As the World Turns
News (Page 24)

CBS is readying plans to cut costs and modernize the production process of two of the longest-running shows on television, Guiding Light and As the World Turns.

The low-rated classics are on the bubble for renewal in July and CBS is taking dramatic steps to try to keep the series on the air.

Plans include ditching their traditional soap opera production sets - which use three cameras shooting simultaneously into an expansive series of three-wall sets - in favor of using smaller crews shooting with nimble digital cameras inside enclosed four-wall sets.

Guiding Light is considering using multiple crews to shoot scenes simultaneously, reducing the number of production hours. All exterior scenes will be shot on location, on permanent sets built in a small town outside New York City.

For viewers, the effect is supposed to add realism to the staging, as rooms will not lack a fourth wall and shooting can be done in a more cinematic style. The outside location shots will give the shows a more natural sense of setting.

Overall, the goal is for CBS is finda way to reduce the shows’ cost.

Daytime dramas typically run more than $1 million a week and shoot nearly year-round, compared with syndicated daytime fare such as court shows (about $10 million a year) or talk shows (about $20 million for 26 to 33 weeks a year).

CBS met with Guiding Light and As the World Turns producers two weeks ago and gave them a mandate to “evolve” their production process.

“We all agree now is the time to really challenge the form,” says Barbara Bloom, senior VP of daytime for CBS. “We know what the audience loves about this form. But are we still doing that in a way that’s relevant to our audience, in a way that’s the best business and production model?

I have partners rising to the challenge in terms of evaluating that. How can we do it different, better, faster and more impactfully.”

As the World Turns fans don't need to worry about Van Hansis ditching the show any time soon.

But the young actor will be taking on a role in the off-Broadway production of Die Mommie Die! later this month. He spoke to Soap Opera Weekly about the gig...

Soap Opera Weekly: What's your role in Die Mommie Die! like?
Van Hansis: Lance is a guy who may have fetal alcohol syndrome. He's not the brightest person in the universe and has rage and OCD and is kind of a big slut. The genre is very different, but it's like a soap opera. There's this family that's trying to kill each other; they're this rich family in L.A. who have all these dark secrets.

It's a raunchy comedy that takes place in 1968, so it's Old Hollywood versus the '60s revolution. It's fun. I honestly have no idea how to explain it. It's very out there and it's very campy.

Weekly: In other words, you're playing the polar opposite of Luke?
Hansis: Lance, my character, is a big hedonist; all he likes to do is have fun. Luke is always torturing himself about something.

Weekly: Luke's getting stronger, though, right?
Hansis: Yeah, I love playing Luke being strong, getting stronger. Luke's growing some b----, and it's about damn time, you know?

Weekly: Do you have to switch gears when you go from the show to the play?
Hansis: A little bit. It's a different vocabulary. We were blocking some scene and I was like, "Who will cue me on?" and they were like, "Nobody, you just have to listen." I'm so used to having somebody tell me when to enter a scene.

Weekly: People certainly want to see more of Luke and Noah.
Hansis: Honestly, I'm not going to say I'm surprised, because I'm not. If you tell a good story, good feedback will happen. The writing is really incredible. There's always these questions about whether the audience is ready for this [relationship] and yeah, I think they are. There's a big faction of people who have been waiting for this for years and years, and the story hasn't been told.

Now that it's finally being told people are tuning in. I get so much fan mail from people who are like, “I started watching As the World Turns because of Luke and Noah.”

A controversial figure is joining As the World Turns.

As Kenneth Franklin - who took over the role of Dallas Griffin in February 200 - leaves the show, Wole Parks takes his place.

Parks is the third actor to take on the role. He beings November 14 and has previously appeared on a "Law & Order" episode titled "Bling," as well as the MTV show, "Undressed."

But he's better known for pleading not guilty to a fatal hit and run accident from 2006.

Parks was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident and third-degree aggravated, unlicensed operation, officials said.

The 2006 collision killed 25-year-old Hannah Engle, a nonprofit management and Judaic studies student at New York University.

Parks had a previous drunk-driving conviction and a suspended license, said prosecutor Jonathan Eisenberg. An officer on the scene claimed he smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath and that Parks had an open can that smelled of alcohol in the car.

The actor was “in shock” when he fled the crash, defense lawyer Marcia Seckler said at the Manhattan Criminal Court hearing. He later turned himself in at a police precinct.

Courtesy of the show's official website, here are a few As the World Turns spoilers for the week...

• Carly and Jack return to Montana; things quickly become passionate.

• Meg declares her love for Paul and awaits his response.

• Lily (Martha Byrne, pictured) and Holden make a drastic decision about their marriage.

• Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah take a significant step.

• Brad and Katie (Terri Colombino) search for Snickers. Yes, you read that correctly.

In this scene from As the World Turns, Noah (Jake Silbermann) is overwhelmed by the actions of his maniac. His concern for a wounded Luke (Van Hansis) appears to be overshadowed by the shock he suffers after seeing an act of pure evil.

