One of the Best Ways to Celebrate

Seattle TravelGram took some phenomenal photos from their Return to Paradise visit!  Oh, and they also wrote a smashing review that is both quick and glorious (delightful).

Here’s a snippet:

Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle’s beloved dinner theater / comedic cabaret / vaudeville revue in an historic circus tent, has cooked up one of the best ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle.  The atmosphere is jovial, while the tent is intimate and the show up close and personal.  You share a table or booth with others and are served a four-course meal by smiling, dancing servers, who are also actually skilled, knowledgeable servers.  The steak made my table ecstatic, the soup was divine and the wine flight was varied and delicious.

The cast, however, is what makes this show.  Hostess Gracie Hansen, played by Christine Deaver, is a star of many a show at Teatro, who never disappoints. Her wit and comedic timing, paired with her singing voice and larger than life presence, makes her a star among us. “

See the full article and some stunning photos here!

Teatro ZinZanni’s Newest Show More than Worth the Ticket

The Sun Break is still reeling from their trip to Paradise.  Return to Paradise, that is! Hey-o!

Anyhow, here are some highlights from the review (written by ):

“(Christine) Deaver’s personality oozes into every inch of the tent when she takes the spotlight, in over-the-top—but completely fantastic—sequined dresses that probably share a relative with a disco mirror ball somewhere. Her snappy storytelling and quick wit can keep a crowd in stitches, even when delivering those often cheesy (but usually endearing) ZinZanni zingers.”

“Something about the hypnotic, erotic “vertical tango” performed by husband-and-wife duo and former Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco performers Sam Payne and Sandra Feusi is enough to make a diner drop their fork in favor of gaping at the two performers sensually reaching for each other as they twist, turn, and climb up and down a pole in the center of the tent.”

“… Cirque performer Ling Rui (Dralion, Delirium) with his breathtaking flying on the aerial silks, and the impressively-muscled Christopher Phi, aka: Bruce Lee, whose carefully-controlled hand balancing act blends physical grace with stunning strength and agility.”

See the whole story here!

Gangsters of Love is the Cat’s Whiskers

Gangsters of Love is aces!  It’s hitting on all sixes!  It’s Jake!  However you prefer to say it, Gangsters of Love is a hit.  Why even the highfalutin inky fingers (or the press for those of you who ain’t on the trolley) have gone bananas for our newest show.  Here’s the skinny:

“Equal parts entertainment and experience, “Gangsters” is a hilarious testament to an age when liquor and love trumped all – and a captivating trip to the past you won’t want to miss. “

“It was the perfect combination of great comedy and thrills.”

“The dinner theatre production of “Gangsters in Love” is a 1930’s mad cap production that features singers, acrobats, circus tricks and a lot of laughs.”

Get your tuchus down to the tent for the Real McCoy and see what all the hullabaloo is about. Don’t forget about our moxie matinees featuring an all-new kid-friendly menu at a wallet-friendly price.

See the show before it 23-skidoos!

Examiner.com is Crazy for ¡Caliente!

Teatro ZinZanni presents ¡Caliente!

by:

¡Caliente! stars Christine Deaver and Robert Lopez who play the brother/sister duo, Tres and Cinco who work in the kitchen. It appears that the tent is being sold and the kitchen crew is the last to know of this news. It’s up to the pair, with the help of the rest of the crew, to literally save the show. Each member begins to live out their own show biz fantasy, trading in their kitchen uniforms for circus costumes.

With a Latin flare, the “Mexican Donnie and Marie” are joined by the very tall singer/songwriter “Big Mike” Geier and the very short Chinese acrobat, Ling Rui, the Argentine Malambo dancer, clown and percussionist, Ann Bernard, Ukrainian contortionist, Vita Radionova and the French acrobatic trio, Les Petits Freres. It’s sort of a wide world of circus with a vaudeville accent. Every performer appeared to be flawless in their crafts.”

Read the full review!

Behind the Scenes: Evening Magazine

¡Caliente! will be on Evening Magazine on KING 5 tonight!  Host Meeghan Black came by the tent yesterday morning, met the marvelous Les Petits Freres, and got a hula hoop lesson from the lovely Vita Radionova.

Oh yes, and some filming took place.

Check out these great behind the scenes photos (by Korum Bischoff) and catch all the action tonight on Evening Magazine at 7:00 PM!

We Did Everything Right!

Well, we like to think this, but we are biased.  No, this headline comes direct from CultureMob.com.  Here it is again with a truly glitzy intro:

Teatro ZinZanni Does Everything Right

by Tom Mohrman

“¡Caliente!, the new show at Teatro ZinZanni, is completely over the top. You’ve got your acrobatics, your dancing, your jokes. There’s songs, sparklers, cabaret, an amazing five course dinner, and custom cocktails. The conceit for this season’s show is that the kitchen has been fired, but instead of accepting their pink slips, they stay for one last night, and put on the show of their dreams. Starring Christine Deaver and Robert Lopez (aka El Vez), the three and a half hours spent inside the spiegeltent is full of laughs and moments of wonder.”

Read the full interview on the CultureMob Website!

See ¡Caliente!

A Glamorous Snow Day

What did you do with your snow day?

Big Mike Geier, Mr. Otis in our soon-to-open show ¡Caliente!, braved the icy slush for a costume fitting.  Costume fittings are part and parcel for new show preparations, only with snow added into the mix arriving here turns into more of an extreme sport.  Luckily the tent never lost power!

Big Mike’s dress is still being built, as you can see from the photos, but is slated to be fabulous when finished (and is not too shabby now).  While Big Mike towers over most at a staggering 6 foot 8 inches tall, he still had to stand on 2-foot risers for the fitting.  Making his first-ever performance with Teatro ZinZanni, Big Mike hales from Atlanta, where he and his wife write and record music for the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

See him in ¡Caliente¡ opening February 2nd (goodness that is soon)!

