While most people reading this would give an arm and a leg to attend the Television Critics Association Press Tour — a bi-annual event that affords those who cover the industry the unique opportunity to hobnob with the actors, writers and executives who help create it — the unfortunate fact of the matter is that a never-ending parade of panels and parties is more often than not, not nearly as much fun as it sounds. That said, every once in a while a little gem of a show comes along that reminds us as to why we’re so lucky to be covering this business we affectionally refer to as show. This past TCA, that show was ABC Family’s SWITCHED AT BIRTH, a truly compelling series that tells the story of what happens when two teen girls (one deaf, one hearing) discover that they were, as the title suggests, switched at birth. But just what got us so enamored with a series that we immediately devoured Volume One on DVD on the flight home from TCA? Find out for yourself, after the jump.

The kleenex-required casting process.
While finding the prefect mixture of talent is never an easy thing when it comes to any television series, what made successfully casting SWITCHED AT BIRTH particularly challenging was that the Producers were intent on finding a leading lady fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). A challenge which according to Creator/Executive Producer Lizzy Weiss contributed to a roller-coaster ride of emotion. “It was an open casting call where Paul [Co-Executive Producer Paul Stupin] and I just had a really emotional day,” explained Weiss recounting the process that led to discovering their Daphne. “People came in, drove in for hours, said thank you so much for writing this, for having a character who is so well?rounded, who happens to be deaf, who is a full, real person who’s not just like a witness to a murder on another show. And they were just so excited that this could have the chance to go on TV.”

Katie LeClerc is a force to be reckoned with.
While odds are fairly certain that you’ve already discovered that actress Katie LeClerc isn’t technically deaf, what you might not know is that she suffers from Meniere’s disease. In other words, unlike most actors who simply have to show up to the set with their lines fully memorized, LeClerc has to do so while struggling with ringing in her ear, fluctuating hearing loss, and the occasional bout of vertigo to boot. “When I read the script, I literally went, ‘They’re never going to find this girl. This beautiful, talented actress who’s deaf or hard of hearing and fluent in American Sign Language’,” admitted Vanessa Marano who plays LeClerc’s SWITCHED AT BIRTH counterpart Bay Kennish. “I’m so thankful that someone like Katie did get cast, because so much is going into this part.” Added Weiss, “Katie pops off the screen, she’s a wonderful actress, she’s beautiful and that she looks like [her on screen biological mother] Lea Thompson is a huge bonus.”

Emmet FTW!
As much as our recent obsession with SWITCHED AT BIRTH can be credited to the unique premise that shines the spotlight on a deaf culture we know so little about, a close second is the increasingly addictive love triangle involving Daphne, Bay and Emmett. And while we don’t pretend to know which team exactly will win out in the end (Editor’s Note: Go Team Bay!), we do know that a big part of the credit goes to relative newcomer Sean Berdy for crafting a character in Emmett so unlike anything we’ve ever seen on television before. Said Berdy, on the surprising success of his small screen alter ego, “Honestly, I can admit that I never expected that that character would grow in that way, become popular in that sense. I thought I’d be certainly a supporting role, background, you know, traditional deaf guy in an all?hearing cast. But the writers have included me. American Sign Language is being featured more than ever before, and I’m truly blessed and fortunate.”

Move Over Sharpay Evans.
Since we continue to hold a somewhat embarrassing soft spot for any and all actors involved in Disney’s HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL series, we feel it our duty to point out how pleased we are that the artist formerly known as Ryan Evans is finally getting his much-deserved moment in the spotlight. What’s more, he’s making the most of it. To the point that the entire cast pretty much conceded that Lucas Grabeel — who plays Bay’s slightly older and far less responsible brother Toby — has picked up ASL faster than anyone else in the cast. Said Gabreel, “Katie actually taught me  — when we first started, I went to her, and she taught me five signs every day — because I really fell in love with the language immediately and just wanted to learn as much as I could. My girlfriend and I use it at parties to sign to each other like, “You ready to go’?”

The show is just the beginning.
Contrary to what the like of JERSEY SHORE, any show involving a Kardashian and the seemingly never-ending collection of truly trashy reality shows might have you believe, television still remains an incredibly powerful medium. Case in point, the response Constance Marie — who plays Bay’s biological mother Regina — has gotten to the show via social media. “I have people that are letting me know because of the show, they were so inspired that they’re petitioning their high schools to have sign language be one of the second languages that they can learn. They’re trying to find teachers. They’re spreading the word,” said Marie. “It will make me emotional and I will try not to cry. But I have had deaf people on Twitter let me know that they’re so inspired, that their ?? that as a hearing parent, to have a hearing parent learn sign language for their child means so much and they are inspired. And I’ve had mothers say because of that, I’m going to work harder to learn the language of my child. And it’s bridging a gap, and I think that is just a wonderfully beautiful thing.”

