Marnie Schulenburg News

It's been a hectic summer on As the World Turns for the character of Alison.

While Marnie Schulenburg, who plays Alison, can't exactly relate to her love life and/or the machinations of Dr. Rick Decker, the actress can relate to drama.

"Throughout the year, I consistently do readings and new plays, and I do a little cabaret here and there with my friend's musical theatre company," Schulenburg told Soap Opera Digest. "I pretty much try to keep those muscles working."

The recent workout in this manner for Schulenburg came in the form of Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell, a play by David Stallings. The production debuted at New York City's annual International Fringe Festival.

"I haven't done a full production of a show since last fall," the star said. "Everything I've done since then has been a two-week rehearsal process or a one- night event or show, so I was a little nervous."

Reviews for the performances were great, however. No surprise to anyone that watches As the World Turns.

Marnie Schulenburg recently spoke with Tulsa World about her experience in acting and on  As the World Turns.

Q. When did you first know you wanted to be an actress?
A. I always knew I wanted to be a performer. I started dancing when I was in kindergarten and singing in elementary school. I didn’t begin vocal lessons until seventh grade, but I was always in my school choirs, participating in shows and dancing before then. I was mainly focused on singing and musical theater until I went to college, and I fell in love with Shakespeare, Moliere, Euripides, Tennessee Williams and many other amazing playwrights.

Q. How did you get the part of Alison on As the World Turns?
A. I went in for a general meeting with Mary Clay Boland (As the World Turns casting director), and we talked about how I just moved
to Astoria, Queens, a couple months before and that it was about an hour and half subway ride away from the studio. So, she was nice enough to let me read something since I had come all the way out there.

I then did a cold read of a scene she had, and I guess she liked it, because she then called Executive Producer Chris Goutman down to see me do the scene. Well, the rest is history! I started full time about two months later. But first I shot an episode on The Young and the Restless and a series of Web episodes to reintroduce the character of Alison to the As the World Turns audience.

Q. Who do you have the most fun with?
A. I don’t know if there’s one person in particular, because everyone is so different and fun in their own ways. Of course it also has to do with who I work the most with, which is Agim Kaba (Aaron), and for a while Jen Landon (Gwen) and Jesse Lee Soffer (Will), who I had so much fun with to the point where I would break at the end of a lot of scenes because I couldn’t keep a straight face with them.

Q. What do you like most about playing Alison? What can you relate to about her?
A. I like how lovable she is. She has such endearing qualities, and the writers have been doing a great job creating little quirks for me to play. And I love her silly sarcasm! I think that is what I relate to the most. I can be very sarcastic, as a matter of fact, and Alison can be very similar to the point of being blunt, but never maliciously mean.

Marnie Schulenburg started on The Young and the Restless. Then, after appearing on the online series LA Diaries, the actress made the transition to As the World Turns.

Here are highlights of the interview CBS conducted with the rising star:

CBS.com: How has it been at As the World Turns?
MARNIE SCHULENBURG: It's been amazing. It's been so much fun, an amazing experience and everyone is so nice. A dream come true.

CBS.com: Did you get this role right out of college?
MARNIE SCHULENBURG: Pretty much. I graduated in May [2006] and I had a job in the summer at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and then moved to New York in September.

CBS.com: Did working on LA Diaries help you get into the role of Alison?
MARNIE SCHULENBURG: Yes. It explained a lot. It was easier for me to know what Alison was talking about or where she was coming from and acting the way she was because there was that underlining subtext that had happened to her that nobody in the town of Oakdale knew about. She obviously is not the same person who left and doing LA Diaries taught me why.

CBS.com: Tell us about Alison.
MARNIE SCHULENBURG" Alison is a really good-hearted, loving person. She's very loyal; her heart is in the right place. [She] tries to put family first when she's in the right state of mind. She tends to follow guys when she's in love with them and ends up not making the best choices.

I think all the Stewart women sort of have bad taste in men. Weather it is right or wrong they tend to do whatever the guy is doing to make them happy. They are survivors. It's just how they survive, and it's usu