Swashbuckle until you buckle

Veteran John Deaderick co-directs and plays Cyrano in this elaborate community production (independently produced by Paul Emery). Deaderick pleasingly humanizes the poetic side of this iconic role (Cyrano can all too easily be presented as cartoonishly larger than life). His unrequited love is touching; his death is a three-hanky affair. But there’s still plenty of swashbuckling: Cyrano drops in via a rope from the balcony, duels in the aisles, etc. Theo Black (handsome, tongue-tied Christian, also fight choreographer and co-director) and Skyeler Myers (the beautiful Roxanne) lead a large, well-costumed cast of Nevada County actors.

Cyrano, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. $15-$20. Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street in Nevada City; (530) 478-1974; www.cyranonevadacity.com. Through February 27.