SWITCHED AT BIRTH airs Tuesdays at 8PM on ABC FAMILY (Mondays at 9PM on YTV in Canada). Catch up on past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

In the young adult series THE LYING GAME, Allie Gonino plays Laurel Mercer, the younger sister of Sutton Mercer – the girl who sets ‘The Lying Game’ in motion when she swaps places with her twin Emma, so that she can investigate their birth mother and the events that led to their adoption 16 years before.  As Laurel, Allie not only gets to stretch her acting wings, but she also is able to express her passion for music.  While Laurel is known for playing the violin, she was recently given the chance to shine in the spotlight in the ‘Pleased To Meet Me’ episode when asked to sing on stage at a benefit party.  In a recent press call, Allie shared what she enjoys about playing Laurel and what’s next on the horizon of THE LYING GAME.
 
What do you continue to enjoy the most about playing the character of Laurel?
ALLIE: I think the thing I enjoy the most about playing Laurel is that with every episode, as her storyline develops, she’s learning new things about life [and] I’m learning new things about life with her and new things about myself too.  I feel like I have a chance to grow myself by playing Laurel.
 
What do you feel it is about a show like THE LYING GAME that resonates well with viewers?
ALLIE:  I think there are so many elements.  I think the romantic love triangle between Sutton and Ethan, you know, is probably stirring up some excitement.  And obviously, the fact that like we have no idea whether Alec is a creep or if he’s a good guy.  And we have really cute clothes which I’m going to say is probably a big reason why young girls watch it or even, you know, women.   There’s so many elements, though, and just like the mystery aspect.  I think there’s so much going on in every episode and I think that’s what keeps the viewers coming back for more.
 
Now that Sutton is back in town how will that sort of change things in the Mercer house?
ALLIE:  Well, I know in the next episode they’re still wanting to keep the twins anonymity.  Like, they don’t want anyone to know that the twins are twins and out and about because there’s a killer on the loose and they don’t know if that’s provoking the killer to go out and find them.  So the next episode is basically just both of them taking turns playing Sutton.
 
What has been the most challenging episode that you had to do so far?
ALLIE: That’s a good question.  I guess probably the episode that was just aired.  That’s the first time that I’ve ever had to really break down in a scene and cry.  So, I’d have to say that one.  It was just a very emotional episode for Laurel.  She never really shows that side of herself.  She’s usually very strong and happy and zealous.  So I’d have to say that one.  I just plugged in my iPod and put on a sad song and thought about something really awful and then the tears came.
 
Is there going to be a repair in the relationship between Laurel and Justin?
ALLIE: Yes.  There’s definitely some trust issues that will be coming up in the next couple of episodes you’ll be able to see.
 
What makes your character so appealing to the fans?  And how do you identify with your character; similarities and differences?
ALLIE: I think what’s most appealing about Laurel is that she is such a real character.  I think young girls can identify a lot with her.  She’s just a regular girl trying to get through life and still remain true to herself, while also trying to be a good sister to a nightmare of a sister.  I think there’s a vulnerability to Laurel that I felt when I was 16. So I think she’s just really relatable.  I guess our sense of humor is sort of similar.  So I would say it’s a similarity.  But the difference between us is, I guess, probably just our lifestyle.  Laurel goes to high school and I’ve been doing music and acting for my whole life.  That’s probably the biggest difference.
 
Do you think maybe in the future Laurel will affect Sutton as realizing she’s kind of snotty?  Or do you think that maybe with all the stuff going on with Justin, Laurel might do some of ‘The Lying Games’ herself?
ALLIE: I know that the real Sutton and Laurel have a conversation.  And Laurel says something to the effect of like, you’ve been different lately.  And I think Sutton is taken aback by it because she’s just now figuring out what a cool person Emma is and, of course, that only like sparks more jealousy.   I’m not really sure if Laurel is going to be in on ‘The Lying Game.’  I’m sure she probably will at some point.  Everyone on the show is playing ‘The Lying Game.’ [laughs] So I don’t know about that one though.

Do they spend a lot of time with you guys in the fitting rooms with your wardrobe?
ALLIE: Yes.  We do have a great stylist, Mimi Kaupe.  She, basically, just pulls in a big rack of really cute things.  We get to try them on, play dress up for like an hour and say what we like best.  And then, it just all kind of comes together.  We don’t have like a huge budget for our clothes.  So I think it’s really, really amazing that we’ve been able to stylize the show so well.
 
