On an Open Fire

Writer-director Buck Busfield’s latest holiday play is a humorous, off-kilter look at a perennial problem: What and when to tell a kid the truth about Santa Claus. The acting is delightfully wacky, but the play goes on too long, missing a couple of good potential endings in favor of a sweet, conventional conclusion. Wed 2pm & 6:30pm, Thu 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm & 9pm, Sun 2pm, Tue 6:30pm; Through 12/29; $25-$47; B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.; (916) 443-5300; bstreettheatre.org. J.C.