Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Friday, June 10, 2022
Comedy Night at Tryon Resort: Reno Collier
Jun 10 @ 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Tryon International Equestrian Center
JUNE_Comedy Night_Webslider_2022

Returning to the Ridge at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort, Comedy Night presented by Comedy Zone welcomes Reno Collier to the stage supported by Brandon Rainwater.


Comedian Bios:

Brandon Rainwater:Brandon Rainwater 2021

Energetic with great stage presence and the
ability to pull a room in with creative observations, Brandon Rainwater is not afraid of the truth.

 

The semi-proud father of two children, he gives audiences his brutally honest – yet always hilarious – take on parenting, marriage, and other absurdities of daily life. Born and raised in South Carolina, Brandon brings a sweet Southern flavor to his comedy that makes him hard to hate and easy to love.

 

 

Reno Collier:

A former P.E. teacher, Reno Collier has endeared himself to a wide0 (3) range of audiences. Reno’s journey began at the Punchline Comedy Club in Atlanta, GA where he tended bar to supplement his day job. One night he found himself on stage during the weekly open mic night. His unique outlook on life – mixed with a six-pack – was instantly popular and provided a platform to launch a career as a comedian.
Reno has built a reputation by selling out comedy clubs and colleges nationwide. In 2004 he joined Larry The Cable Guy on the hugely successful Tour of America. Following the success of that tour, in 2005 Reno taped his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special.

Reno’s other national tours look more like a comedian’s wish-list than a resume, including theater and arena tours with the legendary Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. From January 2007-2016, he re-joined Larry the Cable Guy for his wildly successful arena tour currently spanning the United States and Canada.
Reno’s past TV credits include NBC’s Late Friday, The Martin Short Show, TBS’s Blue Collar Comedy: The Next Generation, his own Comedy Central Special, and The Roast of Larry the Cable Guy. He also appeared in CMT’S holiday special Larry the Cable Guy’s Hula Palooza Christmas Luau and the 2012 special Them Idiots. Reno also made appearances in the feature films Witless Protection (2008) and Jingle All the Way 2 (2014).

Through the years, Reno has headlined the Comics on Duty tour for American troops stationed in the Middle East, Africa, and all over the world. He is a regular cast member on the Bob & Tom syndicated radio show and Country Music Television (CMT), hosting various specials for the network. Reno has performed at prestigious comedy festivals such as HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO, as well as Just for Laughs in Montreal where he just performed his third gala. Reno’s personable comedy makes him a hosting favorite, having hosted NBC’s summer family reality show Great American Road Trip, AXIS TV’s Gotham Live, multiple CMT specials and Animal Planet’s competition series, Top Hooker.

He can currently be heard on the Sirius Satellite Radio show Chewing the Fat that he cohosts with fellow comedian Leanne Morgan. Reno is also the national spokesperson for A Soldier’s Child, an organization that serves the children of fallen military personnel.

Saturday, June 11, 2022
Friends of the East Asheville Library Bag O’ Books Sale
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
East Asheville Library

Join us for a used book sale on Saturday, June 11 from 10am to 3pm. Proceeds from the sale will benefit future programs and other assistance to the East Asheville Public Library.

Questions? E-mail [email protected].

An evening with Shep Rose
Jun 11 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Shep is a cast member of Southern Charm, which ranks among the top 10 original series on Bravo. The show is set to premiere its eighth season, filmed in the popular coastal town of Charleston, SC later this year. As a beloved character and fan favorite, he was given his own spinoff, Relationshep, where he traveled the country in search of love. In addition to appearing on these Bravo series, Shep is a successful businessman and restaurant owner. Launched in 2016, Shep Gear is an apparel brand sold online and in a growing number of retailers in the U.S. He is also the owner of the popular bar, the Commodore located in downtown Charleston. His first book titled, Average Expectation Lessons in Lowering the Bar was published by Simon & Schuster in 2021. The book features witty and an engaging collection of essays from the charismatic star offering rip-roaring stories and tongue-in-cheek advice on everything from relationships to travel to popular culture and beyond.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Jun 15 @ 8:00 pm
Asheville Music Hall

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic in downtown Asheville

Open Mic Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge
Jun 15 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Asheville Music Hall