In which direction would you like to see your character go in?  What would you like to see your character do more of?
ALLIE: Well, I think she’s been very enthralled with the boyfriend sort of situation lately.  And in the next episode you’ll see she gets to perform on stage for the first time.  And so, I’m really glad that she’s kind of getting back into being Laurel, you know, not Laurel plus boyfriends.  And she’s getting a little bit of her sass back and getting to express herself through music.  So, I’m hoping in the future that they’ll show that it’s possible to balance both having a boyfriend and pursuing your own thing.  I think that would be really cool for the viewers.
 
Is there anything else you can tell us about future episodes?  Any tidbits you can spill about?
ALLIE: Yes, without giving too much away.  Laurel finds out what the big secret between Justin and Ted is.  So it has to do with the bracelet and it’s going to rock her world.  So definitely look out for that.  It’s a pretty jarring episode.
 
So, Laurel is going to find out what Justin’s hiding.  Can you tell us a little bit more about that?  Does that mean they’re going to repair their relationship after she knows the truth?
ALLIE: I can’t exactly say.  I have to be very careful.  But it’s definitely going to put a huge a dent in the relationship.  You know, they just broke up.  So now the truth is coming out and Laurel is going to have to decide whether to trust him again and try to repair the relationship or dump him.
 
Are there any plans in the work to come back and perform again with your band?
ALLIE: Yes.  We are performing in episode, I think, it’s 116.  So, like three episodes after this Monday we’ll be performing again.
 
Are you ever surprised when you get your next script, who else is holding a secret and who else is involved in this whole game?
ALLIE: Definitely.  I’m just as surprised as the viewers are with each new episode.  We don’t really ever know what’s going to happen until we get the script.  We’ll hear like rumors about what’s going to happen and then they’ll change their minds and write something totally different.  So yes, it is the mystery sort of surprise element to the show is what makes it so successful.
 
Do you think that these characters are a pretty accurate depiction of 15, 16, 17 year olds today?
ALLIE: I hope not!  You know, television we exaggerate everything.  But that’s why we do it is to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  And entertainment is there for us to just let go and forget about everything else and get involved in lots of drama without actually doing it in real life, you know.  I think that’s the good thing about it.
 
I have one more question in regards to the wardrobe.  You guys wear some pretty high heels.  Is that tough on you guys on your long shoot days?
ALLIE: Well, I’ve been wearing high heels for awhile.  I’m a dancer.  So it’s not too bad unless the shoes themselves are really uncomfortable and then it’s a pain.  But, you know, I like wearing heels.  They make me feel sexy.
 
When you first heard about the role of Laurel, what was it that made you want to play her?
ALLIE: I think it was just that I saw so much of myself in her.  And I probably just felt some deep desire to live that stage in my life again and probably relearn some lessons that I didn’t necessarily remember.  And learn new things about myself.  And I just love her wit.   She’s so funny and energetic.  That’s just like the type of character I want to play.  And it is my first, like, big role.  So I wanted to pick something that would really allow me to learn acting and being in front of the camera and all that kind of stuff.
 
Do you have a behind the scene moment or memory or something that you could share with fans that they wouldn’t know about from filming or just some little tidbit?
ALLIE: Well, I guess, we rarely get to do scenes where it’s all of the cast in one scene.  But the scene where we had the dinner party when the parents went out of town.  We were joking and it’s just a fun set.  Like, we really do get along and all the actors are really intelligent people and want to do good work and are here to tell a story.  I think the fans would like to know that all these characters that they’re seeing are not as evil as they appear to be on television.  They’re really–they’re really good people.

What exactly would you like see happen with Laurel’s character in relationship to Justin?
ALLIE: They don’t even know where they’re going with that storyline.  But I think if she does decide to stay with Justin it needs to be like full-fledged trust.  Relationships are difficult.  If you are going to choose to spend at your youth with someone, like, that’s such a big decision to spend your high school years with someone.   So, I think I just want her to remain true to who she is and true to her passions.  And I want her to be ambitious and go off and do her own Laurel thing.  And be able to have a boyfriend.  But I don’t want it to be all about him.
 
You recently sang one of the Dixie Chick’s songs on the show.  What can you share about that?
ALLIE: I played “Top of the World” which was written by Patty Griffin, but sung by the Dixie Chicks.  They’re the reason I got into music in the very first place when I was like four years old.  So to be able to play one of their songs on a TV show is, like, really weird but really awesome.  And I feel really honored to be able to do that.  It’s like, it’s my own little homage to them.  So I was excited.
 
