Gabi Epstein (GE): Well, right after I finished Edges, I went on to be a featured singer in the National Ballet’s West Side Story Suite. It was an amazing gig. We sang songs from West Side Story while members of the company danced. And we were singing from the pit where the National Ballet’s orchestra was. It ended up being a perfect little package to do. And then I went on a Disney Cruise. *laughs*. It was like, bang-bang- two weeks after West Side Story I started rehearsals. I was in the Original Cast of Toy Story: the musical, and I rehearsed two other shows where I got to be Disney Princesses and got to wear expensive dresses… and dance with the Beast… I was Belle. And that was so fun. We rehearsed for three months here and then we went on the ship in February and we didn’t get back until August and then I started rehearsals for Edges three days after I got back.
AC: That’s a long time to be away. Did you miss everyone a lot?
GE: Yeah, I really did miss everyone. I found it really hard. But, I worked with an amazing cast [on the Disney Cruise] and for Toy Story it was really a lot of puppet work, like full-body puppets. Three quarters of the cast didn’t have their face showing, so I was- a lot of us were- out of our element. Actually, here’s a little something you might like, originally I was cast in the ensemble, but I ended up being the original slinky dog’s butt. It was kinda crazy- it’s probably the hardest thing I ever had to do. I was totally out of my element. But it was good. And I got to play Little Bo Peep for the last part of my contract. I was the understudy… and I got to go on for the end.
AC: That’s awesome. I bet you were adorable.
GE: As Bo Peep? Or Slinky Dog Butt?
AC: Both. *grin* I heard you were hanging out with [Benj] Pasek and [Justin] Paul in New York. What was that like?
GE: Just Benj Pasek. It’s funny, sometimes you forget- you expect them to be together all the time, because they’re writing partners, they’re roommates, they’re best friends… it’s funny, when I got a message back from Benj saying “sure, I’d love to get together” I was sort of like “What? No Paul?” But I was so grateful that he wanted to get together, it was so nice of him to get back to me, A. I keep forgetting he’s my age; he’s done so well. And it was so cool to hear how he got Edges up on its feet. He and Justin were in Michigan and they didn’t get into the show they wanted, so they decided to do something on their own. They booked a venue and they decided to do like a concert of the songs they had written- because they had been working on some stuff together… but when they booked the venue all they had was Boy With Dreams and then by the time the show happened they had the whole first draft of Edges. It’s also cool to hear their perspective on how the show has taken off. They really like the regional life that the show has taken on, and how it has taken off by itself. Because they aren’t really thinking of the show- like becoming the next _title of show_, even if we want it to be, they don’t really, they’ve sort of moved on to other projects and stuff… they really like this sort of grassroots, underground life the show has. Benj really likes hearing about how the show is doing in other places. They were so excited for the Canadian Premiere last year *laughs*. Benj was also really interested and excited about the order that we did the songs in. He was also asking like, ‘what songs go over really well in Toronto?’ *laughs* They’ve taken the Facebook song out of the new version of the show… I guess because it’s not really the newest, funniest thing anymore… but still, everyone has it… and I said that it’s definitely one of the hits in Toronto and we also kept it in there because it’s good to use for marketing.
* Gabi’s phone vibrates and she checks a text message.*
GE: See this is my life. It’s Sara [Farb]. I get text messages like this all the time.
* She shows me her cell phone and the screen reads “Sara: Hooredges!”
GE: That is my life.
AC: That’s hilarious.
Gabi: We add “edges” to the end of everything now. We’ve started to go to Yogedges…
AC: You guys are too funny. So, how does having the new space at Revival enhance this year’s show?
GE: It’s great in that the whole atmosphere of the area and the bar has really enhanced the show. The stage is bigger, which is great, and the lighting… the fact that there’s a bar right there when you go in, and there are chairs set up, it just makes it not as formal as a night out at the theatre. It’s the perfect medium between what we did last year and putting it in a real theatre. And that was exactly what we wanted; it’s a middle ground. And it’s a perfect size. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback about the space. I like it. Yay Revival!
AC: Yay! Can you talk a bit about the new songs that have been added since last year?
