Brian Gaskill's GH Fan Club Weekend Video

1 GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT premiered its second season last night on SOAPnet and after one show, I was impressed. Yes, sometimes it looks like a low budget ER or GREY's, but what is sometimes missing from the daytime version showed up plenty in the late night spin-off - heart. At the core of the show is the relationship between Robin and Patrick. Their banter and interactions were charming and made me an even bigger fan of the characters and couple. The return of Jagger Cates (Antonio Sabato, Jr.) was an overwhelming success. Patrick found him in Robin's apartment in a towel in a cute exchange which ended with Robin and Jagger sharing the breakfast Patrick had made for her. A car crashed into the ER in the opening segment and the crash resulted in Dr. Ford's death. This lead to Patrick being appointed as interim Chief of Staff. His first act was to remove Robin from active duty which didn't sit well with this pregnant girlfriend and set the stage for the opening episode's conflict. By the end of the episode they had made peace and moved forward in their relationship. The newcomers were hit or miss but mostly hit. I enjoyed the relationship between Carrie Southworth's Claire and Adam Grimes' Kyle, who turned out to be Leo's brother AND gay. Azita Ghanizada's Saira is an interesting addition but her potential relationship with Leo is probably headed down a path we've seen a million times before. We also had the return of Touissant (Billy Dee Williams) and the introduction of a 26 year old stroke victim whose boyfriend leaves her to fend for herself by show's end. The final scenes featured Jagger introducing Robin to his son, Stone, named after his later brother, and Robin's first love. A soap that focuses on the goings on at General Hospital - what a a novel idea. And one that works. I wish the ABC Daytime felt the same way. GRADE: B+

Updated "Suds Report"

1 Nelson Branco from TV Guide Canada has updated his weekly "Suds Report" with some breaking news. Dena Higley quits! New roles for Susan Lucci and Deidre Hall! Are Hearst and Hickland out? Ehlers and Goldin: Emmy winners? Soap vet dead. ‘AMC’ aborts Colin! Oh, no: Alden named co-head on ‘B&B’! Lau joins ‘ATWT’, but another star fired!

Michael Park in "Joseph"

Brian Gakill (ex-Rafe, PORT CHARLES) filmed a video from his point of view during GENERAL HOSPITAL Fan Club Weekend.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Anthony Herrera

1 Rochester Children’s Theatre and Nazareth College Arts Center are proud to announce that AS THE WORLD TURNS actor and Nazareth alumnus, Michael Park, will guest star in RCT’s fully-staged, professional production of the hit Broadway musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," under the 'Big Top' at Nazareth College (4245 East Avenue). The Emmy Award-nominated actor, who has played Detective Jack Snyder on the CBS daytime drama since 1997, will perform as Pharaoh during the show’s opening weekend for two performances: Saturday, August 2 at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 3 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available in person at area Wegmans’ That’s the Ticket! locations, or by calling Rochester Children’s Theatre at 585-385-0510. Michael Park, a Canandaigua native, was a lead in Rochester Children’s Theatre’s very first show, as The Lion in Androcles & the Lion, at the Memorial Art Gallery in 1991. “Michael definitely contributed ‘star quality’ back then, and I am thrilled to have him shine in Rochester again,” says RCT Producing Artistic Director Deborah Haber, who co-founded the company 17 years ago. Park went on to play Raoul in the national tour of "Phantom of the Opera." From there, he appeared in two productions at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center ("Hello Again" and "Carousel") before making his Broadway debut in the original cast of "Smokey Joe’s Café." He then originated the role of Monty in off-Broadway’s "Violet," during which time he was cast on AS THE WORLD TURNS. He appeared with Martin Short and Faith Prince in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of "Little Me," and performed in City Center’s Encores productions of "Bloomer Girl" (2001) and "Applause" (2008). “We’re thrilled to have this reunion of sorts,” says Nazareth College Arts Center Director, Lindsay Korth. “Michael appeared on our college stage in both Guys and Dolls and Chicago. His talent, energy and joy in theatre have always been hallmarks of his work. We couldn't be prouder to have him as an alum.”