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Event Program
THUR, OCT 10
FEATURING
Michael Ian Black, Rose Kelso, Carmen Lynch,
Liz Miele, Nathan Min, & Ikechukwu Ufomadu
HOSTED BY SHALEWA SHARPE
Due to a scheduling conflict, Kevin Townley will no longer be hosting this event.
Tag us on Instagram @symphonyspace to be featured!
Michael Ian Black is known for such seminal television programs as The State, Stella, and Michael & Michael Have Issues, all of which he co-created, wrote, and starred in. In addition to his live stand-up work, Black's numerous film and television credits include Ed, Wet Hot American Summer, Burning Love, They Came Together, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Inside Amy Schumer, VH1’s I Love the '80s, The Good Fight, Dogs in a Park, Another Period, Insatiable, Reno 911!, Linoleum, and Spinning Gold. He is the author of A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son, among other bestselling books for children and adults. Black hosts the podcast Obscure and currently stars on the limited series Have I Got News For You on CNN.
Michael Ian Black is known for such seminal television programs as The State, Stella, and Michael & Michael Have Issues, all of which he co-created, wrote, and starred in. In addition to his live stand-up work, Black's numerous film and television credits include Ed, Wet Hot American Summer, Burning Love, They Came Together, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Inside Amy Schumer, VH1’s I Love the '80s, The Good Fight, Dogs in a Park, Another Period, Insatiable, Reno 911!, Linoleum, and Spinning Gold. He is the author of A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son, among other bestselling books for children and adults. Black hosts the podcast Obscure and currently stars on the limited series Have I Got News For You on CNN.
Rose Kelso is a Brooklyn-based writer, director, and musical comedian, who graduated in 2019 with a BFA in Film and Television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Rose is currently staffed as a writer/producer for Comedy Central Digital, where her sketches and satirical songs are regularly featured. She is best known for her original musical puppet series, the Shorty Award–winning Boomer Stoop, which she writes, composes, designs, edits, and hosts. Rose has also emerged as a popular comedian on TikTok and Instagram, with over 400k followers, and was recently named a 2022 NYCF Creator To Watch.
Rose Kelso is a Brooklyn-based writer, director, and musical comedian, who graduated in 2019 with a BFA in Film and Television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Rose is currently staffed as a writer/producer for Comedy Central Digital, where her sketches and satirical songs are regularly featured. She is best known for her original musical puppet series, the Shorty Award–winning Boomer Stoop, which she writes, composes, designs, edits, and hosts. Rose has also emerged as a popular comedian on TikTok and Instagram, with over 400k followers, and was recently named a 2022 NYCF Creator To Watch.
Carmen Lynch has appeared on a string of late-night TV shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Conan. Additional screen credits include Inside Amy Schumer, That Damn Michael Che, Life & Beth, and the documentary Hysterical. Lynch performs stand-up across the country in both English and Spanish, and has hosted two podcasts in two languages: The Human CentiPOD in English for SiriusXM, and Podria Ser Peor in Spanish. Her self-produced comedy specials, Queef Week and Carmen Lynch en Español, were released earlier this year.
Carmen Lynch has appeared on a string of late-night TV shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Conan. Additional screen credits include Inside Amy Schumer, That Damn Michael Che, Life & Beth, and the documentary Hysterical. Lynch performs stand-up across the country in both English and Spanish, and has hosted two podcasts in two languages: The Human CentiPOD in English for SiriusXM, and Podria Ser Peor in Spanish. Her self-produced comedy specials, Queef Week and Carmen Lynch en Español, were released earlier this year.
Liz Miele has appeared on Comedy Central, FOX, AXS TV, Hulu, NPR’s Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!, and CBS’s After Midnight, and featured in print in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Guardian. Miele's videos have gone viral on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and her comedy albums have accrued a combined 6+ million views on YouTube. She is the author of the book Why Cats Are A**holes, and her most recent special, Murder Sheets, premiered earlier this year. Her previous special, The Ghost of Academic Future, was featured in The New York Times, Paste Magazine, and Interrobang's Best Comedy Albums of 2022 list. Miele performs stand-up internationally and currently co-hosts the podcast 2 Non Doctors.
Liz Miele has appeared on Comedy Central, FOX, AXS TV, Hulu, NPR’s Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!, and CBS’s After Midnight, and featured in print in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Guardian. Miele's videos have gone viral on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and her comedy albums have accrued a combined 6+ million views on YouTube. She is the author of the book Why Cats Are A**holes, and her most recent special, Murder Sheets, premiered earlier this year. Her previous special, The Ghost of Academic Future, was featured in The New York Times, Paste Magazine, and Interrobang's Best Comedy Albums of 2022 list. Miele performs stand-up internationally and currently co-hosts the podcast 2 Non Doctors.
Nathan Min is a serious comedian. As a writer, he has contributed to UCB Comedy Originals, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Joe Pera Talks With You. On screen, he has performed voiceover work for television and podcast series including Our Cartoon President, The Truth, Mission to Zyxx, and Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, among others. In 2022, Min was featured in the miniseries WeCrashed.
Nathan Min is a serious comedian. As a writer, he has contributed to UCB Comedy Originals, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Joe Pera Talks With You. On screen, he has performed voiceover work for television and podcast series including Our Cartoon President, The Truth, Mission to Zyxx, and Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, among others. In 2022, Min was featured in the miniseries WeCrashed.
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an Emmy-nominated and 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. His one-man show, Amusements, premiered off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons after being workshopped at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to sell-out audiences and strong reviews. He co-wrote and stars in Inspector Ike and Words with Ike, the latter being recognized with an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Short Form Series. He's written for the TV series Ziwe, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and Paid Off. On screen, he can be seen in recent Sundance hit Your Monster, as well as Judas and the Black Messiah, Los Espookys, Three Busy Debras, Joe Pera Talks With You and more. As a comedian, he's performed at 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, and an inaugural recipient of the Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship.
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an Emmy-nominated and 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. His one-man show, Amusements, premiered off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons after being workshopped at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to sell-out audiences and strong reviews. He co-wrote and stars in Inspector Ike and Words with Ike, the latter being recognized with an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Short Form Series. He's written for the TV series Ziwe, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, and Paid Off. On screen, he can be seen in recent Sundance hit Your Monster, as well as Judas and the Black Messiah, Los Espookys, Three Busy Debras, Joe Pera Talks With You and more. As a comedian, he's performed at 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, and an inaugural recipient of the Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship.
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. She is currently a co-host of 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. She is currently a co-host of 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, Susan Bay Nimoy, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Michael Tuch Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America.
This program 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 Producer of Literary Programs
Mary Shimkin Director of Broadcast & Literary Initiatives
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Literary Assistant
Leigh Reid Literary Intern
Mia Testa Literary Intern
*in memoriam