GE: Sure. We have three new songs and one kinda modified song. There is a new song for me, which is fun. Perfect. It’s a really, really nice addition in the first act for my character. I really like it. It puts me in limbo, and creates a nice journey for Woman #1, whoever she may be. There’s also a new version of the song Coasting, which has basically been rewritten from the old version. So what we did, we took the first part of the original slow Coasting and we had it go into the new version of Coasting. Actually, I told Benj when I was in New York and he was like “whoa… whoa… whoa… the old Coasting goes into the new one?” And I ended up singing it for him and he loved it. Dispensable is a new song in the middle of the second act, where we’re about to discover really where we are in our characters’ journeys. And the last song, Like Breathing has become our new favourite… our new favourite group song, and it goes into the last part of Become. We love singing it together. It’s nice to be in the “new” Edges with the new transitions and the new venue with the new songs. And also since we changed the order of the songs… it’s nice to change it up a bit.
AC: You may have just answered this, but, do you have a favourite moment or song in the show?
GE: New favourite group song is Like Breathing, it is right after Ready to Be Loved and it’s a way to sum up and to finish our stories that we’ve explored through the whole show. Also just the simplicity of the words “let it be like breathing”… that is amazing to sing. I know that a lot of people think of “Man Of My Dreams” because it’s so funny, but I love singing Lying There. It’s like a little secret, I’m right at the front of the stage and it’s so intimate and precious and then at the end, it’s gone and the show goes on. It’s not a showstopper, and some people might forget about it, but for me it’s a really, really nice moment to have in the show. And I love listening to Jordan [Bell] sing I Once Knew every show. Amazing… And everyone. For the songs we don’t sing, it’s so thrilling to be able to sit back and watch some of our best friends pour out their souls singing these incredible songs. It’s an honor to be up there performing with them.
AC: How have the audiences been responding to the show?
GE: Amazing. We’ve had full houses every show so far. Just, people really, really love the show… I don’t want to jinx it! *laughs* I think they love seeing something so fresh and a little bit different than the other stuff out there right now. And I think it’s cool for the people who saw the show last year to come back this year, and that they like seeing the evolution of Edges. And people are coming back, like you’re coming again tonight… and people are responding well to all the media we’ve had. And it’s nice that there’s a bar because you can meet people there and have people talk to you, so you actually get to meet your audience. We like when people hang around after the show, because we do… and it’s better than a stage door because unless you know somebody… or there’s a big star and you want to see them walk by, nobody-well-not many people- would really go to the stage door and go up to an actor and introduce themselves. Well, maybe some people would, but not very many. I think this makes the show more accessible too.
AC: Has there been anyone in the audience who was a big star in the theatre community that made you go “Oh my God! I can’t believe this person is here!”?
GE: Well, like, it’s funny, through being in this community, people I look up to and admire so much are becoming my peers and friends and colleagues, which is so amazing and they’re coming out not just because it’s a new show out in Toronto, but to support us as emerging artists and they’re so approachable. We’ve become friends. It’s so amazing to have people who a year ago I would have been like “Oh my God, I can’t believe this person is here!!” and now there’s no question, of course they’re going to come. It really makes me feel like a real part of the community here, which is something that can be hard.
AC: What would you say to the people who maybe are thinking about coming to Edges but who haven’t gotten their tickets yet. The people who are on the…. hedges…
GE: What do you have to lose? … other than two hours. You have so much to gain. I said it on my Facebook blog thing that we do… It’s an unbelievable show. You have Sara’s booming voice. Jordan’s beautiful performance of I Once Knew, Eric [Craig]’s hilariousness while not just being the funny one… and I’m not bad either. *grins* What other show has the line “Gay Gay Gay!” in it? Do something different. Edges Forever! Foredges!!
Gabi Epstein is seriously that delightful. Delightfedges? Go see her show, won’t you?
Edges HAS BEEN EXTENDED, it plays on Sundays at 7pm and Mondays at 8pm at Revival Bar, 783 College Street (at Shaw) until November 24th, 2008. For more information visit their website http://www.edgestoronto.com/ and be their friend on the Facebook.
