The story of one of America’s most influential and controversial civil rights leaders is being told in a new way, and Sacramento audiences will soon have a chance to see it.
Todd Anthony, a Los Angeles-based writer and actor, is bringing his one-man show “Red” to Sacramento’s Guild Theater this month. Set during the early years of the civil rights movement, “Red” tells the story of civil rights leader Malcolm X, beginning in his early adulthood, when he was known as “Detroit Red,” according to Anthony.
“’Red’ is about the transformation of Malcolm X … but it’s really about the message underneath, which is identity, transformation and purpose,” Anthony said. “I think that every person identifies with the process of growth and transformation in life to discover ultimately what you’re called here to do on Earth.”
The Sacramento shows come after a year of sold-out runs in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Anthony’s hometown.
“Red” will run from Nov. 10 to 12 at the Guild Theater, 2828 35th St. in Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood.
Actor and playwright Todd Anthony portrays civil rights leader Malcolm X in a performance of his one-man play, “Red.” The show, which is scheduled to come to Sacramento Nov. 10-12, 2026, reflects on the activist’s early adulthood years as he rose in prominence. Todd Anthony Finding Malcolm X
Anthony said the idea for “Red” was born in 2019 as a short film exploring what Malcolm X’s life might have been like if he were still alive. Soon after, Anthony wrote a TV pilot for what became the stage show, drawing on nearly two decades of experience in the TV and film industry.
Before taking “Red” on the road, Anthony accumulated writing, acting and producing credits on various shows and movies, including a minor role on The CW’s “Black Lightning.”
Anthony’s opportunity to bring “RED” to the capital city came by chance, when the play’s director, Emmy-nominated actress Crystal Lee Brown, met former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson at an airport.
“(Johnson) overheard (Brown) talking about the project to someone,” Anthony said. “He literally did his own research right on the spot, and approached her and said, ‘Is this the show? It looks amazing. I would love to bring this to Sacramento.’ From there, it just took on a life of its own.”
Johnson helped set up Anthony and his team in the Guild Theater, which the former mayor owns as part of St. Hope Academy.
Anthony said that after learning more about Sacramento, he felt the play’s message fit with the city’s arts scene and cultural history.
“Sacramento has a lot of … African-American roots, and I feel like there’s a community for this type of piece,” he said. “I think that it’s timely, I think that it’s needed in Sacramento.”
The playwright and actor said he hopes younger audiences will see the show, drawing parallels between Malcolm X’s activism and younger generations’ willingness to express their beliefs. Anthony said his 19-year-old child never learned about Malcolm X’s work in school, and he felt it’s an important story to share with Sacramento’s younger audiences, whom he described as “very bold.”
“(It’s timely to) make sure that we’re not only educating the generation of tomorrow, but we’re also helping guide them with the voices of the past,” Anthony said.
Tickets for all three performances of “RED” are available on Anthony’s website and the Guild Theater’s website. General admission tickets cost $50 per person, and VIP tickets cost $65 and include a front-row seat, a signed playbill and a photo with Anthony.
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Camila Pedrosa is the California Diversions Reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked on The Bee’s service journalism team and was a summer reporting intern for The Bee in 2024. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in mass communication.