Everyone loves a good laugh! That is why the Arts Council of Moore County and Dogwood Dental are presenting three opportunities for laughter in the first Moore Puns Comedy Series.

The series will consist of three shows featuring stand-up comedians from UNC-Chapel Hill, a -contest to determine the funniest comedian in the Sandhills, and a show by a professional stand-up comedian.

The shows will be -presented at 8 p.m. in the Sunrise Theater, and tickets will available at the door for only $10 per show.

"While we will present comedians that are clean, these shows may not be appropriate for children under the age of 14," says Chris Dunn, executive director of the ACMC.

Some of the funniest Tar Heels are coming to town for the first show in the series on Saturday, June 25.

This show will feature six stand-up comedians from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including Ben Long, Cody Hughes, Kyle Rainey, Jack Morgan, Kenan Stewart and Moore County's own Joey Rasmus.

Long, Hughes, Rainey, Morgan and Stewart are members of the UNC-CH comedy team that made it to the Sweet 16 of the fourth annual National College Comedy Competition held this past March. Long, Hughes, Rainey, and Morgan have opened for comedian and fellow Tar Heel Lewis Black. Morgan and Rasmus are both on the staff of BoUNCe, Carolina's popular satirical magazine.

Have you ever wanted to try stand-up comedy? Have you done stand-up in the past and want to see if you still have what it takes to make someone laugh?

On Saturday, July 23, the Moore Puns Comedy Series is calling all funny people to take the stage and see if they have what it takes to be called the Funniest Comic in the Sandhills.

For information on ways to audition, visit www. mooreart.org or e-mail moorepuns@gmail.com.

If you are chosen to -participate in the July 23 show, be sure to bring all your friends to laugh and vote for you. Even if you do not know any of the comedians, plan to be there to vote for your favorite.

The winner will receive the "coveted" Pine Cone Microphone Trophy and will open for professional comedian Jeffrey Jena on Aug. 13.

The Moore Puns Comedy Series finale will feature professional, comedian Jeff Jena on Saturday, Aug. 13.

In his 30 years as a stand-up comic, Jena has become one of the top comics working today. He has played more than 1,000 -venues, including clubs, Las Vegas and cruise ships.

He has opened for acts as varied as Barry Manilow, Jeffrey Osborne, The Temptations, Delbert McClintock and Englebert Humperdinck.

Jena has also appeared on more than 40 national television shows, including "Comics Unleashed," "The Bob and Tom Show," "The Dennis Miller Show," "Evening at the Improv," "NBC Friday Night" and "The Showtime Comedy Club Network."

For more information, visit www.mooreart.org.