Stage Reviews
A Christmas Carol This adaptation captures both the dismal plight of London’s poor and the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge from a miserable old coot to the keeper of the Christmas spirit. It’s a ghost story helped along by creeping fog and vibrating spirit voices. The cast is a talented group, but David Silberman’s performance as Scrooge makes the production.
Foothill Theatre Company; 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, with special performances December 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30; $17-$21. Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street in Nevada City, (530) 265-8587. Through December 30. P.R.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change The Delta King Theatre has revived its revival of this long-running revue. The cast is a composite of the first two productions. This revue is about dating, courtship, marriage and what comes after. The songs are sometimes obvious, but they have a way of sticking in your memory. At this point, this reviewer is losing the urge to go down this road again, but there still seem to be plenty of people wanting to see this show.
Delta King Theatre, various times Thursday through Sunday, $18-$25 for the show and $38-$52 for dinner and the show. 1000 Front Street in Old Sacramento, (916) 995-5464. Through February 29. J.H.
The Little Prince This is a philosophical fable about a lonely intergalactic prince’s search for companionship. The show concentrates on the Little Prince’s adventures here on Earth and on various other planets. The play is a little over one hour, which is perfect for the attention span of the younger audience members. The abbreviated plot feels disjointed at times, but the audience will be captivated by the colorful costumes and imaginative props and backdrops. This Little Prince is a picture book beautifully brought to life in 3-D glory.
Sacramento Theatre Company; 7 p.m. Friday, 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; $16-$32. 1419 H Street, (916) 443-6722. Through December 28. P.R.
Season’s Greetings and The SantaLand Diaries The SantaLand Diaries, an adaptation of National Public Radio essayist David Sedaris’ classic about working as a Macy’s elf, is an antidote to the saccharine-sweet sentimentality that overshadows the holidays. It’s paired with Season’s Greetings, another Sedaris spoof on the strange brag rags known as family Christmas letters. Starring in both productions is the multi-faceted Mario Cabrera, whose sideways glances and hyper personality perfectly capture the camp of these Christmas tales.
Sacramento Theatre Company’s Stage II Theatre; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; $13-$33. 1419 H Street, (916) 443-6722. Through January 18. P.R.
This One Night Buck Busfield’s latest holiday play has the strong potential to become his best effort yet. It combines sharp comic writing and poignant situations. Busfield also has created a credible black female character. The show is very well cast, with strong performances. However, at just more than an hour, the script (and the show) needs fleshing out. As is, the transformation of the lead character (an old man, played well by Harold Smith) is as likely to confuse as to satisfy the viewer. However, like Busfield’s previous holiday shows, this is a work in progress. The show you see may reflect upgrades from the version our reviewer saw opening night.
B Street Theatre; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday; $17.50-$21.50. 2711 B Street. (916) 443-5300. Through January 4. J.H.
S.I.T.B. (Stable in the Back) James Wheatley wrote the script, composed the music and choreographed and directed this small-scale, original holiday musical comedy. He also appears in the cast as an angelic commentator. Wheatley’s taken the familiar story of Jesus’ birth (in a stable in Bethlehem) and retold it with a modern, somewhat African-American spin. The costumes indicate biblical times, but many lines refer to credit cards and other 21st-century lifestyle accessories. Wheatley’s songs are the best part of the show, running the gamut from calypso to gospel, and Broadway to blues.
Celebration Arts Theatre; 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, with no shows December 25 and January 1; $6-$12. 4469 D Street, (916) 455-2787. Through January 10. J.H.
