BWW Interviews: Jeni Walls and Gabi Epstein talk LIZA & BARBRA

This Saturday, Angelwalk Theatre is hosting a special fundraising event featuring two of the greatest female musical theatre darlings in the city - Gabi Epstein and Jeni Walls. Liza & Barbra...Together at Last will feature Jeni as Liza and Gabi as Barbra, performing classic numbers of two of the stage's biggest stars. They will be backed by a live orchestra featuring new arrangements by music director and conductor Donavon LeNabat. And for the Jersey Boys fans among us, there will be a special guest appearance by our own Frankie Valli - Jeff Madden!

The fundraiser is to support Angelwalk's fifth anniversary season, celebrating their mission to produce off-Broadway style musical theatre in Toronto. There will be a silent auction, raffles and prizes. Best of all? Great music that everyone will know and love!

BWW sat down to chat with both ladies about this unique concert, about their love of Liza and Barbra and about what people can expect from this exciting night of musical theatre powerhouses:

Tell us a bit about Liza and Barbra! What can we expect? How are you blending these two icons together?

GE: Well, these two have become not only icons on the stage and screen but also now in their concert tours. They are so totally different but remarkably have a lot of the same fans. Liza (if I can speak for Jeni) is much more outgoing and acts more as the host of the whole evening while Barbra is much more reserved allowing for a really interesting (and hilarious) dynamic between the two. But then when they come together to sing, it's pretty glorious (if I do say so myself). So we thought, since it's unlikely it will happen in real life, we'd give the audience a chance to experience a concert featuring these two divas for themselves.

JW: Expect anything! Liza and Barbra have never been cast together in a show. They are both huge icons but are both very different personalities with different voices so it's a very exciting combination of energies on stage. They complement each other so well. Expect the hits from both divas, some fun duets, nostalgic moments, hilarious banter and an incredible orchestra with Donavon LeNabat musical directing. It's also at the George Westin Recital Hall which is a breathtaking space. You'll forget you're watching a couple of crazy girls playing their musical heroes and be transported to an iconic concert starring two of show business' finest leading ladies!

We've previously seen Jeni tackle Liza in her Liza Live! show, has Gabi done Barbra on stage before?

GE: The only time I have done Barbra has been with Jeni in our Liza/Barbra show. A few years ago, I saw Jeni perform one song as Liza at Statlers and was totally taken by her performance. I went up to her and said, sort of jokingly, "If you ever need a Barbra, you know who to call." She totally took me up on the offer and we did our first show together about a month later. This has got to be about 4 years ago now! The Angelwalk fundraiser will be our 4th or 5th show together. And as my appreciation for Streisand has grown over the past few years and I have become more familiar with all of her concert material, my "impersonation" or "embodiment of character" gets better and better each time we do it.

JW: One of the first times Gabi and I met, she was familiar with my Liza show and oh so casually mentioned that if I ever needed a Barbra Streisand on the bill that she was in town. And so, I took her up on the offer and she was a guest on my second Liza Cabaret. From the first rehearsal we knew we had something special pairing these two divas together on stage and the rest is magical history!

How do you guys find the balance between embodying a character and simply characterizing them?

GE: I think it's about finding ways to relate to the stories you're telling. I can tell a story about an experience she had on tour or why she decided to do the film "Yentl" for example, but if I find a way to relate to it myself and write my banter the way I think Streisand would tell a story it makes me embody the character much more. It's one thing to belt out some high notes and talk in a Brooklyn accent but it's another to really engage with an audience for an evening through personal and humourous stories. It think having so much experience doing my own cabarets really helps this.

JW: I've always been told that my portrayal of Liza is different from what people have come to expect from an impersonation. Liza has a huge following in the gay and drag community and is often portrayed in a light hearted, parodied way. I've always tried to portray her from the heart. What I respect most about her is her passion for her art and her resilient spirit so I really try to let that show in my performance. Just taking on her voice and physical mannerisms is comedy so I try to show the heart underneath it all in my performance. It makes for very exciting character work. I've also been very fortunate to work with some wonderfully talented people in developing this character- Ryan G. Hinds who has worked with Liza herself and has been a brilliant insight on her life and history and Byron Laviolette, an incredible writer/director who has helped me shape the journey the character takes audiences on during the various shows I do as Liza Minnelli. I feel very fortunate to have the support of these people and of all the people that are involved in my shows and the audiences that come to see them.

