Dinner theatre's Teatro ZinZanni, which is running (at least) through April 12 at San Francisco's Pier 27/29 on the Embarcadero, adds new cast-members and welcomes the return of some originals Feb. 21.
ZinZanni's evening of "Love, Chaos & Dinner" will again be presided over by Madame Lala, Quebecoise comedienne France La Bonte, who returns with Zoot, the shy bellboy and juggler (Patrick Leonard). Joining them are German trapeze artists Sabine and Yogi Die Maiers, French contortionist Aurelia Cats and three new comedians, Eduardo Kaufmann as the Swiss wine steward Gusti, Pickle Family Circus member Gypsy Snider and American clown Andrea Conway, fresh from eight years with Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco.
Combining comedy, food service and the circus arts in an art nouveau “spiegeltent” imported from Belgium, ZinZanni's evening of "Love, Chaos & Dinner" is also staffed with the world's most dominating Maitre d'Hotel (illusionist Eugeny Voronin), an emotional Chef de cuisine (Kevin Kent), a tap-dancing waiter (Wayne Doba) and the puckish dishwasher Juliette (Nathalie Tarlet). Singing for their supper are the Diva and the Chanteuse, rotating roles for San Francisco's opera and cabaret singers.
Teatro ZinZanni, using many of the same players assembled for Seattle, ran 14 months in Seattle after opening October, 1998 near the Seattle Center. Among the gourmet offerings on the menu are antipasto, roasted fennel parsnip soup, salad with a champagne vinaigrette, Cabernet Chicken Chasseur with Lyonnaise potatoes and asparagus and lemon-strawberry trifle for dessert. A vegetable entree is available on request.
Teatro Zinzanni began performances March 15 and has already extended six times, each for a six week interval. Tickets are $125. For reservations, call (415) 438-2668. Teatro Zinzanni is on the web at http://www.teatrozinzanni.org.
-- By Christine Ehren
