NEWS: Soaps Live On, Midwood, Tylo, 'ENDERS Remix

NPR: The World Has Stopped Turning, But Soaps Live On
Former soap director Murray Horwitz writes: "First in radio and later in television, soap operas brought something new to dramatic literature: characters who developed not just over the course of one show, but over the course of hundreds, even thousands, of shows. Nothing much happened in each episode, but you sure got to know those characters, no matter how uninteresting they might be.

"That's why soap operas aren't dead; they’ve evolved and migrated, like dramatic earthbound dinosaurs that have changed into soaring birds. They now have names like HOUSE, MAD MEN, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, and even THE OFFICE."

ATWT's Midwood Studio Goes Back To Early Silent Movie Days
Filmmaking in Midwood has a long and illustrious history, going back to the pre-World War I era when a complex known as the Vitagraph Studios produced many early comedy shorts. Part of the Vitagraph studios were taken over for television in the 1950s, while another building was sold to an Orthodox Jewish girls’ school.

Jane Leeves joins DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Leeves will play Tom’s psychotherapist in at least two episodes.

EASTENDERS reveals remix winner
EASTENDERS producers have announced the winner of their competition to remix the soap's theme tune for its online spin-off. Music production graduate Carl Darling, 21, will see his remix used for the title sequence of EASTENDERS: E20.

Carl, who got to spend a day at BBC Elstree working with the music production team as part of his prize, said: "I have grown up hearing Simon May's original theme tune and watching Albert Square and the iconic Queen Vic, so I feel very privileged to be a part of EASTENDERS: E20 history."

ET on Hunter Tylo's wedding
Tylo says, "God has blessed me in the most special of ways. God has redeemed my life and future. My season of sadness has ended. We are a very happy family. I welcome your blessings and well wishes!" This is the daytime star's third marriage. She was previously wed to Michael Tylo (1987-2005) and Tom Morehart (1980-1984).

Granada executive director Peter Frisch plans to leave
After helping complete a major overhaul of the Granada theatre, Peter Frisch announced plans to leave his post as executive director of the performing arts venue as early as mid-2010. In addition to directing more than 150 productions in New York and holding a variety of professional affiliations, Frisch served as a producer for THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and previously as head of drama at Carnegie Mellon University.