The 1891 Fredonia Opera House was once a vaudeville theater, where citizens of Fredonia and nearby localities attended performances over a century ago.Įveryone, regardless of age or skill level, is invited to participate in the Freedonia Marxonia art contest.
He will talk about vaudeville influences on the brothers and their experiences in vaudeville, before they became Broadway and movie stars. The Marx Brothers started their career in vaudeville. Trav will present his illustrated lecture, “The Marx Brothers and Vaudeville,” Friday at 7:30 p.m. Immediately following, at 3:15 p.m., Trav will lead a discussion, “Why Wasn’t ‘Duck Soup’ a Hit?” Both activities will be in the Reed Library Classroom. “Duck Soup” will be screened on Friday at 2 p.m. Trav is the author of “No Applause – Just Throw Money: The Book that Made Vaudeville Famous” and “Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube.” He was an organizer of Marxfest, the month-long celebration of the Marx Brothers held in New York City in 2014. will talk about his scholarship and expertise in the history of entertainment during a noontime interview. 4, in the Garden at Reed, writer and performer Trav S.D. Opera house at its original release in 1930.Īt noon on Friday, Oct. There will be prizes before the screening. There is a stolen painting and mayhem ensues with Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo. Spaulding, returning from exploration in Africa. In the movie, Groucho plays Captain Jeffrey T. The Marx Brothers’ 1930 film, “Animal Crackers,” will be screened at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with brief opening remarks, the singing of “Hail Freedonia” by members of the Student Opera Theatre Association and Fredonia’sn chapter of the American Choral Directors Association cake in honor of Groucho Marx’s birthday and a group photo of attendees wearing complimentary “Groucho” glasses. The two-day celebration begins with a reception in Reed Library at 3 p.m. Founders Day was initiated in 2017 to foster student, faculty, and staff appreciation of the rich legacy of the village residents whose vision and significant financial backing helped establish a Normal School in Fredonia in 1867. Their 1933 movie “Duck Soup” takes place in the fictional country of “Freedonia.” In 1987, State University of New York at Fredonia student Doug Canham spearheaded the creation of Freedonia Marxonia: Marx Brothers Film Festival and Symposium to commemorate the connection.Īlso this year, the university’s Founders Day will celebrate Fredonia’s campus-community relationship by partnering with Freedonia Marxonia. The Marx Brothers were comedic stars of vaudeville, Broadway, movies, radio, and television in the first part of the 20th century. “Vaudeville and the Marx Brothers” is the theme of the upcoming Freedonia Marxonia, the annual celebration of the connection between the Village of Fredonia and “Freedonia” which was the setting of the 1933 Marx Brothers’ movie “Duck Soup.”įreedonia Marxonia begins Thursday, Oct.