Dreya Weber as Cleopatra lights up the stage. Photo by Korum Bischoff, provided by TZ, and used with permission.

Enter the latest production by Teatro ZinZanni (TZ): Hail Caesar. Running May 12th to August 28th, 2011, this fanciful show reunites Julius Caesar and Cleopatra for one magical night under the spiegeltent. (Your Hedonista attended as media last month.) With everything from dinner and dancing, to acrobatics and acting, to sensuality and song, this show fills your plate. Frank Ferrante – an absolute TZ fav of mine, and a TZ regular since 2001 – kicks off the show as “Chef Caesar” and alleged inventor of the Caesar salad. (Close, but no cigar, BTW – the Caesar salad is asserted to have been invented – on the fly, no less – by Italian-born Mexican Caesar Cardini at his Prohibition-avoiding Tiajuana restaurant, Cardini’s; how I’d love to have/see Frank play THAT role someday!) Frank is a global actor and director who’s done everything from stage to TV. He’s even been a question on Jeopardy. His performance was, as usual, a hoot. Caesar’s lady love, Cleopatra, is performed by Dreya Weber – a lithe ‘n’ lovely multi-talent (actress, musician, choreographer and aerialist) plays the perfect yin to Caesar’s – er, yang.

TZ's 7:10 from Cairo makes me want to leave the station, if you get my drift.

And the vittles were good, too. This show’s menu includes a three-course starter of a Caprese salad, springtime asparagus soup, and their Caesar salad. Their choice of mains includes a Northwest Prime Beef Tenderloin dish from the WA Okanagan’s Double R Ranch with a green peppercorn demi, a Scallops dish in which the scallops are beautifully encrusted in macadamia nuts, and their usual vegetarian option – their custardy Mushroom Strata, served with veggies and garlic-fried chickpeas. Dessert was a lovely Vanilla Panna Cotta made in-house and garnished with fresh strawberries and mint. They also offer “menu enhancements” that range in price from a basket of Macrina bread ‘n’ butter for $4.75 to an Artisan Cheese Sampler paired with La Caussade St. Croix-Du-Mont for $14.

Personally, I always look forward to the liquid libations they roll out, fabricated to fit the theme of a given show. I really enjoyed the 7:10 from Cairo ($12) – Veev Açaí Spirit, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, Pama Pomegranate flavored liqueur and a Prosecco splash. This light ‘n’ floral beverage has a fruity fizz that just screams spring.

Also new at the ol’ Teatro Zoo:

- Since the end of last year, an online TZ Boutique.

- Their Sweet Sunday Brunches are still on – a 1.5-hour, 4-course version of the main show, available at 11:30 a.m. on select Sundays. (If interested, see the TZ  brunch event calendar for more details.)

- Their naughtier Mezzo Lunatico (ML) shows are also still going full-swing (visit their ML website for the most current show; the next one’s taking place tomorrow night: June 18th, 2011).

- This Summer’s 2011 Camp ZinZanni begins June 27th and runs to August 13th of this year. Geared for ages 5 through 16, these camps teach cirque-related skills to all of the young and aspiring Teatro ZinZanni performers of the future. This program is a part of the ZinZanni Institute for Circus Arts (ZIRCA).

So if you feel fancifully hedonistic, you may just want to explore, attend, and be entertained, dear hedonists.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Diva Thelma Houston will remind her audience that she got up at the ungodly hour of brunch juuust for them. Photo provided by Teatro ZinZanni, used with permission.

Teatro ZinZanni (TZ) recently launched its burlesque-bedecked Mezzo Lunatico only last month; however, TZ has offered its brunches for quite some time. Earlier on this month, your Hedonista was once again invited into the ol’ spiegeltent to review their Hearts on Fire show, which runs from September 1, 2010 to January 23, 2011 – the (shortened) brunch version, mind you.

MC/Host/Ring Master El Vez never misses a beat ... well, almost never - and when he does, he makes it hilarious. Photo provided by Teatro ZinZanni, used with permission.

The cast and love-themed show feature the usual TZ entertainment – whimsical, fun, sensual, and comedic. It’s live, it’s improv, it’s human nature meets seasoned performers, so it’s never really the same show twice. The MC/Host/Ring Master El Vez – the self-claimed “Latino Elvis” – thinks on his feet with lightening speed and drips with charm and sensuality. Diva Thelma Houston is the alpha-female, however – and keeps El Vez in line with a wink, a smile, and a voice that could melt butter and shake milk.