What was your first love; acting or performing as a musician?
ALLIE: I would say music.  I think it has always been something that I’ve just been in love with.  I think it’s universal for everyone.  You know, it’s been around since forever.  But I was, like, probably three years old when I watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time and that really, I think, inspired me to be an actress.  And I would come home from day care every single day and dress up like Dorothy, watch the movie and act it out.  So I was, like, definitely an actress from a very young age.  But I don’t think I knew it until I actually started booking.  But I would have to say music is where my heart will always be.
 
Besides the violin what other instruments do you play?
ALLIE: I play a little bit of Mandolin.  And I can play a little piano but not very well.  Just a little by ear.
 
Have the fans recognized you more since THE LYING GAME and is there any fan experience that stands out in your mind?
ALLIE: I definitely have been recognized a bit more since the show came on.  The one I was most surprised to find out about that she even watches the show.  My band and I when we were in L.A. we play music for this private children’s hospital,   and I walked in to this one girl, Angela, who we actually wrote a song about.   So we walked into her room and she was just chilling and watching ABC Family and our guide was like, “Angela, this is Allie.”  And she was like, “Were you on THE LYING GAME?” I was like, “Yes, you watch that show?” She was like, “Yes.”  And she was like really star struck but not like freaking out.  But just like happy that we were there to play music for her.  So that was like a really special moment for me that people I wouldn’t have even imagine who’d get to watch the show gets to watch it.  So that made me really happy.
 
Could you tell us if you had a favorite episode from either what we’ve seen or the shows that you’ve shot that we haven’t seen yet?  If there’s one episode that stands out to you?
ALLIE: Honestly, the episode you’re going to see this week is my favorite because I get to play the Dixie Chicks song and I get to perform with my real life band.  It’s like a dream come true and I’m excited for myself.  But I’m also excited for the fans to see it because I think the music element is interesting and I don’t think any other show is really doing it.  So to have all this drama with like a backdrop of music is fun.  I’m excited for this one.
 
Being on THE LYING GAME and having your band, you’re very busy, very full of life, how do you balance it all?
ALLIE: I don’t know.  I really just try to take it as it comes and not try to stress out too much which is, honestly, the hardest thing in the world to do is not let it overwhelm me.  But we’ve been in the studio and in film.  So you just got to take it as it comes and then treat yourself every once in awhile with, a dessert or a drink or something which I don’t suggest to people under the age of 21.
 
So we know now that in THE LYING GAME signature was the white and black bow surprise and we’ve already seen one.  Will there be anymore of those coming up?
ALLIE: We haven’t seen anymore as of yet.  But we’re about to do a table read of the next episode so maybe on that one.  But that’s all we’ve seen of the black and white bow.

In terms of the mystery of the  lying game, is there a  person  you think you could expand to also target? Like Ethan or will they exclusively stick to just going after Emma?
ALLIE: I know Ethan gets in trouble for something but it doesn’t really have to do with the twins.  The episode we just shot is going to, like, shock people.  But that’s all I can say right now.

To see what other mysteries unravel and how Laurel fits into THE LYING GAME, be sure to tune in on Monday nights at 9PM on ABC Family Channel.

Once upon a time there was a young teenage girl who wanted nothing more than to be a world famous pop singer – just one tiny problem, she could not sing.  Not daunted by this small hiccup, Beverly Van Ravensway (Megan Park) came up with a creative solution:  she would lip-sing her way to stardom.  Alas, just like in any classic Cyrano de Bergerac story, this scheme is almost certain to backfire spectacularly. In a recent press conference call, the delightful Megan Park candidly shared some of her experiences in working in the fun film A CINDERELLA STORY: ONCE UPON A SONG as the musically-challenged Beverly Van Ravensway.

What similarities and differences did you find between this CINDERELLA story and the original?
MEGAN: The original was more sticking with the traditional Cinderella-esque fairytale, and this one was sort of like a modern day take on it, which I thought was kind of unique and creative.  Obviously there’s only one wicked stepsister and it wasn’t keeping with the fairytale.  It was sort of a more relatable story to modern day teens today, which I thought was really cool.  And then, making it about the music, which is another cool aspect, and the music is so great and it’s so pop-y and refreshing.  It was just sort of a really refreshing take on the whole story.
 
