Interview Outtakes

Most of the time when I am conducting an interview with a soap star, I have more interview material than space for printing the interview. Here are some blurbs from stars that did not make it to the print version of the interview, but were too good not to publish.

Julie Marie Berman (Lulu Spencer, “General Hospital”) on whether Dante’s feelings for her would change if he knew she had had an abortion years ago: “I think she feels like she wants to be honest about everything that’s gone on in her life, whether it’s necessary for him to know is anyone’s opinion. But in Lulu’s case, I think she wants to be completely honest with who she is and what she’s been through. This is something that is still a big thing that goes on in her head, and I don’t think she can live her life without being reminded of this. Because it has shaped who she is today, I think she wants to be honest with Dante about that episode. With that, I think she is worried that he might not look at her the same way. Even if he can accept it, I think she’s just worried that it’ll change what they have right now. Obviously if he were not to accept her for that, I think it would heartbreaking, but at the end of the day, she’ll be with someone who can accept her for the choices that she’s made in life and who she is today.”

Justin Bruening (ex-Jamie Martin, “All My Children”) on getting recognized by fans: “Sometimes you get into a little routine with something, and I remember there was a situation on ‘All My Children’ once, I was signing autographs and stuff, and you start getting used to people stopping you on the street. The second someone stops you and they’re like, ‘Hey, you’re Justin, right?’ and you’re ready to sign an autograph. That happened to me once, and it was actually someone that I went to high school with who just wanted to say hi.” 

Marnie Schulenburg (ex-Allison Stewart on “As the World Turns”) on comparing getting her start on soaps to “acting boot camp”: “It’s an incredible; it’s like a school. You learn so much. If you are lucky enough to have that opportunity, then you are truly a blessed actor. This has certain limitations, because it is very specific in its delivery and in its style. So, if you are someone who wants change or wants something different to grow from, you can either do both (‘ATWT’ and NY theater) like I was lucky enough to do. I had the freedom to do other acting stuff while I was there, but you are not always able to do that. But I loved it. I loved it for the people and for what I learned from it, but I think I’m ready to try some other venue now.”

Ken Corday (Executive Producer, “Days of Our Lives”) on how the “Days”/“Friends” tie-in came about: “It happened when Jeff Zucker was the West Coast chief programmer —it came out of his fertile mind. Brandon Tartikoff, who had trained Jeff, was always a staunch believer in the talent pool of daytime television. He said, ‘You know, Ken, from your talent pool of 30 or some odd actors that we see every day, there are usually one or two who catch our eye that we want to break out.’ Alison Sweeney is the current example. It was NBC publicity that came to us and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if Drake’ — the ‘Friends’ character of Drake Ramore, who was modeled after Drake Hogestyn — ‘was the name of the character on the “Friends” version of “Days” who would be played by Joey?’ We call it cross-pollenization. It’s wonderful. It lets the primetime viewer know that NBC has respect for ‘Days of Our Lives,’ and it lets ‘Days of Our Lives’ viewers know that their favorites on primetime are watching the show.”

ATWT Stops Spinning Friday

Don't forget to tune in to As the World Turns all this week, as the long-running show will air its final broadcast on Friday, Sept. 17. And check out my Marnie Schulenberg interview here.

Interview (ATWT): Marnie Schulenburg Says Goodbye to Oakdale

After 54 years and more than 13,000 episodes, the “World” will stop spinning for cast, crew and fans of the longest-running soap opera on television today. As the World Turns will air its final episode on Sept. 17. I caught up with Marnie Schulenburg (who has played Alison Stewart since March 2007) recently to discuss the show, those last days on the set and her plans for the future.

Daytime Dial: When you heard the news that the show was going to be canceled, how did you react, and what was the general consensus around the set?

Marnie Schulenburg: I found out, I think it was right before Christmas, and I think it was solidified in January. That’s an awful time in general for people to find out, just because that’s supposed to be the happiest, giving time of year, and to know that your job and source of income is coming to an end is difficult for everybody. I’m younger, and I have less responsibility. I have a lot more freedom to be allowed to be out of a job. But a lot of the people on the show have lots of kids, or they have families, or it’s been their life. So, for me it was just sad watching people who had pretty much become my family for the past three and a half years go through that and the many different levels of what that means. From anger to sadness, feeling nostalgia to being sentimental — everybody has a different way of coping and dealing, and to watch people you love go through that is really difficult and sad.

DD: And like you said, you all really are like a family, so it’s like your family is being broken up.

MS: It really is, especially for the people like Don Hastings, Kathryn Hays and Eileen Fulton — the people who have been on the show since almost the beginning. Some people have pursued careers outside of the soap more than others. Some have kept busy with other projects, but those who really mainly focused on the soap and just had their families, it’s like the possibility of a career outside of that, they wonder, is that something that they even want to pursue? Is it time to retire? So, that is really difficult, too.

