Deep Soap: Behind The Scenes of ‘Night Shift’

By Sara A. Bibel
Fancast.com

Thursday morning I visited the set of General Hospital Night Shift. The show tapes in a small studio in a less than glamorous industrial area on the outskirts of Glendale. Befitting its status as the primetime cable spin-off of a daytime show, the production model is a hybrid of both. Each episode has a two day taping schedule – twice as long as a daytime soap, but far shorter than a typical primetime show. This additional time allows for more rehearsals and a table read. The show also has an actual craft services table – AKA free food.

The vibe was relaxed. Cast and crew alike seemed to enjoy their work. The sets are much smaller than they appear on television, with the exception of the expansive main lobby/nurses area. GH should consider incorporating it after Night Shift finishes its season. I watched as Tristan Rogers (Robert) and Billy Dee Williams (Toussaint) seemingly effortlessly nailed a scene for the August 26th episode. Next was a complicated scene featuring a large group of people. It required several takes. After that, things heated up.

Spoiler Alert: Jagger’s got a kissing scene. You’ll have to watch to find out who he’s smooching. In Monday’s column I’ll discuss the innovative way this episode delves further into his struggles to deal with his son, Stone’s autism.

Antonio Sabato Junior Is Happy To Check Back In To The Hospital

I spoke with Sabato while he was on a coffee break between scenes. He chatted with me until he was called back to the set.

What was like stepping back into the skin of a character you last played 13 years ago?
It was a good feeling. It brought a lot of memories back. I had a great time during those two years, from 92 to 94. I’m having a great time being part of the show again. I’m working with Peter [Brinkerhoff], our director, and Kimberly [McCullough] and some of our make-up and crew people. Nevertheless, it’s a different show because it’s a new set. We shot two days a week versus a different show every day. The rest of the cast is different.

How did you prepare for playing the parent of a child with autism?
I wanted to experience it as Jagger would. I know what I know from the news and from parents who are friends of mine who have to deal with it on a daily basis and what Jenny McCarthy has brought to everybody’s attention lately. If Jagger needs to know about it, I’ll get into it more deeply as the show keeps progressing in that direction.

Jason Thompson Enjoys Playing The World’s Youngest Chief of Staff

When I met Jason Thompson, his neck was covered with shaving cream. The very accommodating actor was willing to be interviewed while he finished his pre-taping grooming. Once he finished shaving, we talked in his dressing room, where his doctor’s coat hung on a rack.

How does being one of the designated leads on Night Shift compare to being part of the ensemble on GH?
It’s interesting. I enjoy it in that I feel like I can control the morale more than I do on GH. I try and watch other people’s scenes when I can and talk about what’s going on. A lot of the cast hasn’t done daytime before. It takes a little bit to get used to, so I feel I can be available to them. But the show has surrounded us with a great supporting cast. No matter what happens I have complete faith in every scene that’s shot because they’re very competent actors.

How does having that extra day affect shooting?
It makes a huge difference. We’re not here until three or four in the morning which we were last year a lot of times. If we don’t feel good about a take, we have the ability to do it again instead of just moving on. It’s a smaller set, smaller crew, a smaller cast. It’s just a little tighter.

Patrick seems lighter and more fun than he is on GH.
The shows are written differently. The thing about daytime is that everything’s always pretty dire. Here, I think we’re going about business more. The story with Robert is very, very serious and the emergencies that come in are serious but there are little moments where we can be human. I think they’ve done a good job of having scenes with Patrick and Robin where they’re communicating and having adult conversations.

Patrick is the youngest Chief of Staff in America.
Probably in the world. I don’t think he’s old enough to be a neurosurgeon let alone a Chief of Staff. I had shoulder surgery a couple months ago. The doctor said, “So, [you play] a neurosurgeon? That’s not possible. Maybe Doogie Howser could be a neurosurgeon at your age, but that’s it.” But hey, it’s TV.