The food is consistent with what you’d expect from the TZ evening show’s dinner menu, only with eggs. The “Steak & Eggs TZ” were the highlight, complete with scrambled eggs seasoned with chives, oven roasted spuds, and a lovely petite grilled tenderloin steak. The four-course brunch menu includes  and appetizer of pastries, a salad, a main and a dessert. Beverages are also offered for an additional cost; “The Caged Beauty” ($12) – Absolut Pears, crème de violette, St. Germain elderflower liqueur – was floraliciously lovely.

The 1 and 1/2-hour brunch show runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with doors opening at 11:00 a.m. TZ Sunday Brunch tickets range from $75 to $110, depending on seating location. The next shows take place on November 28, December 5, and December 12, 2010, as well as January 9, 2011.

P.S. – And just to connect the last post (Seattle Shakespeare Company) with this one: if you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift for your fav 8- to 16-year-old-in-hedonistic-training, Shakespeare’s Fools – “A comical, cavorting camp of clowning [say THAT five times fast] and Shakespeare” will take place February 21-25, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. under the TZ spiegeltent. Tuition is $350 and space is limited for this  Teatro Zinzanni/Seattle Shakespeare Company joint effort.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the give venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Well, Teatro ZinZanni’s Mezzo Lunatico is like that. Held in the Spiegeltent, this is a 2-hour show that ends well past midnight; well, really more like three hours when you add-in pre-show lines and drink orders and post-show tab closings, for there’s a special menu of drink and comfort food items specially-designed for every show. Like pulled pork called “Pulled Both Ways” ($5.50), a wild boar hot dog named “Pig Dog” ($8.50), onion rings called “Hot Savory O’s” ($5.00), and sponsor Top Pot Doughnuts called “Sugar Sweet O’s” (à la carte $2.00, steamed $3.00, creamed $3.50). As for the beverages, take “The Witch Doctor” for example – an $8 cocktail served on the rocks in a short glass and made with Pearl Vodka, white grapefruit juice, a splash of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and topped with prosecco and a slice on lime on the rim – it’s like a refreshing lemonade-colored Greyhound with heavy floral notes. (Normally I’d show a photo of it, but believe me, there are far better photos to view, as you’ll soon see.)

Mezzo Lunatico is well worth the trek for all of you hedonists out there. Your Hedonista was a media attendee for the October 30th show, themed “Fear” – and, believe me, the post-mortem is all photos, dear hedonists:

From saucily scandalous to musical mayhem, this show procured pleasure-a-plenty: (from left to right) Catherine D'Lish, Wildcard Acrobats-Aerialists, Scotty The Blue Bunny, and, once again, Ms. D'Lish.)

Mezzo Lunatico’s Fear-themed show lived a life challenging and confronting today’s fears in an oh-so-sexy way … what more could one hope for?

Need any more be said?

Except for maybe that the next show is November 20th and entitled “Thankful.”

One can only imagine, for the mind boggles, reels, and swoons….

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Well now, dear hedonists, a new show has come to their antique Belgian spiegeltent of the (these days, at least) Rainy City: Maestro’s Menagerie. This show – a self-described “mesmerizing melange of trickery and illusions, dreams & divas, music and merriment” – takes us back to an 18th-century-style of circus performance. Complete with the magic of Ukrainian illusionist Maestro Voronin (with Hawaiian-born Brandon Rabe), his contorting puppet Svetlana of Russian, equilibrist feats of a Russian hand-balancer (Elena Boradina), acrobatics (with the Seattle debut of the French Canadian static trapeze artists Ssens Duo and the Collins Brothers), clowning (Peter Pitofsky, a New Yorker who literally ran away to join the circus), juggling (by Ukranian Sergiy Krutikov) and both operatic (Seattleite Juliana Rambaldi) and blues vocals (Chicago-born Francine Reed), this truly international cast meshed together with ease, energy, and excellence. They were also a lot more interactive with the audience throughout the entire show than the troupe in Beaumont & Caswell, which is always appreciated. (For interaction is the spice of hedonistic life.)

