actual) wayward penises all on the same stage—though not necessarily at the same time. UCB’s 18th annual Del Close Marathon brings together thousands of performers for 54 hours and more than 600 shows’ worth of improv, and all you need to see most of it is a $35 wristband. But be prepared: Shit gets weird, especially after midnight. If it’s your very first DCM, use this as a survival guide (and don’t plan on sleeping).
What should I see? There are back-to-back shows at seven different venues in Manhattan. Buy individual tickets for premium shows starring classic UCB teams, like fwand on Saturday, or get in line early for a chance to buy standby tickets for ASSSSCAT 3000 on Sunday (Amy Poehler is usually at the early show) or Fucked Up Broad City with Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson on Friday. A festival pass gets you into the majority of the rest of the shows. The Upright Citizens Brigade stars some of the original UCB4 that started the theater (including Poehler), the Mantzoukas Brothers features improv from Jason Mantzoukas (and will probably involve a masturbation scene), and the group Baby Wants Candy creates an hour-long musical on the spot. UCB Artistic Director Shannon O’Neill recommends checking out Banana Pancakes on Saturday night; she can’t say why but you don’t want to miss it.
How the hell do I navigate all those shows? Make a plan, baby. The full schedule is online, so plot out which shows you really want to see, at which theaters. Follow @dcm_lines on Twitter to get regular updates on wait times at the various venues. You might line up for a couple hours to get into a popular venue like UCB Chelsea, but once you enter, you can stay as long as you’d like until a theater cleaning (every four or so hours), when they kick everyone out.
What else do I need to know? The later the hour, the more bizarre the shows get. At 4:10am on Sunday, learn every sex move ever made at The Kama Sutra with Matt Dennie and Josh Sharp, or see comedians stick jalapeños and hot sauce in each other’s eyes at the Jalapenbros at 5:20am. And stop by Peter McManus Cafe for a beer and a chance to catch the performers in their natural habitat.
The Del Close Marathon is at various locations Fri 24–Sun 26 (delclosemarathon.com). $10–$35.