Hail Freedonia!

After walking through a small doorway, focus was immediately turned to one man sitting directly in the center of the room. Completely motionless, like a statue, he sat with his bushy eyebrows and mustache, smoldering cigar, top hat and fancy suit. This was no ordinary statue; it was a person perfectly resembling the famous "Groucho" Marx.

On Saturday, April 24, the second annual Freedonia Marxonia was held in Fenton Hall. The event featured artwork, posters, contests and a showing of Duck Soup, one of many Marx Brothers films.    

Although this was the second annual hosting of this event, Freedonia Marxonia had originally premiered in 1988 when one student, Doug Canham, decided to start the festival. The event lasted for four years until Canham graduated but has now been resurrected once again. The festival originally began as an idea for a fun way to inform more people about Fredonia.   

"This event is about our unique link with the Marx Brothers. Years ago, they used to perform here in Vaudeville and we thought that was one of the reasons they named their mythical country Freedonia in their film Duck Soup," said event coordinator Karen West. "One of the challenges we had was to get the name SUNY Fredonia out there beyond New York State, particularly Western NY. We were missing an obvious opportunity with this film."   

In addition to showing the movie, artwork drawn by students from previous years was dispersed among the walls of the room along with posters of the Marx Brothers. The artwork was used for one of several competitions that were held during this event. Winners of the skit contests and a look-a-like contest received awards.   

"In previous festivals we had an art contest, film contest, duck soup contest, skit contest and a look-a-like contest. Some of the works you see were entered into the art contest," West said. "The library put together a wonderful display with the group photos and artwork compiled from past years."   

Although the event has been more heavily attended in past years, West and others, such as Cheri and Matthew Hahn, a Marx Brothers aficionado, help sponsor the event to keep it running. With their help, interns will be able to work each year to coordinate the event and make it a success. This year's interns, Kathleen Fiori and Cory Grant, worked to try to get the event back off the ground with the help of West.   

"I thought this would be our last year," said West. "But Matt and Cheri have now endowed a fund that will be permanent so there will always be a Feedonia Marxonia internship and this festival will be mounted in some format from now on."   

One of the many great Marx Brothers films, Duck Soup, is an outstanding and hysterical film that has unique characters you won't easily forget. The lines are clever and the movie offers not only outrageous comedy but unforgettable scenes and social commentary. Matthew Hahn was able to explain his love for the Marx Brothers and their amazing work.

"After seeing them for the first time on the big screen, I started researching them in the library," Hahn said. "I think they're very appealing to kids, especially around age 13 or 14, to see them [the Marx Brothers] rebelling. It's appealing to a child who doesn't really have any power to see Groucho and Harpo and Chico up there ‘stickin it to the man.'"   

Next fall, on November 6, Freedonia Marxonia will be held again. Despite the small turnout to this year's event, those who attended put on their amusing "Groucho glasses" and discussed some new plans and ideas for future Marxonias with excitement.

"When we do this again in the fall, I will be putting together all the recommendations that came from the group," West said. "We're trying to bring this back and bring a learning experience into the fun, zany part of what we hope will be the rebirth of this wonderful festival."