photographs by Barry Wisdom / Talk about a BFF. For centuries, Shakespeare has proven to be the very best friend a theater troupe could have. With all of the playwrights who have since put pen to parchment, or have ignited the afterburners on their inkjet printers, it’s still Wild Bill Shakespeare who today’s stage companies turn to when looking to balance their sometimes costly, sometimes scatological world premiere programming with established, “classy” classics (many of which are royalty-free). In addition, directors around the world have demonstrated time and again that the Bard’s canon is not a dry, static collection of Dead Sea scrolls, but a treasure chest of ever-relevant human

photographs by Barry Wisdom / If you've consistently heard good things about Sacramento Theatre Company's almost-annual musical production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," but have just never made it down to the company's main stage at 1419 H St., you may want to make an extra-special effort to catch this year's 25th anniversary mounting. After the current run, which officially kicks off Saturday, Dec. 1, and closes Dec. 23, STC will be pulling a "Disney" and locking away playwright Richard Hellesen's adaptation (with music by the late David DeBerry) for five years. The next opportunity local audiences will have to enjoy the show that's become an STC tradition is 2017. Returnin

Photographs by Barry Wisdom | Sacramento Theatre Company veterans Matt K. Miller ("A Christmas Carol") and Jackie Vanderbeck ("The Belle of Amherst") lead an ensemble cast in STC's production of playwright Frederick Knott's "Dial 'M' for Murder," opening at 8 p.m. March 3, 2012. Famously filmed by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, "Dial 'M' for Murder" concerns British ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Miller), whose neglected wife's (Vanderbeck) past dalliance with an American writer (Barry Hubbard) leads to the plotting of the perfect crime – or does it? Also starring are Gary Alan as Inspector Hubbard, and Scott Divine as Wendice's accomplice Captain Lesgate. Greg Alexander directs. T

Capital Stage’s move from the Delta King to the heart of Midtown, while a great deal of work, seems to have gone smoothly. The new theater certainly fulfills the part of Capital Stage’s mission about performing “in an intimate, close up setting.” Capital Stage chose “Superior Donuts” by Tracy Letts to open its seventh season. It is the first in a theater designed by them to produce the type of shows they like to do. Letts is now best known for “August: Osage County” a major Broadway hit bigger than life in every way. “Superior Donuts” tells the story of Arthur Przybyszewski a classic hippy from the 60s. Arthur now runs the rundown North Chicago donut shop inherited from his Polish emigra

Torture, questioning the effectiveness of torture, secret renditions, religious factions, assassinations, government falsehoods for the greater good, heavy loss of civilian lives for the greater good… Sound familiar in the beginning of this century? This is not just the Middle East and North Africa, but also our own country. “Equivocation,” the title of the current offering at B Street Theatre’s B3 stage, has several definitions. All are about some form of evasion of the truth. In this case, it is about a lie not being a mortal sin if the lie results in a greater good. “Equivocation” is not set in the beginning of the 21st century, but in the London of 1606. James I is now King of Englan

In the 1980s, even though he had written numerous highly successful plays (“The Odd Couple,” “The Sunshine Boys”), Neil Simon’s career and his own satisfaction with his work was at a low point. By looking back on his own life as source material, Simon was able to go from seriously funny to a funny and serious play. The result was “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” a fictional look at his childhood in the seaside neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York. It is the fall of 1937. The world is in the worst depression ever and on the brink of the World War II. The Jerome family is typical of the many Jewish families that settled in Brighton Beach. They are trying to live as normal a life as p

photographs by Barry Wisdom   It’s been a year of firsts for Matt K. Miller, artistic director of the Sacramento Theatre Company. For one thing, there’s that title, which was bestowed late last year in the wake of longtime STC leader Peggy Shannon’s exit. A busy stage, film and television actor, voice artist and playwright, Miller began his tenure with STC as a resident company member. In 2005, he stretched his theatrical muscles and took on the role of assistant director for the Shannon-helmed “The Syringa Tree.” Today he’s not only flying solo in the director’s chair, but he’s adding another first in taking that next step: directing himself. “Yes, I’ve been busy,” said Miller, whose

All photos: Barry Wisdom In my recent review of Sacramento Theatre Company’s “A Christmas Carol,” I mentioned Caleb Salmon, who plays the young Ebenezer, the tailor and the second suitor (at Fezziwig’s party.) I’d like to elaborate on the program that Salmon has gone through to get where he is now. Salmon has gone through the Sacramento Theatre Company’s Young Professionals Conservatory. He is now attending college and is an Equity Membership Candidate.  Caleb Salmon as Ebenezer Scrooge and Ella Isaguirre as Belle Actor’s Equity Association, commonly known as Equity, is the union of actors and associated theatre trades. Having an Equity card is the doorway to a professional acting car

All Photos: Barry Wisdom Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is possibly the most popular Christmas story ever written, with the exception of the Nativity story itself. Long before radio, television and the multimedia assault we have today, live theatres – from professional to the smallest community – were producing adaptations of Dickens’ novel. For decades the theatre-going public has continued to embrace “A Christmas Carol,” giving the theatres producing it a nearly surefire hit. Many theatre companies depend on their holiday classics the way retail stores depend on the holiday shopping season.  Sacramento Theatre Company now alternates “A Christmas Carol” with its other popular ho

Music THIS WEEKEND ONLY: Sacramento Theatre Company    Cabaret Series         You're the Top: A Tribute to Cole Porter Our 2010-2011 Cabaret Series kicks off this weekend with a tribute to one of the greatest composers of all time. Spotlighting not only Cole Porter's beautiful ballads like Night and Day and I Love Paris, but also his comic genius and clever rhymes. Featuring several selections from the classic Anything Goes as well as his masterpiece Kiss Me, Kate. With the genius of Cole Porter and Sacramento Theatre Company's best musical talent, this event should be "easy to love!" Thursday November 18th 7:00 pm Friday November 19th 8:00 pm Saturday November 20th 2:00 and 8:00 pm

Two shows opened for two different Sacramento theaters this weekend, set 40 years apart in very different locations and while each has its own unique cast and director, both plays have surprising underlying similarities. Both are essentially two-character plays. Both have a hysterical, unreasonable and totally self-centered female character. And both women become entwined with unsuspecting, clueless men. The Sacramento Theatre Company’s “Owl and the Pussycat” opened Saturday night on their small, intimate Pollock stage. As soon as the curtain rises, the audience finds itself in 1964 San Francisco. When is the last time you heard the word rat fink? “The Owl and the Pussycat” was writer