Recently in One Life to Live

ONE LIFE TO LIVE alum Kearran Giovanni (Vivian) has landed a role as a series regular on the upcoming TNT drama MAJOR CRIMES, a spinoff from the cable network's hit THE CLOSER.

According to Deadline, Giovanni will play Amy Sykes, an undercover police detective and former military vet who served in Afghanistan, in the procedural. MAJOR CRIMES is expected to debut the same week that the series finale of THE CLOSER airs this summer. The new drama will star Mary McDonnell and several other cast members, all of whom will continue on in their roles.

On this week's episode of THE SECRET CIRCLE, Joe Lando (Jake, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) brings Cassie's mysterious father, John Blackwell, to life. Speaking to Soaps in Depth from the set in Vancouver, Lando was excited to dish about his new role with his fans. "The show is based on a series of novels [by L.J. Smith], and in the books, I guess I'm kind of like the Antichrist. I'm the father of all the children in the circle, [and] there are all kinds of connections with the Blackwell character that I had no idea about!" Lando laughs.

While so far, the actor knows he'll be Cassie's witchy dad on the TV series, he remains in the dark about the rest... including how long he'll be around. "My voice appeared in one episode, I'm working on another now, and I'm in the next one, so that's three so far," he reveals. "I thought I was just guest starring, and now I don't know when I'm going home. They told me they're holding me captive!"

THE SECRET CIRCLE airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. Want to see a teaser clip of Lando's Blackwell? Click here. For more about Lando's wicked role, check out his Keeping Track feature in an the new ABC issue of Soaps In Depth, on sale later this week!

ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Brittany Underwood (Langston) has a new television gig! Soaps In Depth has learned that the actress has been cast in the new Nick At NIte daily primetime drama REACH FOR A STAR, being helmed by former GENERAL HOSPITAL executive producer Jill Farren Phelps. Although it is unclear which role Underwood will play in the teen soap -- about an average high school senior whose life changes completely upon becoming a star and winning the love of her celebrity crush -- Underwood has signed on for the entire 80-episode run. Production of the series is set to get underway in March.

In Underwood's more immediate future is the upcoming HBO film Game Change, premiering Saturday, March 10, at 9 p.m. In the movie about the 2008 presidential campaign, the OLTL alum will play Sarah Palin's daughter, Willow.

There has been a lot of buzz about the demise of soap operas, but a new documentary just might bring the sad reality into the same world as Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg and other big time Hollywood names! Called Soap Life, the docu-film is about the changes taking place in the world of daytime television, and with over 70 interviews featuring fans, stars, producers, directors, writers, bloggers and fan club leaders, it could show the world what's really happening in daytime.

"The wife of our executive producer, John Grossman, who owns the production company NYPS, is a big fan of GENERAL HOSPITAL, and her whole thing was, 'You have the ability, so let's do something to save the soaps,'" explains producer Matthew D'Amato of how it all began. "We started doing research, and we sat down with a few actors, producers and directors, and said, 'Is this is a good idea? Could this work? Should we pursue it?' And we looked it up online and didn't see anything like this, so we thought it would be important to get started."

And the main goal of the film, D'Amato explains, is to generate enough buzz about the possible end of soaps to possibly prevent it from happening. "Hopefully this will get enough attention to help the genre, because we don't want to see it fade away," he says, adding that it's tentatively scheduled for a June 2012 release date at film festivals and possibly on networks such as Showtime. "We do want to see it at festivals, and we do want to see it on networks [so] people who aren't soap fans can watch the film and kind of relate to it, hear the stories and maybe want to pick them up or maybe do something about the genre. We have contacts we can send it to in order to get it out there, so hopefully it will get bigger and bigger!"

For more information on the project, visit www.facebook.com/soaplifedoc. To see a video about the project, visit www.youtube.com/user/SoapLifeDoc.

If you loved the stylish fashions that the characters from ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE wore on television every day, now you can get them for your own closet! Starting on Friday, February 24, It's A Wrap! Production Wardrobe Sales will be hosting the sale of items from the clothing departments of the canceled ABC soaps at both their Burbank and Beverly Hills, CA, stores and on www.itsawrap.com. Fans of the daytime dramas and fashion hunters alike will be able to purchase clothing and accessories by top designers like Calvin Klein, Prada, Chloe and Georgio Armani, and the racks will feature pieces worn by the men, women and children of AMC and OLTL. There will even be some bargains for those on a budget!

