The holiday season meets political satire and magical realism in this year’s production of “La Pastorela de Sacramento,” with performances Dec. 18 and Dec. 20-22 at the historic Guild Theater on 35th Street near Broadway.
San Francisco Mime Troupe alumna Marie Acosta and Tomas Benitez of Teatro Café have updated their musical to speak directly to current times. Characters include Gila, a college student and climate activist; Armando, a developer about to land an important contract in Oak Park; Juan, an Afghanistan war veteran coping with PTSD; and Carmela, a Sacramento-born actress whose Hollywood career crashed when she refused to sleep with her producer. The four must work together to help an undocumented family (Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus) and save the world from disaster.
La Pastorela de Sacramento is presented by the Latino Center of Art and Culture and Oak Park Neighborhood Association.
The bilingual musical is designed to engage kids and adults. Tickets, at $15 for adults and $5 for kids, are available through www.EventBrite.com. Performances are at 8 p.m. Dec. 18, 20 and 21, with 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 21 and 22.
Event-goers who arrive half an hour before the show will experience a Posada procession with El Coro del Pueblo, a bilingual choir that will perform songs of hope and resistance as well as Spanish language Christmas favorites.