Carolyn Hennesy Shares Holiday Plans & Memories, Will Perform with Nelson Aspen in January Show in L.A.

Hi, Serial Scoop! You guys gave me such kind coverage after the October premiere of my new cabaret offering, "A Showbiz Scrapbook" at NYC's beautiful GreenRoom 42, I wanted to alert you to its upcoming engagement at Hollywood's crazy-popular theatrical venue, Rockwell Table & Stage. As an entertainment reporter, I spend a lot of time in LA during Awards season, so I was keen to schedule this performance for Thursday, January 30...right in between my coverage of the Grammys and the Oscars.

As many of you may already know, given my own long history in daytime TV, I often welcome stars of the genre to join me onstage for special interactive performances. These have included talented folks like Anita Gillette, Shelly Burch, Ilene Kristen and Monica Horan. For January, I'm excited to tell you it will be one of my very favorite soap opera scene stealers: the lovely Emmy and Indie Series Award winning Carolyn Hennesy....known to millions of General Hospital fans as lawyer Diane Miller. I first noticed Carolyn guest starring on an episode of Reba and was smitten. She's one of the main reasons GH is on my DVR! I've gotten to learn so much about her life away from Port Charles: she's a New York Times best-selling author, passionate advocate for animals, and a trapeze artist. Now THAT is a multi-hyphenate!

From my own years in Soap Land (working at Search for Tomorrow, Another World and One Life to Live), Christmas was always a favorite time of year. It started weeks in advance for us, since we were shooting ahead...and the studio holiday parties of the 1980s were the stuff of legend! My mentor, Mary Stuart (Search for Tomorrow's Jo and Guiding Light's Meta), celebrated the season like no one I'd ever met before or since, and her influence remains forever inside me at this festive time of the year.

So in honor of the Yuletide, here's a little Q&A I had with Carolyn for you to enjoy.

What have you got planned for this holiday season?
Heading to Zurich before Christmas to see Sabrina Kern (co-star, St. Agatha) in the Swiss national musical. Then home to hibernate over the holiday with family and friends.

'Serial Scoop Now': 'The Bay' at the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

Serial Scoop teamed up with We Love Soaps to cover the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. In the latest episode of Serial Scoop Now (2.16) below, check out interviews with producers and cast of Amazon Prime drama The Bay at the Creative Arts ceremony. Host Jenna Stone spoke with Nicolas Coster, Jade Harlow, Celeste Fianna, Carolyn Hennesy, Kristos Andrews, Lilly Melgar, Matthew Ashford, Ronn Moss and Devin DeVasquez.

'Acting Dead' Available to Binge-Watch For Free

After racking up numerous festival accolades and awards, the biting zombie comedy Acting Dead, finally released it's entire first season online at www.actingdead.com for your bloody binge-watching enjoyment.

Acting Dead tells the story of Tate Blodgett (Brian Beacock), a down on his luck, unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a Zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux (Jillian Clare), a former child star, who's temper has stalled her career, until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

The series boasts an impressive group of talent including Beacock, his co-lead Jillian Clare, plus series regulars Chris Galya, Patrika Darbo, Paul Nygro and John Yelvington with Season One guest stars Debbie Gibson, Eric Martsolf, Carolyn Hennesy, Sean Kanan, John J. York, Cocoa Brown, Christine Lakin, Lori Alan, Erin Matthews, Gary and Larry Lane, Peter Allen Vogt, Sheila Sheila, Mitch Silpa and Jacee Jule.

Acting Dead is a semi-dark comedy about Zombies, set in the world of Hollywood. Funny, quirky and weird, Acting Dead has brains and an appetite for sarcasm and satire. Imagine Arrested Development meets Shawn of the Dead with an occasional shout out to Romero. It's fast paced and smart, and so ridiculous you're sure to have the time of your afterlife. For social media updates follow @ActingDead on Twitter or "Like" them on Facebook http://facebook.com/actingdead. To view the series in it's entirety, visit http://actingdead.com

'These People' Season 3 To Be Released on April 30, Live Episode Preview on April 24

Season 3 of These People kicks off with a live episode on April 24.

These People, the winner for Best Writing in a Comedy (for series co-creator Zac Hug and Academy Award winner Jim Rash) at the 7th Annual Indie Series Awards, is returning for a third season true to form, focusing on the third sibling, Chuck. And don't forget about Mom.

On Sunday, April 24, the cast will present a live version of the first episode via Facebook Live, with all six episodes live at thesepeople.tv on April 30th.

