At 42, comedian and actor Frank Ferrante is finally aging into the character he has played for two decades.

Ferrante was a 23-year-old college student when he first started playing iconic comedian Groucho Marx, and he’s still at it.

“It’s evolved over the last 20 years,” he said from his home in Los Angeles. “If you like comedy, it’s a great show to see.”

Ferrante brings “An Evening with Groucho” to Kitsap County for two shows, Feb. 22 at The Playhouse on Bainbridge Island and Feb. 23 at The Admiral Theatre in Bremerton. He is accompanied by pianist Jim Furmston.

Ferrante began developing his alter-ego Groucho persona in 1985, as a senior drama student at the University of Southern California.

He wisely invited Groucho’s son Arthur to a performance.

“He was impressed,” Ferrante said.

Within a few weeks the two were collaborating to develop a show based on the life of Groucho Marx, dubbed “Groucho: A Life in Review.”

By that fall the show was playing in New York’s off-Broadway theater.

“It was a life-changing experience, actually getting paid for what I love to do,” Ferrante said.

The comedian showed an unusual predilection for the trademark Groucho Marx brand of humor at a young age.

“When I saw ‘A Day at the Races’ as a kid, I remember I laughed until I cried. I liked the sense of fun and outrageousness. I sensed he was doing what he shouldn’t be doing, saying things he shouldn’t be saying. It was cathartic to watch him go off like that.”

Ferrante began studying pre-1950 American comedy, from the Marx Brothers to Milton Berle and Jack Benny.

“I appreciated the verbal humor,” he said. “It fed my own intellect. I loved the word play.”

Groucho is, of course, known as much for his snappy one-liners as for his manic physical comedy.

Who can forget: “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know,” “Marriage is a wonderful institution. But who wants to live in an institution,” or “I would never join a club that would have me as a member.”

While “Groucho Marx: A Life in Revue” spans the comedian’s life from 15-85, “An Evening with Groucho” catches the comedian at the top of his game, and gives audiences a feel for what it might have been like to see him live.

During the two-act 90-minute show Ferrante sings classic Groucho songs including “Lydia the Tatooed Lady” and “Hurray for Capt. Spaulding,” delivers one-liners and anecdotes, and trades barbs with the audience.

“The audience interaction is the joy of it for me,” Ferrante said.

The comedian really has to become Groucho in order to respond quickly to audience comments in an improvisational way. And of course, he sports an exaggerated mustache and eyebrows and punctuates his punch lines with a large cigar while stalking the stage.

“The improvisation is the strength of the show,” Ferrante said. “It’s what makes it fun for me. It’s well-oiled because I do it so often.”

Ferrante has garnered a slew of accolades for his Groucho performances and others.

He was awarded the New York Theatre World Award in 1987 for “A Life In Revue,” and has performed as Groucho in theatrical productions of “The Cocoanuts” and “Animal Crackers.” He has starred in or directed many productions, including starring as Oscar in “The Odd Couple” and directing M*A*S*H* star Jamie Farr in “George Washington Slept Here.”

He recently spent six months performing with the Teatro Zinzanni in San Francisco and Seattle, and has been a question on Jeopardy: “He took his portrayal of Groucho Marx to New York in 1986.”

Ferrante takes that portrayal to Kitsap County as part of a Northwest tour.

Shows are 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at The Playhouse, 200 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island and 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Admiral Theatre, 515 Pacific Ave., Bremerton.

Tickets for The Playhouse show are $15, all seats reserved, available at the box office, by phone at (206) 842-8569 or online at www.theplayhouse.org.

Tickets for the Admiral show are $15, available at the box office or by phone at (360) 373-6743. wu