“I’m pretty all right with who I am now. The trick is getting other people to be okay with it!” Helen

“I enjoy her because she’s not anything like you… not obsessed with looks and money and useless bullshit like that. I like who I am when I’m with her.” Tom

Fat Pig takes a tough yet humorous look at society's dependence on the superficial. Tom, a young, corporate go-getter, falls head over heels for Helen, a bright, funny, sexy, young woman who happens to be plus-sized. Forced to explain his new relationship to his shallow friends and co-workers, he finally comes to terms with his own preconceptions of the importance of conventional good looks...

Obsessed with looks and body image, television shows, ads and movies are run by people dictating the views of the world, not reporting them. Director Joe Garque is drawn to the themes of the piece, “We selected Fat Pig because it deals with outward appearances, social acceptance and self-understanding. For Garque, the subject matter addresses a number of today’s issues, “In spite of the new world acceptance that includes gay relationships, equal rights and religious freedoms, many people still cling to conventional and archaic mindsets. People can be scared of ‘different’.”

Fat Pig asks the question: How do other peoples’ judgments affect the choices we make? The company hopes the play’s candid writing will leave audience members questioning their own snap judgments, leading towards a more open and accepting viewpoint. They would like to encourage people to not just accept what is fed to them but to realize what they actually take pleasure in.

Featuring Timothy Diamond as Tom, Emma Lanza as Helen, Francis J. Martins as Carter and Rachelle Néron as Jeannie. Set and lighting design by Rob Denton, costumes by Madeleine Pippa Bartlett and sound by Conor D. O'Neil. The stage manager is Natalie Gemmell.

Neil LaBute is an innovative and controversial American playwright, film director and screenwriter. He studied Theatre at Brigham Young University, where he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There, he produced a number of plays that pushed the envelope of what was allowable at the straight-laced Mormon university, some of which were immediately shut down after their premiere. In 1993, he returned to BYU to premiere his play In the Company of Men, for which he received an award from the Association for Mormon Letters. He adapted and filmed the play, launching his career as a film director and winning the Filmmakers Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival among other major awards and nominations. LaBute has received high praise from critics for his edgy and often unsettling portrayals of human relationships. Other plays include The Distance from Here, The Shape of Things and bash: latterday plays.

Since completing Dawson College’s Professional Theatre Program, Joe has worked as an actor, stage manager, light and sound operator and director with such companies as Untimely Ripped, White Raven Productions, Dead Bee Productions, Driftwood Theatre, La Maison and MacKay Productions. For Through Line he played Mugsy in Dealer's Choice. Directing credits include The Lives They Had (St. Sauveur-Morin Heights Theatre Festival) Leftovers (Mackay Productions) and Shades of Grey. When not involved in theatre, Joseph is very active in the community. He worked as counsellor and sport director of Trail's End, a summer camp for under privileged children; taught and mentored young adults for the Riverside School Board’s ArtSmarts program; and has been head coordinator and volunteer for Under Pressure, the international Montreal graffiti convention, since its inception 15 years ago

Timothy graduated from the Dawson College Professional Theatre Program in 2005. Since graduating, he's been active with Montreal theatre, performing with many independent companies, notably Fallen Angel (Quills, Dracula, Pillowman), Persephone (To The Green Fields Beyond), and Gravy Bath (Oedipus, This Table). He's written and performed in both of the Through Line comedy shows (A Very Through Line Christmas, Forbidden Love) and played Sweeney in their debut production, Patrick Marber's Dealer's Choice.

Francis J. Martins graduated from the Dawson College Professional Theatre Program and has worked with many Montreal theatre companies including Geordie, Persephone, Centaur and MSTC. For Through Line Productions Francis has, along with the other co-founders, written and directed A Very Through Line Christmas and Forbidden Love. He played Frankie in Dealer’s Choice; wrote and directed the spoof trailer Celine: My Vengeance Will Go On, which was an official selection at the Just For Laughs Short Film Festival in 2009; and played The Smoking Man in the Frankie award-winning play Shades of Grey at the 2010 Montreal Fringe Festival.

From an artistic family, Emma has been involved in the performing arts since childhood. Past roles include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Calpurnia in Julius Caesar and Grumio in the Taming of the Shrew for the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company; Loretta and Hortense in Caitlin Murphy’s Brazen for 6th Avenue Players; and during her time at McGill University, Lenny in Crimes of the Heart, Paulina in The Winter’s Tale and numerous others Emma received her BA in English, Drama & Theatre from McGill University a graduate certificate in Arts Management from the University of Western Ontario. She is currently studying for her Master of Library and Information Studies at McGill (like the character Helen!) Emma is also on the Board of Directors for Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre.

Since graduating from Dawson College’s Professional Theatre Program, Rachelle has been pursuing her two main passions- acting and travelling. After starring in Tyler Gibb’s independent feature Refrain, Rachelle took off for two years to travel Fiji, New Zealand and India, experiencing wonderful cultures and various art forms. Now happily settled down in Montreal, Rachelle is ecstatic that her first role upon arriving home will be with Through Line Productions alongside an incredibly talented cast and crew.