After decades of showing off in the opera and classical singing world, Regina Zona is ready to begin her SECOND ACT as a cabaret artist at The Triad, Sunday, December 8th at 5:30 pm. Zona’s Music Director is Jonathan K. Parks; the show is directed by Lina Koutrakos.
NiteLife Exchange (NLE) celebrates Regina Zona (RZ) with Six Questions
NiteLife Exchange: You’re an internationally recognized classical vocalist who’s performed on opera and concert stages all over the world in a variety of repertoire from Mozart to Strauss. When did you realize you have the gift of singing and what were some of your early influences?
Regina Zona: I didn’t actually start singing until I was a junior in high school. Before that I was a pianist. As a matter of fact, I wanted to be a concert pianist and travel around the globe playing Rachmaninoff Concerti with international orchestras. But when I realized that I didn’t want to practice 12 hours a day I had this dream of being a cocktail pianist—singing and playing jazz in some fabulous New York night club! So I told my Dad I was going to the Berklee College of Music and get my degree in commercial music. He promptly answered, “No, you are going to a REAL college and get a REAL degree!” Soon after that my high school choral director heard me sing and suggested I take voice lessons. The funny thing was that I could always imitate opera singers (mostly to impress the boys!) but when I started taking voice lessons I realized that “fake” opera voice was actually my real voice! And then I was cast as the lead in the high school musical —Maria in West Side Story—and that was it! Singing high notes, being dramatic and getting the last bow—that was all I needed to know that I was destined for the stage! LOL!
NLE: You’ve had a highly diverse career for over three decades. How did you eventually get your start in cabaret? What made you decide the time was right?
RZ: In 2018, I wrote and performed my first one-woman show, Becoming…the Queen: One Woman’s Self-Help Journey to Authenticity. It was mostly spoken word with some singing, exploring my childhood, my relationship with my parents and how my healthy obsession with self-help books allowed me to grow up as a fairly well-functioning adult. It was an incredibly cathartic and fulfilling artistic experience and I knew I wanted to follow it up with another show which was less “deep.” I had a big birthday coming up and I thought I wanted to celebrate that, so I decided to put together a cabaret to commemorate the big birthday and celebrate how I survived and flourished after all that stuff I talked about in my one-woman show!
It was about that time that I received a Facebook message from David Sabella, who was looking for a web designer for a new cabaret website. I have a side-hustle as a web designer and we started working together in creating CabaretHotSpot.com. Suddenly I was submerged in this industry, met several people, including the incredible Sue Matsuki, and the idea for my little cabaret all of a sudden became a much bigger deal. I was now being encouraged to think of it as an actual “next step” in my performing career. Sue took me under her wing, heard my ideas for my show and guided me in how I could make it happen. I’m eternally grateful for her! And now after a little more than a year, it’s actually happening!
NLE: What can audiences expect in Becoming…the Queen 2.0?
RZ: Well, there is a little bit of EVERYTHING! It’s my “coming out” party to the cabaret world, so you’ll learn a little about me, my career, my love and my journey into my “second act.” My director, Lina Koutrakos, has helped me craft my story in a really entertaining and poignant way. You’ll hear some opera, jazz, art song and some big Broadway show tunes—a little bit of EVERYTHING! And I have a band! Led by my incredible music director, Jonathan K. Parks.
NLE: With regard to future shows, do you have anything in mind?
RZ: Isn’t that funny! I haven’t even made my New York cabaret debut yet and I’ve actually already thought about the next TWO shows! I would really love to do a jazz show. My vocal jazz idol is Shirley Horn and I would LOVE to do a tribute show based on her music. And my specialty in the classical singing world is American art song, so I would love to do a show that mashes up Great American Art Song with the Great American Songbook. But first, I have to get through this current show! HA!
NLE: What would you say is your current motivator?
RZ: I still have something to say as an artist! I come from the opera world where the younger, prettier, sexier performer is coveted. And there is nothing wrong with youth, don’t get me wrong! But I am a better singer and performer and artist now than I ever was when I was a working opera singer. In the great words of Stephen Sondheim, “I know things now, many valuable things!” And I want to share that! Last summer I had a coaching with the amazing Marilyn Maye and she asked me how old I was. When I told her, she said, “Oh, you are in your prime! The next 15 years is when it’s really going to happen!” I laughed out loud because I would have NEVER heard that in the opera world!
NLE: After such a fulfilling and rewarding career, is there anything left you wish to accomplish ?
RZ: Sure! I want to write a play (and star in it!). I want to sing a jazz show at Birdland. I want to learn the Argentine tango. I hear that the Broadway production of Chicago is looking for a new Roxie Hart, so maybe I’ll do that. LOL!
NLE: What do you do in your spare time?
RZ: I am a voice teacher and dramatic coach, so that keeps me busy (www.thezonastudio.com). And as I mentioned previously, I am also a web designer (www.toscawebdesign.com). But my favorite thing to do is spend time cozied up in my lovely house with my spouse and two adorable puppies, Max and Annie!
For more information and tickets click here
The Triad Theater is located at 158 W. 72nd Street, New York, NY
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