Rebecca Budig (Greenlee, AMC) will be the celebrity host at the Burbank store on the opening day of the sale. It all starts at 10 a.m., so mark your calendars and get ready to be dressed like your favorite soap character!

If you are missing seeing ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Ilene Kristen (Roxy) every day, then be sure to tune in to LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT this Wednesday, February 8, because she is guest-starring on the NBC primetime crime drama! Kristen plays Evelyn Higgins, the estranged mother of a troubled young man in the episode, which also features Harry Connick Jr. and Miranda Lambert.

"I did a little part," Kristen tells Soaps In Depth. "I played the wife of [fellow guest star] Michael McKean from Spinal Tap. They talk about me more than I have lines, so that was good! I got to work with Ice-T and Mariska Hargitay."

LAW & ORDER: SVU airs on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

Fans of ABC Daytime now have two reasons to watch the VH1 comedy SINGLE LADIES! ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Terrell Tilford (Greg) will join ALL MY CHILDREN's Denise Vasi (Randi) for the show's second season!

Tilford announced the news on his Facebook fan page. "Single Ladies get ready ... Terrell Tilford joins the upcoming second season of VH1's "Single Ladies". Currently in production, season two will debut sometime in late May 2012."

It was hard for Terri Conn to do guest-starring roles while appearing as Aubrey on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, but now there's nothing to stop her from spreading her wings, and you can see her do just that on tonight's episode of 30 ROCK on NBC airing at 9:00 PM EST!

"I'm really excited," she declares. "It's like, my favorite show. There's a lot of good shows [that shoot] in New York."

Which is why Conn has decided to maintain her home base on the East Coast instead of moving to Hollywood. "I'm sticking it out in New York," she says. "It's better to be in the room for auditions, but my agents are really fantastic, so I get to go on tape. And I'm available to fly out at a minute's notice. So I'll hopefully get the best of both worlds!"

Ever since it was announced that ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Michael Easton would be moving John McBain to GENERAL HOSPITAL's Port Charles, fans have been praying for Melissa Archer's Natalie to join him. Alas, it appears that when Easton told fans at a "Loving Llanview" event last weekend that Jolie would be reunited during May Sweeps, he was just being a jokester. A spokesperson for GH tells Soaps In Depth that at this time, Archer will not be joining the cast. "Despite us loving them, there are no immediate plans to bring her to Port Charles," says the rep.

Sorry, soap fans, but there won't be a second season of the E! reality show DIRTY SOAP. "So the word is that Dirty Soap is NOT being picked up for another season," tweeted castmate Jenna Gering, who is married to DAYS OF OUR LIVES hunk Galen Gering (Rafe). "Thanks to all of u who watched. You all have been so supportive!!!"

The reality show -- produced by ALL MY CHILDREN vets Kelly Ripa (Hayley) and Mark Consuelos (Mateo) -- followed the lives of the THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL's Brandon Beemer (Owen) and live-in girlfriend Nadia Bjorlin (ex-Chloe, DAYS), the Gerings, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex) and Farah Fath (Gigi), and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Kelly Monaco (Sam) and Kirsten Storms (Maxie).

Might there be more ONE LIFE TO LIVE characters moving to GENERAL HOSPITAL's Port Charles? The latest buzz is that Van Hughes (Cole) will make a GH appearance when his alter ego helps to bring Kristen Alderson's Starr onto the canvas. A spokesperson for GH had no comment in regard to Hughes' casting.

And while fans of John and Natalie have been clamoring for their favorite pair to move to Port Charles together, the detective's portrayer, Michael Easton, teased at one of the "Loving Llanview" farewell events over the weekend that co-star Melissa Archer may be joining GH after all! "Two words: May Sweeps," he told the excited crowd.

As ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Eli, Matt Walton played the ultimate bad boy. But in his latest role, he's the ultimate playboy! The actor is currently starring in a production of Boeing-Boeing at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey as Bernard, and American cad living in Paris during the swinging '60s, juggling three flight-attendant fiancées. With a little help from his phenomenal housekeeper and the luck of differing airline timetables, Bernard is able to convince each lady that she is his one and only. That is, until the fast, new Boeing jet and weather delays place the women on a collision course!

"It's a farce, so I'm getting to do more comedy," an excited Walton tells Soaps In Depth. "My character is filling up his days doing a balancing act with these three flight attendants: one German, one American and one Italian. The play comments on the socioeconomic statuses of the different governments of this triangle through the lens of this ridiculous, over-the-top French farce. He's very calculating, and depends on the precision of the airline schedule [to keep his fiancées apart]." But then all hell breaks loose when, thanks to the faster new airplane engines and bad weather, all three ladies are in Paris at the same time! "Doors slam, identities are mistaken, everyone's kissing everyone and women are flying all over the stage. It's quite a romp!" he says with a chuckle.

Read more after the jump!

And another ONE LIFE TO LIVE actor has landed their next job! Soaps In Depth has learned that Nic Robuck (James) will guest star on an episode of the hit CW primetime drama RINGER later this season! Even better news for the hunk? We're told there's a possibility that the role may become a recurring one! Congratulations, Nic!

UPDATE: A spokesperson for RINGER tells Soaps In Depth that Robuck will be playing Cash, an extremely handsome and physically fit young man. But his lazy grin and casual slouch is an indication that he has the confidence of someone who always gets his way with the ladies! Look for Robuck in the episode airing Tuesday, March 13!

ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Teddy Sears (ex-Chad) returns to television this weekend in Lifetime TV's much-anticipated, controversial new original film, Untouchable: The Drew Peterson Story. Rob Lowe stars in the title role as the Chicago-area cop who comes under suspicion in not only the disappearance of his decades-younger wife (played by THE BIG BANG THEORY's Kaley Cuoco), but the death of his third wife as well! "I play Mike Adler, Drew's partner on the police force and close friend," Sears tells Soaps In Depth of his part in the ripped-from-the-headlines tale.

As the 2007 investigation ensues, the accused's subsequent odd behavior raises eyebrows and sparks a media storm. "Their friendship, as well as partnership, becomes strained and eventually damaged once Peterson begins his bizarre behavior and antics for the media, fueling the circus-like atmosphere," Sears says. "I was just trying to keep pace with Lowe during filming. He's incredibly good."

Untouchable: The Drew Peterson Story premieres Saturday, January 21, at 8 p.m. EST.

The hit CW occult drama THE SECRET CIRCLE has finally cast Cassie's mysterious father -- and he's a familiar face to soap viewers! TV Guide reports that Joe Lando (Jake, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; Macauley, GUIDING LIGHT) has nabbed the coveted role of John Blackwell, a former member of the Circle who was killed by his own coven centuries ago after he began to dabble in dark magic. Look for the powerful witch to make his first appearance in Episode 15, titled "Return," scheduled to air in early February.

Less than a week after ONE LIFE TO LIVE aired its final episode, Kristen Alderson (Starr), Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Roger Howarth (Todd) and Michael Easton (John) are preparing to bring their alter egos to GENERAL HOSPITAL. The Llanview residents are due to appear in Port Charles next month -- just in time for February Sweeps -- which means that the actors are due on the GH set by the end of this month. "Just heard a tiny bit about my first storyline on General Hospital!" Alderson tweeted last night. "Can't WAIT to start filming...not this Friday but next! SO SOON!"

But is the move to GH a permanent one for the foursome? Not necessarily, says DePaiva, who took to her blog at www.KassieDePaiva.com to clear the air about Blair's future in Port Charles. "I must say, the ads and the press release by ABC is a little misleading," she writes. "Frank Valentini, [OLTL's former executive producer and now] GH's EP, asked me to come out for a couple of shows in February and I'm thrilled. Not only will I get to work with a fantastic cast... but a little piece of OLTL lives on. That makes me very happy. And who knows where it will lead."

For DePaiva's full blog, click here.

