The Southeast’s largest comedy festival celebrates eleven years in Asheville this summer with stand up comedians from all around the world. Since its first two day festival in 2006, The Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival (a.k.a. The Asheville Comedy Festival) has grown into one of the country’s most prestigious comedy festivals among both comedians, comedy industry professionals and fans.

The four day festival will be showcasing over 50 of the nation's funniest comics in the industry today. These comics flock into town to turn the heads of the audiences, major TV network executives, casting agents, talent bookers, and comedy club owners that have traveled to the festival to discover comedians in an atmosphere designed to set the performers up for success.

"The festival has nurtured its reputation for being very comic and comedy industry friendly by staying true to what we believe a comedy festival should be... FUNNY, classy, informative for the performers and comfortable for everyone from our comics all the way to our audience.  We don’t complicate winning.  We put high value on production detail because that’s what we would want from a big comedy show.” said Charlie Gerencer, festival Executive Producer/Director and production company executive.

Every year, Asheville is given a front row seat to see comedians from all around the world first. Many festival alums have gone on to great success including booking television and movie roles such as Seaton Smith (from the 7th year) who found himself in a supporting role on Fox’s Mulaney with David Spade. The 8th year’s headliner Chris Monty was in Mall Cop 2. And most recently, Chris Roach, who has become the breakout star in Kevin James'  sitcom "Kevin Can Wait" airing on CBS.

And it’s no wonder so much talent makes its way on to the Laugh Your Asheville Off stages. Los Angeles based Event Producer, Charlie Gerencer, is a comedy business veteran. Charlie has a full time career as head of comedy television development for Pygmy Wolf Productions in Los Angeles where he manages the company in a working development deal with Lionsgate.

Some of Charlie's previous works include producing NBC's Last Comic Standing seasons 1-3, Mohrsports on ESPN, Comedy programming for Viacom, TruTV, Kevin Hart's LOL streaming network and many more. While actively producing comedy television he also dedicates a large amount of time to seeking out new comedic talent for potential development on the big screen.

The Schedule

August 9, 8pm, Highland Brewing, $20
The festival kicks off at Highland Brewing featuring a huge lineup of comics from all over the country and special guest Rich Vos closes out the show with his no-holds-barred style of comedy.

August 10, 8pm, Diana Wortham Theatre, $20
The festival moves over to The Diana Wortham Theatre for an eclectic lineup of hand selected comics that will feature closer Tammy Pescatelli who brings her brassy sexiness and female voice of witty sarcasm to the stage.

Friday, August 11, 8pm, Diana Wortham Theatre, $20
Named one of Comedy's Most Though Provoking Comics by The Black Comedy Awards and also a "Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" breakout star Mike Yard will close the evening following a stellar comedy lineup.

Saturday, August 12, at 8pm, Diana Wortham Theatre, $20 
This evening will feature a huge lineup of comics from all over the country in a festival blowout extravaganza.

The sixth annual Sound Effects concert to benefit Asheville Music School will be held on Thursday, April 19 from 6 - 10 PM at Isis Music Hall. The featured headliner will showcase AMS teachers and advanced students covering The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in its entirety, with full instrumentation.

“This is the third Beatles album we’ve performed live, and possibly the most challenging,” said Sound Effects musical director Ryan Reardon. “It’s one of the Fab Four’s most well-known records, and the one where they really dove into different recording techniques for the first time. It’s exciting not only to get to recreate that in a live setting, but also to share these historic moments in music with our students.” All proceeds from the event will benefit Asheville Music School’s operations, mission, and programs, particularly the school’s growing outreach and scholarship programs.

The event will also feature AMS Outreach ensembles, including the AMS rock band Minør and and pop band Vinyl Crossroads, as well as performances by AMS teachers, including gypsy jazz group Hot Club of Asheville. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on a variety of silent auction and raffle items donated by area businesses, including a day of recording at Echo Mountain Recording Studio, vacation getaways, and much more.

Sponsors of the 2018 benefit include Charlotte Street Computers, Salvage Station, Prestige Subaru, Strada Italiano, more.

About Asheville Music School
Launched in 1996 as a community-based business, Asheville Music School transitioned into nonprofit status in 2012 and relocated to Pack Square. AMS currently has an enrollment of nearly 400 students of all skill levels who study a variety of instruments in private and group lessons, summer camps, ensembles and workshops. The 37 members of the AMS music faculty are all professional music educators and teaching artists.

The mission of AMS is strengthening Western North Carolina communities through music education and outreach. Through the Paul Thorpe Music Education Fund, created in 2012 in honor of the late director of the school, AMS has awarded more than $40,000 in scholarships to local youth and adults who are unable to afford music instruction and instruments. The Sound Education Outreach Program is comprised of youth and adult ensembles that perform free of charge for youth, seniors and people living with disabilities at community sites. Over the past year alone, the program reached 2,240 veterans, elders, the homeless, and people with disabilities.

Tickets to the event are $15 in advance and $18 at the door; $7 for children under 12; and free for ages 2 and younger. Advance tickets may be purchased on the Isis Music Hall website at isisasheville.com. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy fine dining at Isis prior to the show; a portion of dinner sales will be donated to AMS. Dinner reservations are recommended and may be made by calling Isis at (828) 575-2737.