The Pyrates Royale began as an improv comedy act in late 1986. Founder Brad Howard, with three other character actors at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, decided to raise havoc as a merry crew of pirates. Surprisingly, nobody tried to stop them.

The act -- if one can call a quartet of strangely-dressed fellows having fun at each others' expense an "act," quickly won over an enthusiastic audience. Flush with victory (or drink), our intrepid crewmembers returned to the Maryland Festival. For no particular reason, they chose to indulge their fondness for drinking songs of the seafaring, Irish and rugby variety. The response was again tremendous (who knew?) and the group decided to expand the act to include music. After a few seasons of being known simply as "The Pyrates," Brad Howard established the name The Pyrates Royale.

The Pyrates Royale has since evolved into a musical comedy act and one of the most popular groups to ever sully the Maryland Renaissance Festival's taverns and stages. Efforts to remove these ruffians from the pubs have been unsuccessful, much to the delight of their loyal fans.

Now armed with guitar, fiddle, octave mandolin, hammered dulcimer, bodhran and concertina, as well as a hearty chorus of hale and harmonious voices, the group has expanded its repertoire to include instrumental tunes, Gaelic, Tom (the Ancient SubMariner) Lewis and even a madrigal or two. However, the crew has never strayed too far from its original purpose: to make people laugh. Now they also sing along. Hopefully, they'll stop throwing things, too.

In the fine tradition of many renaissance festival performers, members develop their music, characters and costumes by drawing from history and their own overactive imaginations. The crew has played a variety of venues including renaissance, maritime, celtic, folk music and pirate festivals; ship excursions, private and corporate parties -- even weddings.

The Pyrates Royale has released four self-produced, professional-quality recordings to rave reviews.