Legendary comedian Groucho Marx comes to life on the stage of the Northshore Performing Arts Center Saturday, March 21 when award-winning actor, director and playwright Frank Ferrante recreates his acclaimed portrayal in the fast paced romp, “An Evening with Groucho.”
Groucho Marx is regarded as one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century. As part of the Marx Brothers, Groucho was joined by brothers Chico, Harpo, Gummo and Zeppo as a vaudeville act, eventually moving to Broadway. In 1930, Groucho and his brothers moved to Hollywood and broke into film comedy with now classic movies such as “Monkey Business,” “Horse Feathers,” “Duck Soup,” “A Night at the Opera,” and “A Day at the Races.” Groucho continued his entertainment career as a comedian long after the Marx Brothers made their final film in 1949.
The two-act comedy “An Evening with Groucho” consists of Groucho’s best one-liners, anecdotes, and songs. The audience becomes part of the show as Ferrante ad-libs his way throughout the performance in grand Groucho style. Accompanied by onstage pianist Jim Furmston, Ferrante portrays the young Groucho of stage and film, and reacquaints us with the likes of brothers Harpo, Chico, Zeppo and Gummo, Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Greta Garbo, Margaret Dumont, and MGM’s Louis B. Mayer.
Discovered by Groucho’s son Arthur, Frank Ferrante originated the off-Broadway title role in “Groucho: A Life in Revue” (written by Arthur) portraying the comedian from age 15 to 85. For this role, Frank won 1987’s New York’s Theatre World Award and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. He reprised the role in London’s West End and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Comedy Performance of the Year. Frank also starred in, directed and produced the national PBS television program “Groucho: A Life in Revue.”
Ferrante played the Groucho role in the off-Broadway revival of “The Cocoanuts” and has played Captain Spalding in several productions of “Animal Crackers,” winning a Connecticut Critics Circle Award for his portrayal at Goodspeed and a Helen Hayes nomination in Washington D.C. at Arena Stage. “Animal Crackers” co-author Morrie Ryskind called Ferrante “the only actor aside from Groucho who delivered my lines as they were intended.”
Ferrante also recently appeared at Seattle’s Teatro ZinZanni as Chef Caesar in “A Rosa de Rio.”
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