May be an image of ‎one or more people and ‎text that says '‎DISCLAIMER THE LOUNGE STAND-UP TM אלי Wednesdays 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL 31 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC‎'‎‎

Comedy Open Mic at Asheville Music Hall in downtown Asheville. Every Weds. 8pm. Doors and comic sign up at 7pm. Free

Thursday, June 16, 2022
Gluten-free comedy open mic at Ginger’s Revenge  
Jun 16 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ginger's Revenge  

  • Gluten-free comedy open mic at Ginger's Revenge
  • 6:00pm – 8:00pm

    Open mic comedy every Thursday from 6-8pm at Ginger’s Revenge Tasting Room.

    Rotating hosts each week Clay Jones, James Burks and Katy Hudson

    No cover
    Signup starts at 5:30, and signup order will not necessarily be show order. Each comic gets 5 mins of stage time

Friday, June 17, 2022
Hendersonville Theatre Serves Up Laughs with Red, White and Tuna
Jun 17 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Red, White and Tuna is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Directed by Hendersonville Theater’s Beth Bristol, performers Jonathan Forrester and Victoria Lamberth play 20 quirky characters of both genders and various ages. These memorable characters include matronly ladies, cowboy disc jockeys, hippies, and a dozen other memorable, unique characters all wrapped up in politics, relationships, and gossip.

“It’s just one of the funniest plays I’ve ever worked on,” said director Beth Bristol. “And between the absolute hilarity of the script and Jonathan’s and Victoria’s antics, I can barely keep a straight face during rehearsals. They’re the perfect pair to pull off this type of zany comedy.”

Bristol returns to HT to direct her third comedy on the Hendersonville stage. She previously directed The Foreigner and Moonlight and Magnolias. She was last seen on the HT stage in 2018 in Rumors. Bristol has been a teacher for 16 years for Henderson County Public Schools.

Victoria Lamberth is an actor, director and writer who lives in Hendersonville. Victoria started acting in middle school, and she has acted professionally in Nashville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Her last appearance on the HT stage was as Barbara in August: Osage County. When she is not onstage, Lamberth is employed as Artistic Director of HT.

Jonathan Forrester has been acting, directing and stage managing for over 20 years. Forrester directed Always a Bridesmaid in 2021. Forrester is the Life Enrichment Coordinator for Trinity View Senior Living Community in Arden and serves on HT’s board of directors.

Parental guidance is suggested due to references to alcohol and smoking, adult situations and language, some of which may be considered blasphemous. Showtimes are 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, but volunteers, staff and performers are fully vaccinated. No proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.

RED, WHITE AND TUNA
Jun 17 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams

DIRECTED BY BETH BRISTOL

Welcome to Tuna, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. It’s the Fourth of July and time for the Tuna High School Reunion! Two comedic actors ignite the stage with over 20 polyester-clad characters from Texas’ third smallest town. Full of fireworks, fun, and gossip, this loving send-up of rural America is full of memorable characters and hilarious spoofs.

Saturday, June 18, 2022
Hendersonville Theatre Serves Up Laughs with Red, White and Tuna
Jun 18 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Red, White and Tuna is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Directed by Hendersonville Theater’s Beth Bristol, performers Jonathan Forrester and Victoria Lamberth play 20 quirky characters of both genders and various ages. These memorable characters include matronly ladies, cowboy disc jockeys, hippies, and a dozen other memorable, unique characters all wrapped up in politics, relationships, and gossip.

“It’s just one of the funniest plays I’ve ever worked on,” said director Beth Bristol. “And between the absolute hilarity of the script and Jonathan’s and Victoria’s antics, I can barely keep a straight face during rehearsals. They’re the perfect pair to pull off this type of zany comedy.”

Bristol returns to HT to direct her third comedy on the Hendersonville stage. She previously directed The Foreigner and Moonlight and Magnolias. She was last seen on the HT stage in 2018 in Rumors. Bristol has been a teacher for 16 years for Henderson County Public Schools.

Victoria Lamberth is an actor, director and writer who lives in Hendersonville. Victoria started acting in middle school, and she has acted professionally in Nashville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Her last appearance on the HT stage was as Barbara in August: Osage County. When she is not onstage, Lamberth is employed as Artistic Director of HT.

