Genoa City fans are used to seeing Melissa Ordway dressed to the nines as Abby Newman in The Young and The Restless. Designer outfits, polished hair and high-stakes drama. So when the actress swapped all of that for an Amish dress and the rolling hills of Sugarcreek, Ohio, fans sat up and paid attention. Ordway just revealed her guest role on Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries and the behind-the-scenes photos have everyone talking.
Trading Genoa City for Sugarcreek
Ordway landed a guest role as Lacey Landers in the fourth episode of Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries, titled “Off the Beaten Path.” The episode aired on May 14 on UPtv and is now available to stream on the UP Faith and Family platform.
The series is based on books by Nancy Mehl and follows Cheryl Cooper, played by Galadriel Stineman, who manages a gift shop in a small Amish community and gets drawn into local mysteries. Lacey is a rising actress who arrives in Sugarcreek hoping to escape the media glare. Instead, she gets pulled straight into the latest mystery unfolding around town.
Ordway shared that while working alongside Cheryl, Lacey develops a genuine connection with the community. She described the episode as having humor, heart, mystery and even a little romance. Not exactly a typical day in Genoa City.
The Young and The Restless: A Family Trip, a Puppy and Memories That Lasted
The Sugarcreek experience was not just a career moment for Ordway. It turned into a full family adventure. Her real-life husband Justin Gaston, known to soap fans as ex-Chance on The Young and the Restless and ex-Ben on Days of Our Lives, appeared in the same episode playing Michael Neal. Their 10-year-old daughter Olivia also made it onto set, dressed as an Amish child alongside the extras. Fans who watch closely might even spot her in the background.
And then there was the puppy nobody planned for. Ordway and her family returned from Ohio with a Cavapoo named Levi. She captured everything in an Instagram carousel of photos showing her in her Amish costume, exploring Sugarcreek with her family and bonding with little Levi.
Her caption said it all. “Almost a year ago, we went to Sugarcreek, Ohio, to film a show and left with so much more than I ever expected. Sweet friendships, a little glimpse into the Amish community, memories I’ll never forget, and somehow… a new puppy.” She added that what started as a job turned into something truly special and she could not wait for fans to finally see it.
The Young and The Restless: Meanwhile, Back in Genoa City
While Ordway was off filming in Ohio, her character Abby was dealing with her own set of complicated situations back in Genoa City. Abby and Devon have been at odds over Mariah. Devon wanted Mariah behind bars for kidnapping Dominic. Abby wanted the family to move forward. Devon’s refusal to let go created real distance between them.
However, a recent breakthrough changed something. Devon admitted to Mariah that he had been quietly blaming himself for not protecting Dominic. Mariah pushed back. She asked him to forgive himself and stop letting anger run his life. Whether Devon actually takes that advice remains the real question.
The Young and The Restless fans already know Melissa Ordway as one of Genoa City’s most compelling presences. But this Sugarcreek chapter showed a completely different dimension of who she is as a performer and as a person. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for every update on Ordway both on and off the screen because this is clearly just the beginning of something bigger.