VERO BEACH — For the second consecutive year, the all-volunteer Vero Beach Theatre Guild seems to be hitting its stride straight out of the starting gate. Once again, its season opener, “Into the Woods,” appears to be a winner, if a dress rehearsal of the first act was any indication.
“Into the Woods,” the Broadway hit starring Bernadette Peters, is directed by Guild president Mark Wygonik and opened Thursday, Nov. 14. It runs through Dec. 1.
The small cast for a musical – only 21 – may account for the tight-knit production exuding the warmth community theater is supposed to be about.
Criss-crossing a gorgeous backdrop designed by Wygonik and painted by artist Isabel Garrett (who climbed ladders to paint the forest’s pink and purple treetops), the cast seemed to quickly find its footing, with the lead actors’ confidence apparently contagious for the rest of the cast.
Stephen Sondheim’s music – particularly difficult, Wygonik says – kept the layered fairy-tale narratives edgy.
The competence of the volunteer actors spoke to their training.
There is the stunning Kelly Brown Clemenzi as Cinderella. A University of Central Florida theater graduate, her charming voice and unaffected girl-next-door portrayal played against a luscious physical presence in her ravishing ball gown and wedding dress.
There is Sara Teal Gordon, transformed with latex, make-up and grizzled wig into a hideous witch. When Gordon stepped downstage to belt out a beautiful “Stay with Me,” it was with a voice groomed by her studies at Furman, where she graduated in 2000 with a concentration in music, studying music theory, conducting and voice.
But little prepared Gordon for the spell the crew cast on her prior.
“That transformation was extremely difficult. Everybody helped create the witch. They just came together to create this really cool character,” said Gordon, who, toward the end of the first act, gets to shed her rotten rags and come back as a vamp in red satin.
For Gordon, returning to the Guild has taken a transformation of her own: the valued character actress has been missed these past few years after having a baby and working the night shift as an emergency room nurse. Now that her daughter is off to school, she came back, performing in “Beauty and the Beast” last season.
“She’s always amazing,” says Wygonik.
“Oh my gosh, it was such an exhilarating experience,” Gordon said of the early-run-through, which went off without a glitch, though with hardly a hint of the dark chaos about to descend – literally—in the second act.
Gordon, raised on Lady Bug Lane on the beach, is an alumna of St. Edward’s and taught music for two years at Middle School. She recently left her ER job and is now director of music administration at Community Church.
Gordon’s mask was crafted by actor Robin Volsky, public affairs director at Vero’s Mormon temple. He plays dual roles as Red Riding Hood’s Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince.
When paired with Treasure Coast High School drama teacher Ben Earman as Rapunzel’s suitor, their straight-faced lament over their respective loves dissolved the few spectators at last week’s rehearsal.
An obviously accomplished newcomer to the Guild with leading man looks, Maxwell Jones plays the lead role of the Baker.
Wygonik says Jones could have played any role he wanted.
“He came to town for a job,” says Wygonik. “He’s switched jobs, but he found us. He auditioned and he blew us away.”
“They’re amazing,” said Wygonik of the cast post-rehearsal. “It’s one of the best I’ve worked with. They’re wonderful friends, there are no divas, there’s no drama. It’s been a dream cast.”
Clearly he isn’t jaded, though this is his fourth shot directing “Into the Woods” – the first was at Riverside Theatre, long ago.
The costumes date to that era – Wygonik himself designed the ball gowns. The only rented costume was the cow’s.
Where to keep all those costumes and many, many more is Wygonik’s chief preoccupation these days, as the Guild sets about fund-raising to build a second and third story.
“Into the Woods” plays now through Dec. 1.
Call (772) 562-8300 or go to www.verobeachtheatreguild.com.
The theater is at 2020 San Juan Avenue near the county administration complex.
