Heidelberg in San Gabriel

Music Theatre of Southern California’s “The Student Prince,” at San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, is useful as a point of contrast with “Show Boat,” at the Ahmanson Theatre. A big hit in the pre-”Show Boat” era, “The Student Prince” demonstrates how shocking the relatively realistic “Show Boat” must have been when it opened.

Director George Strattan’s revival of “Student Prince” serves well as this kind of museum exhibit, though it doesn’t stir up much interest on its own.

This Sigmund Romberg/Dorothy Donnelly creation--with others later revising it--is the story of a young prince (Patrick Gallagher), betrothed to someone he barely knows, who gets a year’s reprieve in dear old Heidelberg, a former haunt of his kindly tutor (golden-voiced Bob Lauder Jr.).

The young pup becomes involved with a fraternity of fellow drinkers and with the young barmaid Kathie (Victoria Strong). But alas, eventually he learns that “no one can stay in Heidelberg forever.” His story is a bit like that of young Prince Hal, but Donnelly and Romberg were no match for Shakespeare.

Gallagher sings well, but he also comes off as charmlessly callow and overwrought, lacking the charisma that would bedazzle someone as sprightly as Strong’s Kathie. Paul Keith gets a few laughs as the prince’s pompous valet, as does Elias Stimac as the valet’s valet.

For “Student Prince” fans, this version has a Princess Stephanie (Therese Walden) but lacks the original character of Princess Margaret. On opening night, it also boasted of the presence in the audience of 97-year-old Violet Carlson, who played the barmaid Gretchen in the original Broadway cast in 1924.

BE THERE

“The Student Prince,” San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, 320 S. Mission Drive. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Feb. 23. $15-$45. (818) 308-2868. Running time: 2 hours, 55 minutes.