Posted by Backstage

Soap operas were dubbed thus because when they began, decades ago, they were sponsored by soap manufacturers, who were advertising to the audience at home in the middle of the day: women. In the succeeding years came nontraditional casting, taboo-breaking story lines, and the phenomenal work many soap actors do each day, and the soaps came to be known as "daytime dramas."

Being a star on such shows is the ultimate goal of some budding thespians. Other actors consider themselves above such small-screen aspirations. But many in each camp don't consider exactly how much work and talent are demanded by daytime dramas. For a hint of what it entails to be an actor working in daytime, we spoke with some of the many people involved in making these shows happen.

Begin at the Beginning

As everyone we interviewed was quick to mention, there is no such thing as "soap acting." Tamara Braun, who currently plays Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives, admits, "I tend to think when people refer to soap acting it's bad acting, unfortunately." But Days casting director Marnie Saitta notes, "I think that was a stereotype that was back in the day, and people equated it with being over the top, but I don't think that exists anymore."

Still, in the face of the misconceptions and daytime's often melodramatic story lines, young actors can be fooled into thinking they must match the material by heart- and hand-wrenching overacting. Braun, who was nominated for a Daytime Emmy and won a Soap Opera Digest Award for her work on General Hospital, warns, "You prepare for a soap audition the same way you prepare for anything else. I think you go in to tell a story, you go in to know the relationship you have with somebody, and you try to make something real happen in the moment." Deanna Russo, who appeared last year on The Young and the Restless and will star on Knight Rider, notes, "The preparation for soap auditions isn't different. But the material is unique. I find soap material very sexy."

Saitta adds of soap auditions, "Very rarely do I get actors who come in and go over the top because they think that's soap acting. If there's an actor trying to push an emotion, it's usually because they're just not feeling it. Then it can come off over the top."

Getting in the Door

Resembling a supermodel is not the key to getting cast. Says Saitta, "I've seen so many people who are gorgeous in my lobby, and they come in here and they can't act and they lose their looks. Then I've seen so many people who might not be the best-looking person in the room, and all of the sudden they become gorgeous in front of me because they have talent. So how important are looks? If I can get looks and talent in one package, I would be very excited. But if it came down to it, I would always go with the talent over looks simply because a really talented person can convince you that they're beautiful, and a beautiful person with no talent becomes ugly very quickly."

Of course Saitta looks first at a headshot, responding particularly to "a photograph that is really lit in the eyes; that really grabs me." But then she flips the shot over and looks at what every other casting director looks at: the résumé. "I love when I see actors who have been studying at different places and a number of different techniques to find their way, because I think that sort of discovery is really important for an actor because it expands their emotional range, most importantly, and it just shows me that they're constantly working at it," she says. "I love to see improv on people's résumés because there's nothing like a phenomenal improv class to sharpen your instincts, because at the end of the day, that's what actors are relying on, their own instincts." Saitta adds that doing a soap is not unlike doing a play a day, therefore a strong theatre background is also attractive to her. On résumés, she says, she wants to see evidence of studying and practicing: "The actors — you can tell when they come in — who are completely studied and prepared, they are strong and confident; there's a stillness about them, and they make a very strong choice based on the material. They've done their homework, there's a backstory, they did a really full character, and they breathe life into the material."

However, if you have been mailing to the lead casting directors and their associates and have not gotten an audition, there may still be hope for you. Russo has a suggestion that can land you a role by going through the back(ground) door. "If you can get your headshot in the hands of the extras casting director on your favorite soap, then you'll have the best opportunity to be hired to be on set," she says. "Once there, you'll learn firsthand what it's about. You'll meet great people, and if they like you, they'll rehire you and eventually give you lines for small parts."

Saitta agrees you shouldn't always necessarily shoot right for the top. She advises actors yearning to work in daytime to "come in and take any size role on a soap because it's about getting down there on set, seeing how it all goes down and sinking their teeth into it, getting their feet wet, and working their way up."

Staying in the Room

You may think you have enough training to get you into a daytime casting office, but as Saitta mentions, there is no such thing as too much training. Beyond providing you with the skills you'll require on a set, your acting class may even get you there and keep you there. Currently playing the role of Trevor Lansing on General Hospital, Stephen Macht was referred for the part by a classmate. And in that class, Macht says, he learned how to keep a positive attitude, and that has helped to keep him working.

