Comedy Pigs Celebrate 18th Anniversary & Announce 19th Season

Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) will present the Comedy Pigs 18th Anniversary Weekend with performances on August 26th and 27th at 8pm and its full schedule of shows for the 19th season of Comedy Pigs shows on the MET stage. Tickets to the Comedy Pigs Anniversary shows may be purchased online at marylandensemble.org, by phone at (301) 694-4744 or in person at the MET box office.

"The Comedy Pigs Anniversary Weekend is a very special time as it gives us the chance to pull together Pig Alumni from the past 18 years, pull out our favorite sketches and songs, and also have a change to improvise together!" Tad Janes, founder states.

The Comedy Pigs made their mark early as the troupe had been together just two years when Comedy Central picked up their music video "Wiener Dog"- a parody of the Beatles song "Blackbird" by one of the troupes stock characters The Traveling Dinglebury's. Since then, the Pigs have written over 200 sketches and songs, played over 500 performances, and have had over 40 people call themselves "Pigs."

"We have former Pigs in Los Angeles working as film makers and actors, one former member has been seen on Saturday Night Live, and many other's are still working in the industry," squeals Gene' Fouche', founding member, "and many of these troupe members come back for the Anniversary show."

No topic is sacred to the Comedy Pigs. They have lampooned local, regional, and national politics- taking on Frederick mayor's Jim Grimes, Jennifer Dougherty, DC mayor Marion Barry, George W. Bush and the classis Pigs parody "Spoonful of Power" that lampooned the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Audience favorites will be on tap for the evening of sketch comedy including the Star Wars/Madonna send up "Empirial Girl," the cooking show "Food for Thought," some children's song parodies "Interjection" and "People in your Neighborhood" and an hilarious attack on the health care industry in "Kaiser Permanente."

The current comedy troupe as well as founding members Janes, Fouche', and Amy Hagood will be joined by many other alumni, such as Brian Irons, James McGarvey, Paula Pitts, Joel Bowers, Rona Mensah, Allison Lepelletier, and many other.

"It's a smorgasbord of comic talent!" says Janes, "and one night will be an all improv show- so you will never know what happens on that night!"

The current Comedy Pigs troupe (Tres Dillon, Courtney McLaughlin, Franky Orr, Anne Raugh, Jeff Schnorr, Thomas Scholtes & Laura Stark) dive into their 19th season at the MET in mid-September with late-night improv shows following the September 17th and 24th performances of "Why Torture is Wrong". They'll be back ten more times over the season for late-night improv following other mainstage productions. In addition, they'll be taking the stage as early as 9pm for weekends of mixed sketch and improv in January and March, and for one Saturday in April. Not only does the earlier time open up the Comedy Pigs experience to a new audience, but as long-time Comedy Pig Anne Raugh says, "Sometimes you have stuff to do early in the morning."

COMEDY PIGS INFORMATION

Where: Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 31 West Patrick Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701

18TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS: August 26 & 27 @ 8PM

SEASON 19: September 17 & 24 @ 10:30pm, October 15 @ 10:30pm, November 5 & 12 @ 10:30pm, January 13 & 14 @ 9pm, February 4 & 11 @10:30pm, March 2 & 3 @ 9pm, April 7 & 14 @10:30pm, April 28 @ 9pm, May 18 & 19 @ 10:30pm, June 2 @ 10:30pm

Ticket Prices: Anniversary Shows: $15 / All 19th Season Tickets $12

Box Office: 301-694-4744 or marylandensemble.org or at the MET (Tuesday - Thursday 10am - 3pm, Friday 11am - 3pm and 1 hour before each show.)

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