Performer of the week: Aaron Caponigro

Aaron Caponigro. Saying his name is almost enough. There is a spark when
he is on stage. He performs with a sense of patience and openness that is
rare on the improv stage. He'll take whatever comes at him. He'll attack
anything and everything with a sense wonder, acceptance, and unconditional
creativeness. To be in a scene with him is a gift. You know you will be
taken on a magical ride. Aaron, thank you for believing in Hogwash and
helping us believe in our own imaginations.

when did you start performing?

My first performance was in a third grade play. I was an Egyptian Pharaoh.
We got to make our own costumes, so I wore a Burger King crown and my
Sylvester and Tweety pajama gown. I wish that still fit. As Pharaoh, I toted
around and pampered my royal stuffed koala bear, Chaz. And also I exiled the
Jews. I had to, it was in the script. And the Bible. And Moses would never
have parted the Red Sea if I hadn't, and then where would we have been?
Without our biggest musical number, that's where. My karmic punishment for
my actions was that I didn't set foot on a stage again until I joined an
improv group at DePaul University.



what made you want to do hogwash?

I like entertaining people. Children are people too. Sometimes people forget
that. I have been performing for humans of various sizes for the past nine
years. If you made me choose, I'd have to say I like performing for children
more. People come in a close second. I think that's because I feel more like
a child than a people. Good thing Hogwash is for children and people! It's a
show where there really is something for everyone. Even octogenarians.




What was your favorite moment from this past week's show?
I wish I could say it was something one of my very hilarious cast-mates did,
because it was a particularly funny show last week, but it was actually
something during the dance break that reminded me how much fun Hogwash is. A
shy little one-year-old, who'd been watching us intently the whole show, got
up and got jiggy with the whole cast. She was at the age where she
understood a lot of words and phrases, but couldn't quite form them herself.
She wasn't much for suggestions is what I'm saying, but she knew when it was
time to cut loose! Our target audience is a couple years older, but it's
good to remember that you can entertain the youngest of us without having to
dress up in a big green alien suit with a TV in your tummy.



what was your fondest memory performing?


My new favorite performance memory just happened recently! A few weeks ago
my 9-year-old son Jacob came to see Hogwash. He ended up on stage, as an
audience volunteer! I can't say he has a future as a Starbucks barista, but
he loved performing and adding to the story. It will be one of those things
we talk about when I am old and he comes to visit me on the island he's
going to buy me.


who do you most respect/look up to I.E biggest influences?

I have a lot of respect for open-minded individuals with candor. And
firefighters - because I'm not running into a flaming building. As for my
influences, well, they are all over the map and I'm glad for that. As an
amalgamation of everything I've ever done and seen, it helps to take in as
much as possible. Maybe one day my brain will get so big they'll name a
library after it: AARON'S BRAIN'S LIBRARY. I like the sound of that.