Toronto’s Don Ferguson Productions has inked a TV development deal with live sketch comedy hosts Miguel and Freddie Rivas.

The brothers co-created the live show Rapp Battlez, which launched in Toronto in 2010 at Comedy Bar’s first annual Festival of New Formats. The show, which celebrated its 100th live show in March, features high-energy rapping with a mix of comedy and special guests.

The prodco is planning on developing the format into a 30-minute comedy show with a live-to-tape studio audience, aimed at a diverse audience of 18 to 34-year-olds.

“The audience is almost like another character to the show, where the performers feed off the audience, they give their feedback [and] there’s audience interaction to help judge who wins,” Kevin Wallis, Don Ferguson Productions’ head of development told Playback Daily. Wallis serves as an exec producer on the series, along with Don Ferguson and Lucy Stewart. Gary Rideout Jr. is a producer on the project.

Miguel Rivas is a co-host on The Beaverton and has made TV appearances on Odd Squad, The Next Step and Baroness Von Sketch Show, among others. Freddie Rivas is an actor, comedian and puppeteer who has performed in festivals including JFL42, Field Trip and NXNE.

L to R: Freddie and Miguel Rivas.