As Duffy Bishop begins the final two weeks of her latest stint as the chanteuse for Treatro Zinzanni, Seattle’s blues icon said working with the creative people behind the combination of cabaret, circus and comedy show is always a thrill.
“It never grows old,” Bishop said of performing the famed dinner theater near Seattle Center that completes the run of its current show on May 8. “The show is constantly changing and you have to think fast. It is such a crazy kind of theater in the round.”
Bishop, who has been performing in one form or another since she was in grade school in Woodland Calif., moved to Seattle from the Los Angeles area in 1979. She is best known as the legendary blues singer who fronted such groups as Cool Ray and the Shades and Duffy Bishop and the Rhythm Dogs in the 1980s. She was a regular on the local nightclub scene, recording numerous albums and even starring at area festivals, including as a top attraction at Bumbershoot.
Through the years, she’s been able to perform with many top acts including Bonnie Raitt, and blues legend Jamaica Copeland.
-size: small;">Her magnetic performances and theatrical background made Bishop a natural to play the part of Janis Joplin in the biographical play, “Janis” in 1991.
Since then, Bishop has never stopped performing, winning numerous awards and a large following. Bishop’s powerful performances have engendered such loyalty that Seattle newsman Bryan Johnson decided to make a documentary of her career entitled, “Who is Duffy Bishop and Why is She Not World Famous?,” which includes many clips of her performing over the years.
Bishop said she is very thankful to Johnson for making the 30-minute documentary and takes the praise from the film in her usual self-deprecating style.
“If nothing else, you get to see a lot of bad hairdos,” Bishop said, with a laugh.
Bishop’s career took a unique turn when she first joined the Teatro Zinzanni troupe back in 1999. At the time, Heart’s Ann Wilson was finishing her run as the show’s original chanteuse and was preparing to go out on a concert tour. Bishop auditioned for the part and ended up playing the role for eight months. Her then boyfriend Chris Carlson, who is now her husband, joined the show as a musician. During the past 12 years, the couple has split their time between touring with their band, recording music and performing in various Zinzanni productions in both Seattle and San Francisco.
“We have had such a blast,” Bishop said of working in the show. “The people we’ve met through Zinzanni have been just amazing.”
For the uninitiated, Teatro Zinzanni is a hard show to explain. In general, it is a five-course gourmet dinner served inside a beautiful and ornate tent that is accompanied by more than three hours of clowns, acrobatics, vaudeville acts, cabaret singing, comedy acts and general silliness. This all involves a healthy helping of interaction from the audience. It is a unique and fun experience where no one is safe.
The latest incantation of the show is called “Radio Free Starlight,” starring Bishop as Madam Zinzanni, the owner of the tent and singing star for Radio TZ. With her motley restaurant staff of clowns, she broadcasts nightly into the cosmos with plenty of shenanigans and some inter-galactic surprises ensuing.
Teatro Zinzanni has always been known for attracting some of the world’s most unique acrobatic and vaudevillian talents. This show is no different, with hula-hoop champion and performance artist Mat Plendl, juggling acrobat Bernard Hazen and yodeling dominatrix Manuela Horn just a few of the performing stars.
Bishop said that the Teatro Zinzanni staff creates new shows on a regular basis. While it may look like mayhem, the crew actually does starts with an idea and they loosely script a story line. Bishop said that for the current show, the cast had about 10 days to develop their characters and create the dialogue for their parts. A stage manager writes down the dialogue as it develops during rehearsal and then the actors, director and staff decide what to keep and what to throw out.
“It is kind of an organic process,” Bishop said of the show’s development. “It allows you to put your own ideas out and have them considered. It really works well in helping you develop your character.”
Change is a constant with the show, which naturally morphs during its run as performers change or better jokes are developed and actors tinker with their dialogue. That is one reason why she never gets bored with the show.
“By the end of the show, you’ve got a completely different thing that what you started with,” Bishop said. “It’s always a great show, but it just changes over time.”
Bishop said she plans to continue working with Zinzanni and will perform at the company’s San Francisco theater this fall. In the meantime, she plans to go back out on the road with her band.
While she may not be world famous, Bishop, who is also a breast cancer survivor, said being able to keep her career going after all these years has given her life a different perspective and meaning.
“I’m just fortunate to still be performing and working,” Bishop said.
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