History of The Talented Talent Bros -- Chapter V

The Talented Talent Brothers were on life support. Abnormal Stew wouldn’t go out with a bang but with a whimper. I was about ready to call it a day … but I had committed to performances for a festival at Where Eagles Dare and I’m too stubborn for my own good. Laz was getting ready to head to California, Giselle was in Mexico, Jillyn was working at my office and doing her level best to ignore me and Andy was … well, from what I could tell, getting ready to shack up with Jillyn. I needed to recruit some folks and fast.

There was no thought needed in choosing the first person to ask. Melissa McCulloch had appeared with me in Hamlet and played in my production of Love’s Labors Lost. She had also run our lights and sound a number of times and was familiar with what we were doing. Over the proceeding months she had grown very special to me and I knew that I could count on her. It didn’t hurt that she was also a talented and beautiful actress. She would become my new “sister” and be billed as Melissa Jo Talent … the only Talent with a four syllable name, for all you trivia buffs.

She recommended Matt Olsem, who had also appeared in Hamlet and Love’s Labors Lost. Matt had proven himself a dear friend and an easy-going actor. One thing was certain, with Matt I wouldn’t have to worry about all the additional drama that had haunted Abnormal Stew since day one. I took his initials (M.O.) and came up with Mo Talent. I liked the sound of it … this guy has Mo’ Talent than the rest of us. I could promote that.

With two actors who I admired and could socialize with, I still knew we would need another body. Enter Kimberly Conzo, who had also appeared in Love’s Labors Lost and who I found to be a charming and intelligent actress. I had felt guilty that such a talented actress wasn't getting her due in LLL thanks to my expansive cuts. With Kimberly on board, we set about to rehearsing the all-new, all-different Abnormal Stew.

Some material would stay … the four of us would appear in She Said Maybe, Matt would take over for Laz in the He-Man/I’m Not Gay material, a new “deaf guy” sketch that we had originally considered early on in the Stew rehearsal process would work itself into the show also featuring Matt and I. Kimberly and Melissa would appear in a Waiting for Godot-ish piece of material dressed as an executioner and Snow White, respectively. One of the highlights for me was seeing Mel in the Snow White outfit … I just wish a picture existed of it.

Some quick rehearsals, most of which were held at Mel’s apartment and we were going to dive in. John Chatterton, the owner of the theatre, appeared at our first show (he was practically the only person there) and all I could think of was, “Great! So now he decides to show up!”

We survived the performance … by the skin of our teeth. Some bits and pieces were dropped here and there. The laughs were few and far between. But one thing was certain … I enjoyed working with these people. Abnormal Stew might have died a slow death … but maybe The Talented Talent Brothers could survive. Matt is like a brother and I dearly love Mel. Maybe, just maybe, an infusion of new blood, new chemistry, could rescue this dying idea?

With Stew behind me, I began to re-focus on just what Baby Hippopotamus Productions could become. In the meantime, I would take some other acting work. Just to keep busy. Just to keep the juices flowing. With the holidays approaching I accepted a role in a play called The Whales that had been in rehearsal for several weeks already and would open immediately after the New Year. I didn’t realize until after the first rehearsal that I was essentially playing the lead.

So much for taking some easy work just to keep the juices flowing. Frankly, I was more interested in this little script that I had been working on. Maybe it could be the next Talented Talent Brothers vehicle? I had never done a play set in a zoo ...