Located
in Seattle, Washington, Teatro ZinZanni is an experience like
no other. As Teatro
ZinZanni moves into its third year,
it continues to thrill audiences with this unique, new form
of entertainment, all served with a gourmet five-course feast. An
ever-evolving international cast of performsers,  perform "Dinner & Dreams" in
the Belltown district, on 6th Avenue
between Battery and Bell streets.
The
Show…
Teatro ZinZanni
is a three-hour experience of
cirque, comedy and cabaret all served up with a five-course
feast. Ever-evolving
the constantly changing production combines
improv comedy, vaudeville revue, music, dance, and cirque
into a production that is never quite the
same from evening to evening, a fast-paced action of
surrounding the audience as they dine.
The Cast…
 Teatro
ZinZanni is an ensemble production. Each performance
offers an international cast of performers who practice
of some of the oldest traditions in human amusement,
including aerial arts, cabaret, balance and juggling, clowning,
illusion, opera, movement and dance.
As
described by Teatro
ZinZanni itself, the
following cast members are currently featured in
the show, but individuals can and will vary nightly:
 Les Castors (Toly, Charly,
and Eddy Dedessus le moutier): Circus is a family business
for these three French brothers, whose path to the sawdust and
greasepaint
was paved by five previous generations of acrobats and circus
artists. Their specialty is a remarkable feat of agility known
as Risley, or body juggling, which they combine with incredible
foot juggling feats. Les Castors' famous act starts small with
the brothers hoisting, spinning, and passing kegs, trunks and
other innocuous objects, but soon finds them flying through the
air and juggling one another. In addition, they bring to the
spiegeltent an old-world charm and special brand of comedy that
is their very own. The brothers have performed for such luminaries
as Genèral de Gaulle, Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister
François Mitterand, President Ronald Reagan, and Charlie
Chaplin. Toly, Eddy and Charly return every year to the spiegeltent
on the Embarcadero much to the delight of their fellow performers
and the general publi c.
Elena
Borodina: Sensual and strong, artful and athletic, Russian hand-balancer
Elena Borodina floats across the "Moulin Rouge" like
a gossamer dream. Elena's world-famous handstand routine
is no mere feat of gymnastic expertise; it is a work of art,
a moving sculpture in which the human body is transformed
by a flowing transparent tissue. Elena has presented her
fascinating and beguiling performance at the Wintergarten
in Berlin, Apollo in Düsseldorf, Circus Princessan Festival in
Stockholm and in Teatro ZinZanni "Love, Chaos & Dinner" in
San Francisco.
Roxanne
Butterfly: Called 'the Coltrane of dancers' by the New York Times for
her  innovative and musical approach
to tap, Roxane Butterfly has won recognition from both dance
and music critics around
the world. She is the only woman tap dancer who ever received
a Bessie Award (Outstanding Creative Achievement in 1999),
an NYFA Fellow Choreographer and was recently dubbed one
of the 25 Best American dancers by Dance Magazine. A native
of France, she moved to New York City in 1991 to study under
the tutelage of legendary tap master Jimmy Slyde. It was
Slyde who christened her papillion (butterfly) for her astounding
ability to flutter above the dance floor. This is her Teatro
ZinZanni debut.
Debbie de Coudreaux: Statuesque
and sophisticated, with a great sense of humor, San Franc isco's
Debbie de Coudreaux makes a welcome debut
in ZinZanni's Mouin Rouge spiegeltent.
She is the only American other than Josephine
Baker to have starred at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, and her
eight year run as 'vedette' in the show Formidable built
around her talent, is the longest, surpassing both Baker
and the legendary French star Mistenguett! She
went on to play leading roles in Tommy Tune's Grand Hotel
on Broadway and London's West End, and Hal Prince's Show
Boat on Broadway. Her delightful sense of style has led to
appearances on television and radio throughout Europe, and
she appears regularly in concert across the U.S.
Frank Ferrante: Our
irrepressible Chef Caesar, Frank Ferrante, is an actor, director
and playwright described by The New York Times as 'the greatest
living interpreter of Groucho Marx's  material.' Frank originated
the off-Broadway title role in 'Groucho: A Life in Revue' written
by Groucho's son Arthur. Frank has earned New York's Theatre
World Award, an Outer Critics Circle nomination and London's
Laurence Olivier nomination for 'Comedy Performance of the Year.'
'Groucho,' starring Frank recently aired on PBS and he has been
profiled on 'The Today Show,' 'Regis,' CNN, 'Entertainment Tonight'
and the BBC. In 1995, he directed and developed the premiere
of the Pulitzer finalist 'Old Wicked Songs.' He directs and acts
throughout the world and has been a regular at Teatro Zinzanni
in San Francisco since 2001.
Juliana
Rambaldi: Hailed as a 'bright-voiced beacon' by the New Yorker and lauded
as 'Radiant!' by the New York Times, soprano Juliana Rambaldi
has earned international critical acclaim for her many roles
with leading opera companies across the United States a nd
abroad. Her performances have included: Lyric Opera of Chicago:
Faust, Don Giovanni, La Boheme, Orpheus Descending, and View
From the Bridge; Glimmerglass Opera: La Finta Giardiniera;
Seattle Opera: Xerxes; Michigan Opera Theater: La Traviata;
Opera Pacific: Don Giovanni; Minnesota Opera: Transatlantic;
Portland Opera: Giulio Cesare and La Boheme; New York City
Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro; Opera Theatre of St. Louis: Cosi
fan tutte; New Jersey Opera Festival: Falstaff and Don Giovanni;
Florentine Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro; Houston Grand Opera:
Les Contes d'Hoffmann and La Traviata; Hawaii Opera Theater:
La Boheme; Toledo Opera: Cosi fan tutte; Opera Grand Rapids:
Le Nozze di Figaro. Ms. Rambaldi resides in Seattle with
her husband and two childre n.