Hours after ONE LIFE TO LIVE aired its final episode, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL announced it had snatched up one of the defunct soap's veteran castmembers. Hillary B. Smith (Nora) has been hired to play a sex therapist by the name of Dr. Stacy (no word on which couple will need her counseling). "Hillary is a formidable actress with a powerful screen presence," said executive producer/headwriter Bradley Bell. "I look forward to collaborating on this new and dynamic character with her on B&B."

Smith starts taping in late January, which means she'll likely turn up on screen in early March. The actress called OLTL home for the past two decades, but CBS soaps fans will also remember her five-year stint as Margo Hughes on AS THE WORLD TURNS in the 1980s.

For possible publication in an upcoming issue, Soaps In Depth wants to know what you ONE LIFE TO LIVE fans thought of the finale. Did you like the ending? Were you happy with the loose ends that were tied up in a pretty bow? Were there characters that you wish could have gotten a happy ending? Will you tune in to GENERAL HOSPITAL to see the characters that move to Port Charles? Any comments left here may be considered for publication in the magazine, so let us know what you thought! If you'd like your real name and town included, please indicate that as well.

Do you need a Robin Strasser (Dorian, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) fix? The actress and Dawn Wells -- aka Mary Ann from GILLIGAN'S ISLAND -- are joining the rotating cast of the Off-Broadway comedy Love, Loss, and What I Wore next month!

Based on a book by the same name, Love, Loss, and What I Wore uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell poignant stories that all women can relate to. Strasser and Wells, both of whom recently took part in the play's Chicago production, will appear from Wednesday, February 29, through Sunday, April 1, at The Westside Theatre in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.lovelossonstage.com.

The Director's Guild Of America has named seven nominees in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for the 2012 DGA Awards, to take place on Saturday, January 28.

ALL MY CHILDREN has received two nominations for their final episodes: Angela Tessinari for the September 14 show in which Jesse confesses to Angie about the baby switch, and Casey Childs for the "Who did J.R. shoot" finale. GENERAL HOSPITAL also got two nods, one for William Ludell for his direction of Luke's intervention, and the other for Scott McKinsey for Liz and Siobhan's car accident. And ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Larry Carpenter is being recognized for April 27 episode where Viki confronts her alters.

Rounding out the nominations in the Daytime Serial category are THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL's Cynthia J. Popp and THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS' Mike Denney.

Former ONE LIFE TO LIVE headwriter Ron Carlivati and executive producer Frank Valentini started their new posts at GENERAL HOSPITAL this week -- and their first order of business? Making deals with Roger Howarth (Todd), Kassie DePaiva (Blair) and Kristen Alderson (Starr) to bring their OLTL alter egos to GH! Yep, the Manning family is relocating from Llanview, PA, to Port Charles, NY!

But the Mannings aren't the only OLTL characters who will be putting down roots in a new town: as Soaps In Depth reported last month, Michael Easton will be bringing Det. John McBain to the Port Charles Police Department!

"We have a very exciting story planned for the citizens of Port Charles, with Sonny Corinthos at the center of it! I am confident viewers and fans alike will be excited for the arrival of John, Starr, Blair and Todd," says Valentini in a statement. "Incorporating characters from One Life to Live continue the legacy of the show as we weave them into General Hospital."

The actors are all due on the GH set in late January, to air in February.

As ONE LIFE TO LIVE prepares for its swan song this Friday, creator Agnes Nixon will appear on the next-to-last episode, airing Thursday, January 12. "I just have a small part in one show," Nixon humbly shares with Soaps In Depth.

As previously reported, Nixon will play Agnes Dixon -- the creator of the show's soap within a soap, FRATERNITY ROW -- and will be interviewed by gossipy newshound Blanca Morales (played by NYC radio personality Carolina Bermudez). OLTL writer Lorraine Broderick, Nixon's longtime collaborator on ALL MY CHILDREN, teases, "[The show] has several cliffhangers coming, which we probably shouldn't give away, but Agnes is a big part of one of them."

This will be Nixon's second appearance on OLTL: she made a cameo in 2008, playing a Heavenly observer named Agnes when Viki "died" during the soap's 40th anniversary celebration.