Jonathan Forrester has been acting, directing and stage managing for over 20 years. Forrester directed Always a Bridesmaid in 2021. Forrester is the Life Enrichment Coordinator for Trinity View Senior Living Community in Arden and serves on HT’s board of directors.

Parental guidance is suggested due to references to alcohol and smoking, adult situations and language, some of which may be considered blasphemous. Showtimes are 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, but volunteers, staff and performers are fully vaccinated. No proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.

RED, WHITE AND TUNA
Jun 18 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams

DIRECTED BY BETH BRISTOL

Welcome to Tuna, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. It’s the Fourth of July and time for the Tuna High School Reunion! Two comedic actors ignite the stage with over 20 polyester-clad characters from Texas’ third smallest town. Full of fireworks, fun, and gossip, this loving send-up of rural America is full of memorable characters and hilarious spoofs.

Sunday, June 19, 2022
Hendersonville Theatre Serves Up Laughs with Red, White and Tuna
Jun 19 @ 3:00 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Red, White and Tuna is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Directed by Hendersonville Theater’s Beth Bristol, performers Jonathan Forrester and Victoria Lamberth play 20 quirky characters of both genders and various ages. These memorable characters include matronly ladies, cowboy disc jockeys, hippies, and a dozen other memorable, unique characters all wrapped up in politics, relationships, and gossip.

“It’s just one of the funniest plays I’ve ever worked on,” said director Beth Bristol. “And between the absolute hilarity of the script and Jonathan’s and Victoria’s antics, I can barely keep a straight face during rehearsals. They’re the perfect pair to pull off this type of zany comedy.”

Bristol returns to HT to direct her third comedy on the Hendersonville stage. She previously directed The Foreigner and Moonlight and Magnolias. She was last seen on the HT stage in 2018 in Rumors. Bristol has been a teacher for 16 years for Henderson County Public Schools.

Victoria Lamberth is an actor, director and writer who lives in Hendersonville. Victoria started acting in middle school, and she has acted professionally in Nashville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Her last appearance on the HT stage was as Barbara in August: Osage County. When she is not onstage, Lamberth is employed as Artistic Director of HT.

Jonathan Forrester has been acting, directing and stage managing for over 20 years. Forrester directed Always a Bridesmaid in 2021. Forrester is the Life Enrichment Coordinator for Trinity View Senior Living Community in Arden and serves on HT’s board of directors.

Parental guidance is suggested due to references to alcohol and smoking, adult situations and language, some of which may be considered blasphemous. Showtimes are 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, but volunteers, staff and performers are fully vaccinated. No proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.

RED, WHITE AND TUNA
Jun 19 @ 3:00 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams

DIRECTED BY BETH BRISTOL

Welcome to Tuna, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. It’s the Fourth of July and time for the Tuna High School Reunion! Two comedic actors ignite the stage with over 20 polyester-clad characters from Texas’ third smallest town. Full of fireworks, fun, and gossip, this loving send-up of rural America is full of memorable characters and hilarious spoofs.

ReadWNC Series – Guests on Earth
Jun 19 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association

ReadWNC Series - Guests on Earth

Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA) for the second of three events in our ReadWNC series! With authors and historians, we will explore the facts behind the fiction in these books centered in WNC. In this series, authors and historians explore the facts behind the fiction in books centered in WNC. We encourage you to read the books in advance and bring your own questions to the discussion. You can find all three books at Malaprop’s Bookstore here in Asheville. This event airs live via Zoom, Tuesday, July 19 from 6:00-7pm.

Our series continues with Lee Smith’s novel Guests on Earth, set at Asheville’s Highland Hospital during the period when Zelda Fitzgerald resided there, before she and eight other women perished in a terrible fire in 1948. Smith says: “In this novel I offer a solution for the unsolved mystery of that fire, along with a group of characters both imagined and real, and a series of events leading up to the tragedy. My narrator is a younger patient named Evalina Toussaint, daughter of a New Orleans exotic dancer. Evalina is a talented pianist who connects to Zelda on many levels as she plays accompaniment for the many concerts, theatricals, and dances constantly being held at Highland Hospital.”

