There is a Destiny That Makes Us Brothers: Part One The Adventure Begins

While I continue to share with you news on what the Guiding Light Alumns are up to, I have decided to begin a series of my own reflection on what Guiding Light meant and continues to mean to me. I will call this series There is a Destiny that Makes Us Brothers because it is the underlying theme of what I will be writing about.

Back in late 2005, I was at home with a severe case of bronchitis and it was so bad that even walking to and from the kitchen was taking its toll on me. I had the TV and the computer to keep me company. I would watch Guiding Light at ten when it aired in the Pittsburgh market and one day I decided to do a search on the show and see what I could find on the internet. What I found were a series of discussion boards. I had never taken part in anything like it but I found once I did that it became very addicting. Little did I know at the time what it would lead to in a few short months.

That June a woman from Georgia who is a friend of Marj Dusay (ex Alexandra) had gotten in contact with Ron Raines who had been playing Alan Spaulding since 1994 and created his first official online presence in the form of "Friends of Ron" a discussion board. I came across it while messing around on the internet and became the first member. I messaged the board's creator, Janice and offered my help in the form of moderating the board and she accepted. Later I would help her with some photos that Ron had sent her and the next thing I knew she was inviting me to the Guiding Light Fan Club weeknd in New York City. My first response was, "Yeh, right....New York City for a fan club event?" She continued to try and persuade me to go, and I finally caved. Little did I know that summer that I was about to begin the adventure of a lifetime!
To Be Continued.

Guiding Light Cast Members Prepare to Set Sail

A week from today cast members of Guiding Light will be setting sail in Carnival Ship Glory out of New York City for the final So Long Springfield event.
The event is organized by Celebrity Events Group, the same group that holds the Soap Cruise. Actors participating include: Ron Raines (Alan), Kim Zimmer (Reva), Robert Newman (Josh), Grant Aleksander (Phillip), Tina Sloan (Lillian), Jordan Clarke (Billy) and others.

More to come upon our return!

Ron Raines, Robert Newman and Frank Dicopolous Appear at YWBCF Event in Pittsburgh

On Sunday May 16, 2010 over 400 guests participated in the 5th Annual Spring Fashion Show and Gala benefiting the Young Women's Breast Cancer Foundation in Pittsburgh. The YWBCF reaches out to younger women who are striken with the disease and offer support as well as information.  Guiding Light's Frank Dicopolous emceed the event along with KDKA's (The CBS afiliate out of Pittsburgh) Brenda Waters.

Ron Raines and Robert Newman were on hand to perform during the event along with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Orchestra's cast of Nunsense and many young performers entertained the crowd.

With "Guiding Light's Last Breath, New Life is Born

By Beth Chamberlin (ex-Beth Raines, GL)

It is May 1, 2010 and in just about four minutes, at 11:00 am, they will be selling off the last of “Guiding Light”.  At the Navy Yard in Brooklyn, “Guiding Light” will take its last breath.  Painful to many of us who worked on and watched the show. 

“Guiding Light” had something special.  It brought people together, not just those of us that worked there, but families, friends.  Mothers, daughters, granddaughters watched and then talked about this show.  It represented a tradition and opened conversation between generations.  Friends were made by a common interest in a particular storyline.  Relationships were formed across the miles. People who would never have met became the best of friends; relationships that had suffered a rift, were mended. Yes, there was something special that was lost in the new world in which soaps and television in general finds itself.

But take heart, hope does exist.  There is a new light that is trying to break through.  This light is in the form of a production company called 9 After 7.   I am a part of this group and what we are attempting to do is create a ‘new kind of light’.  We want to give the fans what they lost.  We want to give them the people, the couples and the type of stories they loved.

Today, May 1, 2010, at 12:01 am we launched our website www.newkindoflight.com and announced our first project.  The fact that we commenced our new venture on the day that the last of “Guiding Light” was auctioned off to the highest bidder was not planned, not by us.  I believe there is something in the stars.  I believe we are all, cast, crew and fans alike being given a second chance.

Our first project is a full-length, direct-to-dvd feature.  Its title is “La Lumiere”, which many of you know is French for light.  I created it and coincidentally it is about a place, an inn where magic happens; a place where stars align and love and life are found. . .or lost.  It is a place where past and present often mingle as one.

That is sort of what 9 After 7 was formed to do.  Take the best of the past, those wonderful stories that brought us together and offer them through the new forms of media, technology and marketing that are available.

It will be a new kind of light.  It will come in the form of DVD’s that fans can buy and have shipped to their homes.  But, the most wonderful thing about this new venture is that it can never be canceled or auctioned off as long as there is interest.  In this venture, the fan is the boss, the fans are ‘The Powers That Be”.

It is May 1, 2010, it is a new world and we have embraced it.  We are creating a new paradigm of consumer driven entertainment tailored to the soap fan.  We don’t know exactly where this new road will take us, but we do know it is worth traveling. 

9 After 7 is offering a pre-release Limited Edition Director’s Cut of the movie, “La Lumiere”. Our company’s website is www.newkindoflight.com.

Former Guiding Light Cast Members Launch 9 After 7 Productions

No, I have not forgotten about my blog, it is just that I have been extremely busy helping to design the website for 9 After 7 Productions which will go live at 12:00 AM Eastern May 1, 2010. 9 After 7 Productions is a new company founded by Guiding Light favorites Beth Chamberlin, Fiona Hutchison, Tina Sloan, Ron Raines and Grant Alexsander. It has been in the works since September when Guiding Light went dark. Billed as "A New kind of Light," the group plans to be able to produce programming for the long time soap opera fans. Its first production is entitled "La Lumiere." Presales for a special limited edition of the film on DVD will begin at midnigt tonight. Visit A New Kind Of Light. or 9 After 7 Productions.

Kim Zimmer Heads to Tampa

In her nearly 20-year run on "Guiding Light," actress Kim Zimmer found herself in the wildest scenarios imaginable.

Kim Zimmer talks to Walt Belcher of Tampa Bay Online about Guiding Light, Good Bye Guiding Light and auditioning.  Click here for the full article.