INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 19, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature, GOTHAM shoots at Nicole Miller, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM releases another excellent episode, STEAMBOAT moves toward a release, and we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

STEAMBOAT is a new web comedy series written by longtime GUIDING LIGHT star Michael O'Leary and directed by former AS THE WORLD TURNS actor Scott Bryce. O'Leary was a guest on "Dayplayer Dish" on Sunday and previewed the series. The show was shot in one day on December 13. O'Leary wants to give fans something he thinks is missing in soaps today - humor and satire (the show is about the backstage happenings at a dying soap). You can listen to the entire interview here. The show is planning to debut on March 1st (first episode or teaser) on YouTube and hoping advertisers will like what they see. They shot 30 minutes which will be broken down into five webisodes. Kim Zimmer plays the executive producer of the soap spoofed in STEAMBOAT. Justin Deas plays the line producer. Orlagh Cassidy is a new age actress. Beth Chamberlin plays a character with drastic mood swings. Kurt McKinnery plays an upper crust actor trying to sell a skin line. Michael Park, who also stars on GOTHAM, plays O'Leary's (Michael) roommate, Dirk, in the series and O'Leary says he's "off the charts funny."

The first episode is about the Daytime Emmys and the things people will do to get votes. Dirk and Michael throw a barbecue to suck up to voters. At the end of the first episode, someone is shot. The show is being shopped to cable networks as well. The show will integrate products into the show in a satirical way.

GOTHAM taped scenes at the Nicole Miller Fashion Week show last Friday. Then on Wednesday, new cast member Matt Crane (Perry), along with Martha Byrne (Catherine) and LaMont Craig (Jayqui), taped on location to the Nicole Miller offices. You can check out photos from the shoot here. The next episode of GOTHAM will air on March 1 and will featuring the opening song, "Love Makes The World Go 'Round," performed as a duet between Byrne and Michael Park.

ANYONE BUT ME will air its next new episode of ANYONE BUT ME will air February 23. Producers/Writers Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward appeared on "Sister's Talk Radio" on Thursday night and you can listen to their interview here. The first question is about their Indie Soap Award wins.

We Love Soaps caught up with VENICE actress Gina Tognoni (Sami) at the ONE LIFE TO LIVE studio this week. She said she taped two episodes for season one (the first of which was the scene with dust blowing all round Sami's date with Owen). She enjoyed it and would love to do more. In last week's epiosde Nadia Bjorlin debuted as Lara and had mad chemistry with Jessica Leccia's Ani.

Anthony Anderson's ANACOSTIA aired its season finale last week. The episodes started out by the cast giving fans a "taste of DC." Look for the We Love Soaps Anthony Anderson interview coming soon. Anderson also stars in the series and was nominated for Best Performance in a Comedic Role.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM, released another new episode on Thursday titled "Flexing." Look for Season Two to play out every Thursday through March 25. The show is directed and produced by Robert Townsend and stars Monica Calhoun, Valery Ortiz and Janice Lynde, along with Richard Roundtree and Billy Dee Williams.

If you haven't watch former GUIDING LIGHT star in ALL'S FAIRE, check him out in the show's seventh and eighth episodes. Let's just say you won't be thinking about Mallet when Sir Robert is on the screen. Bogue's real life love, Mandy Bruno, will also appear in the series.


THE LOUISE LOG is a comedy web series of short videos chronicling the life of a New York City wife and mother hell-bent on getting it right in spite of her high-maintenance husband, her addiction to caffeine and her over-active inner voice. Episode #13 won a competition for a slot on PBS' Saturday night show Reel Shorts. You can catch up on all 16 episodes here. Mirco-Movies LLC, which produces the show, is also WGAE signatory.

THE LIKE US SHOW is a new radio soap opera that debuted on Feb. 1 on the web and on college radio stations at Albany State, Alcorn State and Bethune Cookman. New shows will air every weekday at 7 p.m. ET. Set on the campus of the fictional Atlanta University, LIKE US tells the dramatic story of the lives of the students of this Historical Black University. The show has now aired 14 episodes.

DOWNSIZED, another WGAE signatory show, is an original satirical drama web series about people who are adjusting to life during the economic crisis. The show returned with an all-new episode last week, "Valentine's Day," that you can watch here.


Another WGAE signatory, THEN WE GOT HELP!, was named Best Indie Web Series, Comedy at the Indie Soap Awards. The latest episode "Your Cheatin' Heart" is now playing on the show's website. While Jenny tries to convince the group that we all want our lives to turn out like our favorite childhood TV show, surprises abound. This is the show's Season One finale.

CHICK released the show's 13th episode on Monday. Lisa is even more eager to find the secret academy after her failed attempt at being a superhero. You can watch it here. Look for the We Love Soaps interview with creator/writer/director/star Kai Soremekun soon.


THE UNDEAD DIARIES released the show's second episode on February 3. The show follows Danyelle and Alistair who have been friends for a long time. Among the many things they share, a love for vampires are at the top of the list. So when Alistaire is actually made one and offers the dark gift to Danyelle, it's a no brainer for her. But what happens when your very human ways consistently conflict with all that is vampire?

EDITOR'S NOTE: You can find all our indie soap coverage at IndieSoapBeat.com.