Most holiday theatre guides send Sacramento audiences to the Nutcracker, and for good reason. But a few blocks from the Capitol, The Sofia — home of B Street Theatre — is running two different December productions simultaneously, one aimed squarely at adults who want something weirder and funnier than a carol singalong, and one that is a straight-up family Christmas Carol with a twist. Neither show requires a prior B Street subscription to attend.
The Two Shows
The Mainstage offering this December is When Martha Met Kris: The Santa Claus Love Story, a world premiere comedy written by Jerry Montoya and running December 2 through December 27. The premise is exactly what it sounds like: a behind-the-legend story that asks what happens when the people who gave the world its sense of wonder have to find their own again. Montoya has written for B Street before, and his plays tend to run fast and sharp. This one is categorized as adult comedy — not a children’s show — which makes it a natural pick for a holiday date night or a post-dinner outing with friends who’ve already seen every Christmas movie streaming.
On the Sutter Stage, which is B Street’s smaller second space inside The Sofia, there’s a special engagement of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Sacramento actor-playwright Sam Kebede. This production is back by popular demand after an earlier run, and it’s a genuinely different take on the Dickens material. Three performers — Peter Story as Scrooge, Tara Sissom and Robert Karma Robinson as the ensemble — play every character in the story, shifting between them seamlessly. The runtime is an hour and 45 minutes with intermission. Because it’s a special engagement, it’s not included in regular Mainstage subscriptions, so both subscribers and newcomers buy tickets the same way.
Why These Shows Are Worth Your Time
Sacramento gets a strong calendar of holiday productions every year — the Nutcracker, the Polar Express, the downtown ice rink — but original local theatre is genuinely harder to find in December. When Martha Met Kris is having its world premiere right here, which means Sacramento audiences will be among the first anywhere to see it. A Christmas Carol, meanwhile, earns its return engagement by doing something few productions of that story attempt: it strips the cast to three people and trusts them to carry the full weight of every ghost, counting house clerk, and Tiny Tim. For theatergoers who want to see what Sacramento’s homegrown theatrical talent can do, December at The Sofia is worth a closer look.
The Details
- When Martha Met Kris — Mainstage, Dec 2–27, 2026. World premiere comedy by Jerry Montoya. Tickets at bstreettheatre.org.
- A Christmas Carol — Sutter Stage, Dec 4–27, 2026. Adapted by Sam Kebede. 1 hr 45 min with intermission. Tickets from $30 (Dec 4 preview) to $45; includes $10 building surcharge. Not part of regular Mainstage subscriptions.
- Venue: The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre — 2700 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95816
- Parking: Sutter Community Garage at 2701 N Street; entrance off 28th Street between Capitol Ave and N Street
- Getting there: Lyft and Uber drop-off on Capitol Avenue between 27th and 28th Street
- Tickets: bstreettheatre.org — buy in advance, especially for weekend December dates
Planning Your Visit
The Sofia sits in Midtown, about a 10-minute drive from downtown Sacramento and within walking distance of dozens of restaurants on Capitol Avenue and in the surrounding neighborhood. Coming in from the east side or the suburbs, figure 15 to 20 minutes without holiday traffic and longer on weekend evenings. If you’re making a full evening of it, the stretch of Capitol Avenue around 28th and 29th Street has plenty of dinner options within a short walk of the theatre.
A Christmas Carol runs family-friendly: the Dickens story is familiar enough for older kids, and the ensemble format makes it engaging to watch even for adults who’ve seen many versions. When Martha Met Kris is billed as adult comedy and is appropriate for grown-up audiences. B Street does not publish content warnings prominently, but the show page notes it is a Mainstage production aimed at adults.
Both shows run through December 27, so there is no need to rush — though popular dates in mid-December tend to sell quickly at B Street, particularly Thursday through Saturday evenings.
Bottom Line
Two original holiday theatre productions running concurrently at the same address in Midtown Sacramento is a better deal than it might look at first glance. When Martha Met Kris offers a world premiere comedy for adults looking for something unconventional, while A Christmas Carol gives families and Dickens fans a stripped-down, three-actor version with real momentum. If you’re planning a December evening out and want something beyond the standard holiday playlist, The Sofia is a good place to spend two hours.
For more December ideas around Sacramento, see the guide to Sacramento Christmas Events in 2026, the Sacramento Ballet Nutcracker 2026 for a more traditional night out, and Primary Trust at B Street Theatre for a look at what B Street has been up to this fall.
