Photos provided by Kyle Flubacker

No other show on earth is quite like Teatro ZinZanni, which started in Seattle circa 1998, and in 2019, laid down presumably permanent roots in the Windy City on the 14th floor of the swanky Cambria Hotel.

Though a variety of spectacles for the senses have thus far graced the circular stage, an entirely new production promises “cirque, comedy, music and mayhem” revolving around the premise of “a Japanese clown, an Italian crooner, and a Brazilian superstar walk into a bar… and now they work there!”

Before imaginatively walking the tightrope of those artistic disciplines, guests can choose a four-course gourmet dinner option, plus order appetizers, desserts and drinks à la carte, which are collectively as delicious as any high-end restaurant in the area, yet reasonably priced considering it’s paired with Teatro ZinZanni.

In terms of this latest installment, it features equally phenomenal national and international talents, including Joe De Paul (Clown, Director), Danila Bim (Hair Suspension, Assistant Director), Spencer Androli (Juggler) Lindsay Culbert-Olds (Aerial Straps), Aerial Emery (Hoops) Mariko Iwasa (Tap Dancer, Clown), Kyran Walton (Hand Balancer) and Liv Warfield (Madame ZinZanni), accompanied by a live band.

Together, their stunts, songs, spoofs and social statements are nothing short of a mesmerizing combination, where circus-like skills collide with contemporary elements and execution, set against the throughly elegant backdrop of the “antique Spiegeltent.”

In addition to the many visual and verbal marvels evoking the golden days of vaudeville, Soul Train Award-winner Warfield, who was in Prince’s New Power Generation and Roadcase Royale alongside Heart’s Nancy Wilson), is particularly potent while interpreting everything from James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine” to Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” Aerosmith’s “Dream On” and Sly & The Family Stone’s “Everyday People.”

During VIP Press Night, cast members regularly welcomed the dressed-to-impress guests, who were frequently recruited for amusing interactions and also became a significant part of the performance.

“Teatro ZinZanni has always been about joy, laughter, and, most of all, love,” sums up Norm Langill, Founder of Teatro ZinZanni, in a truly fitting statement. “This show is a celebration of the beauty that happens when cultures meet, mingle, and make magic together. Chicago, with its incredible immigrant history and diversity, is the perfect home for this story.”

“Teatro ZinZanni” continues at the Cambria Hotel through Wednesday, December 31. For additional details, visit ZinZanni.com/Chicago.

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