After successful off-off Broadway runs of the zany comedies Abnormal Stew (2005) and Weasel Erotica (2006), playwright and eldest sibling King Talent has created something of a departure for the group, a comedic drama … with songs … set in a vaudeville theatre in 1918.
The Broken Jump
“Julius McGowen is a small-time vaudeville comic who has spent twenty years pursuing his dream of making the big-time and playing the Palace. He arrives in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the end of a broken jump (a "split week," as it were) not to find a stepping stone to success, but rather that a child performer has taken his headlining slot, a long lost love struggling to be re-ignited, a politician trying to make a name for himself by any means necessary and an epidemic outbreak of the Spanish influenza. Shaken to his core by these events, he must decide whether it's better to dream a dream he's always had or to live one he never knew existed.”The Broken Jump features The Talented Talent Brothers (King Talent, Melissa Jo Talent, Matt "Mo" Talent and Tony King) along with Jack Boice, Dan Hernandez, Greg Homison and Caitlin Mehner. Direction by J.B. Lawrence, Musical Direction by Rebecca Sponseller and choreography by Naomi Austin.
About The Talented Talent Brothers
The Talent Brothers are sibling entertainers who originally hail from Las Vegas but have spent way too much time all over the United States. King Talent, the oldest, is an actor, writer and stand-up. Matt "Mo" Talent is an actor with years of stage experience on both coasts. Melissa Jo Talent, the youngest, is an actress and director. Tony King...boy, can he act. And dance? Hoo, let me tell ya...Meet the Cast
Greg Homison (Senator Irving Drew) has recently returned to acting after a substantial intermission. He has recently appeared as Leonard in the White Horse Theatre Company’s production of Tennessee Williams’ In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel and at the Emerging Artists Theatre as part of their short play festival, Fall EATfest 2006. This will be his third stage appearance since his return. He is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Baby Hippopotamus Productions and to participate in the Midtown International Theatre Festival.
Dan Hernández (Mr Klein) is thrilled to be a part of The Broken Jump and the Midtown International Theatre Festival. A recent graduate of Brown University, Dan's recent credits include the TSI/Playtime series show Sweetheart, Kryptonite Hearts at Theater for the New City, and Dan's solo show The Macho Society of America. In addition to acting, Dan writes screenplays, drama, fiction, and has even been known to dabble in (bad) poetry when "the mood is right." Dan thanks everyone in the cast and crew for their support.
Jack Boice (Desmond Donagal) feels honored and privileged to be joining the Baby Hippopotamus for the first time. He can’t even find the words to express how pleased he is to be a part of The Broken Jump and to work with such talented actors. Jack most recently played Judas in The Passion Play. He is also an accomplished guitarist who can be found playing all over New York. And if there are any of you out there that enjoy singing…He also hosts Karaoke nights in many New York City bars. If one would like to get in touch to find out where these events are being held please email jackboice@hotmail.com . He would like to thank God for the gifts he gave him, He would like to thank his Mother and Father for their continued love and support. He would like to thank Shannon Keyes for her love and patience. He would also like to thank King Talent for thinking of him for this project. Jack hopes that everyone that sees this play will love it, laugh and cry just as he did the first time he read it.
Caitlin Mehner (Christina Bell) is thrilled to be part of The Broken Jump. A recent graduate of Brown University, Caitlin was recently in the short film “Suburban Bravery” which was shown in theaters nationwide (produced by Upright Citizens Brigade and Screenvision) and the Off-Broadway show Stairway to Hell. Other favorite roles include “Roxie” in Chicago, “Cassandra” in Agamemnon, and “Cecily” in The Importance of Being Earnest. Caitlin also works as a choreographer, movement coach/consultant, and fight choreography. Thanks to my family and friends for their love and support!
Matt 'Mo' Talent (Jack Ruby) has been performing since childhood, but actually began to study acting in 1992, first with the De Anza Shakespeare Ensemble where he portrayed Hamlet/Polonius (Hamlet), Baptista (Taming of the Shrew), Friar Lawrence/Peter (Romeo & Juliet) along with studying fencing. He then went to study at the Foothill Theatre Conservatory where he played George Gibbs in Our Town . He has worked with Comedy & Tragedy Inc where he played the role of Watson (Death by Writers Block) and wrote/directed/performed in a one-act (why do we do it?). Before moving the NYC he worked with City Lights Theatre Company in And to All a Good Night, The Eight Reindeer Monologues and Cosi. He has also worked with Northside Theatre Company in such plays as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Maderatti and Holiday. With the family he has appeared in Abnormal Stew and Weasel Erotica.
Tony King (Milton Kean) has always felt honored to be included in the Talented Talent Brothers' group. He hails from Rock Hill, South Carolina and came to New York in 1999 to study acting at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Mr. King has starred Off-Broadway as Milton Derby in Mother Tongue and Andrew in Grease Pan Alley. Some Off-Off Broadway credits include Tom Wingvalley in Christopher Durang's For Whom The Southern Bell Tolls and Buck in Betty's Summer Vacation. Touring for a year with Chamber Theatre, Tony had the pleasure of playing such roles as the narrator in an adaptation of Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart and Jim Smiley in The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Caleveras County. He appeared last fall in our production of Weasel Erotica as well. Tony thanks those women that he loves for their support (Mom, Grandm, Colleen [love you baby! {she's my little sugar pie}]).
Melissa Jo Talent (Natalie Bell) is living proof that the kid sister can find a position where she can boss her big brothers around. A director and actor, she has directed the family in last year's production of Weasel Erotica and has appeared with family members in productions of Abnormal Stew, Love's Labour's Lost and Hamlet. Melissa has also performed at Rutgers; Twelfth Night as Feste, Margaret in London Theatre Academy's production of Henry VI, Part 2 and Beatrice in Cabaret's Much Ado. Thanks to King and Mo for this great opportunity to do something besides Shakespeare, the cast, Elli and the folks. Oh, and of course the little lord Jesus.
King Talent (Julius McGowen) has had one of the most non-traditional careers a performer could possibly have. He spent the first several years of his career living out of a beat up 1988 Nissan Sentra while travelling the United States staging everything from improvisational comedy shows to Shakespeare. His introduction to comedy came in the early '90s as a performer and emcee with Naked Comedy in Las Vegas. Later he would form his own theatrical company and continue to stage plays throughout the Southwest while also writing and directing TV commercials for McAlister Television. While in North Carolina in 1999 he wrote, directed and was featured as Groucho Marx in the revue Why a Duck? In 2004 he formed Baby Hippopotamus Productions and has since written and performed in our productions of She Said Maybe, Abnormal Stew and Weasel Erotica. While developing his own one-man show, King discovered the world of stand-up comedy and, being one to never shy away from a challenge, began to venture away from the world of independent theatre and deep into the world of the comic. He has two children, Derek and Ty, who mean the world to him and are the source of his smile. It's all about the Baby Hippopotamus!
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