Comedy, ‘Gong Show’

Guild Hall will offer two distractions from the grim events of recent weeks with a new comedy by Eugene Pack and the lowbrow eccentricity of “The Gong Show.” 

A staged reading of “Sweet Birds,” a comedy that juxtaposes two stories revolving around an avant-garde production of “Sweet Bird of Youth” — the outrageous backstage drama of the stars and a romantic adventure of two Long Island teachers — will take place Sunday evening at 8. The cast includes Mario Cantone, Tate Donovan, Carol Kane, Chloe Dirksen, J. Smith Cameron, Kathryn Grody, Dayle Reyfel, and others to be announced. Tickets range from $30 to $75, $28 to $70 for members.

“The Gong Show Off Broadway,” the re-creation of the television classic that showcased offbeat talent acts for a rowdy audience and three judges, will come to Guild Hall on Tuesday at 8 p.m. In the current iteration, the judges are celebrities and the cast features legitimate comedians, actors, and other performers, among them Ray Ellin, Chuck Nice, Brian Scott McFadden, and Leslie Gold. Tickets are $40 to $75, $38 to $70 for members.