The Butler theater group Sing Hosanna! is again combining a meal and a melodrama.

“Revenge of the Pigs” by Brian D. Taylor will be presented twice Aug. 18, once at noon and again at 5 p.m., dinner included.

The twisted tale combines the stories of Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs with a contemporary spin.

The show part of the dinner theater is a 45-minute comedy featuring 12 thespians from the Sing Hosanna! performing arts group.

Maxine Smathers of Butler Township plays the part of Masona, the “brightest pig.”

“She is less concerned with getting even with the wolf and more concerned about relaxing in her Jacuzzi,” said Smathers, who enjoys the whole dinner theater concept. “Dinner theater is a more intimate and interactive venue than a larger staged production.

“At some points the audience members may even become part of the play. This interaction is probably my favorite part of dinner theaters,” she said.

Smathers said she guarantees there will be lots of laughs during the multigenerational show.

Peg the “drama pig” of the trio will be played by Stephanie Kobil of Butler Township.

“She is a drama queen whose idol is Miss Piggy. She wants revenge against the big bad wolf because he destroyed her house and her brother's house,” Kobil said.

Kobil, who has been involved in these shows before, said she enjoys every aspect, despite the consuming nature of the dinner theater process.

“Preparing, serving and cleaning up the homemade meal, along with performing two shows, is exhausting but so rewarding. It's wonderful to know that we brought a smile to the audience' faces,” she said.

Playing the “dumb but lovable” pig Alfalfa in the show will be 14-year-old Jayson Reppart, an eighth grader at Grove City Middle School.

“It is a lot of fun getting to work with such a small cast and getting to know everyone a lot better,” Jayson said.”

“It is a fun show with a lot of humor ... and ironically they are serving porkchops ...”

The big bad wolf character will be portrayed by 15-year-old Waylon O'Donnell, a 10th grader at Moniteau High School.

“I play Gusto the Wolf. He is egotistical and conniving. Basically his main goal is still to try to get a meal for him and his wife,” Waylon said.

“Gusto always gets so close to getting a tasty meal, but it always ends in failure.”

The dinner theater setting is something different for Waylon, who is used to performing in musicals, he said. In this shorter production, there's more focus on the acting.

The cast also includes Lee Bingham, Alison Camissa, Kim Bingham, Molly Miller, Taylor Kennedy, Abby Gumpper, Jordyn Helgert and Ruby Shearer.

The show is under the direction of Ralph Christy Jr.

“The event begins with a full course meal prepared by our Sing Hosanna! chefs. Patrons can shop at our 'looking for a second home' sale. These items include Christmas decorations, paintings and prints, outside items, kitchen items, etc.,” Christy said.

<B>WHAT: </B>Sing Hosanna! dinner theater featuring comedy “Revenge of the Pigs”<B>WHEN: </B>Noon and 5 p.m. Aug. 18<B>WHERE: </B>South Butler Fire Hall, 98 Old Plank Road<B>TICKETS: </B>$20 for adults and $7 for children age 10 and younger, available at May’s Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St. Reservations are due by Aug. 15.