 

About the Presenters:

Dr. Alaina Doten is the executive director of the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. She has a PhD in history and art history from the University of Melbourne.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Drag Bingo with Calcutta
Jun 21 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Asheville Beauty Academy

Join us every first and third Tuesday of each month for Drag Bingo! Hosted by the amazingly beautiful inside and out Calcutta! Try out classic games and also some not so conventional games. Play for fun or play to win, the prizes are always topped with laughter. Ages 21+.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Valerie Nieman presents In the Lonely Backwater in conversation with Jamie Mason
Jun 22 @ 6:00 pm
online w/ Malaprops
Valerie Nieman presents In the Lonely Backwater in conversation with Jamie Mason. VIRTUAL. Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 6pm ET. Next to the text are photos of the participants and the cover of the featured book.

UPDATE: This will be a fully virtual event. Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

If you decide to attend and purchase the authors’ books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!


All seventeen-year-old Maggie Warshauer wants is to leave her stifled life in Filliyaw Creek behind and head to college. An outsider at school and uncertain of her own sexual identity, Maggie longs to start again somewhere new. Inspired by a long-dead biologist’s journals, scientific-minded Maggie spends her days sailing, exploring, and categorizing life around her. But when her beautiful cousin Charisse disappears on prom night and is found dead at the marina where Maggie lives, Maggie’s plans begin to unravel. A mysterious stranger begins stalking her and a local detective on the case leaves her struggling to hold on to her secrets—her father’s alcoholism, her mother’s abandonment, a boyfriend who may or may not exist, and her own actions on prom night. As the detective gets closer to finding the truth, and Maggie’s stalker is closing in, she is forced to come to terms with the one person who might hold the answers—herself.

A former farmer, sailor, and journalist, Valerie Nieman is the author of five novels, one short story collection, three collections of poetry, and two poetry chapbooks. To the Bones, her genre-bending novel about Appalachia published by West Virginia University Press in 2019, was a finalist for the Manly Wade Wellman Award and the Killer Nashville Award. Her work has appeared in dozens of journals including MonkeybicycleStorySouth, and The Georgia Review and received fellowships from the North Carolina Arts Council and the NEA, among others. Nieman recently retired from teaching at North Carolina A&T. Learn more at valnieman.com.

Jamie Mason was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Washington, DC. She’s most often reading and writing, but in the life left over, she enjoys films, Formula 1 racing, football, traveling, and, conversely, staying at home. Jamie lives with her husband and two daughters in the mountains of western North Carolina. She is the author of Three Graves FullMonday’s Lie, and The Hidden Things.

Notorious HBC (History Book Club)
Jun 22 @ 7:00 pm
online

This club meets in-person and virtually. If you are interested in attending, please email [email protected] for more info and instructions! 

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across different periods of history. The club tackles challenging subjects, hence “NOTORIOUS.”  Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at Malaprop’s on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm.

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Jun 22 @ 8:00 pm
Asheville Music Hall

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic in downtown Asheville

Open Mic Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge
Jun 22 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Asheville Music Hall

May be an image of ‎one or more people and ‎text that says '‎DISCLAIMER THE LOUNGE STAND-UP TM אלי Wednesdays 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL 31 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC‎'‎‎

Comedy Open Mic at Asheville Music Hall in downtown Asheville. Every Weds. 8pm. Doors and comic sign up at 7pm. Free

Thursday, June 23, 2022
A Day with Brie Arthur and Carolina Native Nursery’s Founder Bill Jones: Nursery tour and Presentation
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am
Carolina Native Nursery

Picture

DescriptionKnown for her leadership with the national Foodscape movement and her lively, information packed presentations, Brie Arthur is a celebrated speaker and bestselling author. With two decades of experience as a professional horticulturist, propagator, and communicator Brie shares her expertise with audiences around the country and is a correspondent on the Emmy award winning PBS Television show “Growing a Greener World”. Follow Brie’s gardening journey through her YouTube channel, Brie the Plant Lady. One garden at a time, every little bit of habitat makes our world a better place.

