Hold onto your hats, soap opera fans, because the daytime community is coming together for a spectacular special event just for YOU! Stars past and present will be coming together virtually this Saturday, May 9, at 8PM ET for a live variety show meant to honor and uplift fans during the COVID-19 crisis.
Presented by Daytime Cares, the non-profit organization spearheaded by Days of our Lives' Arianne Zucker (Nicole Walker) and Shawn Christian (ex-Daniel Jonas, DAYS), the show will be co-hosted by Laura Wright (Carly Corinthos, General Hospital; ex-Cassie Winslow, Guiding Light) and former CBS publicist Alan Locher, who has been hosting online reunions with daytime stars on his YouTube channel The Locher Room since early April.
"Our fans have supported us for decades," says Wright in a statement. "Daytime actors are used to being able to connect with our fans in person. We can't do that right now, but this show is our way of giving them a virtual 'hug' to let them know that we are all in this together. And we are so happy to partner with Arianne and Shawn. Their Daytime Cares website provides information and resources for those affected by this crisis and or looking for ways to give back."
"I grew up watching these shows, long before I started working in the industry," says Locher. "I truly understand the connection fans have to their favorite daytime actors and characters. I started The Locher Room because I suspected that the fans -- like myself -- would love to see some familiar faces during this difficult time in our lives. I've truly been blown away by the response. I'm so excited that I can use my channel for this special live event."
The event, which can be viewed here, will feature soap stars from across the generations, including: Lamon Archey (Eli Grant, DAYS), Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos, GH; ex-Nico Kelly, All My Children), Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke Lavery, GH; ex-Dr. James Warwick, The Bold and the Beautiful; ex-Ian McAllister, DAYS; ex-Greg Madden, AMC), Crystal Chappell (ex-Carly Manning, DAYS; ex-Olivia Spencer, GL; ex-Maggie Carpenter, One Life to Live), James DePaiva (ex-Max Holden, OLTL; ex-David Bensch, GH), Kassie DePaiva (ex-Eve Donovan, DAYS; ex-Blair Cramer, OLTL), William deVry (Julian Jerome, GH; ex-Michael Cambias, AMC; ex-Storm Logan, B&B), Chad Duell (Michael Corinthos, GH), Andrea Evans (ex-Tina Lord, OLTL; ex-Patty Williams, The Young and the Restless; ex-Rebecca Hotchkiss, Passions), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah Horton, DAYS; ex-Caroline Spencer, B&B), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera, DAYS; ex-Patty Williams, Y&R), Bill Hayes (Doug Williams, DAYS), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams, DAYS), Finola Hughes (Anna Devane and Alex Devane, GH/AMC), Michael E. Knight (Martin Gray, GH; ex-Tad Martin, AMC), Kyle Lowder (Rex Brady, DAYS; ex-Rick Forrester, B&B; ex-Brady Black, DAYS), Katelyn MacMullen (Willow Tait, GH), Sofia Mattsson (Sasha Gilmore, GH), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black, DAYS; ex-Ethan Winthrop, Passions), Robert Newman (ex-Josh Lewis, GL), Wes Ramsey (Peter August, GH; ex-Sam Spencer, GL), James Reynolds (Abe Carver, DAYS), Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton, DAYS), Scott Reeves (ex-Steven Webber, GH; ex-Ryan McNeil, Y&R), Emme Rylan (Lulu Spencer, GH; ex-Lizzie Spaulding, GL; ex-Abby Newman, Y&R), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers, Y&R; ex-Nina Reeves, GH), Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis, DAYS), Heather Tom (Katie Logan, B&B; ex-Kelly Cramer, OLTL; ex-Victoria Newman, Y&R), Jordi Vilasuso (Rey Rosales, Y&R; ex-Tony Santos, GL; ex-Dario Hernandez, DAYS; ex-Griffin Castillo, AMC), Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves, GH; ex-Kelly Andrews, Y&R; ex-Annie Dutton, GL), Maura West (Ava Jerome, GH; ex-Diane Jenkins, Y&R; ex-Carly Tenney, As the World Turns), Josh Swickard (Harrison Chase, GH), and Kim Zimmer (ex-Reva Shayne, GL).
Daytime Cares -- cofounded by Zucker, Bob Wall, and daytime director Sonia Blangiardo -- is a collective of Daytime TV talent who hope to drive awareness and donations to nonprofits, celebrate and highlight the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, encourage volunteerism, and assist in very tangible ways for those who are most in need. For more information, visit Daytime Cares' official website.
What do you think about daytime stars coming together to entertain fans with a live variety show? What kind of performances do you think will happen during the streaming event? 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.
