Comedy Pigs Sets 22nd Season

The Comedy Pigs, Maryland Ensemble Theatre's (MET) hilarious improv troupe are returning for their 22nd season with 26 performances which will include a brand new sketch show. Since the Comedy Pigs debuted in 1993, they have performed over 500 shows including nationwide improv festivals, have been featured on Comedy Central and have been guests at the National Pork Producers Convention. The upcoming 22nd season promises plenty of laughs with some new twists and audience favorites.

The lineup of returning Pigs this year include Giovanni Kavota coming back for his second season, Julia Williams returning for her third, Jeff Schnorr entering his fourth year, it's year five for Thomas Scholtes, while Laura Stark goes for season seven and Anne Raugh returns for season number... nobody is quite sure anymore. They will be joined on stage by a litter of newbie piglets. "We have five new Pigs joining us this year," said Anne Rough. "Auditions were tough - we had a great turn-out of very talented people, and it took a lot to narrow it down to the five folks who will be joining us on stage this season. But each new Pig had a special something about them that we just couldn't resist."

Raugh broke down each of the new Pigs. "Isabel Duarte, despite her tender years, she has already mastered 'the look'. You know, that look your womenfolk give you when you're about to do something stupid and/or dangerous? She scares us a little, but we like it. Jon Paul Duvall has single-handedly more than doubled the amount of facial hair on stage. We look forward to putting him in a dress and making him play women. Sonny Etzlers got the Crazy Eyes. Every improv troupe needs at least one person with the crazy eyes. Other bits of him seem to be lacking in sanity as well. Sweet, innocent-looking Kelly Greenwood managed to get hold of compromising photographs of all of us sometime between auditions and call-backs. Considering how little shame we have, this was a very impressive feat. Way to hustle, Kelly!" The final new member of the Pigs is Cal Holderbaum.

"We suspect that Cal has a super-power he's not telling us about. He shows all the classic signs: mild-mannered, quiet, polite, sometimes wears glasses, occasionally turns up late with some lame excuse. We just hope it's something cool like heat vision or super speed, and NOT because we'd like to use him to make s'mores or send him out for pizza during rehearsals. Well, not JUST because...". Raugh is looking forward to the new Pigs joining the more hardened and vertran swine. "It's always exciting to start out the season with new, enthusiastic, young members joining us. I look forward to draining the life energy from them in the coming months."

The first two performances are September 20 and 27 at 10:30pm following the Mainstage performance of "Clybourne Park". Tickets are just $12 plus ticketing fees but if you bring a ticket stub from the Mainstage show to any 10:30pm Pigs show you can purchase tickets for half price. The Pigs return with four shows in October, the 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th at 9pm. The Pigs return to late night with 10:30pm shows on December 6 and 13 following the Mainstage performance of "A Revolutionary Christmas". The Pigs will premiere a brand new sketch show that will run January 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 9pm. Following performance of "The Arsonists", you'll have another opportunity to catch the Pigs for half price with your ticket stub on February 21 and 28 at 10:30pm. The Pigs then return to prime-time with shows on March 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 9pm. On April 11and 18 you can catch the Pigs at 10:30pm following "The Elephant Man". May 8, 9, 15 and 16 the Pigs will return to 9pm before wrapping up their season on June 13 and 20 at 10:30pm following "Good People".

All performances will be at Maryland Ensemble Theatre (31 W Patrick St.), located downtown in the historic FSK Hotel. Tickets are $12.00 (plus a $1.50 processing fee) or $6 with a Mainstage ticket stub and may be purchased online at marylandensemble.org, by phone at (301) 694-4744 or in person at the MET box office.

Photo Credit: Ken Poisson