Did you draw from the stepsisters in the original Cinderella movie or is there another villain that you drew inspiration from?
MEGAN: I talked to the director about whether I should draw upon the original stepsister and how similar they wanted it to be to the original, and he really wanted me to like just take a fresh take on it.  And I guess I could say that I probably drew on past people that I’ve met, personal experiences with, people that in real life, because I really wanted Bev to be as realistic as possible.  And also in the original the wicked stepsisters are just purely, purely wicked, and Bev is not.  She really does have a heart and she’s insecure and she doesn’t have a great relationship with her mother and so many different things.  I wanted to add a lot of steps to her and make her not so completely one note.  She’s not purely, purely evil so I wanted that to show.
 
What made you decide to play this vastly different role from Grace on SECRET LIFE?
MEGAN: I was in New Orleans filming this movie called “So Undercover” with Miley Cyrus and it was a character that’s really sweet and really dumb and a different sort of take on a character more in the vein of Grace.  And that’s a character that I tend to play a lot because I really connect with those characters and I really like playing them.  Bev is not purely evil and it was sort of a different approach to the character.  I thought it would be really cool and fun, and I just like doing things that I think are fun and exciting.  And obviously, meeting Lucy and getting to work with Missi Pyle was a major thing for me.  I’m such a fan and I love the comedy roles, and this movie is actually very funny.  There are a lot of funny moments, and there was a lot of opportunity for me to do some sort of comedic work, and I learned a lot from working with Missi Pyle and that was a major drawing point for me.  It was just really fun.  It was an opportunity to do something new.
 
Since the premise of A CINDERELLA STORY is that you can’t sing, does that mean that you don’t get to sing in it?
MEGAN: I don’t get to, which is such a bummer.  I have to bad sing.  I have to fake sing, which is actually really hard to purposefully bad sing off key.  But, no, I don’t get to sing in A CINDERELLA STORY.  Maybe I’ll get to sing in something else.
 
Did you guys have any jam sessions behind the scenes or anything fun like that?
MEGAN: We totally did actually.  It’s so funny that you ask that because Missi Pyle—most people don’t know—is a great musician and has a band and has toured, and she had a good friend sing with her named Jenna who is also a musician, and it was amazing.  And Lucy’s boyfriend at the time was a musician.  My boyfriend’s a musician.  So it kind of turned into like this crazy jam session a lot.  And Freddie, of course, and Titus, everyone it seemed like, was sort of musical in a sense so it was really fun.  Missi had this like great beach house and we were all staying down there, and we would play guitar out on the balcony.  It was really fun.  Everybody was like really into the whole music thing.  It was great.  Everybody had their guitar there at some point.
 
What was it like working with the cast of “So Undercover” and doing that movie?
MEGAN: That was probably the most fun four months of my entire life.  We had too much fun.  I look back I’m like, did we make a movie?  Oh, yeah.  I forgot because we just had so much fun the whole time.  It was great.  We were in such a magical city and to be there for that long and working with Miley and Kelly Osborne and Eloise Mumford.  It was basically just all girls all the time.  There was an actor Josh Bowman who is in it but he only came at the end so basically it was just a bunch of girls by ourselves the whole time.  We all were staying together and we went to sorority boot camp because we’re in a sorority but the real sorority up in Baton Rouge, and we had so much fun.  It did not seem like work, and by the time it was all over I couldn’t believe that we made a movie because we had so much fun.  But we did so hopefully, people like the movie too.
 
What’s the biggest character difference between your role in this new film and your role as Grace in SECRET LIFE?
MEGAN: Playing Beverley and playing Grace are literally complete opposites.  Grace is a very compassionate person and she really wants to please everyone, and Bev is pretty selfish and just kind of wants to get ahead.  I mean they’re both really good people at the heart of it but Beverley is not necessarily the nice girl.  So they’re pretty polar opposites, which was really fun to get to do something so different than Grace. It was kind of fun.
 
There seems to be like an East Indian theme to it, in the home and in the party, was there a special meaning in doing that?
MEGAN: I don’t exactly know because in the original script there wasn’t really any mention of that, but then the director said that they wanted to do a fresh take on the dance in a way that Katie could have her face covered that was kind of unique and fun and fresh.  So they came up with a Bollywood idea for the dance so she could obviously be wearing the outfits with her face covered.  And then, it ended up sort of like infusing itself into other parts of the movie and with the character Ravi and stuff like that.  So it was really cool, and it just kind of made for a little more excitement and a different take on the whole theme of the movie, and it ended up being cool.
 