Co-created by Zac Hug and Jamie Heinrich, Season 3 finds the Bennet family reeling from Simon’s death as Chuck (Cameron Miller Desart) begins a search for some new place to live for their mother, Julia Bennet, (Carolyn Hennesy, General Hospital). The rest is the usual insanity: Jenny (Claire Downs) and Todd (Zac Hug) have a few sessions with Dr. Maher (Keith Powell), as Josh (Jeremy Glazer) moves on with Kip Stark (Ben Baur), in earshot of gossip columnist Kevin Pratt (Jim Rash). All of this as Chuck’s wife Marilyn (Amanda Walsh) and his daughter Adelaide (Leigh Epstiein) finally lead him to the family confrontation with Dad (Jim O’Heir).

Watch the Season 3 trailer below

'The Bay' Moving to Amazon Prime! Carolyn Hennesy, Brandon Beemer, and Jensen Buchanan Join the Cast.

Hot off the heels of winning two Indie Series Awards last week and receiving five nominations for the upcoming Daytime Emmy Awards, LANY Entertainment has revealed its hit web series The Bay will be moving to Amazon Prime this summer. With a new beginning, viewers will be able to binge watch the “Director’s Cut” of the Emmy award-winning series, to be re-released in two 14-episode seasons on Amazon Prime.

“We’re excited to bring to the viewers these remastered episodes with never before seen footage,” explains creator Gregori J. Martin. “The show will have a new starting point, and we hope the viewers will binge watch the series to learn the whole story.”

With plans to shoot the 2nd half of the latter season, The Bay goes into production on six brand new episodes in May.

In the vein of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” Mayor Jack Madison (Nicolas Coster) will be taken on a journey where he’ll reluctantly face his past transgressions.

Joining the cast in the role of the mayor’s ex-wife and son John Blackwell’s (Ronn Moss) late mother is Carolyn Hennesy (General Hospital, True Blood, Revenge). Brandon Beemer (Days of our Lives) will fill the role of a younger John Blackwell as Jensen Buchanan (The Young and the Restless, Another World) undertakes the role of Melody Garrett circa 1986. Marissa Tait (The Bold and the Beautiful) joins the cast as Young Katherine Blackwell while Eric Martsolf and Abby Wathen return in their roles as Young Lee and Young Sara.

Additional casting news will be released prior to production.

Second Slate of Presenters Announced for 7th Annual Indie Series Awards

Carolyn Hennesy, who hosted the Indie Series Awards in 2014, returns to the ISAs stage as a nominee and presenter on April 6.  She's nominated for the third year in a row, this time for her work on These People.

The Indie Series Awards announced today the second slate of presenters for the upcoming 7th Annual ISAs ceremony, hosted by Jen Lilley and Eric Martsolf.

The presenters, including ISA winners and nominees, are:

Melissa Archer (Viral)
Daniel Betances (BLACK)
Jillian Clare (Acting Dead)
Claire Downs (These People)
Melissa Claire Egan (Misguided)
Mary Beth Evans (The Bay)
Jeremy Glazer (These People)
Ryan Gowland (F'd)
Carolyn Hennesy (These People)
Zac Hug (These People)
Sebastian La Cause (He's With Me, Life's a Drag)
Erika Robel (Fully Engaged)
Tristan Rogers (The Bay)
Marc Sinoway (Hunting Season)
Kit Williamson (EastSiders)
Colleen Zenk (Thurston)

"These artists have inspired us with their work and we are excited to see them on the ISAs stage," said Indie Series Awards producer Roger Newcomb.

These presenters join the previously announced group which includes Kristos Andrews (The Southside, The Bay), Ben Baur (Hunting Season, These People), Tia Dae (Anacostia), Crista Flanagan (Club 5150), Kathleen Gati (Winterthorne), Jill Knox (Keith Broke His Leg), Martha Madison (Winterthorne), Keith Powell (Keith Broke His Leg, These People), Darcie Siciliano (He's With Me), Karrueche Tran (The Bay), Kevin Spirtas (Winterthorne) and Ian Verdun (Life's a Drag).

See all the nominees here.

The 7th Annual Indie Series Awards will be held at the historic El Portal Theatre on Wednesday, April 6 at 8 p.m. PT.

