Ricardo Salinas (Director)
Ricardo was born in El Salvador, Central America and grew up in San Francisco, where he attended San Francisco State University and graduated with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, Broadcasting Communications and Speech Communications. While growing up in San Francisco he also founded the critically acclaimed Chicano performance trio Culture Clash, now in its 28th year. What started as a weekend experiment on Cinco de Mayo 1984 in San Francisco, Culture Clash has turned into a lifelong commitment of forging a unique role and voice on the national stage. Culture Clash continues to raise the bar of American theater, bringing new and untraditional audiences wherever they perform. They unsparingly dissect and reveal the many different cultures that clash and merge in the U.S. melting pot in all of their work. As a theater artist, writer, director, and activist, Ricardo has created searing satire and biting drama for the national stage. Along with his Culture Clash collaborators, he has written more than a dozen plays and has performed over 5,000 shows on stages across the United States. Ricardo has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, Off-Broadway, Repertory theaters and in colleges across the country too numerous to name. Ricardo set a milestone by starring, writing and producing the first ever Latino sketch comedy series “Culture Clash” that was syndicated for Fox Television. He starred and co-wrote the filmed version of the hit play “Bowl of Beings” which aired nationally on PBS’ Great Performance Series. Ricardo originally directed for Teatro Zinzanni “Caliente” in San Francisco last year and is thrilled to be welcomed back to direct a new version for Seattle.
Ricardo Salinas
Director
Ricardo was born in El Salvador, Central America and grew up in San Francisco, where he attended San Francisco State University and graduated with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, Broadcasting Communications and Speech Communications. While growing up in San Francisco he also founded the critically acclaimed Chicano performance trio Culture Clash, now in its 28th year. What started as a weekend experiment on Cinco de Mayo 1984 in San Francisco, Culture Clash has turned into a lifelong commitment of forging a unique role and voice on the national stage. Culture Clash continues to raise the bar of American theater, bringing new and untraditional audiences wherever they perform. They unsparingly dissect and reveal the many different cultures that clash and merge in the U.S. melting pot in all of their work. As a theater artist, writer, director, and activist, Ricardo has created searing satire and biting drama for the national stage. Along with his Culture Clash collaborators, he has written more than a dozen plays and has performed over 5,000 shows on stages across the United States. Ricardo has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, Off-Broadway, Repertory theaters and in colleges across the country too numerous to name. Ricardo set a milestone by starring, writing and producing the first ever Latino sketch comedy series “Culture Clash” that was syndicated for Fox Television. He starred and co-wrote the filmed version of the hit play “Bowl of Beings” which aired nationally on PBS’ Great Performance Series. Ricardo originally directed for Teatro Zinzanni “Caliente” in San Francisco last year and is thrilled to be welcomed back to direct a new version for Seattle.
Ann Bernard
Anita
Dancer, choreographer and percussionist, Ann Bernard has captivated audiences with the art of Argentine malambo for more than 20 years. As a performer in Saltimbanco, Cirque du Soleil’s longest running show, Ann has given more than 1,500 performances for audiences in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and the United States. She currently focuses on solo acts that implement the furious rhythm of zapateo, a dance involving percussive footwork, as well as performing the audience-engaging burlesque clown Anita. Other influences include the wild spirit of the vivacious Argentine gauchos, South American cowboys who roamed the Pampas. Ann is an active trainer of the malambo and has coached acrobats of the Cirque éloize in the use of boleadoras in their recent show in Nebbia.
Christine Deaver
Tres
An actor, singer, writer, director and voiceover artist, Christine has worked extensively in theatre, film and television in L.A. and abroad. Favorite roles include performance artist Elsa Lasker-Schuler in Nosferatu, the over-sexed babysitter in the CBS comedy, Yes, Dear, Tammy Wynette and Anita Bryant in Regan’s Women, white trash mama Lacy in the indie film Stalled, Steve Martin’s Italian sister in the film My Blue Heaven (…she ended up on the cutting room floor, but she’s not bitter… well, maybe a little). Christine is a recipient of numerous Garland, Ovation and L.A. Weekly awards for her work in the theatre and is a member of the Zoo District Theatre Company. She has written and performed several one-woman shows including Ah, Families, Leave it to Deaver, and Bodacious across North America, Asia and Europe. Christine was also seen in the formidable Russian spy homage the Defenders, as the power-hungry fire inspector in Empire Hotel and as the voice of Sarah Palin, Heidi Montag, Carrie Bradshaw and many others in the series The Yards. Christine’s mother would be thrilled she is returning to her Latina roots, despite her hair color saying otherwise.