Catch up with this As the World Turns episode, along with all others, by following our link right now.

Any follower of As the World Turns know that just because Jack and Katie recently got married doesn't exactly mean they're ready to sail into the sunset together.

"Jack and Katie rushed into this marriage," Terri Colombino told The New York Daily News. "To them, it's because they love each other and want to have a life together as soon as possible. But he has his issues, and she has her issues, hers being: 'I just want to settle down and have someone and it needs to be now.'

And also, 'I want to get Carly back for stealing my first love, so I'm taking her first love.' Those are definitely the underlying factors in her rush to the altar."

It's true. Katie and Carly (Maura West) have been at odds since Carly became romantically involved with Simon Frasier, Katie's ex. When Carly returned to Oakdale, she was distraught to find Jack in the arms of Katie, and proceeded to sabotage the relationship with the help of Brad, Jack's brother, who had pursued Katie previously.

Follow all that?

“This marriage is not going to last for long," Colombino said, as the “minute they get married, he's off with her… Katie's like, 'I can't handle this. I mean, I know she's sick and I understand that you need to be there for your family and everything, but you don't have to be there 24/7. We can get her a nurse.' And he's like, 'No, I can't do that. This is the end of her life.' So Katie pushes him away - and he goes."Furthermore, another development in the love triangle can potentially spell the end for Jack and Katie's young marriage.

"Then something happens that... when I read the script, I was in tears," Colombino added, not wanting to spoil anything. "It's really beautiful. But when Katie finds out about it, that's when she kicks him out!"

Coming up this week on As the World Turns...

• Lily (Martha Byrne) and Holden get devastating news about Luke.

• Carly asks for one last kiss and Jack obliges.

• A heartbroken Meg tells Paul she must say goodbye.

• Maddie is taken back when Noah (Jake Silbermann, pictured) kisses her.

• Barbara gets in the way of Will and Gwen's dreams.

Here's a look at some actors/characters that have been - or will be - coming and going on As the World Turns:

• Chauntee Schuler joins the cast of in the role of Bonnie McKechnie. She's the daughter of Duncan and Jessica, returning to town to assist in some legal matters. Look for Schuler to appear in mid-November.

• Dylan Bruce will become the eighth actor to take on the part of Chris Hughes. This character was last seen leaving Oakdale for a job with a Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Expect to see him return in October.

• Anslem Richardson appears as the Lakeview bar manager and gives Sofie trouble on Monday, October 1 and Wednesday, October 3.

• The winner of the second season of InTurn, Ryan Serhant, pictured, joins As the World Turns in the role of Evan Walsh IV. He's a young biochemist who will try to convince Craig to expand Worldwide into the cutting edge medical and health field. Look for Ryan to appear in early November.

• Former Super Bowl MVP and former quarterback of the New York Giants, Phil Simms will stop by Oakdale on Monday, October 8 for a special appearance on Oakdale Now.

Let's take a look at a few As the World Turns spoilers for the upcoming week...

• Rosanna gives Meg a stern warning to stay away from Paul.

• Lily learns Col. Mayer's true motives and fears for Luke's safety.

• Sofie gets shocking news and falls into Aaron's arms.

• Carly tries to help Parker accept her fate.

• Barbara warns Alison.

Agim Kaba stars as Aaron.

Justine Cotsonas is fairly new to As the World Turns. She recently spoke to Soap Opera Digest. Here's the interview:

Soap Opera Digest: What other jobs have you had before this?
Justine Cotsonas: Actually, right now I'm a live-in au pair, so I'm doing both things at the same time. Before this, I was a hostess at a research marketing facility where they held focus groups. I graduated in January and then I booked a commercial, and then this.

Digest: What commercial?
Cotsonas: It's an international spot for the new Motorola RAZR2. It was kind of amazing because it was directed by Michel Gondry, who directed Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. That was my first professional job — it was the craziest thing ever. I feel very lucky.

Digest: What was he like?
Cotsonas: He has this huge imagination. I think I had a little crush on him [laughs] — a cute French man and he's a genius. He was very focused during the shoot. It was a commercial, but it was almost like a film production, and all of the special effects were done on set. It was a very crazy, creative world. I didn't interact with him that much, but he was a wonderful man, very nice. He gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek when I was done and I giggled and blushed.

Digest: What was your family's reaction when you got the As the World Turns job?
Cotsonas: Oh, my gosh! They've always been extremely supportive ever since I was little, but it was such a weird time. My second callback was the day after my birthday and the day of my yaya's — my Greek grandmother — funeral. I actually rushed from her funeral on Long Island to my callback. I held myself together somehow. I thought, "I did the best I could. Now it's time to go home and mourn."

It was really kind of surreal. My dad had driven me to the studio and literally four minutes after I left, I got the call that I booked it. And my dad started screaming. He hit the ceiling in the car. Everybody was screaming and crying, so happy. My mom told everybody; my grandparents told all of Florida, I'm sure.