Comedic classic comes to East Texas stage

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - Tyler Civic Theatre is set to hold auditions for a comedic classic - “Groucho: A Life in Revue.”

After the passing of his father, Arthur Marx teamed up with Robert Fisher to write a play looking back on the life of Groucho Marx.

Groucho’s ties to East Texas go back to the beginning of his career. The script details how Marx started his entertainment career as a singer with a vaudevillian group known as The Four Nightingales. It wasn’t until a poorly-received performance in Nacogdoches that the singers realized they were better suited for comedy than singing.

The show's production team is looking forward to bringing humor and energy to the stage in the coming weeks. Director Roger Pharr says the audience can look forward to a lot of laughter.

“It is not for the easily offended,” Pharr says. “Oddly, it was what our grandparents and parents laughed at and it’s still funny stuff.”

Pharr is excited to see how the audiences will respond to the show and says, “A lot of people aren’t aware of the East Texas connection to the Marx Brothers’ beginnings.”

Auditions will be held Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m at the Tyler Civic Theatre Center, 400 Rose Park Drive.

“Groucho: A Life in Revue” will debut at 7 p.m. Friday, May 10. Tickets can be purchased at TylerCivicTheatre.com.

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