How will fatherhood change Patrick?
He’s trying to do the right thing. I don’t think he can completely change who he was, but I think he’s making conscious decisions to try and really think about the situation and make the right choices. Whether it’s the right choice in his gut and his heart is kind of a grey area because I don’t think you can change that quickly. I think he’s going to be a great father. He’s going to fall in love with the baby when it comes.

Tristan Rogers Wants You To Buy His Hair

Rogers managed to look dashing in a hospital gown. The actor had shaved part of his head for his upcoming brain tumor storyline. Thanks to the make-up department, he had a realistic looking scar – a rarity in daytime.

That’s quite a make-up job they did on you.
This appliance [the prosthetic stitching] dictated how much we could cut off. I said if we’re going to do it, let’s go bald. Unfortunately they couldn’t do it, because it has edges that need to be covered with hair. But, we lost quite a bit. And we kept it all. [Rogers holds up a plastic bag full of his shorn hair.] We’re going to auction it off, and the money will go to my charity.

What’s your charity?
Project Cuddle. It’s run by a woman who rescues abandoned babies and finds homes for them. She’s done it for hundreds of babies, literally rescuing them out of dumpsters sometimes. What I do is nothing compared to what she does.

The Robert and Robin scenes that aired Tuesday were wonderful. Robert seems like himself again.
What’s happening is a reconnection. We haven’t seen that connection for a long, long time. This is one of the things that attracted me to the show. We see the more human side of him. Let’s face it, in today’s reality even Superman gets hurt. So why shouldn’t this guy be showing the fact that he’s getting older and that his body’s got a lot of mileage on it? Along the way he’s picked up a few things and he’s got to deal with them. So, essentially, instead of going out and saving the world, he’s trying to save himself.

How serious is Robert’s tumor going to be?
We get through the operation. But then we’ve got to get through the next part, which is him dealing with it. We see this very personal struggle that he goes through and thousands of other people have gone through. This can happen to anybody. We can make a story about this guy’s fight without it being cheesy.

What’s it like working with Kimberly McCullough again?
We grew up together – or should I say she grew up with me. I remember when she was six and she first started. And now she’s an adult. In many respects our two characters have evolved together. For these thirteen weeks we’re going to see how these characters changed. She wants to be with her father. He wants to be with her.

A lot of people grew up with the two of you.
The 80s were a very defining time for daytime soaps. In some ways they haven’t been able to shake themselves loose from that, which is kind of a problem. There’re a lot of people out there who really relate to that time and the characters that soap operas created back then.

The fan response to your return has been overwhelmingly positive.
As an actor you can only do so much. But when the material is part of a really interesting package, then you slip straight back into that. That’s what I’m enjoying. There’s a lot of really good, gutty, gritty stuff that will make you squirm coming up. I like that.

Sonya Eddy Reveals Her Emmy Wardrobe Malfunction

Eddy, who plays Epiphany, welcomed me to her dressing room as if I were a close friend. By the end of our interview, I felt like I was.

You gave a shout out to the Nordstrom’s staff during the Emmy pre-show. Have you been back since?
I haven’t had a chance. I feel bad, because I promised him a thank you gift for making me cute. I know he is thinking that Sonya Eddy is a woman who does not keep her word. Billy Hoffman, you are going to get your gift and you are going to say, “Thank you Sonya.”

You looked great.
I had a ball. I was kind of pissed off though, because I didn’t realize my bra strap was showing. I’m going to reveal that secret and everyone’s going to get out the pictures. Luckily I had on the pretty bra. As long as I didn’t have on the bra that’s falling apart. You know what I mean. Every girl’s got a bra like that. But I was wearing the date bra, with a lot of lace. It looked like part of the dress.

Epiphany and Toussaint’s relationship has some interesting dynamics. When she was a teenager, he was her favorite singer. Now she’s his boss.
Isn’t that cool, in a surreal kind of way?

Is that going to impact their relationship?
I don’t think so. They are two mature adults who understands that life happens and you might not always end up in the place you set out for.

Will Jagger take Epiphany up on her invitation to stay with her?
I don’t know. That would be nice, though! The only time that you see Epiphany snap, crackle and pop is around handsome men.