The Covid-19 pandemic has forced billions of people to close and lock their doors, away from the outside world. With this, has come time for self-reflection, and finding ourselves. This is what makes Edges perfectly suited to be the first Thespian mainstage since the onset of the pandemic. Edges is a musical that asks us the questions we don’t want to ask: who am I? Am I happy being that person? What comes next? Why can’t I love them? What is love? Why do I hold myself back from greatness? Edges pushes each of us to reconsider what we think we know about ourselves and each other, and to recognize that change isn’t always a bad thing, self-love is the most important kind of love, and how important it is to let go of the self-doubt and negativity holding you back from being the absolute best version of yourself you can be. 

Edges was released in 2005 by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The now-famous duo were sophomores at the University of Michigan, and Edges was the first musical they released together. The message of this show, and the fun part, is to take it and make it our own; there are no two productions of this musical that are ever the same. I challenged my actors to find parts of themselves in their solos and duets, and to build relationships within them; we’ve added songs, changed who sang parts, made the meaning of songs our own, and truly made this a uniquely Thespian production, of which I have been honored to be a part.  

I could go on forever thanking people. But to be quick, 

To Katie Desch: Thank you for answering every question I had, and for being available whenever I needed a phone call for advice, or for a reminder that I was doing alright. Most of what I know about this process, I learned from you. To the 2020-21 Exec Board: Thank you for trusting me with this, and for pushing me out of my comfort zone. I hope I made you proud. To Michael, Tyler, and Jerry: Thank you for trusting the little sound crew girl to get this show from her cast’s apartment onto your stage. For each meeting, each email, each schedule, and each elbow-bump during filming week, you made this go so much more smoothly and I cannot thank you enough. To our production staff: Each of you were chosen for a reason. Your vision and creativity, your innovation, and your love of theatre brought this show to life in ways I could have never imagined, and never done without you. I know not every step of this was easy. But we created a beautiful piece of art that I hope you’re truly proud of, and I cannot thank you enough for your patience and dedication. To my Big 3 Baddies, Marianna and Kate: From walking home from class, promising each other we would make theatre happen, to walking out of Schwab on Saturday night, this has been the ride of my life. I could go on forever, but I’ll keep it short: the word of the day is “fruition.” To my cast: All six of you make this world a better place. Never would I have expected to build the bonds that I have with you, and I am a better person for it. Thank you for your passion, your patience, your commitment, your talent, and, above all, your love for theatre, especially in a time where so many of us have forgotten.  

When I began directing this show, my hope was that each audience member would be able to take a moment, a line, a song and carry it with them past the close of a laptop. Whether it’s a lost love, a fight with a sister, a breakup, or an ode to the woman who raised you, I encourage each of you to find the moments that make our show yours. I cannot wait to see what you find.  

Thankful to be YFIT, 

Jessica Raskauskas