A Day with Brie Arthur Nursery tour and Presentation
Jun 23 @ 2:00 pm
The Butler Room at the Botanical Gardens of Asheville

Picture

DescriptionKnown for her leadership with the national Foodscape movement and her lively, information packed presentations, Brie Arthur is a celebrated speaker and bestselling author. With two decades of experience as a professional horticulturist, propagator, and communicator Brie shares her expertise with audiences around the country and is a correspondent on the Emmy award winning PBS Television show “Growing a Greener World”. Follow Brie’s gardening journey through her YouTube channel, Brie the Plant Lady. One garden at a time, every little bit of habitat makes our world a better place.

Gluten-free comedy open mic at Ginger’s Revenge  
Jun 23 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ginger's Revenge  

  • Gluten-free comedy open mic at Ginger's Revenge
  • 6:00pm – 8:00pm

    Open mic comedy every Thursday from 6-8pm at Ginger’s Revenge Tasting Room.

    Rotating hosts each week Clay Jones, James Burks and Katy Hudson

    No cover
    Signup starts at 5:30, and signup order will not necessarily be show order. Each comic gets 5 mins of stage time

Bert Kreischer: Fully Loaded Comedy Festival
Jun 23 @ 7:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Renowned comedian, podcast host, and author Bert Kreischer announced his Fully Loaded Comedy Festival which kicks off June 16, 2022 in South Bend, IN. The 8-stop tour will feature an all-star lineup* of world-class comics includingNikki Glaser, Mark Normand, Big Jay Oakerson. *Lineup varies by market and is subject to change. Additional special guests to be announced.

 

“With my history of performing outdoors, and amassing crowds that love a great outdoor party over a cold beer and sunset in great company, I was presented with the idea of a tour of minor-league ballparks, a couple amphitheaters, a few racetracks, and a couple arenas,” says Kreischer. “I immediately thought, this is a festival I want to put together. I then put down a list of my favorite comics that I love to watch, work, hang, and have a drink with, and from there it was a no-brainer.”

Presale tickets are available for purchase starting Wednesday, April 6 with code LOADED. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, April 8 at 10am. For more information and tickets, visit fullyloadedfestival.com or follow @bertkreischer on social media

 

About Bert Kreischer

Bert Kreischer is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and host who performs to sold-out crowds across the country. His brand-new stand up special “Hey Big Boy”, as well as “Secret Time” and “The Machine” are currently streaming globally on NETFLIX.  Bert recently debuted his new Netflix docu-series “The Cabin,” which shot straight to the top 10 within 24 hours and was the most-watched unscripted series on the platform the week it premiered. Bert Kreischer hosts Go-Big Show with celebrity judges Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles and Cody Rhodes. Described as having a “rare and incredible talent” (Interrobang), Bert has evolved from being named Rolling Stone’s 1997 “Number One Partier in the Nation” to one of the top names in comedy. Between his four stand-up specials, his three podcasts: “Bertcast,” “2 Bears 1 Cave,” and “BillBert,” his YouTube cooking show: “Something’s Burning,” his book Life of the Party: Stories of a Perpetual Man-Child (2014), Bert has succeeded in finding the elusive blend of “being a cringe comedian with real insight” (Interrobang).  Lauded as one of the best storytellers of his generation, Bert seamlessly and sincerely shares anecdotes about his family and fatherhood while showing his ability to prove “that there’s a way to take his [party-boy] antics into middle-age,” (Forbes). His infamous story about robbing a train with the Russian Mafia was recently optioned by Legendary (the studio behind The Hangover Series, Jurassic World, and Straight Outta Compton) to be turned into a movie. After the successful debut of The Body Shots World Tour in 2019, where he quickly sold out theaters and added shows in almost every market, Bert performed 59 shows of his “Hot Summer Nights,” a socially-distanced outdoor tour spanning 35+ cities across 18 states and reaching 80,000+ individuals, coining him as the first-ever stand-up comedian to embark on a drive-in comedy tour. Most recently, Bert has been performing across the country on The Berty Boy Relapse Tourwhich includes shows in even larger venues.

 

About Outback Presents

Outback Presents is the leading independent, full-service promoter of live entertainment. Based in Nashville, Outback Presents produces thousands of music and comedy shows, tours, and festivals annually across North America and connects its diverse roster of artists with their fans.