A former Ivy League professor with a Ph.D. in dramatic literature, Macht once gave daytime short shrift, but he knows that doing so cost him an earlier role on One Life to Live. He admits, "I was a failure at it because I looked down on it, and I was therefore intellectually constipated. I screwed up, because I as an actor didn't have the attitude. My teacher says your attitude monitors your talent; if you've got a bad attitude, your work will reflect it."

Macht says he now feels grateful for the challenge soaps offer him; "How can this seemingly facile, two-dimensional, convoluted thing be three-dimensional and absolutely dynamic without pushing? It all depends on what you bring as a person and your technique as an actor to allow any specific situation to draw out of you everything that's there, and you've only got one minute to get it done."

Braun notes the learning curve experienced in working under daytime drama's time constraints. "There are challenges, and once you get the job you have to prove yourself," she explains. "You have to learn to do everything fast. You don't have a lot of time to prepare, especially if you have a hot story line. You are working every day, and you pretty much have to get to emotions and intentions and motivations and point of view, and you don't have the luxury of time." But Braun maintains it gets easier: "I had to learn real quick. But, after a few months, you get used to the rhythm; you say 'Okay, I've got it down.'" Indeed, you had better get it down quick because, as Russo says, "A soap is a well-oiled machine."

'How Do You Learn All Those Lines?'

This most-popular question asked of actors goes doubly for someone on a daytime drama. How much dialogue can you expect in a main role, and how much time do you have to learn it all? Russo says final-draft pages of scripts make it to her "no later than 6 p.m. the night before, which is also when I'd get my call time." So you'd better be a quick memorizer. For Russo, the key is in repetition: "The more you repeat dialogue, the more it will stick. Find a mnemonic that works for you. For me, I need to say my lines out loud and rehearse with a buddy."

Scripts can often change last minute too, so be prepared to make the adjustments ungrudgingly. "That's a challenge on any set, not just soaps," Russo says. "Notes are always trickling in from the higher-ups, and you roll with it. Every person on set, not just actors, has to make sudden adjustments in order to support the flow of the day."

Sometimes you may have more time — but also more text. Says Macht, "I got Monday's script, and I've got 10 pages there. And then for Wednesday and Thursday I've got four more scripts, so, I would say probably 30, 40 pages of dialogue for the whole thing." Macht hires someone to rehearse his cues with him. But if you think 40 pages of dialogue in a week sounds daunting, Braun's recollection will absolutely terrify you. "We shot these scenes all back to back. I was in every single one. I was a talkity-talk-talk-talker, and it was 54 pages," she says of a recent shoot. Braun laments, "There's always a Catch-22, because you want to work, and you want the good stuff to pour your heart into, but it's hard with the amount of work that's thrown at you to make it work." But she is quick to note the upside: "When it does, it's magic. You feel so grateful that you get to be an actor and get paid for it."

My Father Is a Vampire

In a career where we, as actors, must live truthfully under imaginary circumstances, does this task become more difficult when the situations are as out of the ordinary as they tend to be in daytime drama? Macht seems to have found the key. In the role of a mob lawyer, he found his character's clear point of view. "I am going to play the devil incarnate, and I'm simply there to point out the hypocrites who refuse to accept their fate," Macht says. "As a point of view, it's really clear, so anything I do — whatever stimulus comes at me — I'm solid. It's a wonderful game because you don't have too much time to prepare."

For Braun, some days are easier, comparatively speaking, than others: "Some days I say, 'I'm going to make this thing work,' and other days I'm like, 'Oh gosh, how do I do it? How do I continue to tell the truth in what can be an absurd situation?' I had a day like that today, if you want to you know the truth. It was very difficult because I didn't understand why my character was doing what she was doing, and it was a little funky, but you have to say, 'Tomorrow's another day,' and that's the beauty of soaps is that tomorrow is literally another day."

But as Braun notes, "Honestly, that's not just a soap challenge; I think it's an acting challenge, regardless of the medium. Those are the obstacles we come up with. It's not a perfect science."

Russo agrees that in daytime, "the greatest challenge is making strong enough choices. Soap opera acting is very difficult, not because of all the lines to memorize but because you need to have really good instincts. No one is there to hold your hand and tell you if you're doing well. People don't give soap actors enough credit."

