Kent Arts Commission is presenting “An Evening with Groucho” on Friday, March 23 as part of its Spotlight Series’ 20th anniversary season.

Award-winning actor Frank Ferrante brings the legendary comedian to life starting at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center, 10020 SE 256th St.

The show features classic Marx Brothers songs, dances, jokes, ad-libs and audience interaction.

NPR picked Frank Ferrante’s award-winning portrayal of American comedy legend Groucho Marx as one of the country’s top five solo shows. For twenty-five years and over 2,500 performances Frank has traveled the world in more than 400 cities entertaining audiences of all ages from New York to London to PBS television. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “masterful.” The New York Times called him “artful.” And the Seattle Weekly recently said of Frank, “See this man. He is comic genius.”

Frank Ferrante is an actor, director and producer described by The New York Times as “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material.” Animal Crackers and A Night at the Opera co-author Morrie Ryskind called him “the only actor aside from Groucho who delivered my lines as they were intended.” Discovered by Groucho’s son Arthur when Frank was a drama student at the University of Southern California, Frank originated the off-Broadway title role in Groucho: A Life in Revue (written by Arthur). For this role, Frank earned New York’s Theatre World Award and an Outer Critics Circle nomination. He reprised the role in London’s West End and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Comedy Performance of the Year.’

Seattle area audiences also recognize Frank as the comic Latin lover ‘Caesar’ in the cirque show Teatro ZinZanni. He has played Caesar in over 1,200 performances in Seattle, San Francisco, and Amsterdam.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors and $15 for youths. Tickets for this and all Spotlight Series performances are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased online at kentarts.com, by calling 253-856-5051 or in person at the Kent Commons, 525 4th Ave. N. Hours for phone and in-person sales are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Box office is closed on Sunday.

Spotlight Series is presented by the Kent Arts Commission and Kent Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and partially funded by 4Culture and a variety of business and individual sponsors. “An Evening with Groucho” is partially funded by WESTAF, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Pete and Pat Curran Family through the Kent Parks Foundation. For information call 253-856-5050 or visit kentarts.com.

Scott Schaefer

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...