You’ll want to head to the Vero Beach Theatre Guild to see one of the most popular stage whodunits, “Sleuth.” The plot is a clever one. So clever, in fact, that one is loath to say anything about it for fear of ruining all the fun. The gothic setting is the remote home of mystery writer Andrew Wyke, who has invited his wife’s lover, Milo Tindle, to help him stage a robbery. Twists and turns galore are used to delight audiences and keep them scratching their heads. Written by Anthony Shaffer, the play received the 1970 Tony for Best Play. Two years later, it was turned into a popular movie starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine. Intriguingly, Shaffer suggested in an interview that the character of the mind game-loving mystery writer was inspired somewhat by Shaffer’s close friend, Stephen Sondheim, who apparently is also a lover of mind games. The Theatre Guild production is directed by Beth McKenzie-Shestak, and has already been selling steadily at the Theatre Guild box office, says the organization’s artistic director Jon Putzke. “Sleuth” runs through Sunday, Nov. 21. Tickets are $15 to $30. Curtain is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, Friday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 20; and 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20 and Sunday, Nov. 21. The Vero Beach Theatre Guild is at 2020 San Juan Ave. Call 772-562-8300 or visit VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com.
For something on stage more of a holiday-nature, be sure to take the family to see “Elf, Jr., the Musical,” running this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 19-21, at Riverside Theatre. The production is a fully staged one by Riverside Theatre’s children’s program. “With the strangeness of the last two years, we felt it was time for a fun, feel-good musical for our families,” says director Kevin Quillinan. The musical is a perfect one to kick off the holidays, Quillinan says. This is the musical stage version of the movie starring Will Ferrell. It revolves around Buddy, the Elf, who, as a baby, crawled into Santa Claus’ bag one Christmas and ended up being raised by Santa and his Elves at the North Pole. One Christmas, he decides to go looking for his father, a businessman living in New York City. The challenge here, for Buddy, is not making all those massive amounts of toys for good little boys and girls worldwide, but to crack the heart of his workaholic and disbelieving father. “Our incredible cast of students have embraced this musical with great enthusiasm,” Quillinan says. “We have a large span of ages with this one, and it is great to have so many new faces with us.” Tickets are $10. Curtain is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Dr., Vero Beach. For more information, call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.
A couple of concerts this weekend may be more to your liking. First is the Vero Beach School Fall Band Concert, which starts 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, in the performing arts center of Vero Beach High School, 1707 16th St. Call 772-564-5600. Classical Guitar & Piano Concert, featuring Miguel Bonachea on guitar and Marcos Flores on piano, begins 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 at Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church, 3755 Highway A1A, Vero Beach. Tickets are $25 general and $10 youth. Call 772-231-1661.
Area organizations, institutions and businesses are offering some nice excuses to enjoy Florida’s velvety fall weather. The St. Helen’s Harvest Festival runs 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20 and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. The event includes midway rides, games, food and plenty of family fun. It will be held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, 3901 26th St., Vero Beach, Fla. Arm band vouchers cost $25 at the gate. Call 772-567-5457. St. Sebastian Church will hold a “Stars & Stripes Cornhole Tournament” from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. The event is designed to be a family fun day benefiting the Veterans Council of Indian River County’s “Veterans Helping Veterans” program. For more information, call 845-1315. The Sebastian River Art Club will have its Arts and Crafts by the River event 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 20, at Riverview Park, 800 U.S. 1, Sebastian. The event helps support local book banks and the art club’s scholarship fund. Call 772-321-9333.
