Ed, Frankie, Johnny

Actor/director Ed Claudi—ne of our favorite local artists, with a penchant for staging ambitious scripts—is setting up shop again in Sacramento.

Claudio directs Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, opening Friday (Aug. 31) at California Stage, 1721 25th St (at R Street). It’s a famously frank play—in both physical and emotional term—bout a couple on a first date, who end up in bed. “A traditional romance begins with the emotional interaction, with physical intimacy being the payoff,” Claudio said. “Frankie and Johnny starts with an orgasm, and deals with the question of ‘Where do we go from here?’”

The cast members are Mary Beth Barber and Sean Morneau, who appeared together a year or two back in the thoughtful post-9/11 drama Cloud’s Hill.

The show plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through October 7. Tickets cost $13-$15, and no one under 17 will be admitted. Call (916) 456-7066 or visit www.actinsac.com for more information.