Your Hedonista attended on a media ticket the three-hour show that serves 5 courses, complete with optional wine pairings (for an additional $39). As always, TZ met its own entertainment expectations as well as culinary credentials (with Northwest celebrity chef Tom Douglas, how could it not), with only a couple of critiques: 1) the food could be a touch hotter when it comes out (an ongoing angst-ridden issue for timing the complexities of the various performances with the food service, no doubt) and 2) the wine pairings are still not completely spot on, once again falling short with their salad-wine pairing. For the most part, however, the pairings were, overall, very respectable. (They have no sommelier of their own and so are in the process of consulting with outside sommeliers.)* Tasting notes of the meal follow:

Pre-Show Cocktail: It’s a given, right? If you make this show and like a refreshing, fruity cocktail, I strongly recommend the Ringmaster ($12). Made with Pimms, Beefeater Gin, Black Tea, Lemon Juice and Strawberry Simple Syrup, think of it as what would be born if an Arnold Palmer drink joined Teatro ZinZanni. If you like more tart than sweet, give the Blues Fairy a go – with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Lillet Blanc and Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, I was told by one of the bartenders with a grin: “It’s a weird drink.” Weird? Yes. Wonderful? Also yes. (Think of an evolved Greyhound, here.)

Appetizer: The country French pork pâté, sprinkled with pistachio and served with olives, cornichons, and toast crisps was paired with Punkt ‘Genau’ Rosé (Austia NV). This pairing passed muster; the cherry blossom aroma and taste balanced nicely with the pig, pistachio, ‘n’ pickle antipasto-esque offerings.

Soup: Cream o’ asparagus and leek soup dolloped with red pepper cream that teamed up with Delille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc (Washington 2008). This citrus-filled wine has a floral bouquet and a toasted coconut finish – a lovely match with this creamy spring soup with its wonderfully grassy flavor.

Salad: Baby spinach, frisee, and pickled red onions with a toasted pecan-encrusted disc of chèvre and served with O’Reilly Pinot Noir (Oregon 2008). Like my last review, this salad-wine pairing did nothing for me. The cinnamony/red fruit taste was less than ideal. A sweeter wine with more strawberry and raspberry flavors would have been better for this course.

Main Course: A choice of halibut, filet mignon, or a vegetarian mushroom strata (which opera singer Juliana Ramabldi works into one of many of her very enjoyable performances). Your Hedonista tasted both the filet mignon and the halibut; the former, topped with syrah jam, mashed spuds and green beans, was wedded well with the smoky and dark berry flavors of Corvidae ‘Lenore’ Syrah (Columbia Valley 2007); the latter, complete with roasted sweet spuds and al dente snap peas, was tastily twinned with Walnut City Wineworks Viognier (Columbia Valley 2006). (Mmmmm … Viogner….)

Dessert: The only dish not made in-house (Parisian Star of the Essential Baking Company), this vanilla custard tart, laden with such seasonal fruit as blueberries and strawberries, joined forces with the silky-sweet tasting tones of orange and vanilla found in the Muscat De Beaumes De Venise (Domaine Des Bernardins 2007).

*(Note: You can also bring your own bottle of wine into the show and open it up to enjoy for a corkage fee of $20.)

Maestro’s Menagerie runs from May 6, 2010 to August 29, 2010 with Love, Chaos, and Dinner tickets ranging from $105-$140.  There’s also Love, Chaos, and Brunch – a 2 1/2-hour brunch show taking place most (but not all) Sundays with a four-course meal; tickets range from $75-$110 depending on seating location, with senior, military, student, and child discounts also available.

Camp Zinzanni: for those hedonists with lil’ hedonists of their own – the ZinZanni Institute for Circus Arts (ZICA) offers Teatroesque training for mini hedonists aged 5-16 years old in July and August. Dubbed the Camp ZinZanni, these 5-day-long trainings (plus a final rehearsal and performance that’s free for the whole family to attend) include critical circus skills such as acrobalance, clowning, and mime & mask work. Classes range from $300-350 in cost and serve to instill in the young the ancient and contemporary traditions of the circus arts.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Teatro ZinZanni at its (relatively new) 222 Mercer Street location.

Your Hedonista caught a show a couple of years ago at the old 6th and Battery locale – and although the show was spectacular, the food was … so-so.

