The Amen Corner

This is the second time Celebration Arts has staged Baldwin’s first play, which debuted in 1954, and director James Wheatley is wisely bringing back some of his original 2007 cast members. The actors include leads Elise Reese as Pastor Alexander, Preston Collier as her long-absent husband Luke and the incomparably entertaining Elaine Douglas as the all-in-your-face self-sanctifying Sister Moore. New cast members also step up to engulf the audience with their gospel singing, testifying and storytelling skills. The storyline is intriguing, but the lengthy play suffers from a need to compress and edit. Still, the talents of the gospel-singing cast rolls the plodding plot along. Th, F, Sa 8pm, Su 8pm. Su 2pm. Through 7/16. $10-$15. Celebration Arts Theatre, 4469 D Street; (916) 455-2787; www.celebrationarts.net. P.R.