Interview: Emily Pendergast's Happy to SUPPORT Her Groundlings' GROUP

The next show up for The Groundlings is their one-nighter Support Group August 29, 2022. I got a chance to chat with Emily Pendergast, one of the very funny Main Company cast members.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Emily!

Of course! Thank you so much for reaching out to chat!

I just saw you rocking the Groundlings stage in your Planned parenthood benefit My Comedy, My Choice. Were you happy with the full house support and responses?

Thank you so much for coming! Man, oh man, the backstage area and theater of Groundlings always feels so alive to me. That night it felt electric on a whole other level. First, I felt it just by being surrounded by that amount of full-on powerhouse women that all lent their time and talent to do this show. Then, to out on stage and feel the energy from the audience, staff, and crew that all were there because they were just as outraged as all of us - that put the show together. It was just beyond. I'm so proud of theater and everyone that helped put that show together.

And now you'll be part of the one-nighter Support Group August 29, 2022. Have you lost count on how many Groundlings shows you've been in?

H. Michael and I are so excited to do this show. He's one of my favorite people to play with, so when he brought the idea of doing a show together, I was psyched. I sometimes can't believe how many shows I've gotten the opportunity to be part of, I hope to keep adding to that list! When we opened back up after lockdown, I realized just how much of my lifeline for joy is centered at Groundlings.

What cosmic forces first brought you into The Groundlings' universe?

I had always loved creating characters with my sister's old dance costumes and I'm sure there's some insane videos of me interviewing my cats as these monsters, haha! But there wasn't anything in Youngstown, Ohio that offered this type of art. So, after I got a degree in criminal psychology (which is the direct path to comedy, if anyone's curious) I drove out to L.A. and a coworker told me to look into Improv Classes. So, I looked up my comedic north stars and realized that Groundlings was the common denominator of several of them. So, I signed up for classes and finally felt at home and never looked back.

Would you describe your Groundlings journey from anxious newbie to seasoned main company member?

I think being an anxious sponge wanting to constantly learn and better myself has helped continue to propel me into finding out who I am comedically. My very first show was directed by the legendary Kevin Kirkpatrick and all of a sudden, I was scheduling writing meetings with these comedic giants that I had been idolizing for so long. Lisa Schurga was my very first writing meeting for a main show and we sat in the green room just laughing on the couches and googling Claim Jumper appetizer names. I'll never forget writing with Edi Patterson the very first time and just looking over my computer and thinking "HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?!" I think a healthy level of anxiety and nerves is a great thing, nerves are just energy waiting to get out. I think the day I stop getting excited nerves before shows is the day I should retire. I have a special trash can backstage before shows, we can get into that at another time, haha!

What main principle of improv did you pound into your Groundlings students?

I LOVED my teachers during my time in the program and I absolutely love teaching, I feel so lucky that I get to do it. I think there are so many incredible life lessons baked into improv that can help all of us. Being decisive, a better listener and being present are some of the principles that have personally helped me. I think the one thing I've told my students more than anything is, "Let it rip." I know I used to do (probably ((definitely)) still do) was get in my own way so much. Whether that was judging my choices, or over thinking what I should do/say, or trying to get it "right" but when you realize you can fly headfirst into joy and the unknown and be supported by someone magical on stage with you, there's nothing you can't do.

How do you keep from breaking character when a Groundling cohort nails a laugh?

Oof! I am not proud of this, but I have gotten worse at this post-pandemic. I think right now, when something tickles me, it wants OUT in the form of laugh-crying on stage with my friends. There have been so many times where someone makes me laugh on stage and I can keep my face straight but have to let out a small noise to release SOMETHING (a little trick I learned from Julian Gant which would always DESTROY me when I was next to him in a sketch). There's just something about locking eyes with a wigged-up bud who has wild eyes that is indescribable.

What's the most unexpected response you've ever received from a Groundlings audience?

Ryan Gaul and I have these characters, Tricia and Ronnie, and they are complete monsters. We've gotten the chance to do three iterations of these jerks and they are usually coming back from a very drunken party and are so drunk and saying horrendous things to each other, it's one of the most fun sketches to do with him. But I don't even think I can say the things they say to each other here, but just use your imagination, it's terrible. At the end of the sketch, they re-find each other irresistible and get back together and once the audience hit us with an "Awwwww!" and it BLEW our minds, hahaha! We couldn't believe that they could find any redeeming sweetness in these idiots.

Would you name your favorite sketch that you wrote?

This is very, very, tough, how dare you ask me this, haha! They all have such special places in my heart. Some of my favorites have never and will never see the stage because they bombed so badly at pitch, but they were a blast to write. I think if you're making me name one, I'd have to say one from my first show because it was very special and deeply surreal to me to this day. A sketch I wrote with Edi Patterson called Marky's Girlfriend. I was her son's new girlfriend, but we ended up falling in love and eventually would scream into each other's mouths. Being on stage with Edi felt like a dream to me. And I truly feel that way about every sketch that I get to do, they are all so unique and feel like lightning in a bottle.

How about your favorite sketch that someone wrote?

I remember going to shows and watching Allison Dunbar's character, Rhonda. She blew my mind. Rhonda wears a red suit with clocks on it, she's a no bullshit sensation with a Fohawk. I was always in awe of Allison, I think she's straight up magic. Well, one weekend during the Groundlings of '69 show, I got to sub in for Allison's sketch where she played Rhonda with Jess Pohly. I put that clock suit on and it felt like I was waltzing around in Dorothy's ruby red slippers. It was a real gift to do.

I've seen you and your comic accomplices don a variety of crazy wigs and costumes. Do each of you accumulate your own hairs and clothes? Or is there a costume designer that I've never seen credited?

Costuming is one of the best parts of creating a character. The gross shoes, the too high of pants, the wigs, all of it! No, no, we are all of our own costume designers! The amount of wigs we all have is sick, hahaha! I'm slowly taking over my husband's side of the closet with more and more costumes, don't tell him.

Do you have a go-to bit that you incorporate into action that always works for you?

Hmm? This is a good question, I don't think I have a go-to bit. I really always try to be very present in scenes and see where it takes us. Oh, you know what? If I forget to start my scene with space work, you better believe my character will pretend she has a fanny pack on and will dig out and offer some loose granola to someone from that.

What inspired you to get your tattoo of '1804'?

Jameson and other buds that really loved going to Ohio University, haha! My mom is still mortified by it.

What's in the near future for Emily Pendergast?

The movie Out Of Office is premiering on September 5th on Comedy Central and I hope people have as much fun watching it as I did getting to be in it! I'm also in the new HBO Series White House Plumbers and the digital series, We're Doing Good!

Thank you again, Emily! I look forward to seeing you kill it in Support Group.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat and always being so supportive!

For tickets to Support Group August 29, or any other Groundlings show, click on the button below.

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