Open call auditions for 2015 New York’s Funniest Stand-Up competition

Last year’s winner of New York’s Funniest Stand-Up, Ricky Velez, was hired this year as a correspondent for Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.

What’s in store for the 2015 winner of New York’s Funniest Stand-Up? And could it be you?

Carolines on Broadway (1626 Broadway between 49th and 50th Streets) will host an open call audition — yes, come one, come all — on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, starting at 9 a.m. You’ll have only two minutes to perform your original material for a panel of industry judges at the open audition.

From there, 20 comedians will advance to compete in two semifinal rounds in front of live audiences at Carolines two weeks later, on Oct. 20, 2015. The 10 finalists for “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” will face off in the finals at 4 p.m. Nov. 15, 2015, at Carolines as part of the 2015 New York Comedy Festival.

All of it — the auditions, semi-finals and final rounds — will be recorded for airing in 2016 via NBC Digital Enterprises. Anyone who auditions must be available to compete in both the Oct. 20 semis and Nov. 15 finals.

“New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” winner will receive a cash prize, introductions to agents, managers and casting agents, and a chance to perform on a headliner show at Carolines on Broadway and on one of the New York Comedy Festival shows in 2016.

The contest began in 2008. Other past winners include Joe Machi, Michael Che, Dan Soder, Nate Bargatze, Myq Kaplan and Julian McCullough. All of whom you’ve seen since on national TV.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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