Where was A CINDERELLA STORY filmed and can you tell us something of your experiences on the set with your cast, producers, and directors?
MEGAN: We shot the movie in Wilmington, North Carolina, which is a beautiful little town, and we had a lot of fun there.  It’s a cute place.  There are lots of cute restaurants and we all were staying out by the beach.  It was just amazing.  Every night we were sort of like going out to dinner and hanging out with each other, and I really got to bond with Lucy and Missi Pyle the most.  And the three of us spent a lot of time together, and they’re both just really inspiring and unique in their own way. I got to be goofy and silly with Lucy and just have fun and go out and be crazy.  Then, with Missi I got to ask her a lot of questions and pick her brain and do lots of different things.  It was really cool.  We all had a really good time.  Again, it seemed like I wasn’t really working, which is the best feeling.
 
Could you talk about working on the set, the actual shooting?
MEGAN: It was great being on set.  The director was really cool.  We spent a lot of time rehearsing everything ahead of time so when we actually got to the set it felt like everybody knew what was happening and what was going on.  Honestly it was just a really simple great shoot.  It felt like a really creative set.  A lot of times we’d film and then the director would be like, hey, let’s just improv this one.  Especially working with Missi Pyle, obviously she like to improv and it was hard to keep a straight face 90% of the time when working with her. But it was great.  It was just a really simple set and it went really smoothly and other than having to do a lot of dance rehearsal and Lucy, I’m sure, having to do a lot of recordings ahead of time, that was the only thing I was really nervous about, was doing the dancing because I hadn’t danced a lot before.  But it went well.  It was just really smooth and effortless.
 
What was the experience like working with Lucy Hale?
MEGAN: Actually I just talked to her yesterday, I think, or the day before.  She’s great.  We met years before—we actually met in the audition room for SECRET LIFE, which is so weird.  And I guess you’re supposed to be competitive, the people I auditioned with, but we just started chatting and became friends, and the she ended up doing PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and I did SECRET LIFE, so it’s kind of cool.  And she’s just really easy going and cool, and when I found out that she was doing the movie that was one of the main reasons I wanted to be part of it, was to get a chance to work with her.  And we bonded pretty much within the first ten minutes of the read through the first day, and never left each other’s side.  Every day off we would go shopping in Wilmington and hang out, and that’s continued since we’ve been back in L.A.  She’s just a really sweet girl and she’s very easy to get along with and we ended up having a lot in common.  And she’s just really fun and dorky and goofy like I am and doesn’t take things too seriously so we got along really, really well.  She’s a cool girl. And we both have major online shopping problems and online shopped together nonstop when we were filming so that was kind of the only bad part, that we egged each other on with the online shopping.
 
What’s happening with your band, Frank and Derol? And how did you team with Codi Caraco and Brandi Cyrus?
MEGAN: Basically, to make a really, really long story short, Codi was a good friend of mine who I met through my boyfriend, and she’s a really talented musician.  She went to Berkeley School of Music, and we started playing music together.  I play the guitar and I sing.  I’ve been doing that since I was younger and it just sort of happened, I guess, organically as a friendship, and we were like, maybe we should start a band for fun, never thinking anybody would ever hear anything that we did.  And so we started “Frank and Derol” just the two of us and started playing shows.  And then I was living with Brandi Cyrus at the time, and she’s obviously is a musician as well as so we were like, ‘Hey, come play with us!” You know, she plays guitar so she started playing as well.  And then people started really liking what we were doing, which was cool, and we put some stuff on MySpace and everything.  And then it was kind of crazy because people started expressing interest in signing the band and all that sort of stuff.  So then, once we got the opportunity to sign it sort of became—for me, acting is my passion and my main sort of focus and what I really love and music is more of a hobby.  And for Brandi and Codi it was sort of their passion and what they really wanted to pursue.  So we kind of sat down and had a  conversation and I was like, well, why don’t you guys try to do the thing, sign and do the band full on, the two of you and I’ll still go hang out with you guys and write when I can and play with you.  And it just kind of worked out that way for the best because to be honest it wasn’t something that I wanted to commit to fully, to take away from my acting because it was just sort of a fun hobby.  And for them it was what they really wanted to do so I guess it was sort of fate that I met Codi and then introduced them, and we all sort of got to do that together.  But it worked out for the best for everybody and they’re still my great friends.  And it wasn’t like one of us left the band and it was all weird.  It was just like, who wants to commit to the time of this, and it’s not that I didn’t want to commit.  It’s just that I didn’t want to do something half-heartedly that I wasn’t going to be able to commit to 100% and my passion is in acting and I really wanted to pursue that.  So that’s what happened, basically, with the band. 
 
