As The World Turns

Van Hansis Pet Project MS. GUIDANCE Launches Kickstarter Campaign!

June 11, 2015

Courtesy/MsGuidance

Courtesy/MsGuidance

For awhile now fans of former As the World Turns favorite Van Hansis (Ex-Luke Snyder) have been hearing bits of information about his upcoming new web series project Ms. Guidance.

But on Wednesday, Hansis and the Ms. Guidance counselors launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the final three episodes of their first season of six! They have already shot three that are in the can. After the first 12 hours of the campaign, Ms. Guidance raised over 5K and was even named a Kickstarter staff pick!

Ms. Guidance is the brainchild of Hansis and playwright James Ryan Caldwell. In addition, Van co-directs the episodes of this dark comedy, and he also appears in the series as well in the role of Walker. And from what we can tell you the premise is pretty brilliant! Check out all the info on Ms. Guidance from the series official press release below:

Created by three-time Emmy nominee Van Hansis and acclaimed downtown playwright James Ryan Caldwell, Ms. Guidance follows Jenny Bump, a struggling actress, who, after a nervous breakdown on the New York stage, returns to the performing arts boarding school she attended in her youth to act as an interim guidance counselor. However, listening to the dreams and ambitions of her students only stokes the dying embers of her own, and soon Jenny is back to her old tricks, scheming for fame, and ruining lives (her own included) in the process.

Hansis describes the show as “ Strangers With Candy meets Anton Chekhov’” noting that although the series is an entertaining “fast and dirty comedy”, underneath the humor is “that layer of life that a lot of artists- actually, a lot of anyone- feels all too deeply. It’s a feeling you carry along with you, but try to ignore- the feeling that what you have become is less then you were meant to be.”

Caldwell agrees, stating “Ms. Guidance is about much more than theater and drama kids and singing and dancing. It’s about the sense of uselessness when your skills and talent don’t materialize into a successful career. Its about what we do with the dregs of our dreams – do we allow them to torment us, or do we shape them into something new? It’s about having the dreams of a teenager, when in reality, you are an adult.”

Having privately funded the first three episodes, Ms. Guidance shot almost entirely on location at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Hansis’ alma matter, in Natick, Massachusetts last summer and is looking to the public to raise funds to finish the six episode season.

Hansis co-directs with Melodie Sisk (producer on features “Summer of Blood” Tribeca, 2014, “Female Pervert” Slamdance, 2015 and “Applesauce” Tribeca, 2015, among others) The cast includes Amber Gray (the title role Soho Rep’s acclaimed “An Octoroon,” “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812”), Adriane Lenox (2005 Tony winner for “Doubt”), Van Hansis (Three time Daytime Emmy nominee for “As The World Turns), Ian Unterman (The Good Wife), Tyler Hanes (The Cohen Brother’s upcoming “Hail Cesar!”, Broadway’s “A Chorus Line” and Link Larkin in “Hairspray” among others), Peruvian film and television star Marco Zunino, and introduces Elliotte Crowell as Jenny Bump.

Below watch Van and James discuss Ms. Guidance with some clips from the episodes they have shot, and how you can help participate and help fund this very clever project! Then let us know… are you glad to see Van again and hear of his new project? What do you think of the concept? Share your thoughts below!

Up Next

Genie Francis To Continue On General Hospital After Luke's Exit Storyline!

Don't Miss

Michelle Stafford's New Online Series SECRET MIND OF A SINGLE MOM Bows Monday On NickMom.Com!

2
Leave a Reply

newest oldest

mmc

I hope Van fans & just people who want to see an entertaining series will donate to Van’s wonderful project. Van is such a talented man .I’ve followed his career from the beginning & am always amazed at how he puts his heart & soul into everything he does….Donate whatever you can…in a case like this, every little bit really helps….Watch the video….you’ll see sneak peeks of the series & hear from Van & James !!!

LeeAnn

Amazing to see Van again!! This looks like a great show!

All My Children

TAINTED DREAMS Season 2 To Bow December 21st!

December 4, 2017

Tainted Dreams is back with a second season offering from Daytime Emmy-winning director and series creator, Sonia Blangiardo!

Beginning December 21st, the next chapter of Blangiardo’s the soap behind a soap, will be available for streaming on Amazon and Amazon Prime. (season one is also currently available on Amazon)

This series, which was nominated for five 2017 Daytime Emmys, follows the behind-the-scenes drama of a fictitious soap opera titled Painted Dreams. Many soap opera notables have roles in the online series including: Alicia Minshew, Michael Lowry , Austin Peck. Terri Ivens, Walt Willey, Kelley Menighan, Grant Aleksander, Bobbie Eakes, Natalia Livingston, Marnie Schulenburg, Nathan Purdee, Colleen Zenk, James DePaiva, Tonja Walker, Ilene Kristen, and the late Larkin Malloy . In addition, Jessie Godderz of Impact Wrestling and Big Brother fame, and Dina Manzo of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, also appear.

In a statement, Sonia Blangiardo said that she is “excited to take everyone along these characters’ journeys in Season 2, as they evolve and deal with ever increasing professional and personal turmoil.”

Fore more on Tainted Dreams visit their official website here. (more…)

As The World Turns

Crystal Hunt, Donna Mills, Antonio Sabato Jr & Michael Swan Star In New Faith-Based Soap Opera, HILTON HEAD ISLAND!

November 8, 2017

Some longtime soap opera notables are featured in a new 22 episode faith-based soap entitle, Hilton Head Island.

The series debuts this Friday, November 10th with the first eight installments, and is from the Christian entertainment company, PureFlix.com.

The soap opera is available by subscription, but the service offers a one-month free trial. In story, Hilton Head Island, revolves around the lives of the fictional Trisk family, who own the a television network.

Hilton Head Island features: Antonio Sabato Jr. (ex-Jagger, General Hospital), Donna Mills (ex-Abby, Knots Landing), Michael Swan (ex-Duncan, As the World Turns), and Crystal Hunt (ex-Lizzie, GL). PureFlix.com specializes in “family-oriented” content and shows. The plan is for Hilton Head Island to be rolled out in two subsequent seven-episode blocks in the coming weeks.

Watch the first official trailer for the soap after the jump. Then let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! (more…)

As The World Turns

EastSiders Season 3 Starring Van Hansis and Kit Williamson Kickstarter Campaign Underway!

May 20, 2017

EastSiders is on its way back for season three, which is great news since the LGBT series starring former As the World Turns star Van Hasis (Ex-Luke) as Thom and creator/writer/producer Kit Williamson as Cal.

Over the last few seasons, the funny, poignant, and extremely well-written series tells the tale of a couple who go through the struggles of their relationship while living in Silver Lake, California.

With many twist and turns and featuring a supporting cast that includes: Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), Brianna Brown (General Hospital, Devious Maids, the upcoming Dynasty), Stephen Guarino (Happy Endings, I’m Dying Up Here), Willam Beli (RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nip/Tuck) Traci Lords (Crybaby, Zach and Miri Make a Porno), Matthew McKelligon (You’re Killing Me), Jonathan Lisecki (Gayby) and John Halbach (Producer, EastSiders), the series third season looks to be one of its most intriguing yet.

This time Thom and Cal (Hansis and Williamson) end up on the great American road trip after moving from L.A. to the Big Apple and then trying to get back home! The journey home to Silver Lake was shot on-location in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California over 35 days last fall.

The production has now launched their Kicktstarter campaign to finish up the series and is hoping for some funding for additional shoot days, and post-production costs. The campaign is set to run until June 6th, by which time the producers must have attained their goal of $60,000, or if you contribute and they have not met their goal, it is refunded. (more…)