Am I the only one out there who misses ABC Super Soap Weekend?
No. I can’t be. I remember the people who used to literally camp out in front of the entrance of Disney-MGM Studios theme park.
Photo by Nancy Stadler
So that they could be the first in line to meet their favorite ABC soap stars. Veteran performers like Susan Lucci from “All My Children” …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… or new young breakout stars like Bradford Anderson from “General Hospital.”
Photo by Nancy Stadler
Mind you, I miss the old version of this weekend-long event. Back when Linda Dano used to host the “Super Soap Talk Show” in the old Superstar Television Theater.
(L to R) Linda Dano and Cameron Mathison
Photo by Nancy Stadler
Linda was a soap opera veteran herself so she had this amazing ability to put performers at ease. She’d get them to share the sorts of behind-the-scenes stories that you’d never expect to hear at a family-friendly Disney sponsored event.
(L to R) Rebecca Budig, Aidan Turner, Alicia Minshew and Linda Dano
Photo by Nancy Stadler
Dano could even persuade soap hunks like Tyler Christopher from “General Hospital” to come sit right at the edge of the stage during her “Super Soap Talk Show” so they could get up close and personal with members of the audience.
Tyler Christopher & Linda Dano. Photo by Nancy Stadler
But once ABC Daytime opted to replace Linda with Bob Guiney from “The Bachelor” … To be honest, a lot of the spontaneity went out of those Super Soap Talk Show sessions. Bob was always enthusiastic and personable, he just stuck a lot closer to the script than Linda did.
(L to R) Greg Vaughan, Julie Marie Berman, Tyler Christoper and
Bob Guiney. Photo by Nancy Stadler
Oh, sure. They tried to up Super Soap Weekend ‘s fun quotient by creating shows like “Triple Play.” WDW visitors got to play daytime television trivia and drawing games with their favorite ABC Daytime stars.
John-Paul Lavoisier from “One Life to Live” (center, in his signature plaid pajama bottoms)
hosts the Colgate Total Triple Play game. Photo by Nancy Stadler
But once they began doing cross-promotional things like having Sherri Shepherd of “The View” serve as the co-host of this event …
Cameron Mathison and Sherri Shepherd. Photo by Nancy Stadler
… or having Susan Lucci attempt to capitalize on her “Dancing with the Stars” appearance by performing onstage with her partner Tony Dovolani.
Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani. Photo by Jim Hill
… this weekend-long event seemed to be less & less about celebrating the ABC Soaps and more & more about serving the needs of ABC’s corporate parent, The Walt Disney Company.
Which is a shame. Because during the early, early years of Super Soap Weekend, when the crowds were a lot smaller, you could get more intimate contact with the stars. Whether it was a kiss-on-the-cheek from Michael E. Knight of “All My Children” …
Michael E. Knight kisses a fan at the 2003 Super Soap Weekend
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… or a heartfelt hug from Bradford Anderson of “General Hospital.”
Photo by Angela Ragno
And what about those great Street Jams that they used to close out each night of the event with? Where performers like Wally Kurth from “General Hospital” (remember those leather pants?) …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… Kassie DePaiva & Kristen Alderson from “One Life to Live” …
(L to R) Kassie DePaiva & Kristen Alderson
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… and Bobbie Eakes from “All My Children” …
Bobbie Eakes (in the center in orange, pink & yellow) wowed the crowd in a Super Soap
Weekend production number. Photo by Nancy Stadler
… would stride onto that huge temporary stage that Disney erected in front of the Sorcerers Hat and the Chinese Theater …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… and just sing their hearts out. That’s part of what made Super Soap Weekend so special for soap fans. Not just getting the chance to see their favorite soap stars (like Eden Riegel ….
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… and Catherine Hickland & Michael E. Knight) …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… up-close. But – rather – watching them stretch & grow as performers by doing things you’d never see their soap opera characters do.
But then – in 2008 – ABC Daytime decided to pull the plug on Super Soap Weekend. They opted instead to launch a brand-new event, the Soap Nation Tour. Which was supposed to have taken soap stars around the country to venues other than the Disney theme parks with the hope that they would both reach more soap fans and expose “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital” to a brand-new audience.
Well, that was two years ago. And nowadays, if you want to see some ABC soap stars up-close … Well, you have to go to something like a “Port Chuck” concert (Which features a musical performance by Daytime hunks Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash, Steve Burton and Scott Reeves) …
Copyright Port Chuck. All rights reserved
… or that General Hospital Fall Getaway Weekend event (which is being held at the Courtyard Lake Buena Vista November 13th & 14th).
Mind you, there have been rumors that ABC Super Soap Weekend may return as a West Coast-based event once the re-theming of Disney California Adventure theme park is completed in 2012. Which would be interesting, given that the last time this event was held in Southern California was June of 2003.
Photo by Nancy Stadler
But me? Given that The Walt Disney Company is repurposing its SoapNet basic cable channel in 2012 to launch Disney Junior … I have to wonder what the future holds for the ABC soaps. Whether there will even be an “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” or “General Hospital” to celebrate two years from now.
But that’s all in the future. And – for today, anyway – JHM is in the business of looking back. Remembering when November used to a whole lot more fun. When you could fly down to Orlando and get up close and personal with your favorite ABC daytime performers at Super Soap Weekend.
Photo by Nancy Stadler
But what about you? You gotta miss Super Soap Weekend too. Do you have any stories about your favorite encounter with an ABC Daytime star that you’d like to share? Do tell!