Last week, I was happy to catch the opening night of GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVUE, a must-see for anyone who needs a laugh!

The Marx Brothers had a historic three-month run 100 years ago at the Walnut with this hilarious and moving tribute to ‘The Kings of Comedy.’ Original New York and London’s Olivier Award-nominated star and Walnut favorite Frank Ferrante along with a versatile cast take you from The Marx Brothers’ earliest days in vaudeville to film, stage, radio, and television stardom. This spirited musical comedy features classic songs and chronicles the remarkable rags-to-riches story of America’s funniest entertainer.

The legendary Marx Brothers performed their musical-comedy revue, I’LL SAY SHE IS, at Walnut Street Theatre from June 4th through September 1st, 1923, and to this day it holds the record for the Walnut’s longest running show. The following spring, after a national tour, the brothers returned to the Walnut for three weeks. On May 19th, 1924, two days after the Philadelphia closing, Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo Marx debuted I’LL SAY SHE IS on Broadway.

Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx was a 20^th century American comedian, actor, singer, writer, game show host, and vaudeville star. His trademark look—thick glasses, mustache, and greasepaint eyebrows—is a recognizable costume staple. Dubbed “Groucho Glasses,” these one-piece masks consisting of a plastic nose, black glasses, and fake mustache and eyebrows are only part of Groucho Marx’s legacy.

In addition to his solo work, Groucho performed with his brothers, appearing as “the Marx Brothers” on stage and on screen. With 14 feature films to their name, the Marx Brothers are considered among the most influential comedians of the 20^th century. GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVUE, written by Groucho Marx’s son Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher, is a tribute to the life and career of one of America’s greatest comedians.

Bringing Groucho to life as director and star of the show is Walnut favorite and lifelong Groucho devotee FRANK FERRANTE. Ferrante starred as Groucho in the show’s 1987 off-Broadway debut, marking the beginning of a decades-long career portraying the inimitable comedian. Described by The New York Times as “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material,” Ferrante first appeared on the Walnut mainstage 31 years ago in a production of GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVUE and has since become a Walnut fan favorite.

Making his Walnut debut as both Harpo and Chico, the two brothers who formed the core of the Marx Brothers’ comedic act with Groucho, is MATT ROPER. The British-born actor is known for his comedic presence and has appeared in several adaptations of Marx Brothers’ material, including a production of The Cocoanuts with Frank Ferrante.

Returning to the Walnut as a Freedonian citizen and the off-stage voice of Lee Shubert and others is DAVE JOHNSON, who last appeared at WST in a production of Shipwrecked. Rounding out the cast and appearing as a variety of roles, from chorus girls to Groucho’s wives to Margaret Dumont, is DREYA WEBER, who made her Walnut debut in A Comedy of Tenors. Weber is no stranger to the Marx Brothers, having directed the stage and film versions of Frank Ferrante‘s Groucho.

Capturing the essence of the 20^th century theatre experience, complete with a replica of the wooden eagle that graced the proscenium arch when the Marx Brothers took the Walnut stage 100 years ago, is Set Designer DAVID P. GORDON. Gordon, who previously designed the WST productions of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Trilogy, Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and Ken Ludwing’s A Comedy of Tenors, is joined by Lighting Designer and WST Technical Supervisor MATT DEMASCOLO (Beehive The 60’s Musical; Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville; Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) and veteran Sound Designer CHRISTOPHER COLUCCI (A Comedy of Tenors; Peter and the Starcatcher; Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?).

San Francisco based Costume Designer DEBRA BEAVER BAUER and Wig Designer CLAIRE WAID (Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) costume the cast for a range of decades, from 1905 to 1975.

GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVUE runs at the Walnut through March 10, 2024. For tickets and information, call 215-574-3550. Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com.