I fully admit that I have 100% bias in reviewing this show…read more Because I'm involved. I've been involved since a few weeks after the beginning. So take it with a grain of salt. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler has been running at the Geery Theatre for 3 years. In a combination of small-theatre, good show and good performance, this makes for some record-breaking: this production is the longest running production in the nation. How is that for a feather in Sacramento's cap? The show is peformed by 3 women who share "group moments" together and each have 3 monologues. The stage is set with rich red panels and a single chair and stool, one where the actor sits and the other, where she addresses Eve. The show has been running so long that there's a few casts that perform in rotation, but both casts are strong, and they do the material justice. The show runs Friday & Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $14.50 general, $17.50 reserved (you can choose your seats) and special prices of $12.50 for students, seniors, SARTA, SAG members. I hear tell that the production might finally come to an end, so be sure to come see the show before it closes, cause you'll know you'll regret it!

Like the reviewer below, I'm biased as well, because my girlfriend is in this show. But consider…read morethis as a testament to its quality: It's the longest-running production of the show in the country, and the cast is going to be performing in San Francisco in the near future, which I am told is a first for a Sacramento-based play. The Vagina Monologue, as the name suggests, compromises several monlogues featuring women talking about their "down-theres." (That's how one of the characters in the production, an older woman, refers to her vagina.) The monologues are diverse and entertaining. Some are laugh-out-loud funny (featuring, for example, a series of hilarious faux orgasms right there on stage); some are really poignant and touching. Importantly, this isn't simply a chick-flick -- er, play. While I expect women will be able to relate more to what's being said -- though they'll likely come away with new perspectives as well -- guys certainly will leave with some enlightenment about women and their monkeyboxes (another term used in the play). The play closes soon, unfortunately, but shows take place Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and surely you have one of those nights free, right? So seriously: Check out the show and have a great time while supporting a local performance.

Not to be confused with the Black Box Theater in West Sac, I first attended The Alternative Arts…read moreCollective (TAAC)'s performance of "Taming of the Shrew" here. BTW, it's called the Blue Box Theater after Doctor Who -- look for the hidden TARDIS onstage and neat blown glass art hanging from the trees in the patio area! Unfortunately the show ran in the month of May, and they didn't yet have air conditioning installed/functioning in the VERY small space. For "Taming of the Shrew," it was set in a trailer park! The Alternative Arts Collective's adaptation of Shakespeare's tale added a new level of zany to the classic kind of, sort of love story. It was a very intimate, funny, fresh take on the material, and I could tell the people/troupe behind the production (nonprofit) were all-in for this type of bold, experimental theater. Only a dozen or so folks in the cast, not including behind-the-scenes people like lighting/sound. Parking is available in a gated lot nearby. The theater is located on the corner of Oxford St. & Lea Way in Sacramento. Not sure what is going on there nowadays, as TAAC is quite nomadic (Geery Midtown, Blacktop Comedy Rocklin, Chautauqua Playhouse).

This is hands down the best dance company and place to learn how to salsa dance. It's an on2…read morecompany. But they also teach on1. If you want to be a good dancer like a good lead and good follow. This is where you do it. They are fun. Challenging and encouraging. Honestly I wish everyone learned here. We need more good leads in Sacramento.

My most favorite studio I've been to in SACRAMENTO; the entire staff is welcoming and super…read morefriendly. The owners are so good at making you feel like family and just the overall energy is a whole vibe. You have to experience it to know and understand! Power House instructors and even the senior students chime in and help us newbies without any judgments. Just so in love with this place!!!

An awesome small theatrical company that puts on a GREAT show - and the prices are great too!…read more Tickets are generally $20 (and sell out) and performances are held at the California Stage in Midtown Sacramento. The auditorium may be small with hard seats and not heated, but my attention never waned during the production. From their website: "Artistic Differences is a semi-professional theatre company dedicated to bringing underproduced musicals to the stage. Utilizing some of the top performers and designers in the region, we strive to present shows to our audiences that are challenging, exciting and thought-provoking." Check out their website for current productions!!

My daughter was a gymnast for seven years and competed for two of those years. Unfortunately, the…read morepressure eventually became too much for her, and she decided to step away from gymnastics and give dance a try at Elite Studio of Dance. From the very first day, she has never looked back! Since starting dance, I have watched her confidence grow tremendously. She looks forward to every practice and comes home excited to tell me all about what she learned and who she spent time with. She was welcomed with open arms by the other dancers and has made so many wonderful friends. One of the things I really appreciate about Elite Studio of Dance is the sense of community they create. I love that they take the time to do roll call at the beginning of class, giving the children an opportunity to introduce themselves, learn each other's names, and connect with one another. It may seem like something small, but I believe those little things make a big difference in helping children feel comfortable and included. The instructors and staff have also been incredible. Every interaction I've had with them has been professional, kind, and informative. When my daughter recently joined the competition team, I had a few questions about my payment plan. The staff responded to my email quickly and took the time to answer all of my questions. That level of communication and support is something I truly appreciate as a parent. I also love how the competition program is structured. The competition dancers practice alongside children who participate simply because they love dance and want to take classes recreationally. I think that creates inclusion rather than division. It allows the kids to learn from one another, build friendships, and feel like everyone is part of the same community. There was even a time when I accidentally mixed up my days and dropped my daughter off too early for practice. One of the instructors kindly allowed her to stay and participate in a class until her scheduled class began, even though she wasn't enrolled in that particular class. That small act of kindness meant so much to me because, otherwise, I would have had to leave work to pick her up. As a parent, one of the most important things to me is knowing that when I drop my child off, she is safe, welcomed, and surrounded by people who genuinely care about her. Those are just two of the many experiences that have made Elite Studio of Dance feel like so much more than a dance studio. It truly feels like a community. I'm so grateful we found this place. Watching my daughter rediscover her confidence, make friends, and genuinely love going to practice has been such a beautiful experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend Elite Studio of Dance to any parent looking for a positive, welcoming, and supportive environment for their child.

