Courtesy of Ed Krieger Stuart Ambrose, center, brings a beautiful voice to his portrayal of Adam, the oldest sibling in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

Courtesy of Ed Krieger Shannon Warne and Stuart Ambrose blend well in "Love Never Goes Away," one of the Joel Hirschhorn-Al Kasha songs that was written for the stage version of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is a musical from an earlier, simpler era, but luckily good singing and exuberant dancing haven't gone out of style.

The production being performed in Thousand Oaks through Sunday by Cabrillo Music Theatre has its roots in the beloved 1954 MGM musical of the same name, which featured music by Saul Chaplin and Gene DePaul and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The film was turned into a stage musical in 1979, featuring a book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay plus additional songs by the Oscar-winning songwriting team of Joel Hirschhorn and Al Kasha (Lawrence's brother). Although the show would last just five performances when it made it to Broadway in 1982, it has since gone on to become a popular touring production in both America and the United Kingdom.

Hirschhorn, an Agoura Hills resident who died in 2005, was acknowledged along with Al Kasha, who was present, at Friday night's opening performance.

The entire musical is based on a plot that finds humor in a bunch of backwoodsmen swooping into town and kidnapping women they've barely bumped into so that they can all have brides like their big brother, Adam, who took it upon himself to propose and get married in between picking up provisions. What's more, the girls seem pleased as punch with the idea, even if their town menfolk aren't. (The film was inspired by Stephen Vincent Benet's "The Sabine Women," which in turn has its source in the Roman legend of the rape of the Sabine women.)

When Adam's new bride brings some books as her dowry, her readings include the Sabine women's story, which kicks off the plot that brings the "sobbin' women" up to the mountain farmland.

Anyone old enough to have seen the movie, with Howard Keel and Jane Powell as Adam and his bride Millie, is bound to remember the rousing "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and the lilting education lesson Millie gives the younger brothers, "Goin' Courting." Both have a pleasing twang and more crucially offer lots of possibilities to showcase the rowdy, funny, irresistible dances that shine throughout the show.

Stuart Ambrose brings a beautiful voice to his portrayal of Adam, with a depth and warmth that can't help but add luster to his songs. Shannon Warne is a suitably feisty Millie, with a voice that allows her to range from highly indignant to honey sweet. Both blend well in "Love Never Goes Away," one of the added songs for the stage.

There are lots of good voices among the brothers and their amiable quarry, but it's the dancing that blows audiences away. Choreographed for this production by John Charron, the moves include amazing leaps and lifts and lots of lightning-quick, quirky moves as the brothers quickly become more adept and emerge from their original rustic bumbling. The young men in town also dance up a storm.

Dance captain Drew D'Andrea is a standout with his sleek moves and elegant style, but there doesn't seem to be anybody in the cast who holds back an ounce of energy or skill.

Helping the lighthearted show move along are director Lewis Wilkenfeld and musical director-conductor Steven Applegate, who presides over the high-energy sounds from the orchestra pit.

"Seven Brides" is an easy way to forget your troubles and get happy, if only for a few hours.

— E-mail Rita Moran at ritamoran@earthlink.net.