Les Petits Frères
Jacques, Gaston and Coco
Domitil Aillot, Gregory Marquet and Mickael Bajazet formed Les Petits Frères in 1993 at the internationally acclaimed Annie Fratellini Circus School in Paris where they were trained in the fine arts of the circus by master teachers, Davis Bogino and Nelly Ranchman. The European press calls them the “Floating act” because of their unique ability to defy gravity with graceful aerial acrobatics. The wit and charm of their unforgettable act has been captivating audiences around the world for many years. In 1999 they toured the U.S. with Barnum’s Kaleidoscape. In recent years they have performed at some of the best venues in the world including Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione in Paris and Apollo Varieté in Dusseldorf, Tigerpalast in Frankfurt, Wintergarten in Berlin and Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco and Seattle.
Mike Geier
Mr. Otis
Raised in Richmond, VA, Big Mike Geier’s music career began in the early 1990’s as he fronted the “Swing Noir” band The Useless Playboys. After extensive touring, Big Mike moved to Atlanta and started the band Kingsized, a high-energy, 13-piece band best known for their hugely popular Elvis Presley memorial show Elvis Royale and the annual Holiday Jubilee & Toy Drive. Other projects include collaboration with Zumanity alum Andrew Watson, Cal McCrystal and Theirry Mugler at Just For Laughs Montreal. Big Mike and his wife, Shannon Newton, produce and direct The Dames Aflame Show, as well as their cabaret clown act, Puddles Pity Party, which was recently featured at Sleep No More NYC and toured with Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live. Big Mike’s talent goes beyond the stage and onto the screen with appearances on the Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, MTV, Playboy TV and PBS. He made his provocative, scene stealing big screen debut alongside Luke Perry and LeAnn Rhimes in the film Good Intentions. Big Mike resides in Atlanta with his wife where they write and record music for the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.
Robert Lopez
Cinco
Famously known as El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, legendary performer and musician Robert Lopez has made audiences around the world swoon for his twisting salsa-hips and Latino renditions of such Presley classics as “en el Barrio,” Esta Bien, Mamacita,” and “Viva La Raza.” Prior to hid role as the love child of Charo and the true King, Robert formed the ‘70s punk sensations ‘The Zeros’, with whom he made his very first recording, on display at the EMP in Seattle. He has also made numerous recordings including “Graciasland” and “G.I. Ay, Ay! Blues.” Robert currently resides in Seattle where he debuted as an original Teatro ZinZanni performer in 2002. In 2011 El Vez’s rip away gold lame mariachi suit was presented in the exhibit “American Sabor” at the Smithsonian Museum. “American Sabor” explores the influence of Latino musicians in post-World War II America through the lens of major centers of Latino music production—New York, San Antonio, San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles. It is currently touring the U.S.
Ling Rui
Mr. Ching
Rui has been performing and training in the circus arts since he was very young and at the age of 10 joined the Flag Circus of China where he traveled worldwide. In 2000, he joined Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion and for five years toured North America and Europe. In 2003, he and his partner, Fang Ming, developed their duo strap act and were asked by Cirque du Soleil in 2006 to join the production of Delirium. Since then, the pair have presented their act and received numerous prestigious awards including the gold medal at the Wuhan International Acrobatic Arts Festival. Ming and Rui first performed their duo act with Teatro ZinZanni in 2008. ¡Caliente! Marks Rui’s debut of his solo strap act which was inspired by the French song ‘Je suis malade.’ In his off-stage time, Rui enjoys fitness and teaches Pilates at Metropolitan Pilates where he is completing an apprenticeship with Dorothee VandeWalle.
Vita
Diana
A featured performer in the 2003 Tiger Lilies circus tour of Finland, France, England, Germany and Greece, the sensational Ukrainian contortionist and hula-hoop artist Vita Radionova made her North American debut at Teatro ZinZanni in 2004. She graduated from the legendary Circus School of Kiev in 1999, and since then has performed her elegant and sensual act at some of the finest venues in Europe, including the Apollo Varieté in Dusseldorf, PALAZZO in Munich and Frankfurt, and with Circus Salto Natale in Zurich. Enchanting, mesmerizing and sensuous, Vita defies the laws of physics with her performances.
For media information and additional photographs, please contact Tina Gonsalves at 206.281.7788 ext. 240 or tgonsalves (at) onereel.org.
