A Lie of the Mind

It’s a dark tale of a dysfunctional family: Jake (Dan Featherston) has beaten his wife (Allyson Finn) so badly she’s brain-damaged. The families quickly split into “his” and “hers,” while one set of wounds after another is unwrapped and examined. Under the direction of Frank Condon, River Stage’s production of this Sam Shepard play creates sympathy for the unsympathetic and hope in the middle of a mess. Th 7:30pm, Fr, Sa 8pm, Su 2pm. Through 10/25. $10-$17. River Stage at Cosumnes River College, 8401 Center Parkway; (916) 691-7364; www.riverstage.org.