Teatro ZinZanni: Love, Chaos and Dinner
Teatro ZinZanni has another fun-filled, entertaining circus dinner theater adventure with its signature blend of cirque, comedy, and cabaret called Love, Chaos & Dinner. With its tasty food combined with contortionists, juggling, aerialists, impressive Trapeze performance with a Comedic Magician, and fantastic singing, it's an event that everyone should experience. Described as Moulin Rouge meets Cirque du Soleil by creator Norman Langill, Teatro ZinZanni will also transport you back into your childhood — as I always come away feeling like a kid who visited Chicago-based Bozo's Circus with upscale dining that allows you to reminisce about your past while enjoying the present with family and friends. And if you love great music, exceptional singing, and the wit, charm, and beauty of a magician, then Teatro ZinZanni's Love, Chaos, and Dinner is your ticket for a delightful evening. Located on the 13th floor in Chicago's Cambria Hotel near the James M. Nederlander Theater, the intimate Spiegeltent ZaZou cabaret with the mirror tent offers outside seating for drinks, conversation, and pictures and the new Love, Chaos & Dinner features Chicago's own Sa'Rayah as Singer & Madame Z. She performed with Stevie Wonder, Celine Dión, Ariana Grande, and we had the pleasure of having her on our internet radio show, Let's Stay Together Talk, and this NBC's 'The Voice' performer doesn't disappoint. Sa'Rayah is a phenomenal singer, and the price of hearing her sing is worth attending this production; however, Teatro ZinZanni also provides incredible talents, like the amazing 10-time Award-Winning Entertainer Canada-based magician Carisa Hendrix, best known for the persona Lucy Darling, whose alluring elegance mixed with sleight of hand magic, with a Joan Rivers wit, during audience participation is tantalizingly and irresistible. Hendrix is known for her documentary Carisa Hendrix: Girl on Fire, currently on IMDb, which follows the trials and tribulations of creating a new magic and illusion show on the Las Vegas strip.
The gifted cast, which comes to the tables greeting guests before the main event, consists of Ulzii Mergen (Contortion), Michael van Beek aka, Michael Evolution, world-class basketball freestyle juggler, Lea Hinz (Aerial Hoop), world-class acrobat Danila Bim (Hair Hang / Aerialist) and Duo 19, Trapeze artists Oliver Parkinson and Cassie Cutler. Parkinson is a former MMA champion with a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry, a unique combination for a Trapeze artist.
And if you thought having a cabaret-style circus with singing and magic show was enough, the music at Teatro's infused with jazz, blues, and rock, and when we were there, the theme song from the Flintstones was outstanding. Suppose you are a music enthusiast like me. In that case, hearing the melodic sounds from the band, featuring Chicago natives, Music Director, and pianist Theodis Rodgers, Jr, Jon Negus (Woodwinds & Keyboard), Phil Seed (Guitar), Chuck Webb (Bass), and Jose Martinez (Drums & Percussion); was an added treat.
Each time I've been at Teatro ZinZanni, the aura suggests it's adults only, and I've never seen kids at the show; however, it's age-appropriate for children to enjoy a carnival-style production with other Chicago songbird, the talented, inspirational Gospel Soul and Jazz Recording Artist Tina Jenkins Crawley as Madame Z & Singer during Saturday Matinees. Although I prefer the adult atmosphere, and remembering it's a restaurant that serves libations, the entertainment at Love, Chaos, and Dinner is a perfect parent-child outing, providing enjoyment for both. Teatro ZinZanni's Love, Chaos, and Dinner, which runs a little over two hours, is a delightful and fun outing, and the serving staff is the best.
3 STARS ***
Teatro ZinZanni - Love, Chaos, and Dinner
Joe De Paul - Creator
Now through December 30th.
Click above for tickets and below for reviews
