Last fall, fans of THE BAY, as well as long-time fans of Days
of Our Lives' Jack Devereaux [sic], were delighted to learn
that Matt Ashford would join the web's newest continuing drama as
both an actor and a producer. As more was revealed about the character
he would play, fans waited eagerly to see just how this Steve Jensen
would take shape.
In February, Steve Jensen made his first appearance in Bay City,
and his creepy and mysterious actions left fans to wonder - just
what is this guy up to? We may have to wait until the fall to answer
that question, but we recently caught up with Matt to see what he's
been up to since we last saw him on THE BAY.
"My wife
Christina and I have been busy rehearsing a musical called I
Do, I Do," said Matt. Set to open in Sacramento at
California Musical Theatre's Musical Circus on Aug. 16, the demanding
two-person show has kept the actors busy learning lines, blocking,
music and dancing. "Doing a show like this a lot of work. We've
already been working on this for a month and half, and it's keeping
us both very busy." An experienced stage actor, Matt also recently
played Antony in the Southwest Shakespeare Company's spring production
of Antony & Cleopatra - a performance that earned
him rave reviews.
Matt may love the stage, but he is just as excited about the opportunities
on the internet. Likening the current move to the web to the early
days of television, Matt said, "Back then, people were doing
their theatre at night to earn a living, then stepping into this
whole new frontier during the day. When taken that way, this whole
thing can be fun."
Working with THE BAY's stellar cast has also been
satisfying. "I've had to opportunity to work with a lot of
great actors. We're all still trying to figure out how this can
make money, but what's great is we're coming at it from the same
place -- we're boldly trying to make content while holding onto
the idea that if we build it, they will come," he added.
When asked how working on THE BAY differs from his
previous daytime work, Matt explained that the process is much simpler
and therefore, "there's much more opportunity for the actors,
writers and producers to work closely together."
Recognizing the difficulty faced by daytime dramas, Matt discussed
his appreciation for the genre, the impact soaps have had on television
as a whole and the need for change. "I'm glad to have worked
through the golden age in the daytime industry. But now, these shows
have sort of out-succeeded themselves and it's time for daytime
to re-imagine itself. Shows like THE BAY are doing
that. Except, they're not daytime...they're anytime. That works
because people's work schedules aren't daytime anymore," he
explained.
As for what's to come with Steve Jensen, Matt explains his hopes
for the mysterious man in black. "We haven't done much with
him yet, but I'm really hopeful that will be rectified soon."
He went on to encourage fans to voice their hopes too. "That's
what's great about a show like this - the audience really has an
opportunity to share their desires and know that they're being heard."
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