Friday, June 24, 2022
Leanne Morgan The Big Panty Tour
Jun 24 @ 7:00 pm
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Leanne Morgan

Leanne knew at the age of 5 that she wanted to be a comedian, but being born and raised in Middle Tennessee in a farming community of 500 people, she didn’t know how in the world it was going to happen. She grew up loving comedy and her very funny and encouraging mother, Lucille, allowed her to skip kindergarten to stay home and watch Hollywood Squares and Match Game.  At age 10, after “killing” in the 4-H talent show, she was bitten by the performance bug.

After graduating from high school, Leanne was feeling the lure of Hollywood, but the idea of moving was unheard of and too daunting for a country girl who had never been away from home, so 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. Her greatest desire in life was to be a mother. She married her husband Chuck and they moved to Bean Station, TN in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  Chuck owned a mobile home refurbishing business and Leanne worked with him…for a very short time. Chuck liked to boss and Leanne wasn’t one to be bossed, so she decided to get pregnant instead!

After having her first baby, she was in absolute heaven, but she still had a tug in her heart to do stand-up. To make a little spending money, Leanne started selling jewelry at home parties. She was supposed to talk about the jewelry but instead talked about breastfeeding, hemorrhoids and being a mama. Women thought she was funny, somebody peed on a couch and before she knew it she was booked out a year in advance. The 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!

Her husband sold his business and went to work for a large company that took them to San Antonio. Leanne finally had access to comedy clubs and things quickly started to happen. She appeared on The View’s “Hilarious Housewives” segment, Nick at Nite’s Funniest Mom and has toured with the Southern Fried Chicks. Leanne continued to work theaters, clubs and corporate events while raising three children with her husband back in Tennessee, which she still calls home.

Leanne’s storied career has landed her on stage at the Montreal Comedy Festival 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 currently with Sony Television. I guess you could say she’s the Mrs. Maisel of Appalachia!

Clips from Leanne’s Dry Bar Comedy Special “So Yummy” garnered over 50 million views and opened her up to a whole new audience. Her fan base continued to grow when she shared heartfelt messages and Jell-O salad recipes from her back porch during the pandemic, and assured people that “everything’s gonna be alright.” Her relatability makes everyone feel as if she’s talking directly to them!

Now after 22 years in comedy, Leanne is embarking on her 100-city Big Panty Tour across the U.S. with Outback Presents. Now that her children are grown, Leanne is so grateful to have this opportunity at this time in her life. And to top it all off, she’s got a new grandbaby….SO YUMMY!

Leanne Morgan The Big Panty Tour
Jun 24 @ 7:00 pm
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Leanne knew at the age of 5 that she wanted to be a comedian, but being born and raised in Middle Tennessee in a farming community of 500 people, she didn’t know how in the world it was going to happen. She grew up loving comedy and her very funny and encouraging mother, Lucille, allowed her to skip kindergarten to stay home and watch Hollywood Squares and Match Game.  At age 10, after “killing” in the 4-H talent show, she was bitten by the performance bug.

 

Hendersonville Theatre Serves Up Laughs with Red, White and Tuna
Jun 24 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Red, White and Tuna is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Directed by Hendersonville Theater’s Beth Bristol, performers Jonathan Forrester and Victoria Lamberth play 20 quirky characters of both genders and various ages. These memorable characters include matronly ladies, cowboy disc jockeys, hippies, and a dozen other memorable, unique characters all wrapped up in politics, relationships, and gossip.

“It’s just one of the funniest plays I’ve ever worked on,” said director Beth Bristol. “And between the absolute hilarity of the script and Jonathan’s and Victoria’s antics, I can barely keep a straight face during rehearsals. They’re the perfect pair to pull off this type of zany comedy.”

Bristol returns to HT to direct her third comedy on the Hendersonville stage. She previously directed The Foreigner and Moonlight and Magnolias. She was last seen on the HT stage in 2018 in Rumors. Bristol has been a teacher for 16 years for Henderson County Public Schools.

