Best Performance Award Nomination -Best Music Direction of a Musical, 2024 (Arts for Life, St. Louis, MO)
Chelsea was recently nominated for a Best Performance Award by Arts for Life in St. Louis. She was recognized for Best Music Direction of a Musical for her work on Anything Goes at the Kirkwood Theatre Guild, among fourteen nominations that the production received all together. She is proud to be attending the Arts for Life Best Performance Awards on June 29th, 2025, and thrilled to be recognized for her contribution to the St. Louis theatre scene. More importantly, she is excited to take part in an event sponsored by Arts for Life, a not-for-profit that aligns with her passion for arts education and community outreach. To find out more information and the full list of 2024 nominees, please click on the link below to access the Arts for Life website! ​​​​​
La Traviopera, 2024 (Podcast, Guest Appearance)
Chelsea guest starred on Meredith Kessler's podcast, La Traviopera, to dissect the plot of one of her favorite operas, The Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky. While she often participates in musical theatre, she is both a practitioner and fan of the vast catalogue of classical music. This plot is a particularly strange one, so buckle up. Available to stream at the links below!
​Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rakes-progress/id1776898756?i=1000677865286
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Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/11rkDlB0KtVUbmgbvkkJFs?si=RMEFfbSzSAqvD6nQ6D5drQ​​​
American Idiot, 2024 (New Line Theatre, Review)
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Chelsea is credited as Assistant Music Director and Keyboard in this review of New Line Theatre's 2024 production of
American Idiot.
"New Line Theatre's latest revival of Green Day's punk rock musical American Idiot [...] feels more alienated, more rebellious, and a hundred times more nuanced in its singing and acting than the last."
Richard T. Green, Talkin' Broadway
https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/stl/stl815.html
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"10 Ways to Develop as a Student Music Director" (article written by Chelsea Zak,
published by Maestra Music Inc., 2023)
Maestra has been an invaluable resource for Chelsea's development as a musician in the theatre, and she is proud to have published an article for their blog geared toward college students who want to music direct for the theatre! This article outlines the unique experience of student music directors, which opens up a larger conversation within the niche profession. The article can be accessed at the link below.​
https://maestramusic.org/blog/10-ways-to-develop-as-a-student-music-director/?swcfpc=1​​​
Pippin: The Musical, 2022 (Vassar College, Review)
"Zak led the orchestration eloquently as the Music Director ...Zak’s ability to conduct a pit of 14 musicians was astounding and being able to see her work her own magic behind the scrim was a feat. Zak also made an appearance onstage at one point, showcasing her truly impressive accordion-playing abilities."
Sophia Wood, Miscellany News
https://miscellanynews.org/2022/11/16/arts/drama-department-production-of-pippin-is-truly-magical/
"Remember the Chapel Bells?" (2021 Article
highlighting Chelsea's work within
Vassar College's Carillon Program)
"The carillon, which was installed at the start of the Fall Semester, is attached to speakers on the roof of the Chapel, enabling everyone on campus to enjoy songs that are played daily at 12:30 and 5:00 p.m. It is capable of playing more than 8,000 tunes, and music major Chelsea Zak ’23, an intern in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices, has been taking requests to add even more to the carillon’s repertoire. “I’ve had requests for (songs by) Taylor Swift and Cardi B and even some music from some video games,” said Zak, who records the songs via a keyboard attached to the digital machine."
Larry Hertz, Miscellany News
https://www.vassar.edu/news/remember-chapel-bells
