rightnextto me

Composer Gregg Coffin’s beautifully-shaped musical explores the survival of love through three couples, each representing a relationship that is being tested to the limit by distance, divorce and even death. Unlike big, bright touring musicals that get airborne on brass, sass and sheer size, Coffin’s show is small-but-sophisticated; it’s a decidedly intimate two-actor project, which scores by deftly outlining the challenges of keeping a loving marriage alive during difficult, emotionally wintry times. There’s also a distinct message of hope and the opportunity for change and growth. Actors Edward Watts and Melissa Dye are excellent, and director Melissa Rain Anderson’s sensitive approach pays off. But what really impressed us was Coffin’s ability to bring complex matters of the heart to life on stage, through his music.
B Street Theatre, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays. $22-$30. 2711 B Street, (916) 443-5300, www.bstreettheatre.org. Through February 24.