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Event Program
THUR, FEB 05
FEATURING
Brandon Collins, Janeane Garofalo, Myq Kaplan,
Bob Powers, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, and Natasha Vaynblat
Hosted by Shalewa Sharpe
Due to a scheduling conflict, Peter Grosz will no longer be appearing at this event.
Tag us on Instagram @symphonyspace to be featured in our Instagram stories!

Brandon Collins is a comedian, screenwriter, producer, and podcast host. He has performed live at SXSW and the New York Comedy Festival, and previously produced and co-hosted the long-running monthly show and podcast Comedy Outliers. Collins currently co-hosts the podcast Medium Popcorn, and produces and hosts the live show and podcast Drunk Black History.
Brandon Collins is a comedian, screenwriter, producer, and podcast host. He has performed live at SXSW and the New York Comedy Festival, and previously produced and co-hosted the long-running monthly show and podcast Comedy Outliers. Collins currently co-hosts the podcast Medium Popcorn, and produces and hosts the live show and podcast Drunk Black History.

Janeane Garofalo is an activist, actor, and comedian known for her memorable and critically acclaimed roles in films such as The Truth About Cats and Dogs, Steal This Movie, Copland, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Reality Bites, and Wet Hot American Summer. She was instrumental in the successful launch of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, The Majority Report. Recent film and television credits include Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Harley Quinn, and Boys Go to Jupiter.
Janeane Garofalo is an activist, actor, and comedian known for her memorable and critically acclaimed roles in films such as The Truth About Cats and Dogs, Steal This Movie, Copland, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Reality Bites, and Wet Hot American Summer. She was instrumental in the successful launch of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, The Majority Report. Recent film and television credits include Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Harley Quinn, and Boys Go to Jupiter.

Myq "Mike" Kaplan has performed on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Additional screen credits include his half-hour Comedy Central Presents special; his one-hour Amazon special Small, Dork, and Handsome; the Dry Bar special Live from the Universe; and his most recent hour-long special Rini. He has been featured on America’s Got Talent and was a finalist on Last Comic Standing. His debut album, Vegan Mind Meld, was one of iTunes’ Top 10 Comedy Albums of the Year. Additional albums include Meat Robot, No Kidding, and A.K.A., which debuted at #1 and was called "invigoratingly funny" by The New York Times. Kaplan hosts the podcasts Broccoli and Ice Cream and The Faucet.
Myq "Mike" Kaplan has performed on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Additional screen credits include his half-hour Comedy Central Presents special; his one-hour Amazon special Small, Dork, and Handsome; the Dry Bar special Live from the Universe; and his most recent hour-long special Rini. He has been featured on America’s Got Talent and was a finalist on Last Comic Standing. His debut album, Vegan Mind Meld, was one of iTunes’ Top 10 Comedy Albums of the Year. Additional albums include Meat Robot, No Kidding, and A.K.A., which debuted at #1 and was called "invigoratingly funny" by The New York Times. Kaplan hosts the podcasts Broccoli and Ice Cream and The Faucet.

Bob Powers is a WGA Award-nominated TV writer, author, and content creator. He is the author of three books, including Happy Cruelty Day!, and has contributed to McSweeney's, The New Yorker, Esquire, and GQ, among other publications. He served as both writer and voice actor on the series Our Cartoon President and Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and co-produced the animated series Fairview. Please read and subscribe to Bob's Substack: Some of the Cats.
Bob Powers is a WGA Award-nominated TV writer, author, and content creator. He is the author of three books, including Happy Cruelty Day!, and has contributed to McSweeney's, The New Yorker, Esquire, and GQ, among other publications. He served as both writer and voice actor on the series Our Cartoon President and Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and co-produced the animated series Fairview. Please read and subscribe to Bob's Substack: Some of the Cats.

Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an Emmy-nominated, Drama Desk Award–winning actor, writer, and comedian, named a “Comedian You Should and Will Know” by Vulture/New York Magazine and a “Comic to Look Out For” by Time Out New York. He co-wrote and stars in Inspector Ike and Words with Ike, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Short Form Series. His solo show, Amusements, played a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and is currently touring. Ufomadu has written for Ziwe, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and Paid Off. On screen, he can be seen in Judas and the Black Messiah, Los Espookys, Three Busy Debras, Joe Pera Talks with You, Your Monster, The French Italian, and Fantasmas. He has performed at venues including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, SXSW, The Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, New York Comedy Festival, and the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. He was in the world premiere production of Clare Barron’s Dance Nation. Ufomadu was an inaugural recipient of the Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship.
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an Emmy-nominated, Drama Desk Award–winning actor, writer, and comedian, named a “Comedian You Should and Will Know” by Vulture/New York Magazine and a “Comic to Look Out For” by Time Out New York. He co-wrote and stars in Inspector Ike and Words with Ike, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Short Form Series. His solo show, Amusements, played a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and is currently touring. Ufomadu has written for Ziwe, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and Paid Off. On screen, he can be seen in Judas and the Black Messiah, Los Espookys, Three Busy Debras, Joe Pera Talks with You, Your Monster, The French Italian, and Fantasmas. He has performed at venues including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, SXSW, The Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, New York Comedy Festival, and the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. He was in the world premiere production of Clare Barron’s Dance Nation. Ufomadu was an inaugural recipient of the Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship.

Natasha Vaynblat’s comedy is “silly and searingly smart” (Paste Magazine). She has written for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and Comedy Central’s Your Worst Fears Confirmed. Her humor writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and McSweeney's. Her stand-up album, We’re All Dads Here, was featured in Vulture's Albums To Watch Right Now. On April 28th, Vaynblat will perform her new hour, Childless Freak, at Joe's Pub, all about her choice to not have kids.
Natasha Vaynblat’s comedy is “silly and searingly smart” (Paste Magazine). She has written for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and Comedy Central’s Your Worst Fears Confirmed. Her humor writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and McSweeney's. Her stand-up album, We’re All Dads Here, was featured in Vulture's Albums To Watch Right Now. On April 28th, Vaynblat will perform her new hour, Childless Freak, at Joe's Pub, all about her choice to not have kids.

Brooklyn-based comedian Shalewa Sharpe developed her sly yet goofy style in Atlanta, where she was raised. A 2019 Vulture Comic To Watch, she has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, The CW, Peacock, and Showtime. She has two albums, Stay Eating Cookies and So You Just Out Here?, both available everywhere. Sharpe currently hosts the monthly Whiplash Comedy Show at Union Hall, and co-hosts the weekly podcast The War Report with Gastor and Shalewa.
Brooklyn-based comedian Shalewa Sharpe developed her sly yet goofy style in Atlanta, where she was raised. A 2019 Vulture Comic To Watch, she has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, The CW, Peacock, and Showtime. She has two albums, Stay Eating Cookies and So You Just Out Here?, both available everywhere. Sharpe currently hosts the monthly Whiplash Comedy Show at Union Hall, and co-hosts the weekly podcast The War Report with Gastor and Shalewa.
Uptown Showdown is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Seedlings Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Charina Endowment Fund, Charles D. Fleischman Charitable Trust, Susan Bay Nimoy, The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America, Michael Tuch Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Google.org, Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and the Seedtime Foundation.
Programming is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
Symphony Space thanks our generous supporters, including our Board of Directors, Producers Circle, and members, who make our programs possible with their annual support.
Kathy Landau Executive Director
Peg Wreen Managing Director
Isaiah Sheffer*
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Artistic Director (1990-2010)
Founding Artistic Director (2010-2012)
Allan Miller
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Jennifer Brennan Director of Literary Programs
Drew Richardson Lead Producer of Literary Programs
Vivienne Woodward Senior Producer of Literary Programs
Mary Shimkin Director of Broadcast & Literary Initiatives
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Program Associate
Lili Raynaud Literary Intern
Gabriela Weaver Literary Intern
*in memoriam