Are you working with the band?
MEGAN: No, officially the band is Codi and Brandi, and they’re doing the album.  And I sort of play with them and write with them when I can, and some of the songs that I was originally writing are on the album.  But I no longer am a part of the band.
 
We really love the character of Grace in THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER and we’ve actually seen a lot of evolution with her character throughout the season so could you talk about how you feel that Grace is going to evolve in the future?
MEGAN: Grace has kind of changed really drastically.  And to be honest, this season is probably one of the seasons where Grace changes the most out of any year.  There’s a lot of like new relationships and some really crazy self-awareness things that happen to her and some major lifestyle changes so it’s exciting.  And I don’t really know—what happens with our characters and I never really know what to expect because I’ve been surprised before.  But from the looks of it Grace is kind of becoming more independent and really, really going in a different direction than I thought she would ever sort of end up.  So my guess is probably as good as yours.  It’s kind of a surprise to me as well.
 
For your character Grace, what can we expect in the new season of SECRET LIFE from your character?
MEGAN: Grace changes as a person the most this season than any other season.  She really starts questioning like a lot of major things in her life and really wants to make some serious changes.  And she gets confused and she’s not really sure where her life is headed.  So it’s like a really big personal discovery for Grace and new relationships, kind of shocking relationships.  There’s a lot of growth with Grace.  She really grows up this year.
 
Is it easy to make the transition from actually being an adult and then having to go and play a teenager in your various roles?
MEGAN: It hasn’t been frustrating.  It’s actually felt really normal because it’s all I’ve ever known.  I’m always really young for my age, just in life in general, I guess.  I graduated high school, and then I just sort of moved on to the high school of SECRET LIFE and I’ve been doing that ever since I graduated high school, so it isn’t something that I’m frustrated with.  I don’t really get cast for roles older than high school yet so I’m kind of totally fine riding this wave as long as it lasts.  But there definitely is something in me that’s looking forward to playing more mature roles and growing up a little bit, but I’m kind of taking it in stride.  As long as I’ll play high school, I’ll play high school, and when the time is right and the roles start coming for me to play older I’m totally going to be ready and excited to do that too. 
 
SECRET LIFE has a pretty racy storyline, how did that work for you?
MEGAN: You know it’s kind of interesting when you sign on to a show because you’re basically signing on to play a character because you only really see the first episode of the show.  And the pilot was just amazing to me, and it was kind of like shocking, the whole idea of—obviously the show is based on the secret sex life.  I think that was the original title, was like the Secret Sex Life of the American Teenager or something like that.  And it was sort of eye opening but I think that it was done in a way that was really real, educational, and it wasn’t something that I was embarrassed by.  I mean I was really excited and proud to be a part of a show that was sort of breaking down the barriers of that.  So no I wasn’t nervous about it and I’m not nervous about it.  I think that it’s done in a really real way and that’s always been Brenda Hampton’s focus, not just to educate and to show different choices that people make and how their lives sort of turn out when they make those choices, the positives and the negatives, which I really like.  So no it hasn’t made me nervous but it definitely is a risk when you sign on to a show and you don’t really know what’s going to happen, but I’ve just been really happy with everything so far, the way it’s turned out.                      
 
About the Gloriana music video “Kissed You Goodnight”, what was your experience like filming that?
MEGAN: It was so fun.  We knew the band.  My boyfriend knew them really well because he’s a musician, and they came to us and they said would you guys want to do this music video for us?  You basically have to just fly to Nashville for a couple of days, hang out with us, and then you’d have to kiss a lot on camera.  I was like, wow, this sounds like pretty much the easiest job of my entire life.  I’m in.  So we thought it would be cool and we loved the song.  They sang it to us and obviously wanted to support and help our friend’s band in any way we could.  They’re great and we like their music.  And literally we got to go there and we filmed in this beautiful house in Nashville, a city that we both love, and we got to be in this music video and kiss.  Obviously, he’s my boyfriend in real life and so it wasn’t awkward, and it was just a really fun thing to do.  We had a great time.  It was really cool.
 
Do you have any future plans and would you be open to doing more music videos?
MEGAN: I think I would probably love to be in my boyfriend’s music video, one of his at some point when his new record comes out.  I think that would be pretty cool, but other than that no plans so far.  We’ll just have to see what happens I guess. 
 