So, this past Sunday night Teatro ZinZanni was revisited (as a media guest).  Their new Beaumont & Caswell show (directed by Norm Langill and Peter Bonerz) runs from October 15, 2009 to January 17, 2010 and is played by Seattleite Christine Deaver and Kevin Kent respectively. The show was – as always – pure entertainment; but this time around, there was wisely more focus on the food than the already-fab fanfare. Although the cast and performance was superb – not to mention the audience participation – the menu has evolved. In a good way. Gourmet-quality food, complete with wine pairings. Check out these tasting notes:

The appetizer: light ‘n’ whipped herbed goat cheese mousse with locally smoked black cod, mini toasts, marcona almonds and spicy pickled grapes. The wine: Rive della Chiesa Frizzante Prosecco, Colli Trevigiani, Italy nv. The dry citrus prosecco, with its walnutty finish was a lovely pairing to the creamy cheese, smoky cod, almonds and grapes.

The soup: fab creamy butternut squash and caramelized onions puréed and topped with a nice, subtle curried sour cream, chives and tasty toasted pumpkin seeds. The wine: O’Reilly’s Pinto Gris, Columbia Valley, Washignton 2007. Perhaps my second-favorite wine of the evening, after the prosecco. Had a great bouquet – very fresh and floral – with a nice clean mouth feel. Great with the creamy-curry-crunchy textures of the soup.

The salad: frisée, spinach, bacon, maple molasses pecans, bing cherries with a sherry vinaigrette. The wine: P.Ferraud & Fils Beaujolais, Villages Les Merrains, France 2007. The smoky, slightly floral bouquet meets a cherry/raspberry tartness – almost an acidic quality. Admittedly my least fav dish – found the pairing – although arguably perfect – too high in its vinegar/acidity level.

Beef tenderloin - pure comfort food! (Photo provided by Teatro ZinZanni. Used with permission.)

The main courses: guests get three choices. I opted out of the vegetarian option (a mushroom strata) and tried the meats. The beef tenderloin – complete with syrah jam, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and green beans. Simple, but great – pure comfort food. And the Arctic char – complete with a saffron aioli and roasted tomato and caper relish topping, roasted red spuds and roast fennel and green beans – tasted exactly as expected: pleasant, fresh, and light. The wines: with the beef, the pairing was a Col D’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino, Italy 2006 (fruity, but way too much strength in the tannins); with the char, it was the R Stuart Big Fire Pinot Noir, Oregon 2007 (although the smoky fruitiness went down well enough with the char, a white wine would be better, here).

The dessert: chocolate mousse with an orange creme filling, complete with a white chocolate wand à la the magic of Teatro ZinZanni (creamy, light and heavenly). The wine: Quinta de la Rosa Tonel no. 12 (orange bouquet, decadent and silky-smooth mouth feel). A match made in heaven.

Menu enhancements ($6 solo, $12 with wine): artisan cheese sampler, where Washington and Oregon meet France – Camembert, OR Rogue River blue cheese, WA Beecher’s flagship cheese … paired nicely with Château d’Orignac Pineau des Charentes. (A cab/merlot/cognac blend. Think smoked honey over mixed berries.) There’s also the Forté specialty chocolates sampler, served with the Quinta de la Rosa Tonel no. 12 (see above). Once again, a match made in heaven.

General admission: $104 for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday shows; $125 for Saturday shows. All shows start at 6:30 p.m., with the exception of the Sunday performances, which begin at 5:30 p.m. Prices go up for Premium Floor seating and again for Inner Ring seats.

Additional student discounts: $49 student tix (beginning tonight and carrying through all Sundays in November).

Additional upcoming events: October 31: Teatro ZinZombie – A Macabre Ball; November 1: Teatro celebrates its 10+ year anniversary with ZinZanniversary; and November 7 and 21: Brunch performances (made up of three courses and a 2-hour show – adults pay $73, children 12 and under pay $51, and seniors and students pay $58); and December 5, 12, and 19: Saturday matinees.

These days, not only the trapeze bar is being raised in the ol’ Moulin Rouge spiegeltent; these days, the culinary bar has also been raised.

“Art as dinner, dinner as art” – they finally got it right. Bravo, David!

Now go and get your dose of love, chaos and dinner – for that’s what a life of hedonism is all about, no?

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.