By Ernio Hernandez
20 Oct 2004

Frank Ferrante in Groucho: A Life In Revue

Original Off-Broadway star Frank Ferrante reprises his title role as the famous Marx brother in Groucho: A Life In Revue as the work plays at Boston's Cutler Majestic Theatre.

The star also directs the staging of the work by Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher at the Emerson College stage, Oct. 20-24.

Co-penned by the son of the legendary performer of stage and screen, Groucho: A Life In Revue takes a look back at the star's life from age 15 to 85 through an evening of comedy. The work ran Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in 1986 with Ferrante opposite Les Marsden and Faith Prince.

The Majestic run will feature Ferrante as Groucho in a cast that includes Richard Tatum as Chico/Harpo, Amanda Rogers as The Girls, Chip Phillips as Citizen Of Freedonia and Jim Furmston as The Pianist.

The design team include Kim Hanson (lighting), Jose M. Rivera (costumes), Linda Manzano (wigs) and set by Gateway Playhouse based on the original Off-Broadway design by Michael Hotopp. Kristin Hassett serves as production stage manager. Jim Furmston is musical director.

Born Julius Henry Marx, Groucho was part of the Marx Brothers team with his real siblings Leonard Marx (Chico), Herbert Marx (Zeppo) and Adolph Arthur Marx (Harpo). (Their other brother Milton Marx, known as Gummo, left the group before they made it big.) On Broadway, they performed in I'll Say She Is, The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers — the latter two were adapted for film. Other films as "Monkey Business, " "Duck Soup" and "At the Circus."

For tickets to Groucho: A Life In Revue at the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont Street in Boston, MA, call (800) 233-3123. For more information, visit www.maj.org.