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FOXBORO - The first act finale solo in "Little Women, the Musical" is called "Astonishing." And that pretty much sums up a universal feeling about this show currently being given a colorful, gala staging by Bay Colony Productions at The Orpheum Theatre.

The show won't blow you away with special effects or laser lights. The story is more than 100 years old, steeped in quaintness, hominess, even corniness, and I defy a single person to leave the theater humming any one of its 18 or 19 serviceable, if derivative, generic tunes.

Yet, the whole of the work is seamless; every element is perfectly in tune - from Daniel Kozar's splendid costumes, to Michael Duarte's evocative, split-level sets, to Dori Bryan's staging and, most importantly, the unblemished casting.

From top to bottom, the 10 cast members are almost flawless, no small feat, believe me. There isn't a weak sister in the bunch.

Leading the parade is a superior Aimee Doherty as Jo, the headstrong, hot-tempered, elder sibling of Louisa May Alcott's well-known March family. Doherty's is one of the performances of the season, and she sings the Jason Howland musical score as if it was written for her voice alone. Time and space simply don't allow for me to gush in hallowed tones about the colorful look of the show, the harmonies or the stage work. I'll assume you know the famous story and, if you don't, go read it.

Just know that the always good Jeanine Belcastro does the work necessary as the snippy Aunt March who wants her nieces to enter high society, Kacey Daly is a petulant hoot as the selfish sister Amy, Alex Lonati is a gentle wonder as the shy, doomed sister Beth, Jennifer Rizzo is fetching as the pretty, vain sister Meg, and Donna Milani Luther is a very expressive, gluing force as their matriarch, Marmee.

Newcomer Steve Shannon makes a solid debut as Meg's love interest, Mr. Brooke, and another Bay Colony newcomer, Jim Beauregard (although well known as a professor of theater and dance at Dean College and a longtime performer with both The Medieval Manor and Cumberland Company), is endearing as Jo's love interest, Professor Fritz Bhaer. The inimitable Kozar is a grumpy foil as the scary neighbor, Mr. Laurence.

However, following Doherty, all kudos must go to the always-stellar Michael Warner as Jo's best friend Laurie.

Warner, so memorable in every Bay Colony show - he was Willard in "Footloose," Will Parker in "Oklahoma," Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast," among others - is, well, "Astonishing" here. His solo "Take A Chance" allows him to express his great set of powerful pipes, which evoked screams and hurrahs from the crowd.

Bay Colony has done great musicals before. I didn't think I would enjoy anything more than their "Guys & Dolls" a few years back.

"Little Women," as written, frankly, is mediocre. In libretto, score and lyrics, it can't hold a candle to the great shows in Broadway history.

But what is being staged in Foxboro takes all of the show's simple elements and makes them work better. You simply won't forget Doherty as Jo. You will fall in love with Warner as Laurie. When the dying Beth flies a kite with her devoted sister, it flies straight to the heart.

"Little Women, the Musical," runs through Saturday, May 18 at the Orpheum in Foxboro. Tickets are $22 in advance, $26 the week of the show. To reserve, call 508-543-ARTS or visit orpheum.org.