Most soap opera fans fondly look back to the '80s and '90s, when there were upwards of 20 daytime dramas airing on network television. These days, there are only four, which limits the options and leaves a lot of viewers thirsting for more. If you're one of those fans that craves more drama than General Hospital, Days of our Lives, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless can give you, then you're in for a serious treat from Broadway Podcast Network: the company is bringing fans Broadway's first digital soap opera, As the Curtain Rises.
Currently in its first season (all episodes can be found here), As the Curtain Rises kicks off with the "Broadway Disher" (Lesli Margherita) leaking news of a top secret, in-the-works, mega musical -- which causes the Broadway community to go off-the-charts batty. Archenemy Broadway producers Cheryl Philips (Lillias White) and Steve Jones (James Monroe Iglehart) both pounce for rights to the show -- but only one can win.
Meanwhile, the show's creators, Kaye (Ashley Park) and Bobby (Michael Urie), struggle to deliver a draft of their show as their marriage implodes. And that's just the beginning of the drama to be found in this super soapy digital show that also stars actors like James Monroe Iglehart, Lillias White, George Salazar, Sarah Stiles, Andrew Barth Feldman, and Alex Brightman.
New episodes of As the Curtain Rises -- which proudly supports the Actor's Fund and the Broadway Podcast Network Frontline Initiative -- are available every Thursday at Broadway Podcast Network, as well as on Apple/iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart, TuneIn, Deezer, Player.FM, Pocket Cast, and Podcast Addict.
As the Curtain Rises was written by Dori Berinstein and Mark Peikert. It is produced by Dori Berinstein, Alan Seales, and the Broadway Podcast Network; executive produced by Liz Armstrong; and directed by Dori Berinstein.
How do you feel about Broadway jumping into the soap world with As the Curtain Rises? What are your thoughts on the premise of the digital soap opera? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
