ASHLAND — Some funny business is afoot in Southern Oregon.

Ashland, long celebrated for its Shakespearean drama, is about to trade soliloquies for sarcasm. From Dec. 5 to 7, the city will host the inaugural Ashland Sarcasm Festival (ASF!), a three-day comedy takeover designed to fill theaters, bars, and restaurants with sharp wit, satire, and laughter.

“This festival is our love letter to Ashland’s clever, quirky soul — and to the power of laughter to bring us together,” said Matt Hoffman, creative director of Storytown Ashland, the nonprofit producing the event in partnership with Epic Ashland.

“ASF! brings a national spotlight to our town, elevates our creative community, and offers a brand-new cultural experience rooted in sharp storytelling that celebrates irreverent,” he said.

Bowmer goes for laughs

The festival’s centerpiece is “Epic Nights of Comedy,” two headliner shows Dec. 5 and 6 at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Angus Bowmer Theatre — a stage usually dark after the fall season. Each night will feature performances at 6 and 8:30 p.m.

On Friday, Dec. 5, Los Angeles–based comic Moshe Kasher headlines. Known for his sharp crowd work and candid storytelling, Kasher is the author of Kasher in the Rye, a memoir about his turbulent teenage years in Oakland. Opening will be Amy Miller, a fearless comic with credits on Netflix and Comedy Central who has performed at major festivals, including Just for Laughs and SXSW.

Saturday’s headliner is Ronald Funches, an actor and comedian raised in Salem who began his career in Portland. Known for his self-reflective humor and memorable roles in Trolls and NBC’s Undateable, Funches brings an Oregon connection to the Bowmer stage. He’ll be preceded by Jared Goldstein, a comedian, actor, and writer named one of Time Out LA’s Comics to Watch, and whose stand-up has appeared on Comedy Central.

Tickets for Bowmer performances range from $35 to $75 at sarcasmFest.com.

Karolina Lavagnino, Head of Marketing for the ASF!, said the Bowmer lineup represents a major step for the local comedy scene.

“The performers slated for the Bowmer are seasoned touring comedians,” she said. “While all have toured Oregon before, this is their first time performing in Ashland.”

She says the goal of ASF! Is to raise Southern Oregon’s profile on the touring comedy circuit.

The lineup spans a broad range of comedic styles.

“They range from hosts Carl Lee, a local rising star, and Jay Light, a popular LA comic and regular TV writer, to openers Amy Miller and Jared Goldstein,” Lavagnino said. “And then there are Ron Funches, an Oregon native known for his hilarious self-reflective comedy, and Moshe Kasher, a crowd-work mastermind and recent Oregon Country Fair alum.”

Comedy all over town

ASF! will spill beyond the Bowmer into downtown bars, restaurants, and hotels. Local venues were eager to sign on, said Montana Hauser, ASF! head of operations.

“I’m absolutely stoked that something new and fresh is being produced in town,” she said.

The schedule for those events follows.

Friday, Dec. 5:

7 p.m., music and comedy at Liquid Lounge, featuring Connor Reese.

7 p.m., stand-up comedy at Resistance Wine Co., featuring Monica Nevi and Luke Null with Lynette Manning.

8 p.m., Wrong! A F**ked Up Game Show at White Rabbit with host Jay Light.

10 p.m., stand-up showcase at Local 31 Pub, featuring Sam Miller and Adam Pasi with Julia Corral, hosted by Levi Anderson.

Saturday, Dec. 6:

12-5 p.m., Sarcasm Hub at White Rabbit, with improv shows, festival merchandise, family-friendly activities, Zanni Nation, Hamazons, and more.

1-3 p.m., Get Out of Your Head Improv Workshop at the Drift Collective.

7 p.m., Hick to Hamlet at Resistance Wine Co. with Ty Boice.

8 p.m., Dungeons & Drag Queens at Ashland Springs Hotel.

8 p.m., stand-up comedy at Liquid Lounge with Sam Mkller, Jared Goldstein and Lynette Manning, hosted by Nick Meier.

9 p.m., stand-up comedy at Brickroom with Luke Null, DJ Sandhu and Julia Corral, hosted by Carl Lee.

Sunday, Dec. 7:

11 a.m., Drag Brunch at Bar Juillet with Queen Kylie Mooncakes and Amy Miller.

6 p.m., a historical roast fundraiser at Brickroom.

Most venues will charge a cover, but two events are free: Sarcasm Hub on Dec. 6 from noon to 5 p.m. at White Rabbit, and Music & Games at Skout Taphouse later that day from 5 to 9 p.m.

Hauser is happy about the variety of fare being offered.

“There will be stand-up comedy, improv comedy, game shows, dungeons and dragons live play, commedia dell’arte, a one-woman show, a one-man show, music — with more being programmed as we speak,” she said.

Global experience, local roots

The team behind ASF!  is focused on giving Ashland stages a broader, global reach.

Hoffman, born and raised in Ashland, built a career directing commercials for Nike, Gatorade, ESPN, and other top brands. He now lives in Ashland with his family. The organization he leads, Storytown Ashland, is a nonprofit aimed at making the city a year-round cultural destination.

Hauser has spent 15 years directing large-scale live events, ranging from Coachella and the Preakness Stakes to competitive video gaming events in Los Angeles. She said she approaches each project with resourcefulness, humor, and “just the right sprinkle of good-natured sarcasm.”

More than entertainment

Organizers see ASF! as an economic and cultural catalyst. Jim Fredericks, board chair of the Ashland Cultural & Economic Alliance, characterizes the festival as more than a comedy event.

“It’s a cultural statement,” he said. “We’re launching ASF! as a signature Storytown event to drive tourism, energize local business, and position Ashland as a creative capital for bold new ideas and storytelling.”

Storytown recently teamed up with Epic Ashland to produce free summer concerts at the Lithia Park Butler Bandshell. The success of those events inspired other groups — including Ashland Folk Collective and the City of Phoenix — to start their own series.

Matthew Bernard, Epic board chair, was pleasantly surprised at the response to the Lithia Park concerts.

“I had no idea what to expect,” he said. “I just crossed my fingers and hoped our efforts would bring people together. The first concert ended up being packed and the feedback was great.”

Now, with the Bowmer Theatre available during OSF’s off-season, Storytown and Epic are betting that comedy can fill seats during the winter lull.

“Our events, like those at OSF, are designed to attract locals and visitors from across the region and beyond,” Hoffman said. “We want to turn Ashland into a citywide venue capable of pulling off a multi-day festival of entertaining programming that signals more to come.”

It’s not the first time OSF has opened its stages to community partners during the off-season. In 2023, Oregon Cabaret Theatre presented a holiday run of White Christmas at the Thomas Theatre. The Rogue Valley Symphony, which launched its annual holiday concerts at OSF that same year, will present A Judy Garland Christmas at the Bowmer Dec. 19-20-21.

Setting the stage for more

While ASF! is the first of its kind, organizers say it won’t be the last. With programming that ranges from seasoned touring comedians to experimental acts in intimate venues, they hope the festival will grow into an annual tradition.

For tickets and a full schedule of ASF! events, visit sarcasmfest.com.