THE BAY The Series: Making Things Happen - An interview with Bay City’s unflappable bad guy

What’s become of Steve Jensen – Bay City’s resident bad guy who we last saw kidnapping his beloved Sara – in the time between chapters 10 and 11? Where did Steve take her? Inquiring minds want to know. We spoke with the show’s multi-talented Matthew Ashford hoping to find out.

“It’s been a while since the last time we did this, and sometimes you look away and then turn back and wow…things have changed,” said Ashford about the upcoming chapter 11. As for what the fans might expect to see from his character, Ashford is pleased to say Steve has made some progress. “He’s moved from being this total outsider, to being an upstanding citizen,” he says with a hint of mischief. “He’s contributing to the community and providing services. I guess you could say he’s found his niche.” Don’t let these words fool you, Bay Watchers. Jensen is still the bad boy we all love to hate.

No stranger to playing dark characters, Ashford has found delight in portraying a more classic villain. “I enjoy the fact that he’s able to make things happen. He does what he wants to do – he’s sort of unflappable.” So what has this debonair scoundrel done to Sara? Unfortunately, Ashford wasn't spilling the beans, leaving fans no choice but to tune in to find out.  

A long-time supporter and champion of the web series format, Ashford is excited about the role THE BAY is playing in the ever-changing landscape. “This industry keeps growing and changing, and it’s good to be in on something that is a part of that,” shared Ashford.

Elaborating on the show’s growth, Ashford discussed how the show’s new four-camera format made for a more fun and exciting shoot. “This chapter was really fun and different. They had these tiny handheld cameras and one of them was inside the shoot with us, capturing some great moments.” 

 
As for Ashford’s work outside of THE BAY, he’s been busy “auditioning and working on a number of different projects,” reveals Ashford. “I’m not sure how much we’re ready to say, but I’ve been working on some other projects with Gregori and that’s been exciting.”

To see what havoc Steve Jensen is causing in Bay City now, tune in to THE BAY on Dec. 5. Previous episodes of THE BAY can be viewed on BLIPTV at or by visiting THE BAY's official website.

THE BAY The Series: Living and breathing THE BAY - Kristos Andrews talks of growth, loyalty and pride

When we last saw Peter, the once amnesiac son of Bay City matriarch Sara Garrett, he was wandering around the pier in search of the muffled scream that, unbeknownst to him, belonged to his mother. Counting down the days until THE BAY returns with the much anticipated chapter 11, we sat down with Peter Garrett’s portrayer, Kristos Andrews, to find out what’s happened since we last tuned in.

 
“Thank God I can finally say Pete’s got most of his memory together, which allows more clarity for his thoughts,” Andrews shares. The XGames champion skateboarder turned actor explained the difficulty in playing a character suffering from amnesia. “Playing hopelessly confused doesn't always work out. If there are too many feelings to convey at once, they can get lost in translation.”
 
Peter may have made some progress in this new chapter, but it won’t exactly be smooth sailing, hints Andrews. “Pete isn't fully grounded, but he is more mature and independent. Still, he manages to get himself into some scandalous situations.”

 
Unlike the character he plays, Andrews has avoided scandal and instead focuses on his budding career as an actor and producer. In addition to his lead role in the upcoming feature "A Place Called Hollywood," Andrews is also attached to other projects in development. “We’re in pre-production on a major project with Associated Television International (ATI),” reveals Andrews about his work as a producer with LANY Entertainment.
 
With multiple acting roles now under his belt, Andrews says the role of Peter Garrett, which he originated nearly four years ago, still holds a special place in his heart. “Pete’s upbringing has been without proper jurisdiction or guidance and he now leads a life with essentially no rules. He’s his own master and best friend, but when it’s all said and done, he still has a good heart,” states Andrews.
  
In addition to playing a more grown-up “Pete“ in this new chapter, Andrews had the opportunity to take a jab at some directing. “I wasn’t the director of course, that’s Gregori’s job. I did have the chance to be his right-hand man as second unit director, which is something I really enjoyed.”
 
Andrews detailed how the multi-camera setup, rather than the single camera format used previously, increased not only the time efficiency of the production, but also the performance of the actors. “That type of shoot keeps all the actors on their toes and makes the performances more concise,” explained Andrews.
 
