Here’s the press release from festival organizers:
Asheville takes the stage again this summer in the seventh annual nationally renowned comedy festival: Laugh Your Asheville Off. The five-day multi-venue festival spotlights over 40 of the nation’s funniest up-and-coming and established comics. Major TV network casting agents, talent bookers, and comedy club owners come to discover stand-up comedy’s next crop of rising talent. “Our goal is to showcase world class comedians to Asheville in a non-competitive format,” said Charlie Gerencer, festival producer and production company executive.
Previous Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival performers have received their own network sitcom, appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and starred in their own half-hour Comedy Central specials.
“The Asheville community has supported us as this small idea has grown which has grown into a record setting event,” said Greg Brown, festival producer and stand-up comedian. “We’ve received six years of support from Asheville, and we’ve been embraced by the national comic community, and have grown into one of the largest comedy festivals in the country. In return, we hope to continually raise the bar of world class entertainment while keeping ticket prices reasonable,” adds Charlie Gerencer.
Since submissions began this year, more than 500 stand-up comedians submitted stand-up clips hoping to secure over one of the 40 performer slots. The festival begins Tuesday August 13, 2014, with the “Local Laughs for Brother Wolf” charity show at The Altamont Theatre. All door proceeds from the show will be donated to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.
On Wednesday August 14th, the festival features Boston Comedy Festival and World Series of Comedy winner Landy at the intimate Altamont Theatre. On August 15th, the festival heads up the mountain to Highland Brewing Company to the widely popular Laugh Your Asheville Off Showcase featuring Jen Kober from Curb Your Enthusiasm and Anger Management.
For the next two nights The Diana Wortham Theatre plays host to the LYAO Famous Showcases on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition, The Altamont Theater will present the LYAO Live at the Altamont Theatre late Friday night with Irish comedian Mick Thomas, after the Diana Wortham show. The festival continues to add depth with the addition of Ryan Singer’s “Flick My Clip” comedic shorts at the The Altamont Theatre 5 pm on Saturday.
Ticket specials and announcement will be made on the festival website at: www.laughyourashevilleoff.com
About Laugh Your Asheville Off:
The largest non-competitive comedy festival in the southeast, LYAO was founded by stand-up comedian Greg Brown and executive producer Charlie Gerencer. The festival hosts comics, industry professionals, and talent producers during a multi-day, multi-venue event in Asheville, North Carolina. Previous talent have gone on to appear on network sitcoms, half-hour Comedy Central specials, and late night flagship shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
2013 Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival Schedule:
Tuesday 8/13 BWAR benefit at The Altamont Theatre 8pm-$10
Wednesday 8/14 Kick off show w/ Landry at 8pm-$12
Thursday 8/15 Super VIP Lazoom Comedy Bus (includes: entertainment, transportation, a beer and admission to The Highland Brewery show)- 7 pm $20
Thursday 8/15 Highland Brewing Company show w/Jen Kober – 8 pm $10
Friday 8/16 LYAO Famous Showcase at DW theatre w/ Hampton Yount 8pm-$18
Friday 8/16 LYAO Live at the Altamont theater 10:30pm w/ Mick Thomas showcase-$10
Saturday 8/17 Ryan Singer’s “Flick My Clip” comedic shorts at the The Altamont Theatre 5 pm, $5
Saturday 8/17 LYAO Famous Showcases at DW theatre w/ Erin Jackson 8pm $18 each
Tickets are on sale here: http://laughyourashevilleoff.eventbrite.com/
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