Introduction

It happened one night after watching an episode of Melrose Place, I asked myself: 'why aren't there any gay soap operas?' Surely, gay men are all about drama whether they watch it or create it. Sure, gay characters had popped up in television series from time to time. However, they were given 'safe' storylines or limited visibility. I can understand the producers wanting to 'ease' into such a 'controversial' topic but, please, give me a fuckin' break. Most times when a show approaches a controversial topic, we are rather thrown to the lions in order to feel and/or understand its impact. What?? Speaking of MP, Fox could show Michael and Kimberly in bed, rolling around in orgasmic glory but panicked when the show's only gay character, Matt, was leaning in to kiss another guy. And while we're on the subject: why is it that gay characters don't have any gay friends and tends to hang out at straight bars? No one they can't find a relationship other than the straight-guy-struggling-with-his-sexuality. And, man, has that story been used up...in real life as well as entertainment.

Anyway, I started to think up some characters and their stories. I've often thought of gay soaps before, but not with the attention to detail nor the penache I've put into something that just popped into my head and wouldn't let me rest until I began to develop the characters and draft the storylines.

The place where my story was originally set was the Hillcrest District in San Diego. I'd visited Hillcrest a few times and, though a close cousin to L.A.'s West Hollywood, found it a bit charming. Hence, I came up with the title of District.

Over the next ten years, on and off, I would pull my notes out and make changes or adjustments or re-create original material that didn't automatically fit into the realm of my idea of a not only a gay soap opera, but a soap opera period. I know I have to grab my audience, but I did not want to throw out some big mysterious plot about hidden secrets and desperate measures. Rather, I wanted my audience to get to know the characters and their reactions to particular situations. I took out one major character I created because he didn't seem to fit the surroundings he was in. Also, the young character in the original story was a disturbed young man who caused more trouble than what he was worth and would soon tire the other characters and wear out his welcome. Over the years, I had come to like this kid and thought I should give him a break.

I took San Diego out as the place to where my characters would live and created an entire new background. Once I started to develop my notes recently, I thought that once I finished film school that I would produce a weekly animated online serial. However, once I started to blog and encountered online soap operas it became neccessary (and financially smart) to write my story out on a blog.

Yes, I will do 'seasons' and, no, no photos will be available...unless some of you handsome men out there are willing to volunteer your time. :-) So, now, I introduce the characters who inhabit the heavily gay populated Northwest District of the small city of Port Wayne:

NICK FULLER - a writer with a strong sense of independence.

BEN TAYLOR - a somewhat selfish architect whose addiction to sex most times gets him into trouble.

DAMIEN CHASTAIN - a journalist who is beginning to realize that he should have a soul in him somewhere.

JOEY DIALS - a twentysomething photograpaher trying to belong to a community and understand love.

JED LANGTON - editor and publisher of Blade magazine; a guy who grew up rich, yet down to earth.

MATTHEW GALVESTON - a documentary filmmaker who learned early on to be tough and true to himself.

HELENE LANGTON-MARSHALL - Jed's mother, a simple country girl who married into a wealthy family.

LOGAN MARSHALL - Helene's second husband.

STEVE LASSITER - a man who wants to start over.