Susan Zelinsky is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, musical theater director, and humanitarian born to parents Michael and Linda (née Anderson) Zelinsky in

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

. She has performed and recorded with such recording artists as Eric Martin,

Eddie Money Edward Joseph Mahoney (March 21, 1949 – September 13, 2019), known professionally as Eddie Money, was an American singer and songwriter who, in the 1970s and 1980s, had eleven Top 40 songs, including "Baby Hold On", "Two Tickets to Parad ...

Pablo Cruise Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul (name), Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer *Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer *Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist *Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * ...

, Jeff Watson,

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

Vicki Randle Vicki Randle (born December 11, 1954)Hillgirlz, the les ...

, Joel Jaffe,

Penny Framstad Penny Rae Framstad is an American singer and songwriter whose musical style has been generally classified as pop, rock, and singer/songwriter influences. She has shared the stage with The Doobie Brothers, Sixpence None the Richer, and Matt Natha ...

, Noelle Hampton, The Rowans, and more.

Early life

Zelinsky split her time growing up with her father in San Francisco, California and with her mother in

Carpinteria, California Carpinteria (; es, Carpintería, meaning "Carpentry") is a small seaside city in southeastern Santa Barbara County, California. Located on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California, it had a population of 13,264 at the 2020 U ...

. She began playing the piano and writing songs at the age of nine. Her father gave her a guitar when she was thirteen and she taught herself to play. She attended The

American Conservatory Theater The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is a nonprofit theater company in San Francisco, California, United States, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. It also has an attached acting school. History The Ameri ...

, (ACT) Young Conservatory in San Francisco, California as well as studying acting at ''Jean Shelton Actor's Lab'' at

Shelton Studios The Shelton Studios, also known as the Jean Shelton Actors Lab, is an American method acting school based in San Francisco. The school was founded in 1961 by stage actors Robert Elross and Jean Shelton. It prepares students to the art of film and th ...

. She studied Shakespeare and theater at The

College of Marin The College of Marin is a public community college in Marin County, California, with two campuses, one in Kentfield, and the second in Novato. It is the only institution operated by the Marin Community College District. College of Marin has been ...

and was a recipient of The

Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...

Scholarship Award.

Acting career

Zelinsky began acting professionally since 1987 and has been featured in national television commercials, TV series, and films. She is also an award-winning musical theater actress and singer.

Film and television

* 2015 - Mermaids on Mars (Short) ''Mother'' * 2010 - Background (Short) ''Cafe Owner'' * 2001 -

Sweet November (2001 film) ''Sweet November'' is a 2001 American romantic drama film based in San Francisco directed by Pat O'Connor (director), Pat O'Connor and starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. The film is based on the 1968 film ''Sweet November (1968 film), Swee ...

''Waitress'' * 1997 -

Nash Bridges ''Nash Bridges'' is an American police procedural television series created by Carlton Cuse. The show stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The seri ...

''Waitress'' * 1977 - Moving Target (1997) ... Waitress * 1988 - Chivalrous Deeds of a Nincompoop

Musical Theater

Zelinksy has performed in lead roles as a singer and actress in such musical productions as ''

Hairspray Hairspray may refer to: * Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind * ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters ** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album ** ''Hairspray ...

'', ''

The Sound Of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...

'', ''

Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Academy Award winner Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts. The picture is a film adaptation ...

'', and ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...

'' amongst others in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. She has performed in ten musicals at The Mountain Play Theater, an outdoor amphitheater on Mount Tamalpais in

Marin County Marin County is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is acros ...

, playing the lead role of ''Tanya'' in 2018 to a sold-out audience (seating 4,000) for four consecutive nights.

Theater Credits

* 2019 -

Spamalot ''Spamalot'' (also known as ''Monty Python's Spamalot'') is a musical comedy with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and lyrics and book by Idle. It is adapted from the 1975 film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. Like the motion picture ...

- Lady of the Lake -

Marin Shakespeare Company The Marin Shakespeare Company was established in 1989 at Dominican College’s Forest Meadows Amphitheatre in San Rafael, California, by Lesley Schisgall Currier and Robert Currier. The original Marin Shakespeare Festival, founded by John and A ...

* 2018 -

Mamma Mia (musical) ''Mamma Mia!'' (promoted as ''Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' Mamma Mia!'') is a jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on songs recorded by Swedish group ABBA and composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeu ...

- Tanya - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2015 -

Into The Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story ...

- as Wicked Step Mother and Cinderella's Mother - Theater at Large Novato * 2015 -

Peter Pan (musical) Peter Pan, his fellow characters, and the setting of Neverland have appeared in many works since the original books and 1904 play by J. M. Barrie. The earliest were the stage productions of the play, and an adaptation to silent film, done wit ...

- as Mrs. Darling - Ruby daughter/lost boy - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2013 -

Steel Magnolias (play) ''Steel Magnolias'' is a stage play by American writer Robert Harling, based on his experience with his sister's death. The play is a comedy-drama about the bond among a group of Southern women in northwest Louisiana. The title suggests the " ...

