Teatro ZinZanni: Love, Chaos and Shopping!

The date was 12:12:12 from 12:30 – 1 p.m. – the cast of Teatro ZinZanni swept into South Coast Plaza for an impromptu performance beneath the towering Christmas tree in Jewel Court. TZ stars juggled, sang, danced and vamped before a mesmerized crowd. The usual three-hour performance also includes an equally amazing five-course meal from Patina Catering. But this was just a snippet of what audiences can expect during the full length performance of Love, Chaos and Dinner being performed by Teatro ZinZanni at Segerstrom Center for the Arts through February 17.

Welcome Palais Nostalgique!

If you have visited the Center these last few weeks, you may have noticed a flurry of activity on the Arts Plaza. Behind the barricades and within the white tents you will find the ever historic and grand Spiegeltent (mirror tent) the Palais Nostalgique. For the next few months, this very special venue will call Segerstrom Center's Arts Plaza home.

Teatro ZinZanni is in town and on October 24 the brand new show Love, Chaos & Dinner will debut. Patrons will enjoy a three-hour whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret all served up with a delectable five-course feast and fanciful libations from Patina Catering. Palais Nostalgique is the magical setting for all this revelry.

This beautiful and antique theater originates from Belgium and is ornate with red velvet and gold brocade, stained glass and deep mahogany. The European cabaret tents, known as Spiegeltents, were constructed in the 1910’s by renowned craftsman Willem Klessens. These warm, intimate circular theatres hosted dances, wine tastings, cabarets and celebrations in Europe for almost a century.  Palais Nostalgique was buried deep underground during WWII and made it through the conflict unscathed. The century-old tent is still in fine form. Standing twenty-nine feet tall, with a circumference of 211 feet, it can comfortably accommodate 285 audience members, along with the wait staff, clowns, singers, jugglers, trapeze artists, contortionists, musicians and acrobats. 

Each tent consists of more than 4,000 pieces. Designed to be set-up and broken down in one day, Klessens’ Spiegeltents require no metal fasteners for construction and can be assembled by a team of three or four in a single day.

The tents are still owned by the Klessens family who lovingly restore and tour their grandfather’s tents. The crew from Belgium arrived in Costa Mesa on September 26 to oversee the construction of Palais Nostalgique.

(L-R) Willie Klessens, Johnny Klessens, Dries Verschueren and Gilbert De Doncker

For more information about Teatro ZinZanni's Love, Chaos & Dinner, please click here.

Photos by Joesan Diche

Patina’s ZinZational Menu for Teatro ZinZanni

You can preview the spectacular dinner menu that Patina’s Chef Ross has in store for audiences at Teatro ZinZanni when it opens at the Center on October 24.  (Ross Pangilinan is also the executive chef at Segerstrom Center’s Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge.) We are also sharing the recipe for Patina's signature braised prime beef short rib.


Patina's Braised Prime Beef Short Rib, Truffle Potato Fondue, Baby Carrots, Mushroom Red Wine Sauce

Patina Catering has created a very special five-course thematic dinner that audiences will enjoy when they attend Teatro ZinZanni’s Love, Chaos & Dinner at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Click here to learn more about the menu, download the recipe as well as purchase tickets.

See you at the Spiegeltent!