Look, there’s no point in sugarcoating it; things out there in the world are pretty bleak. Nobody—especially U.S. citizens—can seem to escape one horrific story or another permeating the news feeds. Now, more than ever, people need a good laugh, or many. Thankfully, the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival returns for its 13th year.
Running Oct. 12–17, the SCCF spans six nights, showcasing 75 comics across 10 different venues throughout Santa Cruz. Along with returning venues like Streetlight Records, Abbott Square and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing—all of which host free shows—this year also includes ticketed shows at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Alley Oop (for the “Intimate Swank Fest” show) and Mission West.
“We are so stoked to be doing our early swanky show at Alley Oop (ticketed but only fits 50),” writes SCCF founder DNA in an email to GT. “Back when it was the Poet [& Patriot] it was such an important room for developing talent in Santa Cruz.”
The fest will feature a plethora of local comedians like Karin Babbitt, Brittni Potter and B.J. Rankin, along with many returning favorites from around the Bay such as Mean Dave, Michael Booth and Brett Harper.
But when it comes to the main headliners, move over, fellas, because this year belongs to the divas.
While each showcase has its own headliner—like any comedy show—the final Saturday-night show will feature internationally touring headliners Lara Beitz, Toni Nagy and Kari Assad.
“I’m excited for Santa Cruz,” Assad says. “I always want to give people a reason to celebrate. I’d say that’s my vibe on stage.”
Originally from Santa Rosa, Assad is a Mexican-Lebanese comedian and writer who initially got her start in theater. After acting in high school, she went to Boston’s acclaimed arts school, Emerson College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting.
“I thought I was going to be traveling the world doing theater,” she says with a laugh. “But a big part of that is dancing and singing.”
With so much time and effort dedicated to acting, she was disillusioned with who she was and what she was going to do. That is, until she attended an ASSSSCAT improv show by the infamous Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe.
“It was with the big players like Matt Walsh,” she remembers. “And they were doing crowd work where they talked to [the audience] and listened. I thought, ‘Oh, that’s like theater,’ because a lot of what they were doing I was trained to do.”
Since then, she has appeared in projects such as What Metal Girls Are Into and Kari Assad’s Quinceañera and has been featured on WhoHaha—a comedy platform co-founded by Elizabeth Banks that elevates women and gender-expansive creators. She also created the Kari Assad: Ghost Detective podcast with co-hosts Julia Stone and Marc Solomon. It ran for four seasons and ended in May 2025. The premise was Assad, Stone and Solomon interviewing other comedians about the times they were ghosted, either romantically, professionally or supernaturally.
She is also the co-host (along with last year’s SCCF headliner Valerie Tosi) of the Mermaid Comedy Hour—Los Angeles’ premier comedy show featuring women and nonbinary performers at the legendary Hollywood Improv.
In what sounds like it could be a comedy bit—or Netflix show—in itself, Assad will be traveling from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz with fellow headliner Toni Nagy. The punchline? They’ve never met before.
“I’m so easy to get along with, so I hope that maintains,” Nagy chuckles.
Known for her hilariously strange interpretive dance videos, Nagy was originally an athlete in high school and didn’t get into dancing until attending the famous New York liberal arts school Sarah Lawrence College. However, it wouldn’t be until later that she combined her sense of humor with interpretive dance.
So how did that all come about?
“It was the weeeeed, man!” she laughs. “I did my first ever interpretive dance video when I wanted to make one about what it’s like to get high. So I smoked a joint and did an interpretive dance as I got stoned.”
Her comedy is as much about social commentary as it is about being funny, often subverting the social media algorithms with dance videos while she talks about mental health, class warfare and fascism (she also has “Twerking Against Tyranny” booty shorts for sale). She is the host of the Come Inside of Me podcast, where she discusses hard-hitting topics from the patriarchy to global politics and rape culture.
While they say “laughter is the best medicine,” Nagy has also been on a spiritual healing journey for years, providing space for herself and those around her. She’s currently collaborating with psilocybin mushroom company NUMA to create her “That Was Not a Microdose, Microdose” brand. She also teaches somatic body workshops through her website and will be teaching an in-person class at the Blue Lagoon on Saturday as well.
“They’re really powerful,” Nagy says of her somatic classes. “It’s really incredible to be in a group of people that have a similar vibration and intention.”
If headlining the festival and teaching a somatic class weren’t enough, Nagy also played the role of the oracle DIVA in DNA’s film Messiah Ink, which also debuts at the 418 on Saturday for the Santa Cruz Film Festival.
“I had no idea the Film Festival was the same week,” writes DNA. “Now we get to see if Santa Cruz can handle two festivals simultaneously. Ultimately, I believe collaborating will help us both grow.”
But if DNA could sum it all up in one word, what would it be?
“HELP!!!!” he writes.
Tickets and more information at santacruzcomedyfestival.com.