Saitta sees enough actors to know that this is the case. She advises that actors learn to trust their instincts and to know what they are getting into if they seek soap work. "I think there was a misconception that daytime was a place for new actors to learn," she says. "Well, my viewpoint is you really have to know your stuff to be in daytime."

Tamara Braun joined GH in 2001 to take over the role of Carly. She was stepping into iconic shoes. Sarah Brown had been treated like a goddess by the TV world. Who could possibly do as well as she did in the role? Somehow, Braun found her own rhythms and made Carly her own invention. She thrived on the show. Now, on Days of Our Lives, she's tearing up the screen as a wild -- possibly deranged -- woman scorned by the name of Ava. She's blown into the Salem landscape like a tornado, giving the venerable NBC soap a good kick in the butt.

It seems that a Carly by any other name is still an actress -- and character -- worth watching.

May 1st 2008 by Allison Waldman TV Squad

According to Soap Opera Digest, the role of Martino, Ava's (Tamara Braun) father, was originally up for stunt-casting. It turns out the daytime drama eventually decided on the 52-year old star of such `80s fare as Riptide and Jake and the Fatman. Penny's stint as Ava's dad begins May 2.

April 16, 2008
Rosario Santiago
BuddyTV Staff Columnist

'Days of Our Lives' killer vixen Tamara Braun opens up about her soap return, her new love, and her varying dimensions

More times than not, actors are the polar opposites of the characters they play. Tamara Braun is no exception. Having played complex anti-heroine Carly Corinthos on General Hospital for four years (2001-2005), Braun is now seducing millions of viewers as the gun-toting whack job Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives. Thankfully, Braun doesn't mind being typecast as the deranged bitch with a killer wardrobe. Odd considering she could teach her alter egos a thing or two about embracing one's inner chi. The Evanston, Ill., native was a psychology major at the University of Wisconsin at Madison before studying all things Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England.

And don't knock Braun or her acting. Last week, I heralded Braun's deliciously campy performance on Days in The Nelson Ratings, but was soon reamed a new one by the star for citing her Daytime Emmy-nominated role as Carly as “one dimensional.”

Below is our lively chat, including Braun's payback.

TVGuide.ca: How is life in Salem?
Tamara Braun: I'm enjoying it! Everyone's so nice over there. It's great to go into work and enjoy the people I act with.

TVG: You left General Hospital in 2005; what made you come back to daytime TV? At first Days seemed like an odd choice, and it coincided with Sarah Brown's (Claudia; ex-Carly) comeback.
TB: I have a bone to pick with you to start. Are you ready?

TVG: Take your best shot! I know where this is going…
TB: You called my Carly one-dimensional!

TVG: Yep, I did.
TB: Baby, you can call me a lot of things but I've never been one-dimensional in my life! Or, as a character. Though I'm glad you got your reception on your television working now!

TVG: Enough of this treacle — let's get back to business! [laughs] Your chocolate eyes have seduced me into submission.
TB: Thank you. I put those contacts in and put a Hershey kiss on top.

TVG: In between your GH and Days gigs you landed a couple of indie films — why come back to soaps?
TB: Funnily enough, one of my films, Little Chenier, opened on my first day here. I also did another film called Limbo Lounge, along with a few guest spots on Freddie and some other prime-time shows. What made me come back? I was very intrigued by Ava. And the opportunity to work with [Days' co-executive producer] Ed Scott. The role sounded like something I could sink my teeth into.

TVG: You also worked with your co-stars Stephen Nichols (Steve; ex-Stefan, GH) and Mary Beth Evans (Kayla; ex-Katherine, GH) on GH. Did you check in with GH to let them know you were coming back to soaps?
TB: No, I didn't.

TVG: Do you keep in touch with anyone from GH?
TB: I do. Alicia Leigh Willis [ex-Courtney], Rick Hearst [Ric], Ted King [Alcazar] and Cindy Preston [ex-Faith], who is from Toronto, I believe. Do you know her?

TVG: No, I've never met her.
TB: Yeah, I was able to make a lot of dear friends that I'll have in my life.

TVG: Your gal pal, Alicia is literally kicking butt on The L Word!
TB: Isn't she phenomenal?

TVG: I didn't know she could wrestle!
TB: And in oil!

