Calendar of Events

After 22 years in comedy, Leanne Morgan has cemented herself as a must-watch comedian.

Leanne was feeling the lure of Hollywood after graduating high school, but the idea of moving there was unheard of and too daunting for a country girl who had never been away from home. She enrolled in college at The University of Tennessee, where she graduated (by the skin of her teeth) with a degree in Child and Family Studies.

Shortly after that, she married her husband Chuck and they moved to Bean Station, TN in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

To stay busy after having her first baby, Leanne started selling jewelry at home parties. She was supposed to talk about the jewelry but instead conversed about breastfeeding, hemorrhoids and being a mama. The party guests thought that she was hilarious to the point somebody peed on a couch, and before she knew it, she was booked out a year in-advance.

The jewelry company saw what was happening and asked her to speak at their sales rallies. It was there that women started saying, “you need to do stand-up!” That gave Leanne the courage to really go for it! Leanne finally had access to comedy clubs when her family moved to San Antonio in 2001, and her career in comedy quickly started to skyrocket.

Leanne’s comedy has landed her at the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and has brought her development deals for her own sitcom with ABC and Warner Brothers, writer/producer Matt Williams (Rosanne and Home Improvement), TV Land and with Sony Television.

Leanne has garnered over 2 million followers across social media and her popular stand-up special, So Yummy has reached over 50 million views on YouTube.

Her fan base continues to grow with her relatability as she discusses everything from being a housewife to sharing Jell-O recipes to having a new grandbaby. She has appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, The View, Nick at Nite’s Funniest Mom and toured with the Southern Fried Chicks.

Now that her three children are grown, Leanne is currently on The Big Panty Tour for her 100-city theater run across the North America with Outback Concerts.

3.2. 23 Disclaimer Standup Comedy TAKEOVER
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday 3.2.2023. 8:30p-10:30p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! .
Limited spots comedy open mic at end of show. Comics signup at door get 3-5m. [Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table]
Stand up comedy featuring Petey Smith McDowell, Cary Goff, Katy Hudson, Blaine Perry. Hosted by Cody Hughes
FB Event: https://fb.me/e/5QB8e3jo7
For more info about this show contact Michele Scheve, [email protected]
Peter Smith-McDowell is an Asheville native who has been traveling all around the country telling jokes since 2009.
He has opened for Rory Scovel, Hannibal Buress, Beth Stelling, and Trevor Noah.
Cary Goff is a writer and comedian out of Asheville, NC. He performs around the Southeast. He’s showcased in the Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival, been a finalist in the Port City Comedy Competition and a semi-finalist in the Carolina’s Funniest Stand-Up Comic Competition.
Katy Hudson is creating content clouds. Who’s to say whether that means a calm, collected cumulus, or a brainstorm of ideas that flood the banks of the Stream of Consciousness? They’ve been eager to perform since giving their TEDx talk called “Gay Clouds.” What they’ll do next will surprise everyone, including Katy!
Blaine Perry a former New York City comic, Blaine was the co-host of the comedy duo called “Don’t Touch Me There.” He moved to the North Carolina a few years ago and performs regularly throughout the South.
Host Cody Hughes: Cody is a comedian who cut his teeth in Chicago and Atlanta. He is now based out of West North Carolina and tours the Southeast. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver and Maria Bamford among others and hosts the regular Slice of Life Comedy shows at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge.
About Pulp: The speakeasy inspired hideaway offers a cozy space for show-goers to relax and enjoy a beverage during the concert. Boasting over 200 different Bourbons and Whiskeys, alongside a myriad of other spirits, it is a must-visit for cocktail lovers and Bourbon sippers alike. Pulp will also open various other nights to feature local artists and “Slice of Life” open-mic comedy nights. To stay informed with the happenings at Pulp, visit the Orange Peel’s website, and follow @pulp_avl on Instagram.
About Slice of Life Comedy: Slice of Life Comedy is owned and run by long standing Ashevillian Michele Scheve. Michele was the Founder and Publisher of the hit satire newspaper “The Asheville Disclaimer” in 2002 (till 2015). She also Hosts one of 103.3 Asheville FM’ longest running and most popular shows, “Slumber Party AVL”, which began in 2011. In addition to these established platforms, Michele also Co-Founded and Co-Owns Buzz Radio Asheville, which features only local music and comedy 24/7. Slice of Life Comedy began as a partnership, between Michele and comedian Kelly Rowe, doing live shows at Pulp Lounge in 2010, highlighting local up-and-coming comics through Open Mic events. From there, Slice of Life Comedy began booking feature shows, After-Party shows for national headline acts and collaboration with more and more venues and producers in the scene. Today, Slice of Life Comedy is the Premiere Partner for shows at some of Asheville’s most well-known and beloved venues.

