Frank Ferrante and The Central Heating Lab Present GROUCHO RETURNS, 8/7-24
By: Jillian Gaier Jul. 14, 2014
Who: ACT Central Heating Lab and Frank Ferrante
Where: ACT, The Bullitt Cabaret, 700 Union Street, Downtown Seattle
When: August 7-24, 2014, Press Opening August 8
Tickets start at: Adults: $35; Students and Age 25 & Under: $25
Available to ACTPass members. Now on sale: (206) 292-7676 or www.acttheatre.org.
You can't fault a performer for loving Seattle, and you certainly can't fault Seattle for falling for this performer! Groucho is back for a third consecutive summer engagement in ACT Theatre's Bullitt Cabaret. Award-winning actor Frank Ferrante returns to one of his favorite cities worldwide to perform his hilarious one-man tribute to the comedic legend of Groucho Marx. Directed by Dreya Weber Groucho Returns runs for three weeks in a show that is never the same twice. Master of improvisation Frank Ferrante riffs off a different audience each night in classic Groucho Marx style.
Presented by the Central Heating Lab at ACT, Groucho Returns is a fast-paced 90-minute comedic juggernaut packed with vintage one-liners, anecdotes, songs, vignettes, with spontaneity for all generations to enjoy.
2014 marks Ferrante's 30th year of portraying Groucho Marx onstage and he has received an abundance of acclaim along the way, including: Winner of the 1987 New York Theatre World Award and anomination for the Outer Critics Circle Award and Laurence Olivier Award. Ferrante was discovered in the 1980s by Groucho's son Arthur, and together they originated the off-Broadway show Groucho: A Life in Revue (written by Arthur Marx). Mr. Ferrante and Dreya Weber also performer regularly at Teatro ZinZanni.
Born Julius Henry, "Groucho" Marx (1890-1977) was the middle son of five brothers, raised by his poor immigrant parents Sam and Minnie Marx in New York City. Groucho's first performance was at age 15 singing with a group called the "Leroy Trio". His brothers Harpo, Chico, Gummo, and Zeppo joined as the singing "Four Nightingales" which would later evolve into the legendary vaudeville act "The Marx Brothers." By 1924 the Marx Brothers were playing Broadway with their first hit show I'll Say She Is. By 1930 the Brothers moved to Hollywood and became comedic film sensations with Duck Soup, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, A Night at the Opera, and Animal Crackers among others. Groucho launched his successful solo career as a comic host for television and radio with You Bet Your Life, and enjoyed a renaissance in the 1960s as younger audiences took to Marx Brothers. In his final years he made many TV appearances, performed at Carnegie Hall at age 82 and received a special Academy Award in 1974 for the achievements of the Marx Brothers.
Frank Ferrante and the creative team are available for interviews. For more information please contact Val Brunetto brunetva@gmail.com or call (925) 818-3919.
CAST:
CREATIVE TEAM:
Mark Rabe - Piano
Dreya Weber - Director
Robert Aguilar - Lighting Designer
FULL DATES AND SCHEDULE:
Thursday, August 7, 7:30pm (Preview)
Friday, August 8, 7:30pm OPENING NIGHT
Saturday, August 9, 7:30pm
Sunday, August 10, 2:00pm
Wednesday, August 13, 7:30pm
Thursday, August 14, 7:30pm
Friday, August 15, 7:30pm
Saturday, August 16, 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, August 17, 2:00pm
Thursday, August 21, 7:30pm
Friday, August 22, 7:30pm
Saturday, August 23, 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, August 24, 2:00pm (Closing performance)
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