A laugh riot: Check out city's best laughs

Good evening, ladies and germs

Welcome to the Portland Tribune’s new monthly live comedy column, Laugh Track.

The last Thursday of each month, we’ll highlight some of the must-see comedians, improvisational troupes, sketch groups and festivals that make our city a premier comedy site.

If your club, act, theater or troupe is interested in being mentioned in Laugh Track, send a detailed email to rcullivan@theoutlookonline.com.

Our next column will be published Jan. 28, so if your gig is anytime after that, feel free to drop us a line.

Dec. 31

Curious Comedy

If you’d rather drink and laugh than drink and cry your way through New Year’s Eve, check out the Curious Comedy Theater Extravaganza, four hours of sketch, stand up, improv, and aerial arts, plus hors d’oeuvres, dessert, a champagne toast, and a midnight dance party for 100 people.

Extravaganza, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd. $75. Info: www.curiouscomedy.org.

Fan the games

Have you ever watched a comedy skit and thought “I’ve got a much better idea for a skit”? Well ComedySportz offers you and every other audience member a chance to share those ideas rolling around your head by inviting you to make suggestions that the actors then turn into improvised entertainment. This all-ages show also offers beer and wine for adults.

ComedySportz New Year’s Eve, 7 and 9:30 p.m., 1963 N.W. Kearney St. $15. All ages, 503-236-8888, www.portlandcomedy.com.

Jan. 7-30

Laugh trek

Fans of that other big sci-fi franchise, “Star Trek,” might want to check a series of improv show this month at the Funhouse Lounge. “USS Improvise: The Next Generation” features live, unscripted episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” for the fourth consecutive year. Using audience suggestions, the Funhouse Improvisers craft new episodes of the sci-fi classic television show, directed by Andy Barrett.

“USS Improvise: The Next Generation,” 7 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Jan. 7 to 30, Funhouse Lounge, 2432 S.E. 11th Ave. $12 in advance, $16 at the door. Priority seating available.

Jan. 7

Bern notice

Comedians who dream of turning our nation into a workers’ paradise are uniting to perform a second fundraiser, in little more than a month, for Hillary Clinton’s primary nightmare, Bernie Sanders, with this show.

Local stand-up comic-rabble-rouser Andie Main is joining acoustic musician Emily Overstreet from the band Bitch’n, Laura Anne Whitley of the comedy troupe Lez Stand Up, Jon Washington, who’s performed at Portland’s Bridgetown and Seattle’s Bumbershoot comedy festivals, and comedians Barbara Holm and award-winning headliner Nathan Brannon gather for this event.

Bern in the USA, Part II, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E. Burnside St. $10 in advance, $15 day of show. Info: 503-206-7630, www.facebook.com/PDXArtParty/, www.bossanovaballroom.com.

Jan. 16

Lily Tomlin

Presented by the Oregon Symphony, the famed and longtime comedian, going back to her work on “Laugh-In,” comes to Portland to showcase her memorable characters — Edith Ann, Ernestine the telephone operator, Mrs. Judith Beasley, and homeless bag lady Tess/Trudy, and share her own thoughts on current events. She was the first woman to appear solo in a Broadway show with “Appearing Nitely” in 1977.

Lily Tomlin, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway, www.orsymphony.org, starting at $30.

All month

Helium

The Helium Comedy Club, 1510 S.E. Ninth Ave. (www.portland.heliumcomedy.com) continues to offer some of the best traveling comedians. For January, it’ll be shows Thursdays (8 p.m.), Fridays and Saturdays (7:30 and 10 p.m.) featuring: Greg Fitzsimmons (8 and 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Jan. 2 only); Josh Heffron (Jan. 7-9); Greg Proops (Jan. 14-16); Josh Wolf (Jan. 21-23); Brian Posehn (Jan. 28-30).

The Open Mic Night, scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesdays, resumes after a holiday break on Jan. 5.

Harvey’s

Harvey’s Comedy Club, 436 N.W. Sixth Ave., which has 7:30 and 10 p.m. shows Dec. 31, also features standup headliners all month: Tony Baker, Jan. 1-3; Tyler Boeh, Jan. 7-10; Dave Anderson, Jan. 14-17; Jeff Burghart, Jan. 21-24; Ron Osborne, Jan. 28-31. For more: www.harveyscomedyclub.com.