– ALL AGES
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE

Fluid art is a form of abstract art that uses acrylic paints with a runny (fluid) consistency. The water-based paints, when combined with silicone oil, react to create beautiful, often awe-inspiring, “cells.” As the paints run amok and spill across your canvas, the possibilities are endless!

In this workshop, local artist Brooke Szweda will share her “secret recipe” for creating the perfect fluid art paint mixture, and you’ll use it to do several different acrylic pours—including a couple of more advanced options. You’ll practice the techniques, making multiple 8” x 10” abstract paintings, and you’ll learn how to finish your painting with an acrylic coating.

This class is great for people who have never created fluid art, but it also gives “frequent flyers” opportunities to try new paint mixtures and pouring methods and continue experimenting with color!

Every Sunday evening Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country

Kelly Collette.

She has been a finalist on CMT’s Next Big Comic, and tours clubs and colleges throughout the country. Her jokes have been featured on Pandora and Sirius XM, and in a segment for NPR.

She has performed at the prestigious Limestone Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, Gilda’s Laughfest and The Lucielle Ball Comedy Festival. She is featured on the CD from Lucyfest called “Live From Jamestown”. She headlined the 2019 Super Dope Comedy Festival.

Kelly toured with The Nobodies of Comedy, a national theatre tour of comedians you should know. She will be performing at Gilda’s Laugh Fest in 2019 as part of the selected “Best of The Midwest” showcase.

Kelly is also a featured emcee and storyteller. She has emceed for the Cincinnati Reds and has been a storyteller for “Cincy Storytellers” where you can hear her story on Soundcloud. She also produces a monthly standup storytelling show called “Truth Serum”.

Kelly’s writing has been published for Bust Magazine. In 2016 she wrote, produced and directed a parody play called “Reservoir Dames”. This all-female adaptation of “Reservoir Dogs” sold out and gained national attention. Her original play “Bloody Mary” (a horror comedy) debuted at the Know Theatre in 2020. She recently partnered with Gorilla Cinema and Pan American Airlines and wrote a script for an immersive 1960s pop up cocktail experience that is traveling the country.

Kelly spoke at the 2020 Ohio Women’s March and was the keynote speaker for Empower Her, a women empowerment event at Cleveland State University.

She was just named Cincinnati’s Best Local Comedian by CityBeat/Cincinnati Magazine.

Featuring TBA

ages 21+

doors at 6pm, show at 6:30pm

What: Asheville’s Premier Standup Feature & Open Mic comedy
When: Sunday, March 5, 6:30pm (Come early to get your food and drinks!)
Where: Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company Theatre 2
675 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville (onsite parking) http://www.ashevillebrewing.com/
Tickets: $14 at door or https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/movies/
Comedy open mic. [signup at the door to get 3-5m. Free entry for performing comics, free pizza at comics table]
Featuring Hilliary Begley, Julia Macias & Becca Steinhoff. Contact Michele for more info at [email protected]

Comedy + Science + Psychedelics = A Better Trip w/ Shane Mauss

Be one of the select few audiences to get a sneak peek at a new Vegas show!

In 2016, science podcaster, mental health advocate, and award-winning stand-up comedian Shane Mauss (Conan, Kimmel, Comedy Central, Amazon Prime, Showtime) partnered with MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies) and embarked on an epic, sold-out 111-city psychedelic comedy tour ‘A Good Trip.’ Along the way, a film crew followed him, making the documentary ‘Psychonautics: A Comic’s Exploration of Psychedelics’. That tour was the inspiration for the animated series Comedy Central’s ‘Tale From the Trip’ where Shane is the most regular and most viewed storyteller.

