INDIE SOAP BEAT: March 11, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature 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.

There was huge casting news from REALITY BYTES this week as the show announced that former daytime soap stars Drake Hogestyn and Tonja Walker were joining the cast. Hogestyn will play Jerry Parker, while Walker will be playing Avery "the queen bitch of daytime" Meadows. If you missed the We Love Soaps interview with newcomer Jered Allen, who will play Ben, read it here. Look for more on the new cast members of RB very soon.

STEAMBOAT creator Michael O'Leary recently spoke to We Love Soaps about the series: "Each one of us is taking what are sensibilities are and trying to make it into a different format, with no money. But the only place you can do that is the internet. If you’re looking for a network to say yes to you, hell will freeze over. This is the great thing about the internet. At least it gives you the forum and opportunity to get your ideas out there. For Martha [Byrne] and Crystal [Chappell] and I, at least you want to get the shot at bat." Read the full interview here.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM released another new episode on Thursday titled "Snap-back." Ocean happily takes life-changing action. Lupe flounders on her career path and feels judged by Ocean. Trina's need for attention takes a dangerous course involving Sammy. Indie Soap Award winner Billy Dee Williams is particularly amazing in this episode.

VENICE wrapped up Season One last Friday with a cliffhanger. Gina received a call from The Colonel and rushed over to his place to find an unusual set up. We Love Soaps posted a review of the first season and asked fans to grade how they felt the show had one during these 12 episodes. The results of the fan poll are below.



It was an off week for GOTHAM so the show aired a new "Just a Quickie" preview which featured the debut of Matt Crane and even a glimpse of designer Nicole Miller. We Love Soaps has screened next week's all new episode and it's safe to say Martha Byrne has mad chemistry with Crane, to go along with her already hot chemistry with Kin Shriner and Michael Park. Matt Crane looks better than ever by the way.

ANYONE BUT ME released a new episode this week, "One Step Forward, One Step Back," with a sweet ending between Aster and Vivian. One More Lesbian, silver sponsor of The Dinah 2010, will be hosting the first annual Battle Of The Lesbian Web Series on Saturday April 3rd, 4:30PM – 5:30PM at The Hilton Palm Springs. ANYONE BUT ME's Nicole Pacent will be there. For more information, click here.

DOWNSIZED returned with an all new hilarious episode this week, "Creative Real Estate." Priscilla (Meredith Zinner) and Justin (Brian Keane) attempt to woo back their evicted tenants, Hank and Beth, in order to stop their foreclosure. DOWNSIZED is writtten and directed by Daryn Strauss.

COMPULSIONS writer Bernie Su reacted to his Best Writing nomination at the Streamy Awards on the show's website: "As a growing episodic script-writer evolving into short format, I really challenged myself to prove that an intense/gripping/sophisticated drama could be executed as a high quality/episodic web series, thus it’s rewarding to receive a level of recognition like this. At its very base, it is an encouraging piece of validation that pushes my to advance my craft, so I will continue to press more in my work."

THE LIKE US SHOW is a radio soap opera that airs on the web and several radio stations around the country. The show will be joining the April 2010 Parrish/Brown HBCU Bus Tour. The three day bus tour departs out of NYC on April 5th and returns April 7th 2010. During the tour LIKE US cast members will take a bus load of 45 high school students to six Historically Black Colleges & Universities all including Cheney University, Delaware State University, Hampton University, Lincoln University, Norfolk University and the University of Maryland to experience a day of college life.

CHICK released the show's 16th episode on Monday. Herricane Furie reappears with information about the comic book ad. You can watch it and the incredible Kai Soremekun here. There are four more episodes left in Season One. To read Damon L. Jacobs' recent interview with the inspiring Kai Soremekun, you will find it in three parts here, here and here.

THE STEPS, shot on location in Chattanooga, is a noir mystery web series that tells the story of Charlie Madison, a lowlife private investigator from Los Angeles who’s forced to live under an assumed identity in middle America to escape his criminal past. The show released their third episode on Monday. Charlie is getting deeper into hot water. This week's Dell Netbook Giveaway question? "How much for the painting of the red bike?" Enter to win on the show's website.

JACLIFE, from Slice.ca, debuted on Monday. 24-year-old Jaclyn owns JacFlash, one of Toronto's best boutiques and she runs the store with her closest friends. By day they dress some of the city’s most fashionable and famous but when the store closes the party is just beginning for the girls of jacflash.



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