Asked about his future with THE BAY, Andrews shared his pride for the show’s accomplishments. “We’ve all poured our blood, sweat and sometimes tears into this project, and I couldn’t be more proud of how much, under Gregori’s leadership, we‘ve achieved,” he said in referencing the publicity and awards the show has garnered, namely the 2012 Daytime Emmy nomination.

 
Andrews thanks the fans for the show’s popularity, as well as honoring it with the coveted Fans Choice Award for two years running. “I’m extremely grateful for the show’s awesome, loyal fans,” he said. “It’s a big deal for one created on the web with a shoestring budget to have the sort of impact we’ve had.”
 
Andrews went on to share his dedication to the show’s continued success. “THE BAY is a living, breathing organism for me. I’ve been here since day one. I’ve personally grown with the show and will be in full support for as long as it exists.”
 
To see what scandalous situations Peter Garrett finds himself in, tune in to THE BAY on Dec. 5. Previous episodes of THE BAY can be viewed on BLIPTV or by visiting THE BAY's official website.

THE BAY The Series: Love, loss and what remains to be seen - An interview with THE BAY's “scentual” Lilly Melgar

Stepping down from her “Soap Box,” – a new radio show she started with THE BAY’s Martha Madison (Marly Garrett-Nelson) – Lilly Melgar, portrayer of Bay City vixen 'Janice Ramos', checked in to give an update on life both onscreen and off. 

 
“I’ve been really focused on my new bath and body line, Scentual by Lilly, which launched earlier this year,” explained Melgar. The all-natural line, which also includes a candle collection, was recently a featured item in the Primetime Emmy Nominee Gift Bags, as well as a part of the Country Music Awards and the American Music Awards.
  
In addition to her entrepreneurial role, Melgar has been busy with her onscreen roles as well. “I just shot the role of 'Marta' in the bi-lingual feature film 'Tongue Tied', and of course this newest (scandalous) chapter of THE BAY,” she added. Melgar went on to share some of the things that makes Janice Ramos special and clearly different from her General Hospital alias ‘Lily Rivera-Corinthos.’  Melgar states, “Janice is passionate, unpredictable and flawed, but she has a huge heart. And she’s a fighter – I love that!”

 

When asked about the upcoming chapter, Melgar gave a knowing smile. “You know I can’t share too much,” she teases. “What I will say is that Janice has been in love with Lee for most of her life and now with Lee gone, she's at a complete loss.”
  
Calling chapter 11 the edgiest, sexist chapter yet, Melgar goes on to explain. “Janice is in a lot pain and may want to escape or need to go deep within to identify herself in a life without her true love, Lee. This all remains to be seen.”  Could Melgar be implying she’s searching for a new love?

 

  

Melgar, who expressed gratitude for the support of fans of the show, also explained why THE BAY is different from other shows she’s worked on. “Gregori gives us a little freedom to improv, and therefore we are able to 'live' the scene."

    
To see if Janice Ramos can once again find love, tune in to the eleventh hour of THE BAY on Dec. 5.  Previous episodes of THE BAY can be viewed on BLIPTV or by visiting THE BAY's official website.

THE BAY The Series: Jade Harlow dishes about a sexier, edgier Bay City

THE BAY’s Jade Harlow, who portrays the young and troubled Lianna Ramos, recently took a break from her hectic schedule to give us the scoop on THE BAY's upcoming chapter slated to stream live on Thursday, Dec. 5. 

 
“I’m going to be hunched over my computer through Thanksgiving,” says Harlow with sly chuckle as she talks about the many irons she has in the fire. Currently producing her first feature film, as well as working on a top-secret project that will be announced in January, Harlow is excited about the return of THE BAY.
 
“We have really hit our stride with this next chapter,” shares Harlow. “We took what worked from Seasons 1 and 2 and infused that with some of the sexy, dark edge that made 'Darkside of THE BAY' so popular.”

   

Harlow also explained how the show’s increased production values will be evident for fans. “This time we shot with multiple cameras and we wore mics, so we captured some of the subtleties that might have been missed in the past.”
 