Now Shane brings his latest work ‘A Better Trip’ to Area15 in Vegas for a

residency starting April 23. In preparation Shane is doing 10 pop-up one-night-only warm-up shows announced as a last-minute surprise and Asheville is one of the 10 cities!!

featuring Cody Hughes

ages 21+ (must have ID with you)

doors at 7, show at 7:30pm

Comedy + Science + Psychedelics = A Better Trip w/ Shane Mauss

Be one of the select few audiences to get a sneak peek at a new Vegas show!

In 2016, science podcaster, mental health advocate, and award-winning stand-up comedian Shane Mauss (Conan, Kimmel, Comedy Central, Amazon Prime, Showtime) partnered with MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies) and embarked on an epic, sold-out 111-city psychedelic comedy tour ‘A Good Trip.’ Along the way, a film crew followed him, making the documentary ‘Psychonautics: A Comic’s Exploration of Psychedelics’. That tour was the inspiration for the animated series Comedy Central’s ‘Tale From the Trip’ where Shane is the most regular and most viewed storyteller.

Now Shane brings his latest work ‘A Better Trip’ to Area15 in Vegas for a

residency starting April 23. In preparation Shane is doing 10 pop-up one-night-only warm-up shows announced as a last-minute surprise and Asheville is one of the 10 cities!!

featuring Cody Hughes

ages 21+ (must have ID with you)

doors at 7, show at 7:30pm

Mandee McKelvey was recently named one of the 50 best undiscovered comics in the country by Thrillist, and it’s not hard to see why. As one of the midwest’s most acclaimed stand-up comedians, Mandee is revered for her ability to spin tragedy into comedy.

Mandee was named a breakout performer at Limestone Comedy Festival and the Memphis Comedy Festival, and has recently featured for Whitney Cummings, Michelle Wolf, Laurie Kilmartin, Tig Notaro, Todd Barry, and Anthony Jeselnik. Her one-woman show, My Left Boob, received the Underdog Award for it’s sold-out debut at the 2019 IndyFringe and Kansas City’s Best of Fringe award in 2022.

Mandee produces the celebrated roast show Character Assassination and the storytelling show We Still Like You.

ages 21+ (must have ID with you)

doors at 7pm, show at 8pm

DYSTOPIA WORKSHOP
Presented by Ripley Improv
Learn how to improvise narrative through the lens of genre! Ripley Improv will pull back the curtain and reveal the tropes, themes, and characters that make an improvised play a YA Dystopia. You’ll monologue, you’ll fight, you’ll fall in love, and, in the end, you’ll know how to construct a complete show. After you attend the workshop, be sure to get a ticket to the show. Ripley will be drawing an attendee’s name from a hat. The winner will be one of the tributes to perform in Saturday’s DYSTOPIA show.

About Ripley Improv:

Ripley is an all-female and nonbinary, genderqueer improv collective that creates stories about people who save the day, save the world, and save each other.

Their mission: To awaken bravery, embrace weird, and cultivate play.

March 11, 2023
Saturday at 11am

– ALL AGES
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM TICKETS AVAILABLE

BEN ROY

Roy cut his comedic teeth in Denver at the world famous Comedy Works. Since then, he has been selected to perform at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs Toronto, Just For Laughs Chicago, The New York Comedy Festival, Austin’s South by Southwest festival, and many more. Roy has been featured on HBO’s Funny as Hell series; as well as on the Comedy Central shows Adam DeVine’s House Party, Corporate, @midnight, and This Is Not Happening. Ben has also released four stand-up comedy albums and was listed as one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch.