ISA6 Countdown: Check out the Indie Series Awards Nominees for Guest Actress in a Comedy

Clockwise (from top left): Megan Duffy (Dating Pains), Lee Garlington (Mentor), Carolyn Hennesy (Acting Dead), Emma Koenig (HelLA), Fiona Vroom (Single & Dating in Vancouver) and Sarah Whelan (The Ethical Slut)

The nominations for the 6th Annual Indie Series Awards were announced on February 4, and the ceremony is now only 11 days away. Serial Scoop is celebrating the nominees leading up to the ISA6 ceremony on April 1st by showcasing their work both in front of and behind the camera.

In the Best Guest Actress – Comedy category, the nominees are Megan Duffy (Dating Pains), Lee Garlington (Mentor), Carolyn Hennesy (Acting Dead), Emma Koenig (HelLA), Fiona Vroom (Single & Dating in Vancouver) and Sarah Whelan (The Ethical Slut). Watch their nominated work below:

Watch The 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Opening Monologue by Carolyn Hennesy

General Hospital star Carolyn Hennesy hosted the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards on April 2, 2014, at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. She was funny, as expected, but also inspiring, with an opening monologue that celebrated the indie web series community. Watch (and read) what Hennesy had to say below. FYI: The monologue was written entirely by her.

Ladies and gentlemen, Madames et Mssrs., Damen un Herren...welcome to the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards.

Before we get fully underway (and I can no longer control you hooligans,) I want to introduce this evening's ISA trophy girl: recording artist, actress, and the daughter of the beautiful Charlene Tilton, who is a nominee here. Charlene, where are you? Please welcome to the stage the gorgeous Cherish Lee.

That's what we call a slow-walking dress. Charlene, lovely work. And for all you fellas at the After Party, no handsies.

Why is this night important to everyone...not just the nominees...but everyone here? Because tonight we not only celebrate last year's finest achievements, but also all of us who might not...yet...be on the fast track to Spielberg or Streep or Cruise stardom, but
know that we have something unique, special and wonderful to share with the world.

And to that end, we are not sitting home whimpering and waiting for the phone to ring...we are out there...

...CALLING in favors and doing favors,

...STAYING up later to hours we didn't know existed and getting up before dawn.

...MAXING out our credit cards and calling mom and dad

...GOING without our own lunches because catering ran a little short and we want the crew eats

...SHOOTING day for night with a blackout curtain and some duct tape

...CASTING our girlfriends or boyfriends, not casting our girlfriends or boyfriends and bringing down a rein of holy hell

...THANKING our mothers for making 8 pans of lasagna and thanking our fathers for letting us hold the cast party at our parentʼs house and for providing the beer.

...PULLING the shirt off the DP because the lead actor forgot he was acting in front of a green screen and showed up in a polo shirt the color of asparagus,

...FORGING lasting friendships, eliminatingothers that...well, if they didnʼt understand what we are all about and what we are trying to do then they probably werenʼt our friends in the first place

...AND DEALING bravely with the five million other...setbacks... compromises...fix-it-in-post...didnʼt need it anyway...yes, you can change that line...what do you mean the camera truck is stuck in traffic?...I know we donʼt have a permit, weʼll just shoot until the cops come...YES, I can make two potted palms and a cat-box look like a beach on Maui... BULLCRAP...

...BECAUSE we are the little engines that can and the rebels with a cause, doing any and everything that needs doing; essentially saying to Big Mother Hollywood, “I have a lot to do and even more to say and if youʼre not going to help...I will damn well do it myself, screw you!”

I was going to say "fuck" but we are live-streaming and I promised Susan Bernhardt I would keep it classy.

We matter. We matter. Tonight, we're going to show each other, and Big Mama Hollywood and the world...and anyone else who just happens to be watching...exactly how much.

So play nice, keep yourselves in line and don't make me come out there! Here we go...

Submissions for the 6th Annual Indie Series Awards open on Wednesday, October 15 at indieseriesawards.com.

Carolyn Hennesy To Host Indie Series Awards

Emmy Award-nominated actress Carolyn Hennesy will those the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards on April 2, 2014 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.

Hennesy dazzled as the deliciously vicious "Rosalyn Harris" on Alan Ballʼs critically acclaimed HBO series TRUE BLOOD. Hennesy joined the cast for the fifth season of the sleek vampires-meet-world saga and has fast become a fan favorite. As Rosalyn, the ageless vamp with a Texas twang, Hennesy is at the top of her game. She tosses one-liners like firecrackers, occasionally enjoys a juicy stake, and gleefully partakes in old-timey interrogation.