AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO to Play Ware Center, 11/5

Award-winning actor-director-playwright Frank Ferrante will recreate his PBS, New York and London acclaimed portrayal of legendary comedian Groucho Marx in "An Evening With Groucho" at the Ware Center located at 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The 90-minute, two-act show, starting 7:30 p.m., will feature Ferrante as the wisecracking Marx Brother, delivering some of his most memorable one-liners, anecdotes and songs, including "Hooray For Captain Spaulding," and "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady"- while popping out ad-libs à la Groucho at his wry best in his Emmy Award-winning TV quiz show, "You Bet Your Life."

Along with way, Ferrante will reacquaint the audience with Groucho's (real name: Julius Marx) family, including fellow Marx Brothers Harpo, Chico, Zeppo and Gummo, and other luminaries of his era, such as Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Greta Garbo, MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer-and, of course, his most famous comic foil, the indomitable Margaret Dumont.

"An Evening With Groucho" is based on the last one-man show Groucho Marx did, which debuted in 1972 at New York's Carnegie Hall, when Groucho was 81 years old. Five years later, Groucho passed away. Now, Ferrante brings him joyously to life again in "An Evening With Groucho."

Discovered while a drama student at the University of Southern California by Groucho's son, playwright Arthur Marx, Ferrante originated the title role in Arthur's 1986 off-Broadway show, "Groucho: A Life in Revue," which Ferrante later produced, directed and starred in for national PBS Television in 2001. Ferrante has also garnered theatrical awards and nominations for his portrayals of the Groucho roles in the off-Broadway and regional revivals of the Marx Brothers shows, "The Cocoanuts" and "Animal Crackers."

The New York Times has called Groucho Marx "America's most gifted funny man" and Frank Ferrante "the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx's material."

Tickets are $25 adult, $22 senior, and $5 student. Tickets can be purchased at ArtsMU.com, or by calling the ticket office at Millersville University, at 717-871-7600, or the Ware Center, 717-871-7018. Tickets may also be purchased at the ticket office, located in the Student Memorial Center, or at the front desk of the Ware Center, 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster. Discount parking vouchers for the Prince Street Garage (at North Prince and West Orange streets) will be available at the front desk of the Ware Center for the evening of the performance. For more information, contact Laura Kendall at the Ware Center, at laura.kendall@millersville.edu or 717-871-7018.

"An Evening With Groucho" is sponsored by Clark & Ethel Mae McSparren. The Arts at Millersville University is sponsored by Season Partner, Rodgers & Associates; Season Sponsors are Aussie & the Fox, Clipper Magazine, Hagelgans & Veronis, Hotel Lancaster, 12:34 Micro Technologies, Ann B. Barshinger, Peggy Neff, Mary S. Burton & Laurent Home, Linda Holman Marcks, Mary Kearns & Jon Walker. Media Sponsors are Fig Lancaster Magazine & Fine Living Lancaster. The film series is sponsored by Carmen & David's Creamery.