Gays of our Lives (March 23, 2009)

Many soap fans talk about writing their own soap opera but for most of them, this only remains an unrealized dream. That’s not the case for Mark Jones. He actually did write, direct and produce his own soap opera that you can find right here on the Web. The Edge of Happiness is an internet based soap that has the same twists and turns and messy plot complications that you can find on As The World Turns, Forbidden Love or any other of your favorite soaps and dramas – and it even includes two prominent gay characters.

AfterElton.com recently talked to Jones about his online soap opera.

The Edge of Happiness creator Mark Jones

AfterElton.com: Tell me a bit about your background.
Mark Jones: I’ve made two feature films, both gay themed: Eli Parker Is Getting Married? and the other is a gay B horror movie called Fraternity Massacre on Hell Island. Eli Parker is a coming out story, sort of a screwball comedy set on a farm in Mississippi. Both were local Memphis productions with Memphis cast and crew.

The Edge of Happiness centers on the attempted murder
of bride Elizabeth Perkins.

AE: What is On The Edge of Happiness about?
MJ: The main storyline for "On The Edge of Happiness" is a 'Who Shot the Bride?' storyline, very similar to "Who Shot JR?" Everyone is a suspect, no one has an alibi. In the first episode, a bride is getting ready for her wedding. Several people come into the bride's chamber and threaten her for one reason or another. At one point, she and her brother, the church's minister talk. During this time we learn that she is blackmailing him. At the end of the episode, as she is about to walk down the aisle, the lights go out and two gunshots are heard in the darkness.

AE: How did you come up with the idea for the soap opera?
MJ: I made two movies and I wanted to do something experimenting with the Internet so that led to the idea of webisodes. I’m a huge fan of daytime soaps. I always wanted to do a soap opera so I figured since I was going to do a webisodic, I might as well make it my own soap opera.

I watched Days of our Lives religiously in the late 80’s; my grandmother was a big Days of our Lives fan. I remember as a child in the 70’s she would watch that. I also watched General Hospital as well. Right now I watch As The World Turns. I’m a huge Luke and Noah fan.

Peter White (Christian Walker) and Rev. John Perkins (Jonathan Lewis)
are the show’s prominent gay couple.

AE: Speaking of Luke and Noah, you have two prominent gay characters in your soap opera. Why did you feel the need to add that into the story?
MJ: Being gay myself, it’s important to me that gays are very visible in all sorts of genres, be it film, TV, books, art, [or] webisodes. It’s just part of life. Everybody knows a gay person. Even in a small town, gay couples should be part of the storyline. We shot the cemetery scenes over a year ago … 11 months ago.