Posts Tagged ‘New England’

“As The World Turns”, the longest ever daytime drama, ends its 54 year run this September. At the same time, a new soap will turn to New Hampshire for juicy story lines, lusty affairs, and backstabbing on a new daytime drama called “Proper Manors”, debuting on MyTv New England this September.  The scenic Granite State won’t just be the backdrop in this new series, it will be the hot spot for the plot to thicken and the drama to unfold.

MyTV New England is a local TV station that spotlights life in New England. Instead of airing news, MyTV New England creates features and programs that celebrate living in New England. MyTV New England development executive Christopher Murphy tells HEC, “The development of the Alexius OmniMedia production “Proper Manors” has taken a lot of us at MyTV by surprise. Pietro D’Alessio has no doubt created a career defining project. We wish him well”.

“Proper Manors” creator/director and Hollywood actor, Peitro D’Alessio was quoted by UnionLeader dot com, promising to take all kinds of soap operatic twists and turns as it winds its way through a small New England town and the spirited teenagers who live there with their complicated and intertwined families. Us New Englanders can certainly relate to the gossip that surfaces in small town living, where everyone knows everyone and everything or at least we think we do, especially when you’re in high school where drama just seems to find you! Scandalous.

D’Alessio was also quoted saying “I think we’re getting so much buzz because these are well-developed stories. I mean, how often do you get to create a place where a New York Italian Jew meets Southern aristocracy, a story where the Mafia, white trash and beauty pageants are all woven together with plenty of scandal? I’ve never had this much fun on a project in my life.”

While two homegrown New England day players, Van Hansis and Maura West end their journeys when “As the World Turns” roles their credits for the last time . A new journey begins for another New England based actress, Victoria Rowell who is expected to star in the NH soap. You might recognize the Portland ME born actress from “The Young and Restless” or even “The Bill Cosby Show”. Oh and guess what, it’s not too late for you to be the next soap star to hit the airwaves because “Proper Manors” is still casting!  Auditions are by appointment only. Audition inquiries should be sent to: [email protected].

“Actually, the huge amount of press that MyTV New England and “Proper Manors” has actually caused our TV channel to change how we work with local TV Producers before they’re signed onto MyTV broadcast,” Murphy shares with us. “We would like to use this opportunity to launch what will be the first of a series of free “MyTV Film and TV Workshops”.  The first will be the “Broadcast TV Producers Workshop” and “Broadcast TV Pilot Workshop” – just RSVP to Christopher Murphy, Development Executive at [email protected] We’ll have more free “MyTV Film and TV Workshops” coming up, so stay tuned,” Murphy adds.

Shooting for “Proper Manors” is set to take place in August.  The 26-episode soap will debut September 14th. So, like sand from Hampton Beach, so are the new days of OUR lives in “Proper Manors”.

The fall television season is upon us, as both new shows and old favorites will soon be taking to the airwaves across the networks. While many of these shows are shot in California or Canada, nevertheless, New England is well-represented in a variety of ways. Whether it’s stars who originate from the area, or the shows themselves being set here, let’s check out where we can find Hollywood East on the fall 2009 line-up.

New Shows:

“Eastwick” on ABC, Wednesdays at 10 starting September 23, is inspired by the 1987 movie starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon. This incarnation of the John Updike novel follows the story of 3 women (including Rebecca Romijn) whose everyday lives get thrown for a loop when a mysterious man arrives at their small, fictional New England town.

Connecticut born Seth MacFarlane’s “Family Guy” spinoff, “The Cleveland Show” is set to premiere September 27 on Fox. The animated comedy will air Sunday nights, along with MacFarlane’s other long-running series–”American Dad!” and “Family Guy”.

Old Favorites:

AMC’s surprise hit, “Mad Men” got a head start, with its season 3 premiere episode airing on August 16. Boston native, and recent Improper Bostonian cover model, John Slattery, will reprise his role as advertising executive Roger Sterling.

Everett’s Ellen Pompeo will be appearing less towards the start of the perpetual favorite “Grey’s Anatomy” with her real-life pregnancy pulling her away from an otherwise heavy workload. The season 6 premiere airs Thursday, September 24, and also stars Maine native Patrick Dempsey.

The second season of Fox’s “Fringe” coincides with production being moved to Vancouver, Canada, despite the fact that the series is set in Boston. Beantown’s own Leonard Nimoy will make several appearances throughout the season of the sci-fi show.

Fox’s other eccentric enterprise, “Dollhouse”, starring Watertown, MA’s Eliza Dushku will be returning for a second season after an uncertain beginning. The first episode will air September 25, as it returns to 9 PM time-slot on Friday nights.

When most people think of acting they think of big screen movie stars, Broadway hits, or even Shakespeare in the park, all in which actors dress up in costume and sets are built. Although television, film and theater are the staples in the World of acting one less common form of acting is hitting the scene in New England, voice-over acting. Voice-over acting is classified as anything in which you hear the person’s voice but don’t have any idea who’s behind it.

Actors are constantly being rejected for not being pretty enough, tall enough or even young enough. An actor’s life is filled with rejections for a variety of reasons but with voice-over acting it doesn’t matter what you look like. A distinctive voice is like a great headshot it will lead you to work in radio, television, film and the internet.

You may not realize while you’re driving listening to the radio, surfing the web or watching cartoons you are being bombarded with voice-over actors. These actors are the ones who get that jingle stuck in your head, make you laugh while watching animation and sublimely sell you products. These voices are working actors, acting.

Staying connected to the New England entertainment scene and finding different ways to work can be fun and exciting. New England is witnessing a boom in productions all over the coast. Casting calls, classes and workshops are popping up every where from Maine to Hingham MA.

Voicecoaches.com is offering a $20, three hour workshop on August 12, 2009 at the Hingham Recreational Department. This workshop will give you a taste of something new in the World of acting. You will gain skills in speaking clearly and learning how to use a microphone properly.

Actors dream of being in the next feature film, so maybe it will be the next animated film. Getting involved in different aspects of acting might lead you to where you want to go. Just by trying something new.