On Tuesday's "We Love Soaps Radio" podcast, we aired our second "Indie Soap Beat" segment. This feature will be included every week and feature interviews with cast and behind the scenes folks from the world of independent soap opera production. We also produce a weekly column on the website and you will find it below.
Here's a rundown of some of the latest news from the indie soap world.
VENICE - THE SERIES
VENICE is the new web series being developed by GUIDING LIGHT star Crystal Chappell and writing partner and friend Kim Turrisi. You can follow the series at venicetheseries.com or on Twitter. Details are starting to come out about the project. Chappell tweeted today that GL co-star Jessica Leccia would also be playing a role in the series, as a photographer named Ani. A web show with Chappell and Leccia - brilliant!
EMPIRE
EMPIRE debuted for the public on Sunday night at empiretheseries.com. The We Love Soaps team attended a premiere party for the series at Slainte in New York City on Saturday night where the first episode was screened. Pictured below are Writer/Producer Greg Turner and Brian Hewson with We Love Soaps' Michael Goldberg and Damon L. Jacobs.
Click here to read our exclusive interview with Hewson and Turner.
You can watch the premiere episode of EMPIRE below.
AS THE CORN GROWS
Executive Producer Jeff Rouse appeared on "We Love Soaps Radio" to talk about the series. AS THE CORN GROWS is a soap opera shown throughout southern Minnesota on public access is celebrating its first year of production. With 24 episodes to date, the 36 volunteer actors tell the story of Urban Katie who has inherited a farm from her late Aunt Ella. With the help of hired hand Ronnie Silage and love interest Elmer Plow, Urban Katie works to become part of the county of Sweet Swine. Other Sweet Swine citizens include Prairie Ann, Mrs. Swanson, Cousin John, Aunt Minnie and many more!
CHICAGO TO CORONADO
CHICAGO TO CORONADO is a Twitter romance/suspense soap opera written in 140 word soundbytes. The storyline follows a culturally-challenged Chicago to Coronado transplant – a former Prada-heeled agency CEO, noted feminist, Economic Club of Chicago member and Entrepreneur Magazine writer thrust into a world of Navy SEALs and flipflops. The book begins with her driving cross country in a 10 year old Saab. Her car dies in Omaha and she flies on Southwest Airlines to Coronado. When her car is repaired she flies back to Omaha and completes the drive with Matt Claymore, a stoic, jaded former Navy SEAL and her primary love interest. Eventually she settles in to Coronado, her new home. Her new neighbor on the Island is “Academy”, a promising recently BUD/s and SQL trained SEAL. A love triangle ensues.
Look for a report on C2C on next week's episode of "We Love Soaps Radio."
SOAPRETENTIOUS
Jamey Giddens first reported on this new show earlier this week. "SOAPRETENTIOUS is about a New York-based daytime soap opera that is in danger of being cancelled, so they decide as a last ditch effort to bring in a reality TV star to boost ratings," explains Josh Folan, who used to star on my indie radio soap, SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES, and now plays a bartender on ALL MY CHILDREN.
Crystal Chappell and Kim Turrisi have just made over 5400 Otalia fans squee outloud!!!
ReplyDeleteWith the love Crystal has for daytime genre and the smarts I have seen on Twitter from the rest of the Venice team... I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteAnd news that Jessica is on board as well.
Can't wait to watch Team Venice and company show daytime how things should be.
Over 5000 purple peeps still squeeing!! Come on board, ya'll are gonna love this!
ReplyDeleteVenice the Series is shaping up to be something really special.
ReplyDeleteThe way these folks are using all the new media available to them gives me great hope for not only what they can do, but what they can pioneer for others.
Oh and Jessica Leccia on the series makes me happy.
VENICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
ReplyDeleteYEEEEEEEEEEEEES!
Oh this is the happiest day!!!!!
Jessica said Yes! Crystal is a Goddess and so amazing with all us the fans and so is Jessica...we just love them together! JUST love them!
So happy...And If I am forced to see productions only with this 2 in the next 2 years....I WONT EVER regret it!
I want them together!
They are the best together and they are the best couple.
Being Otalia or Gina and Ani!
I don't care where and how...if they are together than I am a happy woman.
Finally somethign is done for us and I have to Thank Kimmy, Hope, Crystal and Jessica....they are the wonderful team behind!
And Destini for creating the board!
love you ladies!
This is a happy day for Otalia fans around the WORLD! I know I've died and gone to heaven
ReplyDeleteGetting to see the premiere of Empire makes me even more excited about the possibilities for Venice!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see these indie series up and running.
Thanks for all the news Roger & co., I CANNOT wait to see Jessica Leccia tackling a new role! Venice is shaping up to be a real winner!
And like that, September 18th doesn't feel so grim.
ReplyDeleteCrystal Chappell is a very savvy businesswoman as well as an amazing actor. By bringing Jessica Leccia into the "Venice" fold she has guaranteed a huge amount of PR the series might otherwise not have recieved, but just knowing that the "Otalia" actors will continue to work together in another venue is music to the ears of thousands of fans across the world.
This is Awesome news! So looking forward to the webseries and getting to see these 2 woman work together again after GL is over is so worth waiting for. CC and JL have amazing chemistry. Can I preorder the DVD yet??
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear that Jessica Leccia is on board for Venice! Whatever the relationship between Gina and Ani, I can't wait to see more of these two actresses--their chemistry is off the charts. Count me as another who will be watching and supporting this series in any way possible.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the best day ever!!! Those two women have such a shared chemistry on screen, that one cannot help but become addicted. I had never watch a soap before this storyline and have not been able to pull myself away from GL since it began. If they have this great of an impact on a genre that has been around forever, imagine the impact they will have on a new media genre like the Web!
ReplyDeleteI for one will be glued to Chappell's logarithum venue! Adding Jessica Leccia to the cast is the final stroke of genius to this soon to be masterpiece!! It is going to be so interesting to watch these two dynamic skill actors demonstrate their craft without the constraints of network television!!
Like i died and went to heaven.Happy day!!! TEAM PHILIPPINES here and ready for the ride. GO VENICE GO, HEP, HEP, HOORAY!!!!
ReplyDeleteCC and JL we just can't stop loving you both. Ok,got to go start spreading the good news.
Crystal Chappell and her Gang of Lovelies just made my year.
ReplyDeleteShe has just cemented herself as an ICON!
Genius! to continue with the chemistry of her pairing with Jessica Leccia.
I'll need a fan on my computer screen to keep it from melting.
wahoo! for us all!
I am an Otalian Junkie soon to be a Venetian Junkie. And cannot wait.
BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!! Jessica Leccia on Venice with CC!!!! There is a GOD after all!!!!!!!!! Whooooo...I think that huge earthquake yesterday was caused by the worlwide Otalia fans jumping and screaming with joy when they heard the news...
ReplyDeleteOMG, OMG, I'm so over the moon right now....I might need a pace-maker!!!!!!!!!
Thank the universe for Crystal and Jessica!!!!! I need to stop jumping like a crazy person...ok, NO, I DON'T NEED TO STOP!!! This is the BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!!!!!
*Screams and runs around the living room like a fangirl on speed* LMAO