TVG: Did you watch Days before?
TB: No, I wasn't familiar with the show, so I'm taking my Days 101 course now.

TVG: Days just cast Ava's father, Martino Vitali with prime-time vet, Joe Penny. Do you know anything more than we do about Ava? Have you created a back story for her?
TB: I always create a back story for every character I play. Generally, I like to keep that to myself – especially on a soap – because they'll write what they want to write and sometimes it doesn't always mesh with what's in my head. And to share that would be a disservice to the audience. In a film or in a play with a beginning, middle and end, it's safer as an actor to share your views on the character because it's already on the page.

TVG: A common thread I find when I speak to great actors is that they have a passion for psychology — and you have a degree in that subject.
TB: If you're curious about the human condition and the psychology of people as three-dimensional beings… [laughs]

TVG: [laughs] I'm not going to live this down, am I?
TB: You won't. [laughs]

TVG: This week, Ava shoots Hope — are you worried Days will have trouble redeeming the character? Or are those pills she takes a clue to unlocking Ava's reasons for being psycho? I wish I had a prescription myself!
TB: I know, right! You know, the soap world has a way of redeeming all kinds of characters. That's the beauty of soaps.

TVG: You signed a short-term contract with Days — can we expect you to re-sign?
TB: I'm taking it one day at a time. That's neither here nor there for me at this point.

TVG: Your arrival also coincided with a new era at Days. How is the mood on the set. From my couch, it looks like everyone's having a great time!
TB: That's great to know. I have nothing to compare to it, because as I said I didn't watch Days before. Ed Scott's been fantastic — and he really cares about the show, cast and crew. That always makes for a healthy working environment.

TVG: Are you worried about the future of daytime?
TB: People have been worried about the future of soaps since they started. Everyone says it's a dying breed, but this genre has stood the test of time. I also don't think anyone should panic at this point. Just tune in and support your shows. Soaps moving to the Internet isn't the end of the world because that's the future of TV; not just daytime.

TVG: How's it working with Stephen Nichols? Ava hasn't really interacted with anyone else on the Salem canvas.
TB: I laugh so much with him! He's a really, really nice guy. I think Ava will meet new people in Salem — if she can get out of that damn room! [laughs] If she can find that key, she may interact with others. Ava's going stir crazy.

TVG: All the Carlys are back on TV. Is there a kinship amongst you gals having played this iconic role on GH?
TB: We definitely have something in common — we have all played a wonderful character.

TVG: Were you shocked that Sarah Brown returned to GH, not as Carly but as a new character?
TB: It was a bold move, that's for sure. Really bold.

TVG: If you leave Days, it'd be great if we could have all three Carlys in Port Chuck!
TB: [laughs] What do you think that would be like? Wouldn't it be interesting if we all turned out to be the same person? Somehow Carly fragmented into three beings!

TVG: As long as GH doesn't make you all share a dressing room!
TB: You'd love a catfight, wouldn't you! [laughs]

TVG: Only if it's one-dimensional! But no, generally I'm not a fan of intelligent women in catfights. But I was referring to budget issues —paying all of you would most certainly break GH's bank. So, is there anyone special in your life?
TB: I will say I'm happily in love with my new puppy, Barley. He's the love of my life. She's a miniature dachshund and all black. And I'm allergic to dogs, but so far it's working out. Though I still get hives, I haven't gotten wheezy in a while, so that's good. So far, I've acclimated to her.

TVG: And I've acclimated to your three-dimensional brilliance! Thank you for speaking to little ol' moi! And continued success!

TV Guide Canada

By Nelson Branco

Just when I thought comeback-soap-of–the-decade, Days Of Our Lives couldn’t get any better, Arianne Zuker (Nicole) sashays back into Salem full of piss and vinegar! In fact, Days is enjoying more than a comeback, it’s a resurrection. Revitalizing the Kiriakis family was a brilliant move on head writer Dena Higley’s part; especially for those of us who miss the Quartermaines feuding everyday on General Hospital. Zuker’s catfights with Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe) are so entertaining, U.S. gay network, LOGO should develop a sitcom for these two divas! Scarily, Nicole and Chloe remind me of two fierce drag queens I know. Of course, I’m only referring to their bitchy dialogue and brilliant comebacks — not their looks.