Were you each fans of the woman you play? And conversely, of the other person's woman?

GE: Um... yah! Obviously. No one creates a whole show around a person unless they have had a major influence on their performing life. These two divas made it possible for gals like Jeni and I to do what we do. And they're both pretty freaking great as well... So there's that.

JW: I was a bit of a late bloomer, I admit, coming from a very small rural Ontario town. I learned about Liza, as I said from a classmate at Sheridan. At first I just loved the ridiculous things that came out of his (Spencer Hari) mouth when he did his Liza impression. It was then that I started to learn more about her. However, it wasn't until a few years later that I started to do the impression myself and people seemed to really get a kick out of it, that I really started to research her work and her life. I was incredibly inspired, more so by her personal victories than her career. She is a survivor and has never given up the stage or performing, no matter what hardships or ailments she deal with off stage. As a performer, it can be hard to stay motivated sometimes and to see all the things she has been through and not just survived but thrived from, it's extremely inspiring and an honour to portray a woman of such strength and courage.

I actually knew more about Barbra than I did Liza when I was younger. I sang a song from Yentl for a music festival one year so I did go through a bit of a Barbra phase. Watching Gabi take on the role is something you just have to see. She is in her glory and it's amazing.

Which song do you most look forward to singing? And is there a 'bucket list' role that either woman played that you hope to play one day?

GE: I most look forward to singing my duets with Jeni/Liza. I sing a lot of the Streisand material in my own shows as Gabi (as opposed to Barbra) but singing these duets AS Barbra with Jeni AS Liza is something I don't think I will ever get to do in any other context of my performing life. I sort of wish I could watch the show just because I think I would so thoroughly enjoy myself.

And I checked off Fanny Brice on my bucket list a few weeks ago at the HGJT fundraising concert of "Funny Girl". There aren't many people who get to play their dream role with a full orchestra and such an unbelievable cast so I am eternally grateful for that. (and REALLY hope I get to do it again sometime in the not too distant future.)

JW: I'm performing a new song that I've never sung as Liza before from her Radio City Music Hall concert. I really learned a lot from the Fringe and Next Stage Festivals, the biggest thing being people were most surprised and touched by the heart of the show and of the character so I'm excited to be doing a new song that's not just a big, brassy belting piece, that's more of an acting piece. It's kind of like onstage therapy for me and a personal experience for the audience.

Gabi and I are also doing a couple of new duets which are hilarious. I just hope we can get through them without making each other laugh!

We understand Jeff Madden will be making a little appearance at the show, will be doing Frankie Valli? Any other guests we can expect?

GE: Well, we have to leave some things as surprises, don't we?? Jeff will be making an appearance but you'll have to wait and see in what context he does so. I can say it will certainly add a nice contrast to the evening. And Jeff is a good friend of mine and so super talented. We are lucky to have him.

JW: You'll just have to come and find out!

What is the number one reason to come and check out the show? Especially if (gasp) you're not terribly familiar with Liza OR Barbra?

GE: Here's the thing-- there's a MINIMAL chance that Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand will ever come together in real life to do a concert like this... So this way, (although we're not the real thing) you may just get a taste of what a concert like that could be. And also, come and support Angelwalk. They do such amazing theatre in Toronto and it's important that we continue to support them. Use your imagination for one night only and come and see two of the most iconic divas in all of musical theatre come together to support Angelwalk Theatre. TOGETHER AT LAST!

JW: To support Angelwalk Theatre. This concert is also a fundraiser for this wonderful theatre company. They have been producing musical theatre in Toronto for the past 5 years and have given so many Toronto performers new and exciting performance opportunities. They are also a big supporter of the arts scene in Toronto, which is refreshing. They really care about not only the people the work with but the people they make the work for, so I'm very excited to be part of this night to support them and all they do. Oh yeah, and because we're playing Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand. I mean, come on!

When and Where?

Liza & Barbra

One night only this Saturday, Oct 19th at The Toronto Centre for the Arts George Weston Recital Hall

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.angelwalk.ca or call 1-855-985-2787.

Check out Liza in action in this BWW TV special feature of Jennifer Walls doing Liza from earlier this year: /videoplay.php?colid=598895

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