With this being the final week of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, we're sorry that there's even more bad news to basically pour salt in the wound for soap fans. As previously reported, Disney Junior will be replacing SOAPnet on your cable network, but now we have a date. SOAPnet will be leaving the airwaves forever at midnight on Friday, March 23, when the new kiddie network takes over the channel.

ABC.com will continue to run GENERAL HOSPITAL, the last remaining daytime drama on the network, for those who are unable to watch it during its scheduled air time. And SoapClassics.com is still working on making episodes of classic soaps like AS THE WORLD TURNS, GUIDING LIGHT and ANOTHER WORLD available for streaming on-line, so you can still get your soap fix!

*** VOTING HAS CLOSED FOR THIS ROUND ***

It's time once again to express your opinions about your favorite ABC soaps! Once again, we ask you to cast your vote in the comments below to answer this issue's questions and name your favorite actor, actress and couple currently airing on a show.

Also, if you'd like to expand upon your answers, feel free, but remember that any comments left here may be considered for publication in the magazine. Extra comments that have nothing to do with this week's poll questions should be directed to our Message Boards section!

Now, on to this issue's questions:

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Do you think Liz and Ewen would make a good couple?

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Were you satisfied with the way OLTL wrapped things up?

************** SPECIAL RULES FOR THIS WEEK - PLEASE READ! *************

Please note that the cut-off date for your votes to be counted will remain Thursday, January 12, however, due to the timing of the OLTL question, voting will remain open over the weekend following the airing of the final episode for that question only, closing on Monday, January 16. Any votes for actor, actress, couple or the other shows questions cast during that time will not be counted.

***********************************************************************************************

And don't forget: PLEASE -- vote only ONCE. That's once per ISSUE, meaning one vote for this article's comments. Not once per day or once per week. Just ONCE.

MULTIPLE VOTES FROM THE SAME USER WILL NOT BE COUNTED, SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND OURS. THANK YOU.

Did you love seeing Judith Light as Karen Wolek during SOAPnet's ONE LIFE TO LIVE marathon on New Year's Day? There will be another chance for you to see her alongside Llanview folk when the star joins Erika Slezak (Viki) on THE VIEW next Friday! A spokesperson for the ABC chatfest confirms to Soaps In Depth that Light will be a part of the one-hour OLTL tribute show, airing on Friday, January 13.

Cast members, past and present, scheduled to appear on THE VIEW are Kassie DePaiva (Blair) and real-life husband James DePaiva (ex-Max), Robert S. Woods (Bo), Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Hillary B. Smith (Nora) and creator Agnes Nixon. THE VIEW's tribute to OLTL will air at 11 a.m. ET.

It appears as if the first wave of ONE LIFE TO LIVE stars may have found their way to GENERAL HOSPITAL under the new reign of executive producer Frank Valentini and headwriter Ron Carlivati. Soaps In Depth has learned that Ted King (Alcazar, GH; Tomas, OLTL) will possibly be returning to Port Charles in the new year, and he may be bringing Michael Easton (John) with him!

A spokesperson for the soap reminds that GH does not comment on rumors, but word is that both actors have a tentative start date set for late January. It's unclear whether King will return as an Alcazar brother, or his OLTL role. And while this would also be a return trip to Port Charles for Easton, who played vampire Caleb on the GH spinoff PORT CHARLES opposite Kelly Monaco's Livvie, one source reports that he'll likely be appearing as his Llanview Police detective alter ego.

But might there be other Llanviewers besides Easton and King to find new homes in Port Charles? A few months back, the rumor mill had Kristen Alderson (Starr) taking over as a more mature Kristina. The fan favorite did not want to commit to Prospect Park's reboot of OLTL, which would have been taping in New York, in order to try her hand at the opportunities in Los Angeles, but perhaps her old bosses have convinced her to put down roots on GH as Sonny's little girl? Stay tuned as this story develops!

*** VOTING HAS CLOSED FOR THIS ROUND ***

It's time once again to express your opinions about your favorite ABC soaps! Once again, we ask you to cast your vote in the comments below to answer this issue's questions and name your favorite actor, actress and couple currently airing on a show.

