Macbeth

The Sacramento Shakespeare Festival’s kabuki production of the Scottish play stresses dark magic, but the ritual elements that director Kim McCann takes from the traditional Japanese Noh theater are wonderfully innovative. Behind kabuki masks for most of the play, the “weird sisters” (well played by Chaentell Nadine Munn, Stephanie McCall and Sarah Rowland) cast a long shadow. Laura Kaya’s Lady Macbeth strikes a lovely note of power-madness early on, and Brian Rivera’s Macbeth waffles at just the right moments. It’s a refreshing—and local—take on Shakespeare. Come at 6:30 p.m. with a picnic basket for the best seats on the lawn at this outdoor show. A sweater’s also a good idea, since a breeze sometimes blows in after sundown.
Sacramento Shakespeare Festival, 8 p.m. July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27 and August 2 and 4; $10-$15. William A. Carroll Amphitheatre, William Land Park; (916) 558-2228; www.sacramentoshakespeare.net. Through August 4.