DD: A lot of actors, like those from Guiding Light, are finding work on remaining soaps. The cancellation of ATWT could give some actors new opportunities, and might even compel ATWT viewers to watch a new soap to follow that actor, creating higher numbers for the shows that do remain on the air.

MS: I feel like a lot of us are very versatile actors. I just read an article that quoted, I believe it was Les Moonves of CBS, saying that he wasn’t sure if there was a place for daytime anymore. The medium is changing. But since there are soaps leaving, then those viewers could then go over to another network and watch another show. That is very probable. But even with that being said, the viewership isn’t what it was even three years ago. We aren’t losing all the viewers; there are just different ways that they are watching our show, and it’s really difficult to monitor that and then prove to the networks that we are still maintaining popularity. I can tell them that half of my family and friends are TiVoing it and DVRing it or watching it online, but until we are able to monitor this source of how people are watching our show, what can we do?

DD: So, take me back to that final day of shooting. What was it like on the set?

MS: Once we found out, everybody went through different phases of coping: sadness to anxiety to anger to relief to whatever. But the last couple of days it was like, whatever stress people had, including myself, about where are we going and how were we going to make a living, that kind of melted away. Everything was relished. Everything was given respect, and it wasn’t rushed; it was honored. The last day, everybody clapped after everybody’s scene. Anytime anyone was done, we would all clap, and that was a wrap for them. That we were given that respect, that was really great.

There were an insane amount of pictures taken and a lot of crying. We did the last scene of the day with Don Hastings, Marie Masters and Kathy Hayes — three of the best, three really great people who started the show. When they were done, everybody came out and took pictures. Everybody on the show stayed, across the board, and we all made toasts for two hours — everybody toasting to one another and saying things that they made sure they wanted said. It was really beautiful.

DD: I know you can’t tell me how the show will end, but can you give me a little hint?

MS: It’s definitely going to be, I’d say for most of the people, a happy ending. For any character who doesn’t get one, I think they have pretty much already wrapped that up. Our fans are really in tune with the story lines and where they think characters are going to go. They are normally pretty much right on the nose with how stuff ends up. We want people to leave the show with a good feeling. It’s resolved and happy, and they can leave remembering the characters in a positive light. You won’t see anything extreme. They really want to keep it grounded, honest, compelling and resolved. A resolution for everybody to leave so they feel it has a poignant finish.

DD: Would you consider a role on another soap, or do you want to go in a different direction?

MS: If I got a job, I wouldn’t turn it down. I don’t think I’m going to go out of my way to pursue another job on another soap. I just don’t think it would be the same. I don’t think any show would ever be the same. ATWT changed my life. It changed how I am as an actor. I learned so much from it. I don’t think that anything could ever really give me that type of satisfaction.

Marnie Schulenburg Appearance in Delaware

Marnie Schulenburg (Alison Snyder on ATWT) will appear at the 90th Annual Wilmington Flower Market on Saturday, May 8. On behalf of 93.7 WSTW and 1150am WDEL, Marnie will serve as a celebrity judge for a vocal a capella competition, as well as participate in a meet and greet with fans. The charity event benefits several children's charities throughout Delaware and the Delaware Valley.

See ATWT's Marnie Schulenburg on Stage

(All Photos by Isaiah Tanenbaum)

Is beauty a thief or a gift?

Flux’s 2009/10 season, “A Season of Give and Take” begins with Adam Szymkowicz’s PRETTY THEFT, a play about ballerinas, boxes and the dangers of beauty. After losing her father, Allegra falls under the wing of bad girl Suzy, only to find an unexpected friendship with Joe, an autistic savant. When things between them take a violent turn, Allegra and Suzy escape on a cross-country trip. The girls end up befriending Marco, a mysterious thief who claims he cannot be caught. Newest Flux member Angela Astle stages this unsettling play from the critically acclaimed playwright of Nerve, Food for Fish and Incendiary.

PRETTY THEFT features Todd D’Amour*, Candice Holdorf*, Maria Portman Kelly*, Lynn Kenny, Brian Pracht, Zack Robidas, Marnie Schulenburg, and Cotton Wright*.

*Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

The creative team for PRETTY THEFT includes Kate August (Stage Manager), Heather Cohn (Set Design), Andy Fritsch (Lighting Design) Kevin Fuller (Sound Design), Becky Kelly (Costume Design), and Ashley Martinez (Choreographer).

