HOTT Theatre, NFP, in Schaumburg has been staging popular musicals for 30 years, and its founders, sisters Chris and Donica Seminaro, never shy away from a challenge. That’s why, in honor of their anniversary, they are bringing Jersey Boys to the Northwest suburbs, in what turns out to be its suburban premiere.
(L-R) Anthony Mazarissi, Andrew and Dom Luzwick, and Tim Martin
The show takes place at 7:30 p.m. June 27 and 28, and at 2 p.m. June 29, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg. Purchase tickets, here.
Jersey Boys opened on Broadway in 2005, or 20 years ago, and it premiered in Chicago in 2007. That’s when the Seminaro sisters first saw the show, after growing up listening to the music of the Four Seasons.
“We have literally spent approximately 17 years discussing how we might adapt the staging of this exciting, ambitious show,” Chris Seminaro says. “It is ambitious, but the music brings you a range of emotions and experiences that are unmatched. And the story behind the music is as captivating as the harmonies within that music.”
The show stars Dom Luzwick as Frankie Valli. He is a veteran of HOTT Theatre productions and a musical theater student in college. His older brother, Andrew Luzwick, plays Tommy DaVito, one of the Four Seasons. He too has appeared in nearly every HOTT production and is a full-time freelance musician. Rounding out the foursome is Tim Martin, who plays the role of Bob Gaudio, and Anthony Mazzarisi, who plays Nick Massi, as well as 25 young people in the ensemble.
Together they sing all of the Four Seasons memorable hits, including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, among others, while telling the background story of how these neighborhood friends from Jersey formed one of the most successful pop group of the ’60s.
Dom Luzwick and Jamie Podgorny rehearse a scene.
Wearing their iconic red tuxedo jackets, the quartet of actors first appeared in the Northwest suburbs on Memorial Day, when they marched — and sang Four Seasons hits — in the Arlington Heights parade. The memorable music and overall fun show embodies the mission of HOTT Productions, Seminaro says.
“True musical theater occurs when the relationship and energy exists reciprocally between performers and audience members,” she says. “You need actors and patrons to be successful. We tend to choose shows that are fun, share a message or both.”
Providing quality musical theatre to the Northwest suburbs has been the mission of HOTT Productions since its start. The acronym, HOTT, stands for Helping Others Through Theatre, and since its inception the theatre company has donated more than $150,000 to local charities.
The theatre company continues to look for ways to expand into the community. Consequently, in 2017, the Seminaros formed HOTT: Hands On Theatre Training for young people. Its performers will present Shrek, Jr. on July 9. The company also combined with the Hoffman Estates Park District in recent years in order to bring quality, theatre experiences to more of the Northwest suburbs.
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