- as M'Lynn - Novato Theater Company * 2013 -

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...

- Elsa von Schraeder - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2012 -

The Music Man (musical) ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...

- Marian - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2011 -

Hairspray (musical) ''Hairspray'' is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dan ...

- Velma Von Tussle - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2010 -

Guys and Dolls (musical) ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also bo ...

- Sarah - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2007 -

Beauty and the Beast (musical) ''Beauty and the Beast'' is a Disney stage musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and a book by Linda Woolverton. Adapted from Walt Disney Pictures' Academy Award-winning 1991 animated musical film of the sa ...

- as Belle - Independent Artists of Marin (IAM) - San Alselmo Playhouse * 2007 -

Hair (musical) ''Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical'' is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. The work reflects the creators' observations of the hippie counterculture and sexual revolut ...

- Sheila - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2004 -

My Fair Lady (musical) ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons fro ...

- Eliza Doolittle - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 2000 -

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 BC), specifica ...

- as Philia - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 1999 -

West Side Story (musical) ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-19 ...

- Maria - Mountain Play Association, Marin County * 1997 - 1998

The Birds (play) ''The Birds'' ( grc-gre, Ὄρνιθες, Órnithes) is a comedy by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed in 414 BC at the City Dionysia in Athens where it won second place. It has been acclaimed by modern critics as a perfe ...

- as Prokne - and band member for the birds - Berkeley repertory theater and south coast repertory orange county (5 month tour) Oct. - 2 * 1989 -

Brigadoon (musical) ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song " Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, ...

- Ensemble - Mountain Play Association - Marin County * 1985 - A Christmas Carol (play) - as Mrs. Christmas Past - American Conservatory theater (ACG) San Francisco - The Geary Theater

Musical Theater Awards

* 2013 - SFBATCC Award - Best Actress in a Play (M’lynn/Steel Magnolias/Novato Theater Company) * 2004 - San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award (SFBATCC) - Best Actress in a Musical (Eliza/My Fair Lady/The Mountain Play) * 1998 - SFBATCC Nominee - Best Actress in a Musical (Maria/West Side Story/The Mountain Play) * 1998 - Dean Goodman Choice Award (Bay Area) - Best Actress in a Musical (Maria/West Side Story/The Mountain Play)

Music career

Zelinksy began performing professionally in 1994 under the band name, ''Susan Z''. She performed regionally from the Marin Bay Area to Southern California and has released two albums, ''Believe'' in 1999 and ''Cautionary Tales'' in 2004. Her music, ''Justin Jones'' was featured in ''Hi Line'' in 1997 and ''California'' was featured in

in 1999.

Music In Video Games

* 2014 - Preston Castle (performer: "Your Revenge") / (writer: "Your Revenge") * 2008 - The Sims: Bustin' Out (Video Game) ''Female Voice Talent'' (voice, as Susan Zelinski) * 2007 -

Karaoke Revolution ''Karaoke Revolution'' and its sequels are video games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, developed by Harmonix and Blitz Games and published by Konami in its Bemani line of music games. The Original Conce ...

Presents:

American Idol (video game) ''Pop Idol'' (''American Idol'' in North America) is a rhythm video game developed by Hothouse Creations and published by Codemasters for PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. It is based on the reality talent show franchise ''I ...

(performer: "Straight Up") * 2005 -

Karaoke Revolution Party ''Karaoke Revolution'' and its sequels are video games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, developed by Harmonix and Blitz Games and published by Konami in its Bemani line of music games. The Original Concept f ...

(Video Game) (performer: "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life", "Call Me", "Fly", "Material Girl", "Pieces Of Me", "That's Amore", "Time After Time") * 2004 -

Volume 3 (Video Game) (performer: "Come Clean", "Love Shack", "Oops!... I Did It Again", "Take My Breath Away", "Thank You", "Why Can't I") * 2004 -

Volume 2 (Video Game) (performer: "...Baby One More Time", "Cry", "Hot Stuff", "I'm With You", "It's My Life", "Papa Don't Preach", "The First Cut Is The Deepest", "Toxic", "We Are Family", "White Flag") * 2003 -

(Video Game) (performer: "All You Wanted", "Are You Happy Now?", "Believe", "Complicated", "Don't Know Why", "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", "Kiss Me", "Like A Virgin", "Waiting For Tonight", "When A Man Loves A Woman") * 2003 - SimCity 4: Rush Hour (Video Game) (voice, as Susan Zelinski) * 2001 - Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Video Game) Adela Tyché / Female Farmer / Naboo Citizen (voice) * 2013 - Skiing Fran (Mobile/iOS) ''Fran Foofaraw'' (voice, as Susan Zelinski)

Wine, Women, & Song

Wine, Women & Song® is an annual benefit concert which raises money for the fight against breast cancer, founded by Susan Zelinsky, in 1998. As of 2018, over $350,000 has been raised and given to local charities: ''To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation'' and ''ZERO Breast Cancer of Marin''.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelinsky, Susan 1967 births Living people American women singer-songwriters