Gina Lutvi’s day job is coordinating transportation for television and film but the Oak Lawn resident said working on plays is what allows her to explore her creativity.
Her latest community theater project is directing The Palos Village Players’ “Something Rotten!” The musical comedy, which opened on Nov. 4, continues to Nov. 12 at Palos Park Recreation Center.
“‘Something Rotten!’ takes place in the 1590s in Shakesperean England. It is about Nick Bottom, who is a playwright. He has his own theater troupe and he’s living in the shadow of William Shakespeare,” said Lutvi, who has worked on TV shows “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med” for several years.
“The whole premise of the play is he has to come up with a show that is better than Shakespeare. He has trouble doing it on his own. He goes and sees a fortune teller who tells him that the future is musicals so then he sets out to write the world’s first musical.”
Lutvi went from being a cast member of The Palos Village Players’ 2022 season-opening show “The 39 Steps” in February to working behind the scenes for the group’s season-closing show “Something Rotten!” by request of board president Len Wcislo of Hickory Hills, who is assistant director of the latter.
“This is a very funny show,” said Lutvi, who also worked on the TV series “South Side” as well as the films “The Batman” and “Beats.”
“It’s always fun to end on a musical. It gets a lot of people in the seats, it gets a lot of people to the stage and it’s really nice to end with a comedy and end the season with a laugh and a song.”
The original Broadway production of “Something Rotten!” received 10 Tony Award nominations including best book of a musical and best original score.
Lutvi cited “To Thine Own Self (Reprise)” as her favorite song in the play.
“I love that song because that’s one of those resolution songs where the character comes to terms with what they did wrong and realizes what they should have done from the beginning,” she said.
“In this case, it’s just do what you do best. Be true to yourself and good things will come. I love that.”
Lutvi, who directed The Palos Village Players’ “The Producers” in 2017 and “The Drowsy Chaperone” in 2018 as Gina Dunn, is working with a production staff of Bolingbrook, Chicago, Oak Forest, Orland Park and Palos Heights residents for “Something Rotten!” in Palos Park.
“I prefer directing. You have to be involved in every aspect of the show. I really like working with many different people and utilizing everybody’s talents to bring something together. That’s a lot of fun for me,” she said.
The cast includes Alsip, Burbank, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Joliet, Kankakee, Lemont, New Lenox, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Steger, Tinley Park and Wood Dale residents.
“We got very lucky with the people that auditioned. We have a very talented cast, not just singers and dancers but talented actors. We had so many people that we had to say no to, which was nice but also terrible,” Lutvi said.
“The people we had were just incredible. They’ve worked really hard and it’s been fun watching them grow these last few weeks.”
After “Something Rotten!” comes auditions for Sharyn Rothstein’s “All the Days.”
According to Lutvi, The Palos Village Players’ next season also includes “Leaving Iowa” from April 21 to 30, 2023, and a show to be picked by the audience and staged Nov. 3 to 11, 2023, to end that year.
“They’re very inclusive. They make sure to do new plays, old plays and musicals,” Lutvi said about why she has stayed involved with the group since 2004.
“All anyone who wants to do a show has to do is come forward and propose the show to the board. That’s how they picked the first two shows of the 2023 season. They’re very open to new members.”
‘Something Rotten!’
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11-12
Where: Palos Park Recreation Center, 8901 W. 123rd St., Palos Park
Tickets: $25 adults; $23 seniors or students
Information: 877-787-8497; palosvillageplayers.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