As an actress, singer, style star you’re probably considered a triple threat right now in Hollywood.  Do you have aspirations to grow the mini-mogul in the future?
MEGAN: I don’t know.  I guess I’m not versed enough in like the mini-mogul world to know really like what’s involved.  And I honestly really want to do projects that make me happy and hopefully make other people happy.  I’m becoming more and more confident and am falling more and more in love with the whole world of comedy, and I think that’s something that I really want to explore a lot more.  But right now, you know, that whole thing isn’t necessarily on my vision board of things that I’m aiming towards, but obviously being successful and reaching out to a lot of people is a goal.  So if that means doing all those things that would be great but right now I just really want to make cool art that I like and work with people that inspire me, are kind of my main goals right now.
 
Would you ever consider writing a comedy for yourself?
MEGAN: Actually I am writing a comedy with Missi Pyle.  We came up with the idea when we were working together on this movie, and she’s obviously an extremely experienced talented actress.  And she kind of approached me and she’s like, I have this idea about this script.  Would you like to work on it with me?  And I’d never really written.  I’d written in my free time but never professionally like we’ve been doing, and so I was like, okay.  I’ll give it a shot.  I don’t really know what I’m doing. But it’s been the most amazing experience and so rewarding.  And we actually pretty much have written a script and it’s going to be going through rewrites and stuff like that.  But I’m going to say that she’s the brains behind it and I just sort of helped out in any way I could and sort of helped her voice the young character in this script.  But it’s been amazing and it’s obviously a comedy and it’s something that we hope will get made.  It’s been pretty rewarding and we’re actually going to be taking a writing workshop together, I hope, at some point this year because for whatever reason our brains work really well together with writing.  And she’s been teaching me a lot.  So, yeah, it’s definitely something that I really want to explore more.
 
Be sure to tune in to see Megan Park in her outrageously funny role as Beverly Van Ravensway in A CINDERELLA STORY: ONCE UPON A SONG, on Sunday, January 22nd at 8PM on ABC Family Channel.

As noted our article “Hold on Tight, ABC Family’s New Series JANE BY DESIGN Will Steal Your Heart,” the new young adult series starring Erica Dasher is perhaps the most adorable show on television today.  The show glows with warmth, charm and infectious humor.  The trials and tribulations of a young teen who miraculously lands her dream job and then must find a way to keep it just swept us off our feet.  

It is in no small part due to the great talents of Erica Dasher and her legendary co-star Andie MacDowell.  Playing Jane Quimby and her fashion designer boss Gray Chandler Murray, Erica and Andie are a remarkable team.  In their scenes together, one senses Jane and Gray’s mutual respect, affection and genuine desire to make their working relationship strong enough to withstand the devious maneuvering of their common foe, India Jourdain (India de Beauforte).  It is a rare treat when so many television shows and films depict employees and their bosses as being at each others’ throats and tearing each other down.  To see a healthier work relationship is intriguing and delightful.  

To talk a bit about their new show and their characters, Erica and Andie answered questions via teleconference last week:

As can be seen, Erica and Andie are just as charming as their characters and it is a pleasure that we get to share the adventures of JANE BY DESIGN with them.

JANE BY DESIGN feels so lovingly crafted, that it reminds us of a deliciously prepared dessert.  It is sweet in just the right amounts, has a scrumptious frosting overlaying a knee-meltingly gooey inside.  The show is not just about the jaw-droppingly beautiful clothes and designs, it is about an array of characters that tease us and tantalize us with the different stories, facets and shenanigans they find themselves embroiled.  

Jane’s world balances between her home life, her school life and her professional life at the fashion firm of Donovan Decker.  At home, Jane acts as a surrogate parent for her well-meaning brother Ben (David Clayton Rogers), who is struggling to find a job in this increasingly turbulent economic climate.  At school, Jane and her best friend Billy (Nick Roux) are the “invisible” students who are just trying to safely navigate the treacherous waters of high school — with secret crushes, last minute pop-quizzes and more homework than they know what to do with.  Then at work, Jane is trying to pass herself off as an older young woman who is experienced enough to land the executive assistant position working for the illustrious Gray Chandler Murray.  

As if all that were not enough, Jane also finds that she is inadvertently juggling three men in her life:  her best friend Billy, her high school crush Nick (Matthew Atkinson), and her British co-worker Jeremy (Rowly Dennis).  All three are enough to make any woman swoon!

So Jane’s life goes from uncomplicated to incredibly complicated virtually overnight.  But with big dreams, comes big risks.  When Jane decided to embrace her dream of working in fashion design, it opened doors to possibilities that she had never dreamed of.  As Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”  Kudos to Jane for daring to live a life of adventure!

To see where the journey and adventure leads, be sure to tune in for an all new episode of JANE BY DESIGN on Tuesdays nights at 9PM on ABC Family.  Dare to dream along with Jane and fall in love all over again!