The production, produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble, will play at the Access Theater Gallery Space (380 Broadway at White Street, 4th Floor) April 23-May 17, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm. Tickets ($18) are available online at www.fluxtheatre.org

Adam Szymkowicz (Playwright) Adam’s plays Food For Fish and Nerve were called “fabulously weird and weirdly fabulous” and “sweet, sexy, neurotic friendly”, respectively, by the New York Times. His work has been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, England, The Netherlands and Lithuania. Adam’s plays have been presented or developed at such places as MCC Theater, Ars Nova, South Coast Rep, Playwright Horizons, LAByrinth Theater Company, The Lark, Julliard, Manhattan Theatre Source, Clubbed Thumb, Theatre of Note and Studio Dante. Plays include Deflowering Waldo, Open Minds, Anne, The Art Machine, Food For Fish, Hearts like Fists, Herbie, Incendiary, Bee Eater, Temporary Everything, Susan Gets Some Play and Nerve. Adam’s plays have been published by Dramatists Play Service, The New York Theater Review and in various Smith and Kraus anthologies. Adam is a two-time Lecomte du Nouy Prize winner, a member of the Dramatists Guild, the MCC Playwright’s Coalition and was a founding member of Ars Nova Play Group. Adam received his playwriting MFA from Columbia University where he was the Dean’s Fellow and, subsequently, received a Playwright’s Diploma from the Julliard School.

Angela Astle (Director) came to New York from Denver, Colorado in August 2007. She was the Venue Director for the New York International Fringe Festival 2007 where she first met Flux Theatre Ensemble. She was invited to be the associate director for Flux’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream while also associate producing Lysistrata at Gallery Players. Past directing credits include Dead Man Walking (Tim Robbins’ play based on the movie and book of the same name) and Waffles by Martha Garvey as part of the Estrogenius Festival 2008 at Manhattan Theatre Source. Waffles was selected for encore performances during the “Best of Estro Week”. Other recent directing credits include A Place for Owls by Fiona Jones, and What We Planned For by Jen Thatcher. Angela is currently the Associate Producer at New Perspectives Theatre Company.

Flux Theatre Ensemble is a group of multi-faceted theatre artists composed of playwrights, directors, actors and designers. Through continual collaboration and development of new works, re-imagined classics, and ensemble-based projects, Flux creates seasons with an underlining theme that unites work that is character-driven, globally engaged and uniquely theatrical. Flux is the proud recipient of two NYC Fringe Festival Awards. In 2007 the Village Voice Audience Favorite Award for August Schulenburg’s Riding the Bull and in 2008 for Heather Cohn’s “Outstanding Direction” of Other Bodies. nytheatre.com chose Flux Theatre Ensemble as one of their “People of the Year” for 2008 saying “This rising theatre company had a hit in the New York International Fringe Festival with Other Bodies, written by artistic director August Schulenburg, and then went on to mount the fall's most ambitious indie show, Johnna Adams's Angel Eaters Trilogy.”

"Best Underappreciated Indie Theatre Company Whose Work You Should Get Your Ass To"

New York Press

“Flux Theatre Ensemble is a smart company, unafraid of challenging material, and they make a point of engaging their audience at every turn.” nytheatre.com

“Even though we may already know that theater brings a transforming magic to our mortal world, it's a pleasure to have a production as delightful as this one to remind us.” Patrick Lee, TheaterMania (A Midsummer’s Night Dream)

“One could say it is one of the most intelligent and perceptive works to have taken the indie theater stage this year, and that would still not be doing the play justice. Nathanial Kressen, nytheatre.com (Other Bodies)

"One of the pleasures derived from attending lots of Off-Off-Broadway plays is the chance to discover new talent, and Johnna Adams' wildly ambitious…new trilogy is currently offering a bumper crop of it." Mark Peikert, Backstage (The Angel Eaters Trilogy)

ATWT Star Gets Pumped Up

Marnie Schulenberg (Allison, As the World Turns) is featured in a new series of hilarious Webisodes called Pump Sports Club Fitness. The series is shown exclusively on YouTube.com and is a mockumentary about those who work in and participate in health clubs and physical fitness. Think Pumping Iron meets The Office.

The series was created by and is directed by Paul Mischeshin, who also stars as the overly zealous trainer, who just so happens to be named Paul. Marnie appears in the series' second episode (see below) as award-winning high-maintenance actress Nicole Spencer.



Each episode is only about 5-7 minutes long, so you have no excuse not to watch them all. And checking back every Sunday for the next few weeks to catch new episodes.

http://www.youtube.com/user/pcmtrain2

ATWT Stars in NYC Fringe Festival

Marnie Schulenburg (pictured), who plays Alison Stewart, will appear in a production of Anais Nin Goes to Hell as part of the 11th annual New York International Fringe Festival at the Connelly Theater, located at 220 East 4th Street from August 8th until August 24th, 2008. For tickets and more information please call (866) 468-7619 or visit www.nycfringe.org.

Billy Magnussen, Casey, will appear in a production of Paper Dolls as part of the 11th annual New York International Fringe Festival, running August 8 through August 24 at the Players Theatre, located at 115 MacDougal Street in New York City. For more information, please visit www.paperdollstheplay.com.