We've taken classes here with several instructors and subs who were so kind and lovely to the kids…read more I really want to like this school. The dancers are amazing and we are always awed by their competition team performances (my friend's kids compete here) but we were taken aback by a recent encounter that I'm still pondering about to feel. I want to be honest and candid in my feedback as I hope this can be used to improve the school. As parents, we always followed the rules and would drop off esp for ballet class since the owner was strict on this policy (after first class) to not be a distraction to the kids. We've taken intro to dance, ballet 1, and this year was hoping due to schedule reasons enroll in ballet 1/2. We have been doing 2 recitals (which are expensive by the way and cost $100 per dress plus tickets you have to buy PER attendee (yes even toddler). The ballet class name this year was literally ballet 1/2 on the calendar initially and not ballet 2. To accommodate both daughters, I asked if we can enroll given we took ballet 1 the year before. We were told by the owner through text when we asked to change classes that this was ok and she was happy to welcome our daughter. However, we later found out after the second class (it was the first class with the owner as the very first class was with one of her substitutes whom she later told me was not up to standard with that class), that she decided to make it only a ballet 2 class. Therefore after telling my daughter and her friend they can enroll and even encouraging us to, she texted us we couldn't bc the "maturity level and skill level gap was too big." In retrospect, I wish she could've had a discussion with us parents after class face to face instead of delivering by text. I even told her this in response to her texts but to be fully transparent, the teacher never usually in the past communicate to us parents in person and only over text or via mass announcement on Band. In retrospect, I wish she never would've let my daughter in the class bc she said my daughter needed to go back to ballet 1 (which felt like a demotion just after 1 class in ballet 1/2). Yes, this did affect her self-confidence and in her desire to learn bc now my daughter says she loves to dance but doesn't know if dance CLASS is right for her. This is ironic since I was told by the owner/teacher "for her confidence, I want her to be in ballet 1 for a while before she's ready." It was very disheartening how she told other parents the same and one of which also enrolled in the ballet 1/2. My daughter cannot be with her friend anymore in class and my younger daughter (we come there bc of the convenient time) also had to dis-enroll bc of this change and it just left us feeling unsupported, which is disappointing because I always recommended their dance school to other parents and parent groups on social media and to several of my friends who enrolled. One of my friends was excited her daughter would be in same class as mine but this was not to be. All around just unfortunate with the level of communication and giving my daughter hope but then taking that away. She did offer 1 additional class for ballet 1 at the end of the month but thinking we may need some time away to think on this because my daughter still loves ballet and this school is conveniently located but we need some time to reconcile how we feel still about this encounter. I'm conflicted as my daughter loves dance but this recent incidence caused us to question if and when we will return.

We recently used this band for a car show. They were definitely the most entertaining group we…read morehired. Add ot that they were also the most professional. Great musicians, great entertainers and outstanding music!

Caught the Vandals in Elk Grove at the vintage trailer event. What a pleasant surprise! These guys…read moreare excellent. I would recommend this band for hire. My wife especially enjoyed the music as she loves the 50's music. It brought back some great memories for us both. Fun show!

My first 5 star review! I found tickets to watch their musical "Peter Pun" on Dealsaver for half…read moreprice. We paid $18 for two tickets. The theater seats 115 people; it's small, intimate, and the cast got the audience involved in the play. Some of the cast members played multiple characters (very well, I might add) AND they were the crew members! There are less than 10 people in their entire cast and crew. They did a wonderful job; they're an extremely talented bunch. Snacks and beverages are sold before the show and during intermission. There is a bar upstairs. They also gave everyone a complimentary small bag of popcorn. Well-executed show! We will definitely be going to their next show. For those who have kids, this show "Peter Pun" in particular wasn't exactly rated G, more like PG-13, like Shrek 2.

We attended the three-day annual Davis Music Fest this past weekend, which included a great lineup…read moreof musical performances at five different venues within walking distance of each other, the festival raising money in support of the arts. I wanna say it was organized well, but there were some moments that made me wonder if there was somehow a lack of communication among those running the event. For instance, the staff at the Delta of Venus stage were not sure if we could use the drink tickets purchased here at the other venues... we eventually did, but that was frustrating not getting a clear answer after waiting so long in line due to their super slow service. They only sold beer at this festival. We had the lager and house IPA from the Berryessa Brewing Co tent. No food was sold as part of the event, and a lot of the eateries in the area close early, like around 8pm on Saturday. We checked out a variety of bands and music genres on Saturday which offered more options than the other two days. We enjoyed the sounds of the Big Blu Soul Revue on the C Street @ Second stage, playing funk and soul, including songs like Express Yourself. No grassy field just the street and no seats unless you bring your own lawn chairs or folding seats. We crammed into the outdoor patio at Sophia's Thai Kitchen, rocking to the high powered sounds of Bloodsugar, not to mention the mosh pit. One of the photographers gave us earplugs which were a lifesaver since we were right next to the speaker. Later, we marched with the Mission Delirium brass band down the street as they performed a range of sounds on a variety of percussion and brass instruments. My favorite act of the night was the Sam Chase and the Untraditional, playing a unique collection of gypsy jazz and country rock in dynamic fashion. They were entertaining and talented, a theatrical performance on the keyboard, drums, trumpet, guitar, violin, and cello. A great way to end our night.