Arne & Claire Zaslove
Queen Anne residents Arne and Claire Zaslove have made significant contributions to Seattle’s cultural and theatrical vitality.
Born and raised in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, Arne Zaslove studied at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh beginning in 1957, and received a Fulbright scholarship to support his theatrical studies in Paris, France 1964-66 -- the first American ever to study at Ecole Jacques Lecoq.
He moved to Seattle in 1967 to begin his service on the faculty of the University of Washington School of Drama, and established the Floating Theatre Company, performing at venues throughout Seattle. He also performed in productions at other Seattle theatres , including ACT / A Contemporary Theatre in its original venue at 100 West Roy. He taught at the National Theatre School of Canada 1972-74. From 1974-76, Seattle Repertory Theatre employed him as Associate Artistic Director. Arne introduced Seattle audiences to new works from emerging playwrights of the time including Max Frisch, Robert Lowell, Michael Ondaatje, and Tom Stoppard.
In 1980, while serving on the faculty of the University of British Columbia Theatre Department, he began a term as Artistic Director at Bathhouse Theatre on Green Lake – first as an employee of the City of Seattle, and later operating the theatre independently. During his 20-year tenure at Bathhouse, audiences particularly appreciated his updated Shakespeare productions and 17 versions of “The Big Broadcast” -- a tribute to the golden age of radio.
Later he initiated Hit and Run Theatre, producing performances at MOHAI, Town Hall, and other Seattle-area venues; the artists’ organization Global-Works; and also Commedia dell Arne.
A native of Vancouver BC, Claire Zaslove attended Yale University, earning a BA in English and Theatre Studies in 1981, followed by a 1984 MFA in Theatre Directing from University of British Columbia. She worked in Vancouver-area theatres as an Acting Instructor and Artistic Director until 1990.
Claire and Arne met during their shared British Columbia theatrical times. They married in 1991 and settled on Queen Anne Hill. In 1996, they wrote Sherlock's Veiled Secret - Acting Edition.
Claire performs plays and voiceovers using the stage name Claire Vardiel. She has performed on stage, in TV and film, and in radio spots.
She also writes plays, under the name K. C. Brown. In 2013, Bathhouse Theatre presented her play “The Realm of Whispering Ghosts: If Truman Met Einstein.”
She established Normandy Press, producing theatre-related publications.
In 2011, Normandy Press published What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen? A Family Guide to Classic Movies, and in November 2020 published Arne's UnMasking the Mask: Insights from Physical Theatre and Life.