Along with fellow Denver Comedians Adam Cayton-Holland and Andrew Orvedahl (who collectively perform as The Grawlix), Ben created, wrote, and starred in TruTV’s original comedy series Those Who Can’t, which now has all three seasons available for streaming on HBOMax. He’s also currently host of two podcasts, 97.9 The Rat Race on the All Things Comedy network, and The Grawlix Saves the World available on The Starburns Audio Network. In addition to stand-up comedy, acting, and writing, Roy is a prolific musician and the current lead singer of pop punk outfit SPELLS

The Cabaret, sponsored by the Asheville Symphony Guild, is a lively variety show highlighting local singing, dancing, instrumental and comedic talent. Music from the 20s to the present, from Broadway to Appalachia, will have you tapping your feet and singing along. Come, bring your friends, be entertained and see your neighbors perform. All proceeds support the Asheville Symphony

3.16.23 The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday 3.16.2023. 8p-10p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $14 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! .
Open mic comics signup at door get 3-5m. [Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table]
Featuring Marlene Thompson
Marlene Thompson is an improviser, stand up and actor residing in Asheville, NC. She moved to the mountains from Chicago, where she studied improv and sketch at the Second City Conservatory, iO Chicago and Annoyance Theater. She’s a founding member of and performer with several local improv troupes and teaches improv at The Actors Center of Asheville. She also hosts. writes and produces her own political comedy show, From the Ashes with Marlene Thompson of YouTube. Marlene has performed at countless comedy festivals all over the country and has opened for comics Joe Zimmerman, Kate Willett, Brandie Posey and Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall.
Host Cody Hughes: Cody is a comedian who cut his teeth in Chicago and Atlanta. He is now based out of West North Carolina and tours the Southeast. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver and Maria Bamford among others and hosts the regular Slice of Life Comedy shows at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge.
About Pulp: The speakeasy inspired hideaway offers a cozy space for show-goers to relax and enjoy a beverage during the concert. Boasting over 200 different Bourbons and Whiskeys, alongside a myriad of other spirits, it is a must-visit for cocktail lovers and Bourbon sippers alike. Pulp will also open various other nights to feature local artists and “Slice of Life” open-mic comedy nights. To stay informed with the happenings at Pulp, visit the Orange Peel’s website, and follow @pulp_avl on Instagram.

3.16.23 The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday 3.16.2023. 8p-10p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $14 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! .
Open mic comics signup at door get 3-5m. [Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table]
Featuring Marlene Thompson
Marlene Thompson is an improviser, stand up and actor residing in Asheville, NC. She moved to the mountains from Chicago, where she studied improv and sketch at the Second City Conservatory, iO Chicago and Annoyance Theater. She’s a founding member of and performer with several local improv troupes and teaches improv at The Actors Center of Asheville. She also hosts. writes and produces her own political comedy show, From the Ashes with Marlene Thompson of YouTube. Marlene has performed at countless comedy festivals all over the country and has opened for comics Joe Zimmerman, Kate Willett, Brandie Posey and Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall.
Host Cody Hughes: Cody is a comedian who cut his teeth in Chicago and Atlanta. He is now based out of West North Carolina and tours the Southeast. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver and Maria Bamford among others and hosts the regular Slice of Life Comedy shows at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge.
About Pulp: The speakeasy inspired hideaway offers a cozy space for show-goers to relax and enjoy a beverage during the concert. Boasting over 200 different Bourbons and Whiskeys, alongside a myriad of other spirits, it is a must-visit for cocktail lovers and Bourbon sippers alike. Pulp will also open various other nights to feature local artists and “Slice of Life” open-mic comedy nights. To stay informed with the happenings at Pulp, visit the Orange Peel’s website, and follow @pulp_avl on Instagram.

Be bold and sit up front because you might just be part of the show!

Cody Hughes and a few of Asheville’s best comedians will be telling jokes and taking shots this Friday night at GiGi’s Underground

Featuring: TBA

ages 21+ (must have ID with you)

doors at 10pm, show at 10:30pm

Every Sunday evening Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This Sunday we have local legend Cody Hughes filming his first 30 min comedy special!!!

Local favorites James Harrod and Marlene Thompson will also be filming their 15 min sets!

Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that. Oh well. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver, Maria Bamford, and many others. Cody will also be part of the prestigious Asheville Comedy Festival this August.

Featuring James Harrod and Marlene Thompson

Hosted by Katie Hughes

ages 21+ doors at 6pm, show at 6:30pm

Raymond McAnally will lead a virtual writing workshop titled “Using Acting Techniques to Write Clear Characters.”

