The first season of the web series “I Take Thee Zoe” – conceived by Jeannette Bayardelle and Lawrence Stallings – wrapped up 2015 with eight episodes of pure hilarity. Think, as they describe it, the romance and nonsensicality of “I Love Lucy” meets the wit and sass of “The Jeffersons.”
The show pits free-spirited actress, Zoe Baptiste (Bayardelle), with the conservative attorney, Kevin Bryant (Stallings), who she decides to marry within six months. She frantically tries to adapt her over-the-top lifestyle, which includes anger management therapy, to his traditional values. The result is her getting on somebody’s nerves.
Wanting to create a classic sitcom with a cross-cultural appeal, the two performers and executive producers – who shared the Broadway stage in 2010 for Hair – debuted the three-years-in-the-making web series Dec. 1; the last episode of the season aired Dec. 28.
Bayardelle, whose Broadway journey began with The Color Purple, received a NAACP award for best lead actress in a musical for the role of “Celie” with the first national tour of the musical. She also wrote and performed in the AUDELCO-winning musical Shida, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2013 and was presented at American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA, and The West Angeles Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Stallings, who was most recently in The Book of Mormon, made his Broadway start as an understudy with Passing Strange.
“When you create something, you empower yourself,” said Stallings in his blog “6 Things I Learned From Producing A Web Series.” “The gratification that comes from those small accomplishments fuels you to reach higher the next time and work harder. You’re proving to yourself what your capabilities are with every step and showing yourself where you may need to improve or grow.”
He continued, “You trust your instincts, you take risks, you win some, you lose some, and you grow.”
And, you also come across some monkey wrenches. Obstacles – which are part of every endeavor – are meant to be overcome, according to Stallings.
BET began promoting a new sitcom starring Brandy Norwood titled “Zoe Ever After,” about a recent divorcee who balances a complicated relationship with her famous ex, dating and motherhood along with entrepreneur life. Prior to its Jan. 5 premiere, Bayardelle was “like a deer in headlights” when she noticed the commercial. “While the story line is completely different,” she noted in her blog “Talk About A Monkey Wrench,” “the genre, title and logo was so similar to our brand it was scary.”
She goes on to say:
“I immediately picked up the phone and called my co-producers Lawrence Stallings and Tarik Nathan and said, “We have a problem! BET is putting out a show that seems to be very similar to ours. We can’t compete with a big machine like BET.” I immediately suggested changing the name of our show. Lawrence was totally against it saying, “No! We came up with this name three years ago when we started this project. We are not going let anything stop us from doing what we’ve worked so hard for.” Tarik on the other hand, felt the same as I did. He thought us using the name could potentially tank the whole project. Eventually, we all got on one accord and agreed to release our web series as is.
Of course, until this day, every time I see an advertisement for the show, “Zoe Ever After,” I just shake my head, praying we made the right decision.”
One of the things Stallings has learned from this project is: “You’re idea (while it may not be entirely unique) is valid when it comes from your unique perspective. Your perspective is valuable… to someone. So use your voice… someone is listening.”
And, someone is watching. Watch Season 1 of “I Take Thee Zoe” with its first episode “Unconventional,” get ready for Season 2 when it airs. Visit the show website HERE.
The cast is made up of other Broadway and Off-Broadway stars, many of whom appeared together in shows, including: Joli Tribuzio (of Family Life Theatre); Natasha Williams (Chicago, The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, The Color Purple); Nick Spangler (The Book of Mormon, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella); Anastacia McCleskey (Violet, The Book of Mormon, Hair); librettist and composer Lee Summers (From My Hometown, Acappella: The Musical, Dreamgirls); Nikiya Mathis (Milk Like Sugar, Fidelis); Q. Smith (Mary Poppins, Les Miserables); Danny Bruckert (Tony and Tina’s Wedding); Maia Wilson (The Book of Mormon, Shrek, 9 to 5, The Color Purple, Rent); Nikki Tillman (Sister Songs); David St. Louis (Side Show, Harlem Song, Rent, Jesus Chris Super Star); and Rose Jerome.
