I saw "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks" with a busload of retirees from Eskaton Village in Carmichael. It was probably the most persuasive audience I could have sat with as I evaluated this schmaltzy little two-actor play.

The story involves a prim older lady in a beachside Florida high-rise, who arranges for private dance lessons. When the instructor arrives - he's a handsome young man with a loud, flamboyant manner and stylish clothes - she's characteristically reserved.

Lily: "Please, come in."

Michael: "You sure?"

Lily: "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm always very cautious when my husband isn't home."

Michael: "A lot of crime in St. Peterburg Beach? PIRATES, maybe?"

Lily: "A woman alone, even temporarily, can't be too careful."

Their backgrounds are utterly different. But once the music begins, an odd friendship soon develops. In case you hadn't already guessed, the flamboyant instructor is a gay man who's danced in Broadway shows, while the older lady comes from a religiously conservative Southern background. But they learn to appreciate each other.

To keep the plot ticking, playwright Richard Alfieri plants a stormy quarrel in each dance lesson . .. but they always make up. Given the particulars of these characters, it's no surprise when a life-threatening illness abruptly rears its head. But even the shadow of death yields to the bonds of friendship set to a dance beat, at least in this play's final scene.

This script is too tidy and predictable, and the dialog resembles a TV sitcom. But I sensed real appreciation from the smiling retirees around me at the matinee, as actors Becky Saunders and Justin Samuel Cowan delivered enthusiastic performances.

"Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks" may be instantly familiar, but this cute little production clearly clicks with its intended audience. And a reassuring play with a sweet, simple message has a certain appeal on a chilly December day.

"Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks" continues at the Sacramento Theatre Company through December 18th.