Indie Soap Beat: The Latest Web Series News

Here's a rundown of some of the latest web series news:

WE LOVE SOAPS TV attended the second season premiere party for DOWNSIZED on Tuesday night at Copia in New York City. The crowd, which included ALL'S FAIRE creator Thom Woodley, and THEN WE GOT HELP's Julie Ann Emery and Kevin Earley, loved it. Look for additional coverage of this event later today.

Southside, the new movie from THE BAY creator Gregori J. Martin starring Kristos Andrews, begins shooting today in New York. Emmy winner and Indie Soap Award nominee Martha Byrne will be playing an NYPD cop in the film.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.58 Robert Bogue & Mandy Bruno

On Episode 1.58 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb and Damon L. Jacobs caught up with former GUIDING LIGHT stars Robert Bogue and Mandy Bruno at SD26 in New York during the Bon Voyage party to celebrate the So Long Springfield Cruise. Bogue and Bruno share their thoughts on the cruise, the end of GUIDING LIGHT, and some of the other projects they've been working on.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- ALL'S FAIRE
- So Long Springfield
- GUIDING LIGHT

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GUIDING LIGHT: Where Are They Now? Indie Soaps, Of Course!

One year ago today we learned about the tragic cancellation of GUIDING LIGHT.  It was a wet, rainy day in Manhattan, and my heart sunk as I thought about all those talented actors that I would no longer get to see on my television screen.  Fortunately, many of them have turned up on my computer screen in innovative and creative Indie Soaps that are bringing us new stories, new characters, and new storytelling approaches. 

In case you missed any, here is the We Love Soaps guide to GUIDING LIGHT actors on Indie Soaps:

ALL'S FAIRE
WHO'S IN IT: Robert Bogue (Mallet); Mandy Bruno (Marina)
WHY GL FANS WILL LOVE IT: ALL'S FAIRE is a silly look at a Renaissance Faire community. Bogue's addition really makes the show come to life. The humor can be biting and Bogue allows his "celebrity" to be made fun of in a hilarious way.

EMPIRE
WHO'S IN IT: Tina Sloan (Lilian); Orlagh Cassidy (Doris)
WHY GL FANS WILL LOVE IT:  The Havens on EMPIRE would give the Spauldings a run for their money in terms of family secrets, lies, deceptions, and manipulations.  Season Two will show Tina Sloan in ways you have never imagined.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: March 4, 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.

The latest actor to join the cast of the upcoming REALITY BYTES is Jered Allen, who will play Ben. We Love Soaps caught up with Allen and he revealed that he had been a fan of creator Tristan Rogers from his GENERAL HOSPITAL days: "As a kid back home on my TV all we had was about five channels - a couple of sports channels, the news and soap operas. We enjoyed watching him and it's kind of funny that one day I'd get to meet him and be in something he's involved with." Look for our complete interview soon. Fans has submitted scripts for BEYOND REASON, the soap within the soap on REALITY BYTES. More details on that will be coming soon.

Several cast members from ANACOSTIA - Anthony Anderson, Kena Hodges, Tamieka Chavis, Chanté Bowser and Pasha Diallo - were in New York over the weekend and taped an episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV which will be released next week. They discussed the recently concluded Season One and offered previews for Season Two.

ANYONE BUT ME returned with an all new episode on February 23 featuring Liza Weil from GOSSIP GIRL. The show received three nomination for the Streamy Awards including Best Writing, Best Directing and Best Actress in a Drama Series (Rachael Hip-Flores).


VENICE will air its Season One finale on Friday. Subscriptions for Season One will terminate on Saturday, May 1st. Season Two is in pre-production now. Star Crystal Chappell has been nominated for a Streamy Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for the role of Gina.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 26, 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.

ALL'S FAIRE, which features former GUIDING LIGHT star Rob Bogue as Sir Robert, has released a hilarious new "F. Your Consideration" video for the Streamy Awards. You can watch it here. The musical video makes references to not having any big name sponsors or big name stars (including Bogue).

ANACOSTIA has aired its season finale but the cast is still making the press rounds. Look for interviews coming up on DCTV next Thursday and Saturday. Also, Indie Soap Award nominee Anthony Anderson and company will be in New York on Saturday taping an appearance for an upcoming episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV.

STEAMBOAT released a trailer and the first episode last week and fans seem to like it so far. The show is a comedy series described as "THE OFFICE meets ALL MY CHILDREN" with Kim Zimmer starring as the executive producer if a dying soap. The second episode was released today. The soap spoofed on the show is hilariously brought to you by Lactene.

ANYONE BUT ME returned with an all new episode on February 23. GOSSIP GIRL actress Liza Weil guest starred as Aster's (Nicole Pacent) therapist. Pacent has also joined the cast of new feature film and episodic series, Queens of the World.

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.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 12, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature, we take a look back at the recent signing of some indie web series by the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), Crystal Chappell directs VENICE, 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.

GOTHAM is now a WGAE signatory show. WGAE executive director Lowell Peterson told We Love Soaps that the writers' strike in 2007-08 was focused on web content but more for rebroadcast of television shows: "More recently we've been focusing our resources and analysis on made-for the web shows." Read our entire interview with Peterson here. GOTHAM recently reached a million page views since the show's website was launched. The show also edited the first four episodes together to make it easier for fans to catch up on the saga of Richard and Catherine. You can watch the new edit at gothamtheseries.com.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM, returned on Thursday with an all new episode. 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.

ANACOSTIA is back today with a new episode! You can watch it here. The episodes starts out by the cast giving fans a "taste of DC." This is must watch! ANACOSTIA is one of the longer web shows. This episode runs over 38 minutes including the fun intro. The show takes place in DC's Anacostia community neighborhood.

ALL'S FAIRE returned on Thursday with a new episode. King Gary investigates the camp of the enemy; Sir Drederick encounters a foreign invader; the women of the faire behold Sir Robert (former GUIDING LIGHT Robert Bogue). If you haven't checked out this absurd and hilarious comedy, check it out.