Bridget McManus Releases Lesbian Southern Romance 'Maybelle' on Tello

On Sunday, December 13, Tello Films will debut "Maybelle," a romantic six-part web series starring�Bridget McManus and New Orleans actress/comedian Frances Nichols.

"Tello films is like the lesbian Netflix, with shows written and created by lesbians for lesbians, and as a person who has always been out, it's so fantastic to work with an organization like that," said McManus. "I have been working with them for many years, and I came to the founder, Christin Baker, and said that I'd like to do a romantic drama."

And "Maybelle" certainly qualifies. After the death of her mother, 35-year old Maybelle Garris (Bridget McManus) must learn to live for herself, as a gay woman in the south, who's still in love with her best friend from high school,�Della Cain-Cumbee (Frances Nichols).

Maybelle quit school to take care of her ailing mother Ida and focused all of her attention at home, detaching from her first and only love Della. After holding on for 20 years Ida finally passed away leaving Maybelle to reflect on her stunted life. Della is long married to her college beau JW Cumbee but has always held a flame for Maybelle. In this original webseries set in rural Virginia, Maybelle will discover herself for the first time and fight for the woman she loves.

"They have been best friends forever; they grew up together and had a love affair, knew they were soul mates at a young age, spent their childhood together, hooked up in high school, but then life's circumstances separated them," said McManus. "Della moved on, left town and married, and Maybelle was stuck in her hometown taking care of her mom. Fifteen years later her mom passes away, and she has the opportunity to live her life and be who she wants to be. It's not about them being closeted -- they weren't scared or thought being gay was wrong -- they were teens in love, life happened and things stopped, and we'll follow them to see what happens in their life."

The series is a slice of life piece, dealing with their everyday struggle. Maybelle must deal with the fact that she knows and respects Della's husband, who is a good guy and respects his wife's fluid bisexuality. The complications arise over the fact that she married the wrong person, but must deal with it.

McManus is a television host, screenwriter and award-winning comedian. She hosted two television shows for the Logo Network;�"Bridget McManus Presents: That Time of The Month"�and the award-winning comedy talk show,�"Brunch with Bridget."�She has also hosted the self-help series�"The Jam," The Stonewall Inn's 40th Anniversary Benefit in New York City, and was a correspondent for the 8th International Gay Games in Cologne, Germany.

"I've actually done a couple different series where I was the lead, like the mockumentary 'McManusland,' about my life," she said. "But this is first time I'm the main dish, doing romantic drama. I went to school at NYU and studied drama, but I've been doing standup for 10 years. I love it - it's what I wanted to do since I was a kid -- but I've always yearned to do a romantic comedy. My dream is to put an onscreen a connection between two women that is real, that everyone gay and straight can relate to. That's why it's so important to cast a female lead; we need to have chemistry, be in each others' arms in bed together, be very intimate with someone I trusted, so this is about me and my leading lady. I'm not the star; we're the stars together."

McManus is one of the few female warm-up comedians in television. She was the warm-up comedian and the host's sidekick on CBS's�"The Queen Latifah Show: Season 1 & 2."� McManus has also been the warm-up comic for NBC's�"Last Comic Standing: Season 8 & 9," CBS's�"The Jeff Probst Show," Fox's�"The Boris & Nicole Show," ABC's�"Family Fortune," HLN's�"Heads Up!," ABC's�"The FABLife" and�CBS's�"Friends With Benefits."

"I used to do warm-up on talk shows; comedy is just the best thing ever. If you want your life to turn upside down, do stand-up," said McManus. "It's scary at first, but it's the best way to connect with your audience and learn what people what to hear. You have to be authentic. I talk talk about being gay, my gay sister who's married with two kids, Red Sox fans, etc. When I watch a comedian on stage, I know if they're telling the truth, and when someone's excited and talking truth, that's funny and relatable; it's so alive. I compare it to jazz; no two shows are the same.

This will mark Bridget's 4th scripted project for Tello. She was previously seen in�"Cowgirl Up Seasons 1 and 2," the drama�"The Throwaways"�and�"McManusLand Season 1 and 2," �which she also wrote and produced.

"I've known the founder of Tello for many years, so when my show 'Brunch With Bridget' came off Logo after a few years, I was trying to do a new show, and she asked if I wanted to put those old episodes on Tello," said McManus. "She asked if there was a project I wanted to do, and it was awesome to be able to choose as executive producer. It's a collaboration between two queer people making entertainment for other queer people."

Tello films has been continuously producing and distributing innovative, high-quality web series with a lesbian focus thanks to their fearless entrepreneurial spirit and keen business acumen in executing their vision.

Next year, said McManus, they will make "Maybelle" into a feature film, her first dramatic feature. The film will serve as the follow-up to the six-episode arc. No other short episodes are planned.

As for McManus, the comedy special she shot in Chicago this summer will be released in 2016, followed by another feature film project.

The availability of these episodes on Tello is a selling point for McManus. The series of six 10-13 minute episodes are something you can watch and rewatch, for $4.99 a month on Tello, and all the money goes back into lesbian and bisexual women's projects.

"To know that we are putting money back into an organization for us, is a win-win," she added.