Attention, Bushwick late-night fans: this one’s for you.
An unscripted, locally-sourced show tailored specifically for Bushwick audiences is finishing its 3-week run in the neighborhood this week, and if you like to enjoy $4 glasses wine with a generous side of satire, you won’t want to miss it.
This Wednesday, June 1st, through Saturday, June 4th, comedic performer and entertainer Ikechukwu Ufomadu will host his live, late-night show “Ike at Night” at the Bushwick Starr, the neighborhood’s Obie Award winning non-profit theater located right off the Jefferson L stop. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased on the Bushwick Starr website here.
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On paper, “Ike at Night” follows a standard late-night format: audiences can expect a monologue, a segment of banter between the host and his “side-kicks” (B. Brian Argotsinger and Jonathan Jacobs, aka The Vintage DJ), various guest appearances and interviews, and a final, musical performance. What differentiates “Ike at Night”, however, is how Ike’s hand-crafted and droll persona emboldens an otherwise rather retro format — During his May 27 performance (which featured comedian Daniel Koren, actor Paul Lazar, and New York-based music project Imaginary Tricks) his satiric treatment of the unscripted, live-show setup was a fresh and impelling approach.
No two “Ike at Night” performances are identical — the show welcomes new special guests every night, and in the past has featured comedian John Hodgman, entertainer Reggie Watts, photographer and MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems, five-time OBIE Award-winner David Greenspan, and many more.
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“You can prepare for each show but you can’t really plan what’s going to happen and I think it’s better that way because it’s a challenge,” Ike told the Brooklyn Paper.
When he says “you can’t really plan” he’s not just talking about the performers; the Bushwick Starr is an intimate venue, which enabled Ike and his sidekicks to play intelligently and often surprisingly off of the audience. If you’re not a fan of being singled out by on-stage performers, however, don’t worry — Ike and his guests responded only to the outwardly vocal audience members.
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“Ike at Night” will run its final four performances at the Bushwick Starr, located at 207 Starr St. off the Jefferson L, June 1 through June 4 at 8 p.m. each night. A full list of nightly guests who will appear on “Ike at Night,” as well as tickets, can be found and purchased at the Bushwick Starr website here.