VERO BEACH — The curtain may have come down on the Vero Beach Theatre Guild’s 55th season, but the celebration continued Saturday evening at the Elks Club with the annual Genie Awards Dinner. To everyone involved in Vero’s community theatre, the Genie Awards are just as highly coveted and competitively earned as Broadway’s Tony Awards.
Genies recognize the contributions of cast, crew and supportive volunteers to the local theater, which continues to attract talented performers and backstage workers for increasingly elaborate productions.
“It was a great season; we had five very, very strong shows,” said board president Mark Wygonik, emphasizing that he was anything but a “bored” president.
“It started off really strong with Hotbed Hotel. It was sold out. We never sell out in September, but we sold out. Hotbed was such a hot show that word got around and people came. That helped fuel a very strong season.”
Wygonik directed the comical farce, set in Key West, and robust performances set the stage for further good things to come.
The season also featured two marvelous musicals – Roger and Hammerstein’s beloved Oklahoma! and Disney’s captivating Beauty and the Beast – along with everyone’s favorite mismatched pair in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and Oscar Wilde’s famed 19th Century British satire, The Importance of Being Earnest.
Wygonik credited new technical director Shawn Webber, the theater’s only paid staff, for solidifying their technical expertise, set building and design.
“Our Beauty and the Beast was a technical triumph for us. We were pleased with what we were able to do. He doesn’t get enough credit. He really is the engine that keeps us all running smoothly. He’s amazing. I own a lot of the smoothness of my year as president to him for keeping things going.”
He also gave high praise to his fellow directors, and to the new crop of talent who auditioned for a chance to share the spotlight.
One of those was Ryan Scarpa, an attorney with Samuel A. Block by day, who played Earnest/Jack in The Importance of Being Ernest and now admits he has been bitten by the acting bug.
“I loved it; I really had a great time,” said Scarpa. “To be in such a great cast with a director like George Carabin – they were just so helpful to me. I wouldn’t have learned half as much if I hadn’t been around so much talent.”
Prior to dinner, Emily Kopp gave attendees a peek at things to come, as she sang Poor Wandering One from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. The rousing fundraising production will be performed July 18 to 21 in hopes of filling the coffers of the theater’s building expansion campaign.
Following dinner, George Andrew and Jillian Lopes co-emceed the highly anticipated award presentations.
Acting Genies
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Comedy: Jim Daly, The Odd Couple
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy: Martha Kelly, The Importance of Being Earnest
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical: Scott Freshley, Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding leading Actress in a Musical: Ashlee Nelson, Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Anthony Aruffo, The Importance of Being Earnest
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Kara Henson, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical: Ben Earman, Oklahoma! & Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical: Dana Rogers, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Character Actor in a Comedy: George Andrew, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Character Actress in a Comedy: Heather Stapleton, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Character Actor in a Musical: Anthony Aruffo, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Actor in a Secondary Comedy Role: Rick Shaw, The Importance of Being Earnest
Outstanding Actress in a Secondary Comedy Role: Wendy O’Neil, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Actor in a Secondary Musical Role: John Toohey, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Actress in a Secondary Musical Role: Jillian Lopes, Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Male Vocalist: Robin Volsky, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Female Vocalist: Leigh Seirafi, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Male Newcomer: Ryan Scarpa, The Importance of Being Earnest
Outstanding Female Newcomer: Leslie Christoffel, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Rookie: Heather Stapleton, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Female Juvenile: Peyton Stygar, Beauty and the Beast
TIE: Outstanding Male Juvenile: Camden Waters, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Male Juvenile: Jack Henry Wagner, Beauty and the Beast
TIE: Outstanding Cameo Performer: Charles Smith, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Cameo Performer: Derrick Paul, Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Group Performance: Farmers & Cowmen: Oklahoma!
Derrick Edmundson
Art Haeberle
Gregory Steenburgh
Camden Waters
Seth Zarandona
Outstanding Set Design: Mark Wygonik, Hotbed Hotel
Outstanding Production 2012-2013: Hotbed Hotel, Mark Wygonik
Non-acting Genie Awards:
Joe Paldi Award: Linda Hoffman
Steve Stahl President’s Choice Award: Robin Volsky
Jim Hindert Award: Isabel Garrett
Bette Parfet Award: Dennis Love
Lifetime Member Award: Chuck Brooks
Jacobus-Seibert-Hazen Award: Larry Thompson
Special Award: Lisa Keeler, Yvonne Miller, Karren Walter, Sharon Watson, Dee Ridenour, Laura Cooney
Off Stage Award: Madelyn Rogers, Lauretta Hlebichuk, Mary Jo Schneider
Back Stage Award: Marlis Kauten, Billy Bright, Joy Wild, Laura Baldwin
The Show Must Go On Award: Dan Hall, Yvonne Miller, Julia Weinbrecht
The 2013-14 Vero Beach Theatre Guild Season Lineup
Sept. 12 to 22 – Don’t Dress for Dinner
Nov. 14 to Dec. 1- Into the Woods
Jan. 16 to 26 – Harvey
March 13 to 30 – Kiss me Kate
May 8 to 18 – The Miracle Worker