Stage Reviews

… And the Dream Goes On! A Celebration in Song, Word and Dance This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Theatre Project piece is better than last year’s show. Both were written by Anthony D’Juan, whose good ear for language has carried over to this story about the dramatic tension between three generations of men. The show’s most moving moment is the song “If I Were Allowed to Live,” which depicts the four girls killed in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing as grown adults, describing what they might have accomplished if they hadn’t been cut down. The song’s tremendous emotional climax brought several in the audience to tears. Five of Charles Cooper’s songs passed this reviewer’s “morning after” test (i.e., can you hum the melody and recall the words the next morning?)—a remarkable percentage for any original score. Although technically a community production, this show has more vigor than many larger, professional touring productions. And its message of hope and legacy comes through loud and clear.
University Theater; 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are free (limit four per person) and can be picked up an hour before the show. California State University, Sacramento. Through January 18. J.H.

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.

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; 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.