Also, if you'd like to expand upon your answers, feel free, but remember that any comments left here may be considered for publication in the magazine. Extra comments that have nothing to do with this week's poll questions should be directed to our Message Boards section!

Now, on to this issue's questions:

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Do you think Maxie and Spinelli's relationship can be salvaged?

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Should Matthew and Destiny try to raise their baby themselves?

Please note that the cut-off date for your votes to be counted will be Thursday, December 29.

And don't forget: PLEASE -- vote only ONCE. That's once per ISSUE, meaning one vote for this article's comments. Not once per day or once per week. Just ONCE.

MULTIPLE VOTES FROM THE SAME USER WILL BE DELETED AND NOT COUNTED, SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND OURS. THANK YOU.

Heads up Matt Walton fans! If you've been longing to see more of the hunky bad boy who broke Blair's heart on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, now's your chance. CBS' hit police drama BLUE BLOODS is about to get a whole lot soapier!

In an upcoming episode titled "The Uniform," he guest stars as the publicity manager for the mayor's electoral campaign and takes a meeting with the police commissioner, played by series star Tom Selleck. "Got the thrill of a lifetime actng w/the legendary Tom Selleck on Blue Bloods," Walton tweeted after filming his guest spot. "He's one of the reasons I got into this crazy biz!"

Also featured in the episode is Daytime Emmy winner Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan, GUIDING LIGHT; Mick, AS THE WORLD TURNS) as the nephew of a diner owner who is being suspected of a crime.

Tune in Friday, January 13, at 10 p.m. EST.

On Sunday, January 1, SOAPnet will kick-off 2012 with a 14-hour marathon of ONE LIFE TO LIVE! (Too bad the beloved soap will air its final episode just 12 days later!) Beginning at 10 a.m. ET and airing through the midnight hour, SOAPnet is digging into the Llanview archives and pulling out episodes dating all the way back to March 1979! Which of these episodes are you most excited to see? Tell us below!

10 a.m. - From March 6, 1979: While on the witness stand, Karen shocks the courtroom by admitting that she was a prostitute.

11 a.m. - From March 9, 1987: In Argentina, Tina's boat goes over the waterfall, and a distraught Cord takes out his anger on Max. Kate feels it's her fault, and Gabrielle tells Max that she can get along just fine without him.

12 p.m. - From May 13, 1988: The Buchanan clan goes back in time to the Old West for Clint and Ginny's wedding, and Asa and Cord can't figure out why pictures of Bo are missing.

1 p.m. - From February 7, 1992: Jake is devastated as Megan dies in his arms.

2 p.m. - From July 15, 1993: In OLTL's 25th Anniversary show, Viki and Dorian are locked together in a secret room, Luna is adamant that Max is alive, and Tina sits by Cord's hospital bedside and reminisces about their history.

3 p.m. - From November 28, 1994: On her wedding day, Viki walks in on Dorian and Joey in bed together, Powell holds Todd at gunpoint, and David asks Tina to accept his proposal and secretly marry him.

4 p.m. - From November 14, 1995: Newlyweds Todd and Blair celebrate in private at a gold ballon-filled reception for two. Meanwhile, Marty and Patrick sleep together, and Kelly asks Joey to help her lose her virginity.

5 p.m. - From December 8, 1995: Dorian is arrested for the murder of Victor Lord as Viki realizes that her alter, Tori, actually committed the crime and murdered her father.

6 p.m. - From November 16, 2001: Asa's wives attend his "funeral." Adjusting to the news that she's a Buchanan, an angry Natalie crashes the service wearing a bright red dress.

Read more after the jump!

When ONE LIFE TO LIVE airs its final episode on Friday, January 13, the city of Chicago will welcome stars past and present to join fans at the Sidetrack Video Bar for a "Celebrate Llanview!" tribute party. A benefit for the Windy City's Season Of Concern organization -- Chicago's theater community's fundraising effort -- tickets are $35, with a limited number of VIP tickets priced at $120. All ticket proceeds will benefit Season Of Concern. Some of the OLTL stars scheduled to attend are Ilene Kristen (Roxy), Tonja Walker (Alex), Lenny Platt (Nate), David Gregory (Ford) and Josh Kelly (Cutter), and past stars Matt Walton (Eli), Mark Dobies (Daniel) and Don Jeffcoat (Joey).

