John Herrera & Village Players

John Herrera performed on the Village Players stage as John Dickinson in 1776 back in 1976 in a special bicentennial production, before embarking on a successful musical theatre career both on Broadway and across the United States.  Coincidentally, he went on to play Roger Sherman in the last Broadway revival of 1776. 

Regarding his last appearance for the Village Players, John says “I had seen the touring production of 1776 at the Shubert Theater when I was at Lane Tech High School. I had never seen a professional musical before. It was magical and life transforming in a very spiritual way. When I heard Gary Beach sing ‘Molasses to Rum,’ I knew what wanted to do: sing onstage. The theatre bug had bitten!  So while a student at Loyola University, I heard about auditions for Oak Park Village Player’s production. I took the ‘El’ all the way from Rogers Park.  The late Laurel Cronin directed the production, and I was so young I thought she’d cast me as the courier. She totally surprised me and cast me as John Dickinson, the major antagonist who doesn’t sign the declaration because of his strong beliefs.  She felt although I was young I had the stage presence to play a much older man of such fervent convictions. It was a phenomenal experience. Most memorably, on opening night when John Adams was singing how the 4th of July would one day be celebrated with fireworks, the actual Bi Centennial fireworks could be heard in the distance. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.”

John Herrera met Carl Occhipinti, now the Artistic Director of Village Players, when Carl interviewed him for an article on John when he was playing Che in Evita at the Shubert Theater. They became fast friends and Carl has helped John produce several other Chicago area Valentine's Day concerts including venues such as the Park West, the Apollo and Royal George Theaters. Carl also produced the Chicago premiere of March of the Falsettos at the Theater Building in which John starred  as Marvin. They’ve been wanting to work together again for a while now and both are happy to have the chance to do so.

“Since the day I first heard John sing over 30 years ago, I've always felt he has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.  It has a quality that's warm and powerful at the same time," praises Occhipinti.

John Herrera