After a successful run in 2008 of the musical “Enter Laughing,” the revised version of the original “So Long 174th Street” which was a Broadway flop in 1976, The York Theatre Company has revived that production to kick off their 50th Anniversary season. The book by Joseph Stein, and music and lyrics by Stan Daniels, with additional material by Stuart Ross, is based on the play by Mr. Stein penned from the novel of the same name by Carl Reiner. As it finally filtered down to find its resting place on the stage of the York Theatre, the result has the sense and feel of a good old-fashioned musical comedy drenched with broad humor of a certain distinctive genre. The plot is predictable, the characters are stereotypical, and some of the humor is questionable in the present socio-political climate, but when all is said and done, it is just harmless fun created in a different era with no underlying message but created for pure entertainment.

The plot follows David Kolowitz (a waggish Chris Dwan) and his dream to leave the Bronx to become a famous actor and movie star. He joins an acting school and is cast in a production by the owner and director Marlowe (an exasperated David Schramm) because his daughter and leading lady Angela (a frolicsome Farah Alvin) thinks he is cute. When his parents (the delightful Alison Fraser and solid Robert Picardo) discover why he is coming home so late they forbid him to do the play and force him to go to Pharmacy school. To complicate the situation, David is a bit girl crazy having a steady girlfriend Wanda (a supportive Allie Trimm) and a huge crush on the clerk at the hat store Miss B (a seductive Dana Costello). Quite a few scenes just happen in David’s head as he imagines what it will be like when he becomes a Hollywood star. Of course, everything works out in the end as it always does in musical comedy.

The reason this particular production works much better than the original is because it is scaled down and certainly plays better as a small intimate musical. The downside is that it is difficult to keep the energy up without those big production numbers and the weak book becomes more front and center. The cast must be perfect, committed to the broad and physical humor of the genre. This current revival certainly comes close but the vivacity and spirit are too erratic and rely too much on the musical numbers to keep on pace. Mr. Dwan is a joy to watch and is reminiscent of a young Jerry Lewis with a rubber face and fluid movement taking advantage of every possible opportunity to use his comic skills and agile physicality. The cast rounded out by Raji Ahsan, Ray DeMattis and Joe Veale are more than competent but need too ramp it up a notch to match and support the indefatigable and agile David Kolowitz.