Joel Salom: Australian
juggler and comedian Joel Salom got his start as a street performer
in his native Sydney before he took his one man show on the road.
For years he toured Australia, Thailand, Scandinavia, Germany,
Switzerland, France and the UK, honing his skills in front of
the toughest audiences in the world. Already a skilled juggler
and comic improviser, Joel began developing new ideas combining
music and juggling in the late 1990s. He unveiled his unique
electronic big beat juggling in Sydney night clubs in 1998. Well-known
to audiences down under, Joel has made numerous appearances on
Australian television and served as a flying master of ceremonies
on the harbor entertainment stage during the Sydney Olympic Games
in 2000. This is his Teatro ZinZanni debut.
The Steben Twins: Identical twins Karyne
and Sarah Steben are third generation Italian  Canadians,
born and
raised
in Montreal.
The began
performing
at the
age of
six,
traveled
throughout
the world
by the
time they
were sixteen,
and developed
their amazing
uniquely
symmetrical
aerial
trapeze
act at
age sixteen.
Their original
and innovative
performance
at the
1992 Cirque
de Demain
Festival
in Paris,
France
won them
their first
gold medal.
The pair
have appeared
in German,
Swiss and
Italian
Festivals,
as well
as in Cirque
Du Soleil's
'Saltimbanco'
and 'O.'
They
were regulars
on the
HBO series
'Carnivàle'
where they
portray
conjoined
twins Alexandria
and Caladonia.
They have
won the
applause
of audiences
in San
Francisco
and Seattle
productions
of Teatro
ZinZanni.
Rie
Taki (Wakataki Kyo): Rie Taki is a master of the classical
Japanese dance, a historic and unique performing art which
had its origin in 17th century Kabuki. B orn
into a family of Japanese classical dancers, she has trained
and performed for 25 years. Since 1992, Rie has expanded
her repertoire to include collaborations with modern dancers
and musicians. She also has lectured on the history, movements,
special costumes and make-up of classicial Japanese dance
and is the president of the National Japanese Dance Association
Seattle branch.
The
Producers…
Teatro
ZinZanni is a project of One Reel, who also produces such
high profile public celebrations as Bumbershoot, The Seattle
Arts
Festival; Family Fourth at Lake Union; AT&T
Wireless Summer Nights at the Pier, as well as a variety
of educational, environmental and cultural projects:
Norman
Langill,
Artistic Director
Louise
DiLenge,
Contessa Deluxe
Norman
Durkee,
Musical Director
K.
Scott Malcolm,
Director
Stefan
Haves,
Director
Kevin
Joyce,
Director
Martha
Enson,
Director
Stuart
Gordon,
Director
Amanda
Rogers,
Director
Dolorèze
Léonard, Assistant Director
Reenie
Duff,
Associate Artistic Director
Sheila
Hughes,
Chief Operating Officer
Annie
Jamison,
Division Director, Teatro ZinZanni (aka, "The House
Whip")
Heli
Nielson,
Marketing & Public Relations Director
Steve
Quinn,
Project Construction Manager
Jon
Stone,
Construction & Build Manager
Ian
Jamison,
Technical Director
Steve
White,
General Manager
The Moulin Rouge…
 The
show's remarkable and intimate setting is an antique Belgian
jewel box theater which comfortably seats 285 guests.
There are now
only eight
of these hand-crafted traveling cabarets left in existence.
One
Reel prevailed upon the Klessens
family of Belgium to restore and renovate
one of the premier tents in their collection of turn-of-the-past-century "spiegeltents." Nicknamed
the "Moulin Rouge," it was
built in 1910 and boasts stained glass, handcarved wooden interior
columns, and the Klessens' trademark polished crystal and mirrors.
Moulin
Rouge holds
an audience of 285. The Blue Peacock Lobby,
a warmly lit lobby bar with chandeliers and velvet, leads
to
the main
dining and show area, ringed with plush booths and individual
tables. A hydraulic lift in the center ring has been added to
make the performers more visable.
Seating
for ZinZanni is at individual tables and booths. Every seat
has a great view of the show.
The Dinner…
Celebrated
Northwest chef Tom Douglas, Executive Chef and owner of
Dahlia Lounge, Etta's Seafood and the Palace Kitchen, designed
the
menu for Teatro ZinZanni "Dinner & Dreams".
Teatro ZinZanni – San Francisco…
 After a sold-out 14 month run in
Seattle Teatro ZinZanni added a second theater in San Franciscoin
2000.
 The San Francisco troupe performs
in a splendid antique
spiegeltent, named Le Palais Nostalgique on The Embarcadero.
As with Seatlle, it is one of the few remaining such hand-crafted
traveling tents.
Owned by a Belgian family, Le Palais Nostalgique it was broughtto
t he U.S. in October 1998.
Originally these
spiegeltents
served as wine tasting pavilions
and dance halls, traveling to thousands of European locales for
over 70 years.
The
heated and air-conditioned spiegeltent has a lobby
that was built specifically for Teatro ZinZanni. There
are restrooms,
a
coat check, and a full bar. Leonardo's Boombox, the
musical contraption in the lobby, was created specially for
Teatro
ZinZanni by Seattle artist Trimpin.
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