John F. Altieri, Jersey Boys National Tour Actor dies
John Altieri, 38, a versatile actor and singer known for his physical comedy and Chaplinesque flair died of pneumonia on Sunday in Las Vegas Nevada. He was forever young. Mr. Altieri was born and raised in Brockton, MA; where his love of theater began at an early age. He was a graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School Class of 1987. Always an accomplished student and class favorite, he performed in all his school plays; deciding to make acting his career.
John was accepted at Duke University where he held a BA in Dramatic Literature and was President of the Hoof ’n’ Horn’s Theater Group. He then moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and received his MFA in Acting from U.C.L.A. After graduation Mr. Altieri stayed in Los Angeles and worked as an actor/director with The Blank Theater, A Noise Within, Sacred Fools, Zoo District, The Odyssey Theater Ensemble and Circle X theater companies.
John had a successful regional theater career and appeared with San Diego Rep in David Mamet’s Romance; Long Beach Opera’s The Threepenny Opera, La Jolla Playhouse’s The Love of Three Oranges, San Jose Rep’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona and A Flea in Her Ear and Santa Barbara CLO’s 1776. He was also a teacher and director for Idyllwild Arts Academy in CA and Shakespeare on the Green in Lake Forest, IL and with U.C.L.A’s graduate and undergraduate acting programs.
He recently left the First National Tour of the Jersey Boys, directed by Des McAnuf, playing the role of Bob Crewe and was asked to join the Las Vegas company for an extended run. He was an audience favorite and loved by all in his company. In spite of his busy schedule touring for the last several years he still found time to volunteer as director and coach for The Arc of San Francisco, a non-profit organization that serves and supports individuals with developmental disabilities.
Mr. Altieri is survived by his parents Charles and Eileen Altieri of Brockton; his brother Charles of Hyannis, his sister Mary Nardone and her husband John of CT and their four sons, and John’s network of friends that stretches from coast to coast.
Funeral from the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont Street (Rte 123) Brockton Saturday at 8am. Funeral Mass in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brockton at 9am. Burial in Melrose Cemetery, Brockton. Visiting hours Friday 3-8pm.
In memory of John donations may be made to the John Altieri Scholarship Fund c/o the Idyllwild Summer Arts Program, P.O. Box 38, Idyllwild, CA 92549, for online donations click here that will send needy, talented children to camp for the performing arts.
Please view a You Tube tribute by clicking here