Light summer fare with a New York pulse

A touring production of the musical “42nd Street” began a seven-week run at the Ahmanson Theatre on Friday night. Below is a condensed version of a review that ran in The Times on June 13, when the production was at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

This is the touring ensemble from the 2001 Broadway production that won a Tony Award for best musical revival -- the 1980 show’s first Broadway reprise -- and the company has a Broadway sheen.

Expect no revelations, however. “42nd Street” has been produced frequently in the Southland. While this touring production has a bigger cast, a few different songs and a glossier look than some of the other revivals, it’s not on a significantly higher level than the better local efforts.

This behind-the-scenes look at the making of a Depression-era Broadway revue was cobbled together from the ingredients of several early ‘30s movie musicals, including the sterling songs of composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin. But the book, by Michael Stewart and this revival’s director, Mark Bramble, has a built-in challenge that this production doesn’t quite overcome.

The actress who plays Peggy, the fresh-faced ingenue who stumbles her way into stardom, should have an overwhelming charisma that cannot be denied even by her prospective rivals. Catherine Wreford is a lithe, graceful dancer and has a pretty good singing voice. But she blends in a little too well. Her displayed talents aren’t distinctive enough that she would automatically come to mind as the replacement for an injured star.

Blair Ross is wonderful as the reigning diva, and her role has been enhanced with the addition (for the 2001 revival) of a smoky solo version of “I Only Have Eyes for You,” placed after a romantic squabble so that Dubin’s lyrics achieve a luminous poignancy. Patrick Ryan Sullivan has an assured grasp of the domineering director’s world-weariness, plus the adrenaline and sex appeal that help him do his job.

The spectacle glitters on cue. The first act uses silhouettes in a lively shadow dance and, in the newly added “Keep Young and Beautiful” number, imports a tilted mirror to simulate the overhead shots of Busby Berkeley’s movies. The second act features another 2001 addition to the score, “With Plenty of Money and You,” in a number for Peggy and the chorus boys. Paul Gallo’s lighting palette is varied and lush. The beating heart of the show is, as always, the crackling tap ensemble, overseen by Randy Skinner.

*

‘42nd Street’

Where: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A.

When: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m.; Sundays, 7:30 p.m. After Aug. 17, Sunday shows at 2 p.m. only; Aug. 21, 28 shows at 2 and 8 p.m.

Ends: Aug. 31

Price: $25-$80

Contact: (213) 628-2772

Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes