Most Sacramento theatergoers know the drill: SAFE Credit Union PAC for Broadway tours, Harris Center for Folsom productions, B Street for edgier local work. But a 25-minute drive north on I-5 sits one of California’s most extraordinary small stages — and this November, it’s putting on one of the most beloved musicals ever written.
The Woodland Opera House opens its production of Annie on November 13, with performances running through November 29, 2026. For families looking to kick off the holiday season with a real night out, and for anyone who hasn’t been inside this building, this is a trip worth making.
What Is Annie?
Annie is the 1977 musical about an optimistic orphan in Depression-era New York who catches the attention of billionaire Oliver Warbucks. The score by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin includes “Tomorrow,” “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and “Maybe” — songs recognizable enough that even people who’ve never seen a live production know the words.
It’s a family show in the best sense: genuinely funny, emotionally honest, and not soft. The Depression-era setting grounds it, the villain Miss Hannigan gives kids someone to boo, and the ending earns its sentimentality. At the Woodland Opera House’s scale, with fewer than 400 seats and the intimacy that comes with a restored Victorian house, the performances land differently than they do in a 2,500-seat barn.
About the Venue
The Woodland Opera House doesn’t just have history — it is history. Designed in 1885 and rebuilt in 1895–1896 after a downtown fire, it served as the cultural center of the Sacramento Valley at a time when touring companies were the only live entertainment most towns ever saw. By 1913, more than 300 companies had performed there, including troupes led by John Philip Sousa and George M. Cohan.
Then it sat unused for nearly 60 years.
The Yolo County Historical Society bought it in 1971 for $12,000. It became a California State Historic Park in 1976 and was deeded to the State of California in 1980. After a $2 million restoration, it reopened in 1989. Today it holds California Historical Landmark status (No. 851) and sits on the National Register of Historic Places — and it still puts on full theatrical seasons.
It is one of only four historic theaters of its kind still operating in California. The others are famous. This one is 25 minutes from Sacramento.
The Schedule
Annie runs November 13–29, 2026, at 340 Second Street in downtown Woodland. The performance schedule is as follows:
Week One
Friday, November 13 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 15 at 2:00 pm
Week Two
Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm
Friday, November 20 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 21 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 22 at 2:00 pm
Week Three
Friday, November 27 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 28 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 29 at 2:00 pm
Saturday matinees are likely the easiest call for families with young kids. The Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm are a comfortable drive-up-and-back option for Sacramento residents.
The Details
- What: Annie, a musical by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin
- Venue: Woodland Opera House, 340 Second Street, Woodland, CA 95695
- Dates: November 13–29, 2026
- Showtimes: Fridays (and Thursday Nov. 19) at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm
- Tickets: Available at woodlandoperahouse.org
- Box office phone: (530) 666-9617
- Box office hours: Tuesday 10 am–1 pm; Wednesday–Friday 10 am–1 pm and 2–5 pm; on show days, opens two hours before curtain
- Parking: No dedicated theater lot. Street parking and public lots in downtown Woodland. Accessible spaces available directly behind the building, first come first served. Arrive early on weekend evenings.
- Drive from Sacramento: Approximately 25 minutes north via I-5, Main Street exit
Bottom Line
Annie at Woodland Opera House is a genuinely rare Sacramento-area opportunity — a classic American musical in a state landmark theater that most locals have never stepped inside. It runs just 17 days, which makes tickets feel more valuable than they might otherwise. If November 13–29 works for any part of your calendar, booking early is worth it. The house is small, the shows sell out, and Sunday matinee availability disappears first.
For more live theater and performing arts in the Sacramento area this season, see ELF The Musical at Harris Center in Folsom (November 4), Sacramento Ballet’s Nutcracker 2026, and B Street Theatre’s December holiday shows.