When asked about what to expect from her character in the upcoming chapter, a tight-lipped Harlow reveals, “I can’t give anything away, but quite a bit of time has passed from where we left off. Lianna is older now and she’s succumbed to the reality that she can’t rely on the people she expected to be there for her, so she has become much more independent.

 

 

An original cast member of the show, Harlow confesses that out of all the multi-layered female characters in Bay City, she’s thrilled she gets to play Lianna. “She’s not typically the initiator of a situation, so she has a wider variety of interactions with the other characters and isn’t defined by one storyline. She's kind of carried along by the wind and happens to always be caught in a storm,” adds Harlow.
 
Aside from getting to play Lianna, working with THE BAY team is what Harlow enjoys best. “I LOVE the people I work with! From the creator and production team, to the entire cast and crew – I genuinely love being a part of this group of talented hard working people.” Working with creator and executive producer Gregori J. Martin also has its perks, she says. “Gregori recognizes things within the actors that most people overlook, and then takes the story he’s developed and crafts it in a way that highlights our various abilities.”
 
To see if Lianna Ramos can steer clear of trouble, tune in to THE BAY on Dec. 5.  Previous episodes of THE BAY can be viewed on BLIPTV or by visiting THE BAY's official website.

THE BAY The Series: Tristan Rogers talks about changes, focus and love in Bay City

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In gearing up for the new Chapter 11 of THE BAY, streaming live on Thursday, Dec. 5, we caught up with the multi-talented Tristan Rogers, who portrays Bay City's police commissioner Lex Martin, to see if we can get the scoop on what to expect when THE BAY returns.

 
“Things are different this time around,” says Rogers, who thinks the direction of the show is more focused than in previous chapters. “Before, the show was going in multiple directions, which was difficult to follow at times. Now, we’ve got a trimmed down cast and the show is more centered.” Rogers adds that this new chapter focuses largely on one storyline with various sub-sections.
 
When asked what fans can expect from Lex in the upcoming chapter, Rogers stated that his role is much the same as it has been in the past, at least for now. “Lex hasn’t changed much – he's involved with some family stuff, but he’s mostly concentrating on the police department and police matters.”

 

Rogers, who will soon wrap up his work on General Hospital before transitioning back to The Young and the Restless, shared his admiration of web-based shows. “I’ve been a supporter of this format for a long time. It’s such a great tool for people to use to see if an idea will take shape.” According to Rogers, THE BAY is a perfect example of that. “THE BAY was an idea that has grown and evolved and is shaping up well because of the stage that the web provides.”

 

And what about that potential Lex Martin/Sara Garrett pairing that has piqued the interest of so many fans? “We have always had the potential for a romance between Lex and Sara – it’s been there since the first episode. They’re definitely connected, but I don’t see it happening just yet,” said Rogers.
 
To see what Lex Martin has been up to, tune in to THE BAY on Dec. 5.  Previous episodes of THE BAY can be viewed on BLIPTV or by visiting THE BAY's official website.

MICHAEL FAIRMAN ON AIR | ON SOAPS: THE BAY Returns Touting More Scandal, More Sex, and Being Edgier Than Ever!

THE BAY is coming back for its next chapter and turning itself on its ear!  According to their official press release: “The highly anticipated Emmy-nominated serial drama THE BAY the Series returns with an all new chapter on Thursday, Dec. 5th when two brand new installments will stream back to back at 3:15pm ET / 12:15pm PT. A third installment is slated to stream on Thursday, Dec. 12th, with a fourth installment streaming Thursday, Dec. 19th. For a limited time and as an added holiday treat for all of our dedicated fans, viewers will be able to enjoy an uninterrupted one hour TV pilot on Thursday, Dec. 26th.

Read the entire article HERE.

DAYTIME CONFIDENTIAL: Next Chapter of The Bay to Take a Page From 50 Shades of Grey

 Daytime Emmy-nominated web sudser The Bay will be back with all-new episodes starting December 12, and from what creator Gregori J. Martin is saying, the Mary Beth Evans vehicle will be a whole lot raunchier this time around. Think 50 Shades of Bay! Check out the full press release after the jump.

Read the entire article HERE.