BRUNSWICK – Whether you’ll enjoy the Maine State Music Theatre’s current production of “Brigadoon,” relies almost entirely on whether you like “Brigadoon” at all. (Of course, I’m making the broad sweep that everyone is familiar with either the play or the movie immortalized by Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse.)

“Brigadoon” is one of those “classic” musicals by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe, the same folks who brought us “My Fair Lady’ and “Camelot.” This show is dripping with love songs, grand dance numbers, outstanding costumes, a huge set and a story that’s sappy sweet and guaranteed to stretch your imagination.

Tommy (Jeffrey Coon) and Jeff (John-Charles Kelly) play two Americans who stumble onto the uncharted town of Brigadoon while touring the hills of Scotland. The residents of Brigadoon are dressed in Scottish garb of 200 years ago because they’re locked into some sort of miracle where the town disappears for 100 years and then reappears for only one day. The “Brigadooners” go to bed and, when they wake up the next day, the rest of the world has advanced 100 years, while they’re only a day older.

Tommy falls in love with a charming lass, Fiona (Kate Fisher). But, once he learns the secret of the town, he must decide whether to stay and leave his whole life behind (including a fiance), or return to his life in New York City.

There’s a subplot or two of the wedding between Jean (Robyn Hurder) and Charlie (Mark Aldrich, with a rich tenor voice), the antics of the town “tart,” Meg (Kristin Huffman, who offers the best comic relief), and the melodramatic longings of youthful Harry Beaton (Clyde Alves, a tremendous dancer in the sword-dance and reel number) who wants to leave Brigadoon – something that’s not allowed by the spell cast on the village.

If you put aside the improbable situation, it’s the music, the love story and the dancing that have enchanted theatergoers for years, and these elements are treated wonderfully in this production. All the principals, especially Coon and Fisher, have beautiful singing voices, and famous numbers like “Heather on the Hill” and “Almost Like Being in Love” are as lovely as you remember them.

But the show is not without some irritations. The hour-and-a-half first act makes one yearn for intermission, and you begin to see why many other productions of this show cut out some musical interludes and dances.

The youthful audience members, raised on contemporary shows like “Footloose,” “Fame,” “A Chorus Line” or “Into the Woods,” seemed more bored than entertained and were glad when the curtain call arrived.

The set, while eye-catching with its forested backdrops, was distracting and bothersome with these draped platforms and stairs that were moved every couple of minutes, or so it seemed. It was fine a couple of times, but a nuisance by the end of a few scenes.

And with original dances created by legendary choreographer Agnes DeMille, you’d expect some interpretative numbers amid the typical Celtic steps. Michelle Bruckner’s dance over the dead body of Harry Beaton was something I’ve never seen before in this show. And while it was particularly interesting, it failed miserably when combined with the bagpiper blaring in the background for what seemed to be an eternity. (My rule of thumb with bagpipe music is it’s always enchanting, but only for a minute. Anything longer, especially in an intimate place like Pickard Theater, will test one’s patience and bust an eardrum.)

So, I end where I began. If you like “Brigadoon” and if you like seeing it over and over again, it doesn’t get much better than seeing it at Maine State Music Theatre.

But for this reviewer, “Brigadoon” is one of those old-time classics that needs a well-deserved rest.

Performances run Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with a rotation of matinees on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday, depending on the performance week. Tickets can be purchased from the box office at 725-8769. Web site info is at www.msmt.org.

Dan Marois and his wife, Denise, run Main Street Entertainment & Mystery for Hire. He can be reached at [email protected] or at www.mysteryforhire.com.