2025 Adjudicators

Gabi Epstein

Hailed "Canada's Queen of Cabaret" by CTV, Gabi Epstein is a DORA AWARD winner and one of Canada's leading stage performers best known for playing Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Stratford Festival and Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" at the Segal Centre and in concert for the Harold Green Jewish Theatre.

Other selected theatrical credits include playing Countess Charlotte Malcolm opposite Will and Grace star Eric McCormack in "A Little Night Music" as well as the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods" at Koerner Hall, "Once" (Mirvish - DORA AWARD Best Musical Ensemble/Musical), "Billy Elliot" (Stratford Festival), The Beggar Woman in "Sweeney Todd" (TIFT - DORA AWARD Best Musical), "Rock of Ages" (Elgin Theatre), "Tell Me On A Sunday" (Canadian Premiere - Magnus Theatre), and Roz in "9 to 5 the Musical", (Capitol Theatre).

Gabi is perhaps best known for her own cabarets shows having performed her signature storytelling concerts all over North America in such acclaimed venues as Koerner Hall, The Meridian Theatre, The Sony Centre, The Jane Mallett Theatre, Roy Thompson Hall, The Jazz Bistro, The Rex, 120 Diner, Revival Bar, Buddies and Bad Times, The Old Mill, and Don't Tell Mama in NYC where her show was named "Best Cabaret of the Year" by the Times Square Chronicles.

Her solo show and love letter to Barbra Streisand, "Gabs Sings Babs" debuted at the Toronto Jazz Festival and has subsequently been performed to sold out audiences across Canada. Her second studio album (also called "Gabs Sings Babs") was released in 2022 to great acclaim and features the reimagined arrangements featured in her solo show.

A proud graduate of McGill's prestigious Music program majoring in classical voice, Gabi lives in Toronto's east end where she teaches private singing lessons to aspiring and professional singers of all ages.