Other Talents

September 24th, 2017 by Proprietor

Besides sing and dancing, which was featured on the Brady Bunch in a way to sort of capitalize on the family aspect, and musical families at the time being a big deal, the Brady children along with Mike & Carol had other artistic talents. These talents manifested in the various school events that the Brady children participated in, whether it was school plays, talent shows or just artistic pursuits, the Brady family was not just a music group. Another family did that bit.

One of the first talents was acting. Cindy had been chosen to be the fairy princess in a school play, but due to limited seating, Cindy could only invite one parent. Cindy was sickened, because she not only wanted her new daddy to see the play, but the rest of the family as well. She tried to get out of the play by faking a limp, but after the teacher realized something was up, she called Mrs. Brady, and the dilemma was worked out. A special performance for the whole family, including Alice, was produced.

Film making enter the show, when Greg wanted to borrow his father’s movie camera to shoot a story about the pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock for his history class. The family was roped into building the set and acting in the play. This brought headaches to Greg, when his brothers only wanted to be Indians (Native Americans), and his sisters wanted to play a specific Pilgrim Girl. Eventually Mike & Carol intervened and everyone capitulated to Greg’s direction. Greg ended up getting an A for his effort.

Peter was bitten by the magic bug, and wanted to do a magic performance like the one he had seen at a friend’s birthday party for a school talent show. Cindy was scared by the same type of performance Peter had seen. The disappearing cabinet had freaked her out. Jan agreed to be Peter’s assistant. When it came time to audition for the talent show, Jan had sprained her ankle in gym. Cindy knew all the routines, and Alice jumped to the save, removed the wings from the fairy princess outfit, and brought her to Peter’s school. Cindy loved the disappearing cabinet routine so much, she wanted to do it again.

Marcia soon took to acting in a play, Romeo & Juliette, garnering the lead roll of Juliette. Peter and Jan were also in the play, as guards. “Hark!” “Who Goes There?” At first Marcia felt she was not beautiful enough or good enough, but was persuaded by her family that she was indeed worthy of the part. Then Marcia began acting like a royal pain in the butt. She soon was booted from the play, sad and humbled, she got a break, when the girl who took over came down with measles, and Marcia was the only one who knew the part well enough to step in.

Greg develops an interest in photography and yet still wants to play football, after being injured, Carol puts the kibosh on his playing football, but the coach lets him stay on the sidelines to take photos of the game. Even though Greg is more interested in taking pictures of his love interest, a cheerleader, he snaps a photo that reveals that a player was in bounds and had caught a ball that would have won the game. Greg becomes the team photographer. As a side story, Bobby also takes photographs, but more candid ones of his family. It was Bobby who saved a secret family recipe from extinction after taking a photo of the chalkboard Alice had written it on.

Peter decides he wants to be a reporter, and makes it onto the school newspaper. His writing is so-so, but he realizes, he could possibly butter up a teacher who is giving him a bad grade. The teacher sees through the snow job, and Peter learns a valuable lesson about using the power of the press to get his way or manipulate people.

Mike & Carol would soon be roped into the Westdale High Family Night Frolics, at Greg and Marcia’s high school. Marcia & Carol could do a singing duet. Greg, already explaining to his teacher that his father was devoid of talent, except for being an architect, handed Greg a poem that his father could read while Greg accompanied on guitar. Turns out the act would have been a total bore, except Mike recruited Peter and Bobby to help spice it up. The show ended in water and feathers as Mike did his best to remain stoic though the reading, and hilarity ensued.

In a final theatrical bid, Cindy behests her family to throw a fund raiser for a favorite teacher, all the children know her, because the teacher is retiring. Mrs. Whitfield was the actual tutor to the Brady children on the set. Unfortunately all the theaters are booked up, so the Brady’s stage the play in their backyard. Unfortunately they do not have a permit. When Sam and Mr. Brady raced out to pick up more apples, they were stopped by a police man for a violation. When he heard that the Brady’s were staging a charity play, he said his daughter might be interested in seeing it, except, the play being staged without proper permits, it was in danger of being shut down. For some reason in the Brady universe, city governments are open Saturday, and can authorize permits without hesitation. Unless the police officer had one himself. Miracles happen, and Mrs. Whitfield gets her gift.

Near the end of the Brady Bunch, the talentless Jan, while trying out for numerous school events, found out she had a talent for painting. An art teacher had watched her during a try out for a school play, Jan had painted a picture the night before to help in her performance. The art teacher was impressed, and Jan became an artist.

Out of all the Brady children, not including Cousin Oliver, only Bobby was never featured in a play or talent night. The only hint that he was not really good in music was he did not make it in the glee club, in order to compensate for his lack of singing, his parents wanted to get him an instrument. The mistake, drums. Bobby was enthusiastic, but talentless. The only real talent Bobby appeared to have was hustling people for money while playing pool or coming up with a get rich quick scheme or locking people in Sam’s meat locker at his butcher shop, including himself.

Thanks for stopping by.