Seattle’s long-running circus-meets-cabaret dinner theater, Teatro Zinzanni, has hit a rough patch, with lawsuits and state wage complaints piling up after the company abruptly paused performances this winter. The sudden shutdown has left performers, service staff and local vendors chasing money they say they are still owed, while the company and its creditors wrestle over who gets paid and when.
Local caterer sues while lenders line up
Harried & Hungry, a Seattle catering company that worked with the theater, has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit in King County Superior Court seeking at least $300,000. Court filings reviewed by reporters also show a separate outside lender has sued over unpaid sums tied to Teatro Zinzanni’s Chicago outpost. That lender says it advanced tens of thousands of dollars to the Chicago operation and that payments stopped in late January, leaving vendors and partners hanging. As reported by The Seattle Times.
Shows halted, contracts cut short
In January, Teatro Zinzanni shut down its Seattle run and pulled the plug on a show that had been booked through April. Performers say roughly two dozen contracts were ended early. According to the company’s website, refunds for post-closure show dates are scheduled to go out in February while leadership figures out next steps. The Chicago venue has also gone dark for now as management weighs options. Per Teatro Zinzanni.
Workers report missing final paychecks
At least 16 former Zinzanni workers told reporters they never received final paychecks the company said would land on Feb. 4, with individual amounts typically ranging from about $1,000 to more than $2,000. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries has logged eight wage complaints tied to the theater and says its agents usually reach out to workers and former employers within roughly 60 days.
In an email cited by reporters, founder Norm Langill wrote that paying Zinzanni’s more than 100 staffers and performers was his top priority, even as money troubles mounted. As reported by The Seattle Times. For information on filing complaints, see the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
Community rallies while the clock ticks
Current and former staffers have launched a community fundraiser to help cover unpaid wages and tips while the legal dust settles, and social media posts by ex-employees describe missed direct deposits and abrupt layoffs. The complaints already on file have triggered separate civil cases and state investigations that could crawl along for months. In the meantime, workers and vendors can pursue their own remedies through the courts and the state labor agency. The community fundraiser is listed on GoFundMe.
What the legal fight could mean
The Harried & Hungry lawsuit and the other breach claims could lead to contested hearings in King County and, for some creditors, in other courts as well. Wage complaints head down a different track, handled through Washington’s L&I process on its own timetable. Until the debts are sorted out or the company reaches a deal with those it owes, performers and hourly staff are likely to be waiting in the wings the longest for any recovery of unpaid pay.
