Christine Abraham
Declared "radiant" by the Los Angeles Times and "glamorous and melting of voice" by the Wall Street Journal, Christine Abraham has performed a wide-ranging operatic and orchestral repertoire to great artistic acclaim. Her repertoire includes works of Bach and Vivaldi in addition to roles such as Mozart’s Susanna, Countess and Donna Elvira, Poulenc's Blanche in Dialogues of the Carmelites and Britten's Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. Ms. Abraham has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Omaha Opera among others. In concert she has sung with Music of the Baroque in Chicago, Boston Baroque, New Jersey Symphony, Pacific Symphony as well as summer festivals such as Glimmerglass Opera, the Bethlehem Bach Festival and the Bard Festival.
Christine Abraham
Declared "radiant" by the Los Angeles Times and "glamorous and melting of voice" by the Wall Street Journal, Christine Abraham has performed a wide-ranging operatic and orchestral repertoire to great artistic acclaim. Her repertoire includes works of Bach and Vivaldi in addition to roles such as Mozart’s Susanna, Countess and Donna Elvira, Poulenc's Blanche in Dialogues of the Carmelites and Britten's Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. Ms. Abraham has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Omaha Opera among others. In concert she has sung with Music of the Baroque in Chicago, Boston Baroque, New Jersey Symphony, Pacific Symphony as well as summer festivals such as Glimmerglass Opera, the Bethlehem Bach Festival and the Bard Festival.
Frank Ferrante
Our irrepressible Caesar, Frank Ferrante, is an actor and director described by The New York Times as “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material.” Frank originated the title role in Groucho: A Life in Revue written by Groucho’s son Arthur in New York, London and on PBS television. He earned New York’s Theatre World Award, a NY Outer Critics Circle nomination and London’s Laurence Olivier nomination for ‘Comedy Performance of the Year.’ The Chicago Tribune deemed his improv “masterful” and The New York Times called him “artful.” He has been profiled on The Today Show, Regis, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, the BBC, and recently was a question on TV’s Jeopardy. In 1995, he directed and developed the premiere of the Pulitzer finalist Old Wicked Songs. Frank directs and acts throughout the world and has been a regular at Teatro ZinZanni since 2001.
Alexa Hukari
Alexa Hukari began her competitive career in artistic gymnastics, but she quickly became interested in acrobatics and began training acrobatic gymnastics (sports acrobatics) at the age of 9. She has been the U.S. National Champion, 6-time Western Regional Champion, 6-time California State Champion and 2-time Athlete of the Year. Alexa has competed in international competitions in Prague, Belgium and Australia bringing home 2 gold medals. Since ending her competitive career she spent one year working for USA Gymnastics as the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director and earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy before returning to acrobatics and the stage. Alexa has delighted ZinZanni audiences in San Francisco and Seattle since 2009.
Ming & Rui, Alexa Hukari
Ling Rui and Fang Ming have been performing and training in the circus arts since they were very young. At the ages of 10 and 11, they joined the Flag Circus of China. With this troupe they traveled around the world to the Caribbean, Africa and Europe performing shows for audiences from government officials to Euro-Disney. In 2000 they joined Cirque du Soleil’s show Dralion. For the next five years they worked on and off with Dralion touring North America and Europe. In 2003 they began to develop their duo aerial straps act and in 2006 they again joined Cirque du Soleil, this time in the production of Delirium. The pair has presented their act at international circus festivals in China, bringing home numerous prestigious awards including the gold medal at the Wuhan International Acrobatic Arts Festival. Ming and Rui first performed with Teatro ZinZanni in 2008. Act music by Richard Oberacker.
Vertical Tango
Sam Payne (U.S.) and Sandra Feusi (Switzerland) have received the highest possible acclaim for their astonishing, sensual “Vertical Tango.” They received a gold medal at the 2005 Festival Mondial de Cirque du Demain in Paris, a silver clown at the 2008 Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo, and the Bay Area's Isadora Duncan “Best Choreography” Award in 2005/06. The couple trained at the San Francisco Circus Center, and began performing with San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus in the mid-nineties. They toured worldwide for five years with Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco, spent a season with Switzerland's national circus: Circus Knie, and have performed for television and live events in Europe, the US, and Japan. Most recently Sam and Sandra performed their act with the Wereld Kerst Circus Carre, the Royal Theatre of Holland. They are the exceptionally proud parents of toddler, Luca Selina, and are very happy to be back with Teatro ZinZanni.
Tim Tyler
Our fastidious and eccentric world traveler, Mr PP, is the comic creation of saucy Australian actor Tim Tyler. Mr PP has entertained audiences around the globe for over 30 years with astonishing and comic feats of balance, precision, timing and melodious voice. Mr. PP’s unique performance skills include wire walking, unicycling, acrobatics and he is especially celebrated for his amazing oral ping-pong ball juggling. As Mr. PP, Tim Tyler has performed with fellow show business legends including Elton John, Eartha Kitt, Liza Minelli, and the London Philharmonic. He has charmed audiences in both the Seattle and San Francisco productions of Teatro ZinZanni.
Dreya Weber
An acclaimed actress, musician, aerialist and choreographer, Dreya Weber makes her debut performance with Teatro ZinZanni. Her most recent film work includes Ned Farr's A Marine Story and The Gymnast in addition to Nicole Holofcener's Lovely and Amazing – all of which won numerous awards at film festivals throughout the world. As an aerialist, she both choreographed and performed in Pink’s celebrated 2010 Grammy performance, which was called “transcendent” by Oprah Winfrey. Dreya’s lengthy list of choreography and aerial performing credits includes work with many of the greatest artists of our time including Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Cher, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, and Carrie Underwood. Dreya comes from a musical family and has been performing as a singer and musician most of her life. In 2009 she starred in and choreographed an international theatrical production of Dante's Divine Comedy for the NNT in Holland – which was the first time she integrated her aerial work with her singing on stage. In addition to her film work, she guest starred in several episodes of The Practice and her theatre credits include numerous Broadway and off-Broadway appearances.
Featuring live music from the fabulous
Teatro ZinZanni Orchestra
Musical Director & Piano
Russ Long
Woodwinds
Karl Theobald
Bass
Wil Hendricks
Drums
David Rokeach
Guitar
Chris Carlson