Doors open at 11 a.m., To purchase tickets, visit www.seasonofconcern.org.

You've spent your days with the casts of ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE for nearly half a century, and now's your chance to get up close and personal for a memorable goodbye -- at night! Celebrity Events Group has announced three more "A Tribute To Pine Valley" fan event dates: Friday, January 13 in Green Bay, WI; Saturday, January 14 in Milwaukee, WI; and Sunday, January 15 in Chicago, IL. And guess who will be joining Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Vincent Irizarry (David), Walt Willey (Jack), Darnell Williams (Jesse) and Jacob Young (JR; Rick, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL) this time around? Alicia Minshew (Kendall)! "When I was asked [to do the event], I thought, 'Well, you know, this could be one of my last chances to really do an AMC event. And when am I going to have a chance to do stuff with these fans?'" she says about joining the tour. "And then when I saw who was doing it, I thought, 'My boys! My boys are doing it, so I have to go be with my boys!'"

And guess what: Because you fans have loved and supported the AMC events so much, Celebrity Events Group has decided to bring you an OLTL event, too! The "Loving Llanview" fan gathering, featuring Melissa Archer (Natalie), Jerry verDorn (Clint), Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Trevor St. John (ex-Todd/Victor), Kim Zimmer (Echo), Michael Eason (John), Gina Tognoni (ex-Kelly), Ilene Kristen (Roxy) and Sean Ringgold (Shaun), will take place on Saturday, January 21, at the Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, NY. "It sounds like it's gonna be a pretty cool thing!" says Archer. "It's a chance to get some of the castmates back together again, to kind of see each other for one last hurrah... [and it's] a really nice way to have some closure as a fan."

For tickets and more information on the AMC events, please visit www.ATribute ToPineValley.com, and for tickets and more info on the OLTL event, visit www.LovingLlanview.com.

*** VOTING HAS CLOSED FOR THIS ROUND ***

It's time once again to express your opinions about your favorite ABC soaps! Once again, we ask you to cast your vote in the comments below to answer this issue's questions and name your favorite actor, actress and couple currently airing on a show.

Also, if you'd like to expand upon your answers, feel free, but remember that any comments left here may be considered for publication in the magazine. Extra comments that have nothing to do with this week's poll questions should be directed to our Message Boards section!

Now, on to this issue's questions:

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Will Franco's actions tear Sam and Jason apart?

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Can Jessica and Ford make a relationship work?

Please note that the cut-off date for your votes to be counted will be Thursday, December 15.

And don't forget: PLEASE -- vote only ONCE. That's once per ISSUE, meaning one vote for this article's comments. Not once per day or once per week. Just ONCE.

MULTIPLE VOTES FROM THE SAME USER WILL BE DELETED AND NOT COUNTED, SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND OURS. THANK YOU.

On Friday, January 13, THE VIEW will commemorate the finale of ONE LIFE TO LIVE with a special show dedicated to the beloved soap. Six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Erika Slezak (Viki) will be a guest co-host of the hour, with OLTL creator Agnes Nixon and other fan favorites scheduled to appear. (Guests will be announced in the coming weeks on The View's official Web site, abc.com/theview.)

The show will feature exclusive footage of OLTL's final taping, interviews with special guests and returning cast members, surprise appearances and a sneak peek clip of the final episode. ABC is looking to fill the studio audience with devoted OLTL fans, so if you want to be a part of this special goodbye, E-mail your request to TheViewSalutesOLTL@gmail.com.

Celebrity Events Group -- the folks behind the ALL MY CHILDREN "A Tribute To Pine Valley" fan event -- will present a farewell to ONE LIFE TO LIVE next month as well. "Loving Llanview" will take place on Saturday, January 21, at the Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, NY. Actors scheduled to attend are Jerry verDorn (Clint), Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Trevor St. John (ex-Todd/Victor), John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex), Kim Zimmer (Echo), Melissa Archer (Natalie), Michael Easton (John), Gina Tognoni (ex-Kelly), Ilene Kristen (Roxy) and Sean Ringgold (Shaun).