Victoria Lamberth is an actor, director and writer who lives in Hendersonville. Victoria started acting in middle school, and she has acted professionally in Nashville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Her last appearance on the HT stage was as Barbara in August: Osage County. When she is not onstage, Lamberth is employed as Artistic Director of HT.

Jonathan Forrester has been acting, directing and stage managing for over 20 years. Forrester directed Always a Bridesmaid in 2021. Forrester is the Life Enrichment Coordinator for Trinity View Senior Living Community in Arden and serves on HT’s board of directors.

Parental guidance is suggested due to references to alcohol and smoking, adult situations and language, some of which may be considered blasphemous. Showtimes are 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, but volunteers, staff and performers are fully vaccinated. No proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.

RED, WHITE AND TUNA
Jun 24 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams

DIRECTED BY BETH BRISTOL

Welcome to Tuna, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. It’s the Fourth of July and time for the Tuna High School Reunion! Two comedic actors ignite the stage with over 20 polyester-clad characters from Texas’ third smallest town. Full of fireworks, fun, and gossip, this loving send-up of rural America is full of memorable characters and hilarious spoofs.

Proud Mary Theatre Company presents: Head Over Hills
Jun 24 @ 8:00 pm
ARTISTS COLLECTIVE SPARTANBURG

Proud Mary Theatre Company presents the Upstate premiere of the bold new musical comedy Head Over Heels by The Go-Go’s, the Musical Comedy of the Summer for seven performances only June 24-July 2, 2022.

This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s (2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee), including the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Head Over Heels,” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.”

Saturday, June 25, 2022
Proud Mary Theatre Company presents: Head Over Hills
Jun 25 @ 3:00 pm
Artists Collective | Spartanburg

Proud Mary Theatre Company presents the Upstate premiere of the bold new musical comedy Head Over Heels by The Go-Go’s, the Musical Comedy of the Summer for seven performances only June 24-July 2, 2022.

This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s (2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee), including the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Head Over Heels,” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.”

C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce
Jun 25 @ 4:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

 

Take a bus ride to heaven in C.S. Lewis’ imaginative The Great Divorce!

C.S. Lewis’ mesmerizing fantasy about heaven, hell and the choice between them comes to life with Lewis’ signature wit, amazing actors and dazzling, state-of-the-art stagecraft!

Lewis’ brilliantly drawn characters take a fantastical bus trip from hell to the outskirts of paradise. Each receives an opportunity to stay . . . or return to hell, forever divorced from heaven. The choice proves more challenging than imagined.

A 90-minute theatrical joyride filled with C.S. Lewis’ wit and wisdom!

Hendersonville Theatre Serves Up Laughs with Red, White and Tuna
Jun 25 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Red, White and Tuna is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Directed by Hendersonville Theater’s Beth Bristol, performers Jonathan Forrester and Victoria Lamberth play 20 quirky characters of both genders and various ages. These memorable characters include matronly ladies, cowboy disc jockeys, hippies, and a dozen other memorable, unique characters all wrapped up in politics, relationships, and gossip.

“It’s just one of the funniest plays I’ve ever worked on,” said director Beth Bristol. “And between the absolute hilarity of the script and Jonathan’s and Victoria’s antics, I can barely keep a straight face during rehearsals. They’re the perfect pair to pull off this type of zany comedy.”

Bristol returns to HT to direct her third comedy on the Hendersonville stage. She previously directed The Foreigner and Moonlight and Magnolias. She was last seen on the HT stage in 2018 in Rumors. Bristol has been a teacher for 16 years for Henderson County Public Schools.

Victoria Lamberth is an actor, director and writer who lives in Hendersonville. Victoria started acting in middle school, and she has acted professionally in Nashville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Her last appearance on the HT stage was as Barbara in August: Osage County. When she is not onstage, Lamberth is employed as Artistic Director of HT.

Jonathan Forrester has been acting, directing and stage managing for over 20 years. Forrester directed Always a Bridesmaid in 2021. Forrester is the Life Enrichment Coordinator for Trinity View Senior Living Community in Arden and serves on HT’s board of directors.

Parental guidance is suggested due to references to alcohol and smoking, adult situations and language, some of which may be considered blasphemous. Showtimes are 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, but volunteers, staff and performers are fully vaccinated. No proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.