Opening

I'm telling you now: Don't sleep on New Helvetia Theatre, Sacramento's youngest and smallest professional theater company.

Artistic director Connor Mickiewicz has consistently put up smart, solid musical theater on a mostly intimate scale at the Artisan Theatre on Del Paso Boulevard.

The company's latest production, Michael John La Chiusa's "Little Fish," follows in the pattern of producing newer composers writing smaller musicals that have no intention of crashing the Broadway party.

Loosely based on two short stories by Deborah Eisenberg, "Days" and "Flotsam," the musical chronicles the life of Charlotte who, after deciding to stop smoking, begins swimming for exercise and to compensate for missing nicotine. Mickiewicz, who is directing the production, says the creativity of La Chiusa's music hooked him.

"The music is so intricate, and he keeps you in suspense musically," Mickiewicz said, "then all of a sudden there's a burst of release where the audience can definitely feel, 'There's a chord I recognize.' "

Maggie Hollinbeck stars as Charlotte, with Tristan Rumery and Nanci Zoppi cast as a couple of her friends. Graham Sobelman provides the musical direction and heads up the accompanying band.

The Artisan Theatre, 1901 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento. 8 p.m. today and Saturday, then 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays until Oct. 29. (There is also a 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 29.) All tickets are $25 for general admission. This weekend, people 30 and under can buy Hip Tix for $15. Information: (916) 469-9850, www.newhelvetia.org.

The real thing

The young drummer and composer Matt Slocum has just released his latest record, "After the Storm," and as luck would have it, he arrives in Sacramento to perform the music.

Slocum has an expressive, light touch on the kit, reminiscent of Paul Motian's percussive poetry, but Slocum's lyrical writing has also gained major notice.

He's received several major compositional grants while his trio has pricked up ears in the United States and Europe. While pianist Gerald Clayton and bassist Massimo Biolcati joined Slocum on the recording, he comes to town with Danny Grissett on piano and Darek Oles on bass. This is a chance to catch a serious young talent on the rise.

JB's Lounge, 1401 Arden Way, inside the Red Lion Hotel, Sacramento. The first set starts at 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10, $5 for children 10 and under. Call (916) 723-5517, or go to www.reverbnation.com/vivianlee.

For the fun of it

The folks at Sacra-Melo call themselves Sacramento's premiere musical parody playhouse. Who can argue, since they likely are our only musical parody playhouse?

Taking up the space on the Delta King in Old Sacramento, where Capital Stage formerly performed, this new community company has nothing but laughs on its mind. Their inaugural show is "The Phantom of the Opera," and there have to be a few jokes in that warhorse.

The Delta King Theatre, 1000 Front St., 7:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29; 2:15 p.m. matinee on Oct. 23. Tickets are $8-$16. Information: (916) 993-8091, www.sacramelo.com.

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Call The Bee's Marcus Crowder, (916) 321-1120

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