Mezzo Lunatico, a late night varieté spiced with saucy cabaret, crazed circus, scandale, music and mayhem, begins Saturday, October 30th with El Vez as host and curator. Exploring the theme of Fear, Mezzo Lunatico features performances by singer Mark Arm (of Mudhoney fame), burlesque performer Catherine D’Lish, Scotty the Blue Bunny, male neo-burlesque performer Luminous Pariah, Manuela Horn, the Wildcard Acrobats and others. Doors are at 11 p.m. Show is 11:30 to 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $20 with a two-drink minimum and are available by calling the Teatro ZinZanni Box Office at (206) 802-0015.
El Vez talks about his inspirations for this first in a series of themed one-night only late night cabarets.
1. How did you become involved in “Mezzo Lunatico?“
EV: I love the cabaret vernacular. It speaks to my vaudevillian romance. but I always liked the “VILLAIN” part of the Vaude better, to provoke, to joke, to poke in a stylish-cocktail-sit-down-and “ponder this” sort of way. I want to be the “elegant provocant” (say it with a German accent). I have a history in Seattle with putting on cabaret series: I did a series at the Showbox that were great fun, and a series at the Pink Door where people flooded out mid-show, upset by the show’s political nature. It turned out that show in turn got Pick of the Week the following week’s edition of the Stranger! I also did a series with Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco a year or so ago which were great fun and sold out events.
Mezzo Lunatico is an excuse to get my friends together under a theme and artistically get some ideas out in expression. These are great one-off ephermeral events, so when Louise [DiLenge] suggested a series here in Seattle, I, of course, said “Yes, Please!”
Photo by William Anthony.
2. How did you come to the conclusion that “Fear” was a theme worth exploring? How/where do you see the evening evolving thematically?
EV: I am if nothing else a man in search of a theme. It gives me a frame to work around, a box to work my way out of… but a through line to make a story seem complete.
The date of the show was obvious, but why go for the obvious when you can go for the jugular!
The subject is FEAR , but not garden variety Halloween, vampire, monster fears. We will explore the FEAR of RACISM, THE ECONOMY, AVIAN FLU, HEIGHTS, HEALTH CARE, HOMOSEXUALS, CANNIBALISM, SEX, POLICE,AGE, LONELINESS, DEATH
and RABBITS.
They say FEAR is a man’s best friend….
3. Why these particular artists in conjunction with this theme?
EV: This show has gone through a million versions because of date changes, availability of performers, rigging opportunities. It gives me a chance to see how do I make things fit in this performance collage in a very short amount of time and find out who wants to play. This is not your grandma’s Teatro ZinZanni!