10 Questions With ATWT's Marnie Schulenburg

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. What were some of the early things you did (acting-wise)?

A. Well, the first play I was ever in was “Nounsense,” a play written by one of my fifth-grade teachers, and it was sort of like a “Schoolhouse Rock!” show, which taught correct grammar, sentence structure, etc. It was very cutesy and a lot of fun.

Then I got involved in All-Cape Theatrical, a musical program for kids 14 and up. I learned a lot about performance through that program.

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 (“ATWT” 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 “ATWT” 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.

Q. You’ve been on “As the World Turns” for a little more than a year now; how has it been so far?

A. I absolutely love being on the show! Every person who works on the show is incredibly talented, passionate and caring. The show is perfect for me – it’s challenging, it keeps me acting (which I love), it keeps me in New York, which is where I want to be, and it allows me to do small theater and musical theater projects on the side.

Q. Who have you learned the most from?

A. I have learned a lot from all the actors on the show, because everyone has their own style and process to connect with the character they are playing. And I have learned what works for me now by watching and growing with them.

Q. What is a favorite or funny special moment you can remember from filming “ATWT”?

A. There were so many amazing and challenging moments for me since I joined the show, but one of the few very silly moments for me was during a scene I did with Jen and Jesse. One day I just could not stop laughing on all my tag lines, which are the last lines of a scene. It had been a long day, and we had one last scene after lunch to finish, so everybody was ready to go right away. I was busy joking around with one of the cameramen. I was in a different room of the set we were shooting on, and I didn’t even hear the stage manager say “ACTION!” I finally noticed the silence and that Jen, Jesse and Agim are saying their lines in the other room, the room that I was supposed to be in to have an intense moment with Agim. So, I slowly walked in hoping I could play it off like I was entering late. But it was too late for all of us, because all their eyes looked at me as I nonchalantly entered, and I could see they were all on the brink of laughing, wondering what the heck I was doing. It was pretty ridiculous!

Q. What are some exciting things coming up for Alison that you are allowed to disclose to me?

A. Well, things are going to come to a climatic halt with Matt and Alison since she knows the truth about who he works for. Also, she’s going to focus on her future and career like Dusty wanted her to.

Q. Your brother, Gus Schulenburg, and other New York actors founded the Flux Theatre Ensemble, which you sometimes participate in. Can you tell me a little about the group?

A. Gus and several other actors started working together two and a half years ago and decided to form Flux Theatre Ensemble. They have a yearly season of shows, and they also spend Sundays work-shopping new plays. This way, actors have an outlet if they are too busy with working means-to-an-end jobs, and the playwrights get to hear their work out loud. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Y&R and ATWT Crossover Characters

A crossover of CBS's The Young and the Restless and As the World Turns will result in a new Web series, L.A. Diaries, which will begin streaming today, Thursday, Feb. 22 on cbs.com's innertube. Nine webisodes of the series will feature the backstory and friendship between Y&R's Amber Moore (Adrienne Frantz) and Alison Stewart (Marnie Schulenburg), a new character on ATWT.

Schulenburg will be introduced to the audience on the Thursday, Feb. 22 episode of Y&R when Amber seeks out her old friend Alison for help with an important problem. The same day, L.A. Diaries will begin telling the story of Alison and Amber's friendship and the saga of how they came to be living where they are today. Alison will make her debut on ATWT on Wednesday, March 21.

"We are so excited to have this opportunity to introduce a character from ATWT on Y&R, and to enable the audience to see their history through the webisodes of L.A. Diaries," said Barbara Bloom, Sr. Vice President, Daytime Programs, CBS. "It's a wonderful chance for the fans of both shows to tune in and see some backstory on the characters, which is something we don't often get to do in daytime."

"As the World Turns" Brings Back Ali

Marnie Schulenberg has been cast as Alison Stewart on "As the World Turns." She was last played by Jessica Dunphy. When Dunphy left the soap to pursue other opportunities, Alison the character moved to Seattle to join boyfriend Aaron Snyder (Agim Kaba).

Alison was a bad girl just like big sis (and bio mom) Emily Stewart (Kelley Meninghan Hensley) when she first came to Oakdale, but by the time she left, she had finally matured and gotten her man. Now it seems the newest incarnation of the character resembles Alison during her teenage years. In an interesting crossover, the character will first be seen on "The Young and the Restless" (both are CBS soaps, but "Y&R" is not a Procter & Gamble-owned soap like "GL" and "ATWT" are) on Feb. 22nd. Ali will help friend her Amber (herself a character crossover from "Bold & Beautiful," played by Adrienne Franz) trick Chancellor heir Cane into marriage.

You can get caught up to date on Alison's shenanigans on the Internet by watching the Innertube original series "L.A. Diaries" at www.cbs.com/innertube. Schulenberg will debut on "ATWT" on Mar. 21.