BWW Interviews: AMERICAN IDIOT's Jake Epstein

American Idiot was a surprise smash hit on Broadway in 2010 and this week launches its 1^st National Tour in Toronto.  Arguably one of the most anticipated shows of Toronto’s 2011 season, the current tour cast features four Canadians, including Jake Epstein as Will and Scott. J Campbell as Tunny.

American Idiot first premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and played through November of that year before opening on Broadway in April 2010.  Hailed by the New York Times as “the most adventurous musical to brave Broadway in the past decade” and The Toronto Star as “the first great musical of the 21^st century”, the show was nominated for Best Musical at the 2010 Tony Awards and took home two awards that year. 

Based on the award-winning Green Day album of the same name, American Idiot takes the songs and characters from that album and brings them to life on stage.  Applauded for its creative use of lighting, costumes and set design, the show promises to be a feast for the eyes and the ears.

Toronto is thrilled to have the opportunity to launch the American Idiot tour, and BWW will be on hand to cover the entire event and bring readers exclusive coverage of all the opening night excitement.  We are also going to be speaking to the Canadian cast members about what their journey has been like, and about the unique opportunity they have getting to kick off the tour on home-turf.

First up is Jake Epstein, a hometown hero who is known to most Torontonians for his role as Craig on Degrassi: The Next Generation and to many musical theatre fans for playing the role of Melchoir on the National Tour of Spring Awakening.  Jake took some time over the holidays to talk with us about his past roles, making the leap from TV to theatre and coming home to Toronto:

Congratulations on American Idiot! How has it been going so far?

It’s been great! We have had an amazing month of rehearsing and everyone is really excited to bring this to Toronto.

You are well known to many Torontonians for your role as Craig on Degrassi, a show you were in for five years before departing to attend The National Theatre School.  What made you make the leap to theatre and what advice do you have for up and comers in this business?

Well, there are probably a million different ways to get into this business, but for me everything has been about having no regrets.  During my time on Degrassi I had applied to a whole bunch of universities and I was never really banking on getting into the theatre school.  It had been a dream of mine but I didn’t know if it would actually be possible.  One day I got to a point where I knew in my heart that I would really regret it if I didn’t try.

So I gave myself a three year window to try and break into theatre.  I needed to really pool all of my resources and got some great advice from a lot of people who helped me along the way.  I think that would be my advice to anyone starting out – pool your resources.  Talk to people, get into a school, go on auditions, meet as many people as possible and even produce your own work.  Show people what you can do.

What was the American Idiot audition experience like for you?

I was actually in Los Angeles auditioning for TV pilots and I came across the script for SMASH which is coming out in February.  Michael Mayer, who was directing SMASH and who I had just worked with on Spring Awakening, was a contact of mine.  There was a role I desperately wanted on the show but I found out they really wanted a black guy for it. I still thought I would be perfect, so I put myself on tape and emailed Michael Mayer telling him “I think I would be perfect for this part if there is any way you guys can see me that would be great.”

When I got the response I could tell he was basically laughing as he wrote it! It essentially applauded me for my efforts but asserted that they were going with a black actor for that role.  But it was then that he told me that he was auditioning for American Idiot and that he thought I would be great for it.  So it was essentially through my desire to be on SMASH that I ended up on the Idiot radar at all.  I ended up missing the Toronto auditions altogether and doing everything in LA and NYC.  

Did you get to see the show on Broadway?

I saw it in Berkeley and on Broadway.  It was still being changed and work-shopped in Berkeley, and even on Broadway they had made more changes and it was great to be able to see the show’s journey.

Have they made any further changes for the tour?

They have changed it, mainly to allow for it to be able to travel. The set has been changed to make it easier to move and the direction has been changed on a few characters to flesh things out and make it more interesting.  The cast is also a little bit smaller than on Broadway.  So overall they’ve made a few changes but all the changes are really cool and the heart of the show is still the same.

Have you had any interaction with any of the members from Green Day at this stage in the process?

Not yet! We are hoping they are going to come to Toronto to opening but we don’t know yet.  We’ve heard rumours but until they are actually here we probably won’t believe it.

Assuming they do show up, do you think you would feel a lot of extra pressure performing with them in the audience?

I haven’t really thought about it but probably yes! Having someone who has written and performed these songs all over the world sitting in the audience would be a bit daunting.  But I think it would be a good kind of pressure.  These are the people you would want seeing you perform because it’s their music and their show. 

Do you have any idea why Toronto was chosen to launch the tour?

I actually don’t so anything I say would be speculation on my part! That said, the producers love Toronto, they brought Spring Awakening to Toronto and it had a very successful run here and they speak very highly of Toronto.  It’s regarded a bit as the “Broadway-North”.  The city has a great reputation and a really smArt Theatre-going audience so I think the producers felt that people here would really “get” the show and enjoy it.

You didn’t get to perform in Toronto with Spring Awakening, so how does it feel getting to open a tour in your hometown?

It’s a total thrill.  It’s the coolest thing to be able to go to NYC to rehearse a show and then bring it to Toronto first.  And I feel so lucky.  A lot of my family and friends didn’t get to see me in Spring Awakening so I’m happy and excited that they will all get to come see me in this show which I know is just such a cool and interesting production. 

You’ve played a lot of “disaffected youths” in various roles.  First there was Craig on Degrassi, then Melchior in Spring Awakening and now Will.  Do you think that you will continue to play these “types” of characters or would you like to tackle something completely different in the near future? And what have you learned from your experiences so far?

I think I’ve been very lucky in terms of the range of roles that I have been able to play so far, especially at such a young age.  They’ve all been part of shows that have been about disaffected youth, but each character has been tremendously different.  For example, I played CB in Dog Sees God who was the ultimate “everyman” and then I played Melchior who was this hedonistic genius who knew too much about the world.  Then in Billy Elliot I got to be this very angry dude from a really small town who picks fights with people, and now I’m a stoner from suburbia USA! It’s funny because in many ways the shows have been similar and explored similar themes but I think people have had the chance to see me in vastly different roles.   

Plus given that my background at The National Theatre School wasn’t in musical theatre, it’s thrilling and exciting that I’ve had the chance to tackle so many musical roles.  I feel really blessed.

And we hear that the American Idiot gang are going to be performing in Nathan Phillips Square on New Year’s Eve.  Do you know anything about that yet?

Not yet! We are rehearsing later today and we should find out more.  All I know is I’ve got my New Year’s Eve plans! *laughs*

Finally, for those unfamiliar with Green Day or American Idiot, what one thing would you say to them to encourage them to come out and see the show?

For those that don't know much about American Idiot or Green Day, just know that it's my generation's The Who's Tommy or Pink Floyd's The Wall. It was an album that really spoke to a generation. The theatrical show encapsulates that feeling and brings it to an even wider audience. I recently turned my dad on to Green Day and he's a big fan!

When and Where?

Dancap presents Green Day’s American Idiot

December 28^th-January 15^th 2012

The Toronto Centre for the Arts

Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, by phone at (416) 644-3665 or online at www.dancaptickets.com

For more information on American Idiot, please visit the official website at www.americanidiotthemusical.com

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