It’s no secret I never bought Tamara Braun’s one-dimensional take on GH’s Carly Corinthos when she played the role, but she’s entertained me into submission as nut job Ava, who is clearly one stiletto short of a pump! Salem needed a loony vixen full of bravado, and boy, did we ever get one. Moreover, isn’t Braun more beautiful than ever these days? I could stare into Braun’s dreamy chocolate eyes forever. It’s very easy to understand why Patch was so seduced by this haughty babe. Also, smart move on Days’ part for involving Hope in this storyline. Thanks to a case of mistaken identity, Ava kidnapped Hope, who was forced to pretend she was Patch’s “Sweetness.” This plot twist made me recall the days when Kristian Alfonso (Hope) was written as a smart heroine.

TV Guide Canada

According to an industry poll, more than 1000 women were asked what kind of jewelry gift they hope to receive for holiday, 30 percent chose diamond right-hand ring. However, 28 percent would prefer a chocolate pearl ring as a perfect holiday gift.

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With this new collection, Berry expects 30 percent increase in sales this spring.

About Premium Pearl:

Premium Pearl is a fine pearl jewelry retailer. Located in San Francisco, the company designs and manufactures pearl jewelry with its high standards of quality and style. It is also a leader in trendsetting pearls. Everyone from musical sensation Fergie to actress Tamara Braun has been spotted wearing the company's unique designs.

Press Release

Published April 4, 2008

TV Guide

Megan McTavish, who was head-writing AMC until she was axed and replaced by Brown and Esensten nearly a year ago, is still sitting on the soap sidelines. She had this to say about her replacements' claiming financial hardship: "These are not youngsters struggling to make mortgage payments or feed their children. Their sole intent now seems to be piling up more money for themselves."

***

It's good to be a former "General Hospital" Carly. Not only is Sarah Brown, who created the role in the 1990s, set to play the role of Claudia Zacchara on GH; now Tamara Braun, who took over the Carly character from 2001-2005, has been cast on "Days of our Lives."

"Effective immediately, Tamara is joining the cast of 'Days of our Lives,'" a representative of Braun's fan club announced.

"Tamara is coming to 'Days' as a mysterious woman from Steve's past," a 'Days' representative explained. "We will see this mystery woman on February 8th."

nationalledger.com
By Lynda Hirsch
Feb 2, 2008

Former General Hospital star Tamara Braun (ex-Carly Corinthos) is returning to daytime television in a new "mysterious" role on NBC's Days of our Lives. The actress left daytime television in 2005 to try her hand at other projects.

"Effective immediately, Tamara is joining the cast of Days of our Lives," a representative of Braun's fan club announced. "[She] could not be happier.

Braun joined the cast of ABC's General Hospital in May 2001. The newcomer had the difficult task to taking over the role of an established character, a character whose portrayor was wildly popular with fans. Braun was eventually able to win over viewers -- and critics. In 2004, Braun received a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actress field.

Later this month, Braun will appear in the motion picture Little Chenier: A Cajun Story. Little Chenier is the story of a young man who lives a simple life on a houseboat in the Louisiana bayou with his mentally handicapped brother until one is accused of a crime in the small town. A portion of the profits from ticket sales will benefit Rita Remembered, a nonprofit established to aid victims of Hurricane Rita.

"Tamara is coming to DAYS as a mysterious woman from Steve's past," a DAYS spokesperson tells soapcentral.com. "We will see this mystery woman on February 8th."

Viewers quickly speculated that Braun's "mystery woman" would turn out to be Sarah Horton, a character not seen in Salem since 1991. That turns out not to be the case; Braun will play a newly-created character, "Ava."

- Soap Central
Posted Friday, January 18, 2008 3:14:57 PM
by Dan J Kroll

As her film, Little Chenier, makes the festival rounds, Tamara Braun (ex-Carly) and several of the movie's co-stars are trying to establish a fund-raiser to benefit the victims of Hurricane Rita. "My locales in Louisiana were demolished," Braun shares sadly. "I was watching CNN after Rita hit Lake Charles, which is where I lived for two-and-a-half months, and I could not believe it. I saw friends that we made, the people who took care of us and the townspeople, on CNN talking about the fact that everything they have is gone. My prayers and love are with the people there."

Soap Opera Digest December 20, 2005