How do I get into the theater?
So glad you asked. See the pictures below. The Wortham Center of the Performing Arts is at 18 Biltmore Ave.
What time do I need to be at the theater?
If you’re performing that night, we want you at the theater, checked-in, and in the back no later than 6pm. Artist check-in is at the Cosmo Table, just inside the lobby doors.
You can arrive as early as 5pm, and the Green Room opens at 5:30pm. If you’re not performing that night, the show starts at 7pm.
Can I drive? Is there parking? Are there Ubers and Lyfts?
Yes to all three, but remember that we’re a small city. Meters are free after 6pm and parking decks are expensive. We have Uber and Lyft but they can be challenging around the airport and in the wee hours. If you have an early AM flight, it’s best to schedule a ride the day before.
Can I walk to the afterparty?
YES, it’s just a fifteen minute walk from the theater!
The after party is located at Little Jumbo - 241 Broadway St, Asheville, NC, 28804
What’s the schedule?
The lineups are as follows, and you can find information about the industry workshops and attendees below.
Industry workshops - These will all be held Saturday, April 4th at the Wortham
11am: Industry Panel (1 hr)
An open panel discussion about the comedy business, advice offerings, interactive questions and conversations.
12pm lunch break
1pm: Candi Clare Seminar (45 mins)
Intro to NYC Comedy
Candi Clare is the head of talent development for New York Comedy Club and will be offering a workshop on the introduction of stand-up comedy in New York City. In this workshop you will learn how to navigate the NYC comedy scene, break into clubs, develop a career and manage expectations.
Includes Q&A—bring your questions.
2:00pm-3:15: Sarah Benoit
The Algorithm Continues to Evolve: Mastering the New AI-Powered Digital Landscape.
The digital landscape continues to evolve and change at a rapid pace. For comedians, success goes beyond crafting the perfect joke; it requires mastering the complex, AI-driven algorithms that determine who discovers and engages with your content. This session dives into strategies to help you be seen on social media, Google, and on AI platforms.
In this session, you will:
Get an update on how AI is changing search behavior and algorithm signals.
Explore what AI tools can do to help you understand your data.
Get content marketing tips to help you meet fans and AI bots where they are at.
Industry Guests
Eric Yoder:
Eric Yoder is a booking professional with nearly two decades of experience working across comedy clubs, theaters, and corporate events nationwide. He got his start booking talent with Funny Business Agency and went on to manage Carnival Cruise Line’s comedy program shoreside. He currently works as a Booking Agent with TCG Entertainment, partnering with symphonies and performing arts centers across the U.S., and is the founder of Heritage Talent Booking.
Candi Clare:
Candi Clare is the Head of Talent and Development for New York Comedy Club. She’s been in the stand up comedy industry for the past 15 years. Candi has written and produced a feature film, co-hosted a successful podcast and comes from a performing arts training background including conservatories in England and NYC. She is an active board member with the Ladies of Comedy Association.
Candi noticed there was immense confusion for newer comedians trying to understand and navigate the industry. She started a Comedy Intensive Course in early 2018. The focus is for comedians 3+ years in to learn club dynamics, festivals, , representation, how to workshop jokes, tighten sets and collaborate with other comedians.
Reven MacQueen:
Reven is the Director of Development for Helium Comedy, a company that includes ten A-room venues nationwide (including Cap City, Goodnights, and Stardome Comedy Clubs) as well as Helium Comedy Studios which produces comedy albums, stand-up specials, and other original content. Known at this festival for being “difficult,” and a “drunk,” it’s recommended to approach the General Manager of Goodnights instead.
Abdou Derrar:
Abdou is part of the senior management team for Helium Comedy, which includes ten venues nationwide. He’s spent the last 12 years at Goodnights, six as General Manager, where he’s built a reputation for running a tight ship… and occasionally putting out fires he definitely didn’t start. If you are looking to get booked for a show please contact me at youcantselltickets@younotfunny.com
Charlie Gerencer:
Charlie Gerencer is an Asheville-based event producer and has produced comedy around the world and in some of the country’s most distinguished venues. He has been a comedy club owner, live event producer, and television producer. Through comedy television development deals with Lionsgate, Gerencer produced multiple projects including “The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale,” “Norm Macdonald Has a Show” for Netflix, “Kevin Hart: Lyft Legend” and many more. Most recently he Executive Produced and showran “The DL Hughley Show” and “DL Hughley Uncut” featured on Kevin Hart’s LOL network. He is also an active comedy development executive with several comedy streaming channels. He is the owner and Executive Director of Asheville Comedy Festival.
It’s late, and I’m hungry…
A handful of downtown locations have food after midnight such as the Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge & The One Stop.
Check out the ACF Map for the Theater & Afterparty Locations, Late Night spots, Good Food, Daytime Activities and more!
Can I hang in the Green Room/backstage for all showcases?
Absolutely! Whether you’re performing or not, we encourage you to hang out and network!
The Green Room opens at 5:30pm each night.
Are there any deals for hotels or lodging?
This is something we try really hard to accomplish for our performers every year, and unfortunately this year, with it being a holiday weekend, the hotels in the downtown area are not budging. We highly recommend using house share apps like AirBNB or VRBO to find a better deal than what downtown hotels are currently going for.
Okay but I still have questions…
Totally fine! We have a dedicated crew that are happy to help with anything you need!
Call or text Charlie at (828) 329-7315. If you are reaching out on a show day, please call rather than text for a quicker response.
Thanks for reading all that, and have a great festival!