Have you ever had trouble differentiating one character’s voice or reactions from another on the page? Do characters with strong or surprising points of view seem to evade you? Then spend a workshop with writer/actor Raymond McAnally to learn how he uses his experience as an actor to write new characters and find the decisions and actions that draw us to them.

This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Microsoft Teams for the virtual connection. A link will be emailed to participants the day before the workshop.

Raymond McAnally is an award-winning actor, a produced writer, and university lecturer.  Television acting credits include a supporting lead role in Black Mirror: San Junipero, winner of the 2017 Emmy for Best TV Movie; Guest starring roles on Better Call Saul, Modern Family, Chicago Fire, Rizzoli & Isles, Law & Order SVU, Royal Pains, and 30 Rock; as well as roles on Boardwalk Empire, Nurse Jackie, Mozart in the Jungle, among others.  He has film credits too numerous to mention here.

As a playwright, Raymond’s full-length solo-play, “Size Matters,” received its world premiere at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati in May of 2014.  Directed by Tony Award-winning former Cincinnati Playhouse Artistic Director Ed Stern, the show ran for three weeks; garnering outstanding reviews, standing ovations, and sold-out performances.  The show was filmed before a live audience in 2015 and is now a comedy special available for streaming on Amazon Prime.  Raymond’s short plays, “The Odd Ball” and “Homeland”, have been produced at festivals on both coasts and his short play, “The Next”, will be published the Winter of 2019 in an anthology by New World Theatre.  In 2018, Raymond completed a playwriting fellowship with New World Theatre in Concord, New Hampshire.  In 2019, Raymond’s full-length play “The Cruelty of Children” was a semi-finalist at the O’Neill Center.  From 2010 to 2014, Raymond was the head content writer for the online production company Daily Fiber Films, which produced and distributed over sixty online comedy shorts, written by Raymond, and featured by FunnyOrDie.com, Fullscreen, CNN, New Media Rockstars, and The Food Network.  His short comedies also screened at festivals from coast to coast and earned “Best of the Fest” awards at L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival and the New York Friar’s Club.  In 2017, Raymond’s independent pilot “DPW” was filmed on location in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Raymond is currently a part-time lecturer for the Rutgers Arts Online department, Mason Gross School of the Arts.  He has been a lecturer at universities and guest artist at professional training programs since 2005.  He holds an MFA in Acting from MGSA, Rutgers University and a BA in Philosophy from Sewanee.

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

• Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
• 90-Minutes – tours run daily
• 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
• $39 per person (ages 13+ only)

“In the midst of the challenges of life, there are days when we just need some encouragement. Some fresh perspective to keep moving forward in the journey of faith. So we’d like to bring some encouragement and laughter through comedy theatre. We’ll perform a series of sketches that highlight some of those challenges, but also bring to life some of the mystery and gains of leaning into the presence of God; the surprise places where grace and love show up to give us strength for the journey. Laughter is good medicine.” -Carol Anderson, Acts of Renewal

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

• Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
• 90-Minutes – tours run daily
• 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
• $39 per person (ages 13+ only)

Gelli printing is an easy, innovative way to create vibrant, one-of-a-kind monoprints. The results are striking, and all you need is a gelli plate, acrylic paint, and some kind of substrate (paper, fabric, etc.). In this fun, hands-on workshop, paper artist Kristen Grady will teach you everything you need to get started with this super versatile process.

Among other techniques, you’ll learn how to build multiple layers of design, create textures and an “old wall” look, and add stenciling and shimmer to your prints. Kristen will also teach you how to create two-sided prints, work with multiple prints at the same time, create a theme for your prints, use thick and thin paints in different ways, and find your color palette.

There will be plenty of time to practice each technique, and you’ll complete at least four, two-sided prints. You’ll also leave with plenty of ideas on how to use your finished prints, including incorporating them into junk journals, and how to care for and store your gelli plate, which will be yours to keep—a $25 value!

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

• Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
• 90-Minutes – tours run daily
• 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
• $39 per person (ages 13+ only)

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

• Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
• 90-Minutes – tours run daily
• 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
• $39 per person (ages 13+ only)

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

• Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
• 90-Minutes – tours run daily
• 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
• $39 per person (ages 13+ only)