Even if Jake Epstein’s name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you’d recognize him. You’ve seen the Toronto-based actor in something, whether it’s his work on TV in shows like Degrassi and Suits, or, if you’re a musical theatre geek like me, from his leading roles in multiple Broadway musicals. Epstein is now back in Toronto headlining in his own solo cabaret/show-biz confessional, Boy Falls From the Sky: Jake Epstein Live at Supermarket presented by Past Future Productions and now playing as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival.
All posts by Wayne Leung
Be Kind, Rewind (Edge of the Sky) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review
Be Kind, Rewind is the latest collaboration between perennial Toronto Fringe Festival favourites Edge of the Sky and the musical writing duo Barbara Johnston and Suzy Wilde (Summerland, One Small Step). Their new show is a coming-of-age musical centred on a misfit teen’s attempt to re-invent herself while working at a video rental store/bait shop in a Northern Ontario cottage town in the summer of 1995.
Continue reading Be Kind, Rewind (Edge of the Sky) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review
Review: Obeah Opera (Luminato/Asah Productions)
Luminato brings a new version of the a cappella telling of the Salem Witch trials to Toronto
Obeah Opera tells the story of the Salem witch trials from the perspective of the first woman accused: a Caribbean slave named Tituba. Sung through entirely a cappella, the latest incarnation of this surprisingly vibrant and uplifting show is currently presented in Toronto as part of the Luminato Festival. Continue reading Review: Obeah Opera (Luminato/Asah Productions)
Review: The Full Light of Day (Luminato/Electric Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)
A new show using cinematic techniques in live theatre is now in Toronto as part of Luminato
Vancouver’s Electric Company Theatre has returned to Toronto with their new show, The Full Light of Day, co-presented by Canadian Stage and the Luminato Festival. The company is known for its innovative shows like Tear the Curtain! and Studies in Motion that blend live projections overlaid on top of the action on stage. Their new show continues that tradition but I was curious to see if they would bring anything new to the table this time. Continue reading Review: The Full Light of Day (Luminato/Electric Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)
Review: August: Osage County (Soulpepper)
Soulpepper presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts in Toronto
I had invited a friend to join me for the opening night of the new production of August: Osage County by Soulpepper on Friday night but when I mentioned it was a three and a half-hour family drama with two intermissions he decided to pass. His loss; he missed out on an absolutely riveting evening of theatre. Continue reading Review: August: Osage County (Soulpepper)