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The Weekly Herald Swoons Over Bonsoir Liliane!

Less than three weeks left to see the ever-amazing Liliane Montevecchi in Bonsoir Liliane!Michael Doucett

This fact makes us sad and we will remain in denial for long after it is appropriate.  The shows simply fabulous.  With possibly the best introduction EVER, Dale Burrows  from  The Weekly Herald is now a believer in the power of Teatro ZinZanni (as well he should be, we are delightful).  A visit here is “to step into a realm where dreams and reality converge, time stands still, everything is not as it seems”.

A few of many accolades for his delightful review:

“Well, I stepped in a skeptic, came out a believer and time is still standing still. “Bonsoir, Liliane!” knocks your socks off.”

“The acrobatics of Parisians Domitil Aillot, Gregory Marquet and Mickael Bajazet, dazzle.”

“Graceful sensuality shows itself in the amazing contortions of Ukrainian Vita Radionova.”

“Former Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Ariana Lallone’s solo is sheer elegance.”

Read the full review here!

Get your tickets to see this dazzling performance!

Seattle Magazine Raves About Bonsoir Liliane!

The muscles in my face literally ached from smiling“, says Bond Huberman from Seattle Magazine.  It appears Mr. Hubberman has fallen under the spell of the velvet-topped tent (he is not the first, we assure you) and its fantastically talented cast.  Of the show, he says it “tilts between musical numbers, acrobat stunts, comedy routines and even one opportunity for audience members to stand up and enjoy a romantic slow dance with their loved ones.”

Photo by Micheal DoucettOther highlights from the review:
“(Liliane) Montevecchi’s Auntie Mame persona keeps up with Kent in sheer audacity. She’s a petite older woman, but she has shockingly flexible legs (which she is unafraid to show off) and a voice that sometimes talks through and sometimes blasts out standard numbers like La Vie En Rose and Diamonds Are Forever.”
 ”Every move (Kevin) Kent makes is backed by expert improv skills – or his uncanny ability to predict exactly who his audience members are, and where their boundaries are flexible.”

“So, when we’re not marveling at what Ukrainian contortionist Vita Radionova can do in spite of the typical rules of a human rib cage – or the terrifying free falls of Les Petits Freres (an adorable trio of French acrobats), we take deep dives into a darker story…”.

Read the full review in all its glory!

25 Things You Didn’t Know about Ariana Lallone

Graceful“, “stunning“, and “a twirling beauty“  are all terms used to describe Ariana Lallone, the  5-foot-11 (6-foot-5 on pointe) ballerina featured in our current production, Bonsoir Liliane!. The former Pacific Northwest Ballet Principal Ballerina has been astounding audiences under the velvet topped tent.  Get a peek into her life below and find out why we love, love, love her!

1. I try to live each day to the fullest and not waste a minute of time.

2. I love Mexican food.

3. I hope to continue to learn and grow as an artist, perform and bring joy to people’s lives.

4. I was called “Big Bird” in high school… for obvious reasons.  Sometimes it was a little tough being the tallest girl in school.

5. I have always wanted to try parasailing… don’t tell my mom.

6. I fell in love with ballet from the first class I took at the age of 7. After graduating from high school, it was my desire to not only continue my ballet training, but to pursue ballet as a profession. I gave myself one year to see if it was possible. Luckily, after a summer course at PNB and a year in their school, the artistic directors (at that time Kent Stowell and Francia Russell) were willing to take a chance on a very tall, aspiring young ballerina… and the rest is my history.

7. I cannot resist buying vintage kitchen items that have a rooster on them.

8.I love the comedy of Modern Family and the drama of The Good Wife. I also have a weak spot for reality TV.

9. The last book I read was The Witch of Portobello by Paul Coelho: “When you dance, the spiritual world and the real world manage to coexist quite happily. I think classical ballet dancers dance on pointe because they’re simultaneously touching the earth and reaching up to the skies.”

10.I am afraid of earthquakes and wind…. a side effect of growing up in Southern California!

11.My celebrity crush will always be Paul Newman.

12. When I was 17 years old, I had a make-over on national television. I still have the cue cards that they used on the show to introduce the “all new Ariana Lallone!”

13. I really only speak English and some scattered Spanish, but since joining Teatro ZinZanni, I think I need to learn French!

14. My Favorite book is A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway… in fact, it’s time to re-read it!

15. I have four brothers that I tried very hard to keep up with. There was no crying over scraped knees.

16. I have unconditional love for those in my life, I will go out of my way to do something for someone, I am a good friend and I love to laugh.

17. I lettered in basketball in high school and had my jersey retired upon graduation.

18. I am unable to throw away anything that has sentiment. I save a lot!

19. I love the boardwalk between the Double Helix Bridge and Pier 70, along Elliott Bay.

20. I have a twenty-year old black, long hair cat named Celia.

21. I have never been to Spain.

22. Right now, I love the song “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

23. My list of favorite PNB roles is extensive. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to dance many ballets and work with numerous choreographers/stagers… each being a memorable experience. I couldn’t pick just one.

24. I am most proud of transitioning from my 24-year career as a ballerina at PNB, to having the opportunity to join the cast of Teatro ZinZanni in Bonsoir Liliane!,

25. My favorite drink is a combination of cherry juice, lemonade, mint and soda water.

Need more Ariana (who doesn’t)?  See her in our newest production Bonsoir Liliane!, a magical train ride through the life and fantasies of Liliane Montevecchi. Get your tickets here!