For eons on this blog, I've told you about my buddy Frank Ferrante, a wand'ring thespian who fills two roles. One is that he tours the world brilliantly impersonating Groucho Marx in An Evening With Groucho. The other is that he plays a character named Caesar who stars at times in productions of Teatro ZinZanni, a superb dinner show theater in San Francisco and Seattle. We have some news to report…
Frank's doing something else. Last night, he opened in a production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, PA. Wish I could get back there to see it. Frank directed the production and also stars as Max Prince, a character who is basically Sid Caesar rolled into one. It's there through March 5 and if you, unlike me, can get there, tickets are available here.
There's a special joy for Frank to be performing at the Walnut Street since it was Groucho's favorite theater. The Marx Brothers' first Broadway show, I'll Say She Is, played at the Walnut Street — which I trust has been cleaned since then. It is highly appropriate that Frank will be performing An Evening With Groucho on that stage on one of his days off, February 27. Same link for tix.
He may or may not be appearing again soon at Teatro ZinZanni, a wonderful institution that is becoming sadly homeless. A few years ago, they lost their San Francisco location. A new one is being erected but is still quite far from opening for business. And they seem to be losing their Seattle location as this article explains.
I've only been to Teatro ZinZanni once but it was a great evening…kind of a Cirque du Soleil for adults, and I don't mean it was naughty in any way. Just funnier and more mature with a gourmet dinner served as you watched singers, acrobats, jugglers, dancers, etc. I went to the one in San Francisco before they got evicted there. Looks like I won't make it to Seattle before they get evicted there. I sure hope they find a couple of good homes for a great place to see great performers.