The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is home for all things comedy. Our four theaters, two in New York and two in Los Angeles, offer affordable, high-quality shows seven nights a week. The UCB Theater hosts the best and most innovative improv, sketch, stand-up comedy, variety shows, and cool/weird stuff that defies categorization. In addition to our performance space, the UCB Theatre is home to one of the largest and most respected comedy Training Centers in the country, where students learn the art of improvisational and written comedy. If you are interested in taking classes check out our Training Center Page. Our Story The Upright Citizens Brigade is Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. The “UCB4” came to New York, from Chicago, in 1996. Noticing an absence of "Chicago-style" long form improv in the city, the UCB4 soon began their training program in 1997. They produced their own sketch show, “Upright Citizens Brigade” on Comedy Central from 1998-2000. During the success of the TV show, in 1999, they founded the UCB Theatre on 22nd Street in New York City, an 80 seat black box theatre. The UCB Theatre quickly became the place for great, cutting-edge comedy. Casting directors, agents, festival producers, and journalists all began to flock to the theater to see the best comic talent in the city. And, as buzz for the theater grew, the training program expanded even more, with hundreds of students learning the art of improvised theater. In 2003, UCBT moved to 307 West 26th Street. In 2005 the UCB Theatre and Training Center in Los Angeles opened, making UCB Theatre the only bi-coastal sketch, improv and comedy theatre in the country. In 2011 UCBTNY opened a second venue in the East Village. In 2014, UCBTLA opened a second venue, along with a Training Center, on Sunset Boulevard. In December 2017 UCBTNY moved from their Chelsea location to 555 W. 42nd Street in Hell’s Kitchen.