Broadway BUZZ

Chip Zien created the central role of the Baker in Sondheim/Lapine’s award-winning Into the Woods (L.A. Drama-Logue Award, Outer Critics nomination) and also created the role of Mendel in William Finn’s highly acclaimed Falsettos. Most recently he was seen on B'way in It Shoulda Been You, preceded by The Big Knife directed by Douglas Hughes, The Roundabout’s The People in the Picture, The Country Girl directed by Mike Nichols 'and as Thenardier in the revival of Les Miserables. He appeared in Tommy Tune’s Grand Hotel playing Otto Kringelein, the memorable dancing bookkeeper. Other Broadway credits include, The Boys from Syracus, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, All Over Town directed by Dustin Hoffman, The Suicide with Derek Jacobi. Mr. Zien began his long association with William Finn in the New York premiere of In Trousers, the first Marvin musical, at Playwrights Horizons playing Marvin and appeared thereafter in the original productions of March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland. Mr. Zien also starred in the La Jolla reworking of Merrily We Roll Along (L.A. Drama-Logue Award). Off-Broadway, Mr. Zien has been equally comfortable in plays and musicals. Among his many credits: Nathan Englander’s The 27th Man and the Delacorte’s revival of Into the Woods for the Public Theater. As well as Glenn Merzer’s Anonymous, Peter Parnell’s An Imaginary Life, Wendy Wasserstein’s Isn’t It Romantic (Drama Desk Nomination), Michael Weller’s Split and Moonchildren, Lanford Wilson’s Hot L Baltimore (both in NY and LA’s Mark Taper Forum), Allan Ginsburg’s Kaddish, as well as Finn’s A New Brain (Drama Desk Nomination), Diamonds, the Ashman/Menken Real Life Funnies, and the hit revue Tuscaloosa’s Calling Me, etc. On TV, Mr. Zien appears this season on House of Cards. He received excellent notices for his recurring role on HBO’s The Night Of. He has been a series regular on The Caroline Rhea Show, Almost Perfect, (CBS), Now and Again (CBS), Deadline (NBC), Shell Game (CBS), Love, Sidney (NBC), and Reggie (ABC). He has guested through the years on many popular shows, among them Bull, Mozart in the Jungle, Chicago PD, The Good Wife, Ugly Petty, Lipstick Jungle, Rescue Me, CSI, Law and Order, Cheers, The Bob Newhart Show, Thirty-Something, Judging Amy, Cosby, The Cagney and Lacey Movies, Chips, Son of the Beach, Madigan Men, and Wings, as well as numerous pilots. His film career has been varied. He played the Chief Executive to the President of the United States in The Siege and was the voice of the infamous Howard the Duck. Also: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead, United 93, Snake Eyes, Breakfast of Champions, Dorothy Parker and the Vicious Circle, Grace Quigley with Katherine Hepburn, So Fine, Hello Again, House of God and The Rose. Mr. Zien has also turned his attention to writing. His musical, The History of War was selected and presented at The New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF). His one-man show Death in Ashtabula and a musical revue Travels with My Discontent showcasing the music of Deborah Abramson were both developed and performed at The Barrington Stage. Additionally, Mr. Zien has performed his solo cabaret and concert act at 54 Below and his CD, Seriously Upbeat, recorded live, is available on the web. Mr. Zien attended the University of Pennsylvania. His wife, Susan Pilarre, is a former soloist with the NYC Ballet and currently teaches at the School of American Ballet. They are the proud parents of two wonderful daughters and three grandchildren.