The main event begins at 7 p.m., with a post-show autograph and photo session at 9:30. Tickets are on sale now at www.LovingLlanview.com.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Bree Williamson (Jessica) took to her Twitter page last night to set the record straight about the rumors that she will be joining the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL. "Only person I'm 'in talks' with is my son about a diaper change... And the deal stinks," she wrote on Monday night, referring to her toddler, MacGregor.

As Soaps In Depth reported yesterday, a spokesperson for GH states that the talk of Williamson being cast on the show is "just a rumor, and we don't comment on rumors."

Don't count ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Bree Williamson (Jessica) as a potential new love interest for GENERAL HOSPITAL's Johnny just yet. The World Wide Web has been buzzing all weekend with the news that the newly-brunette star will be the first OLTL transplant to land in Port Charles under the new regime of Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati, with some folks going so far as to claim that Williamson's first tape date is the same day that the new team takes over the reigns in January. A spokesperson for the soap states that "it's just a rumor and we don't comment on rumors," while an insider seconds that it's just talk.

ABC Daytime has released their official statement regarding the replacement of Jill Farren Phelps as executive producer of GENERAL HOSPITAL with former ONE LIFE TO LIVE head Frank Valentini, news that Soaps In Depth broke last night. Additionally, the network is officially confirming that OLTL head scribe Ron Carlivati will be taking over as headwriter of the drama series. Both positions are effective January 9, 2012.

"Frank and Ron's creativity, passion and outstanding leadership will be a welcome addition to the cast and crew, as well as viewers and longtime fans," says ABC Daytime president Brian Frons in the statement. "As creative leaders in the industry, I am very excited for their arrival to GH and their dedication to the genre will certainly invigorate the daytime drama that has been part of the pop culture and the TV landscape for many years."

Valentini -- who has served as OLTL's executive producer since 2002 -- adds, "I look forward to this next exciting chapter working with the wonderful cast and crew of GH. This is an incredible opportunity for me to extend my passion and expertise for daytime television as I continue my relationship with Disney/ABC Television Group and become part of an extraordinary team in 2012."

For his part, Carlivati was a member of the OLTL team for 15 years, serving as headwriter from 2007-2011. While sources tell Soaps In Depth that Carlivati will be replacing current GH headwriter Garin Wolf at the post, ABC has yet to officially comment on what Wolf's future status with the soap will be.

UPDATE: An ABC spokesperson reports that GH's current headwriter, Garin Wolf, and co-headwriter Shelly Altman will remain a part of the show's writing staff, but in a different capacity.

A source shares that former ONE LIFE TO LIVE headwriter Ron Carlivati is also headed to GENERAL HOSPITAL when Frank Valentini takes over the post as showrunner at ABC's last remaining daytime drama. Carlivati had actually agreed to join the GH writing staff prior to making a deal with Prospect Park to pen their now-defunct Internet reboot of OLTL. But while his previous plans were to be a part of the overall writing team, Soaps In Depth has been told that Carlivati will be taking over the headwriter position from Garin Wolf. ABC has yet to make an official comment on either the executive producer or headwriter switch.

Soaps In Depth broke the news on our Twitter page in the middle of the night that there's been a big change behind the scenes at GENERAL HOSPITAL. A source at ABC/Disney tells us that Jill Farren Phelps has been let go as the executive producer, and ONE LIFE TO LIVE boss Frank Valentini will be taking over the helm of ABC's lone soap. Another source adds that Phelps' contract was coming to an end in mid-December, while our ABC insider reports that the GH cast would be hearing the news of the showrunner switch this morning.

Stay tuned as this story develops, and head over to our Twitter page to join in the live conversation!

As 2011 draws to a close, our editors have put together a special issue highlighting the best and worst of the year! Now on sale, the new ABC Soaps In Depth features our annual Year In Review recaps for ALL MY CHILDREN, GENERAL HOSPITAL and ONE LIVE TO LIVE, as well as our Top 5 picks for each soap. Plus, when we asked the stars of ABC Daytime to reveal their favorite moments from 2011, we received so many answers that they wouldn't all fit in the magazine! Luckily for you, we're posting their responses right here!

Read more after the jump!