PINCKNEY, Mich.–Some stories really do remain timeless, at least in theme and in the way they can touch hearts and souls.

Daddy Long Legs, a musical now playing at the Dio Dinner + Entertainment in Pinckney, is one of those musicals that is very much a period piece and yet can speak to even the most modern of souls, provided that soul is open to sweet optimism, hope and love.

Daddy Long Legs opens in 1908 at the John Gier Home where the oldest orphan, Jerusha Abbot is singing about her perfectly awful day, a day that is about to turn around in a life-changing way; one of the trustees was so impressed with her essay writing that he is going to pay for her to go to college. The conditions are that she must write him once a month—never saying thank you—and that he will remain anonymous and never respond to her letters.

He says he will go by Mr. Smith, but she objects to that condition as she thinks it is far too boring. Instead, she gives him a nickname based on her one glimpse of his silhouette as he left the orphanage—he was tall and spindly and she assumed he was old, so she dubbed him “Daddy Long Legs.”

The audience soon learns that he is not at all old, but very close in age to Jerusha herself. Jervis (Daddy) Pendleton reads her letters with great enthusiasm and quickly finds himself attracted to this intelligent, spirited, charming young woman.

The plot from this point is predictable, and at no point is the outcome in doubt. Still, the joy of this story isn’t in the result, but rather in the journey.

Emily Hadick, a senior at Oakland University who has recently performed at Encore Musical Theatre and Hope Summer Rep, brings a delightful charm and energy to Jerusha. Hadick is absolutely lovable and does an incredible job in this two-person musical where she rarely gets to directly interact with another human being. She is charming, spunky, witty and constantly in the moment.

She also brings a strong voice to each of her numbers. The lyrics are always clear and her singing moves the story forward while amplifying the emotional moment of the story. It is a sheer joy to listen to her sing.

Her partner in this show is Alexander Benoit, a recent competitive ice dancer at the national level. Benoit also has an incredibly strong voice and creates a delightfully awkward and sympathetic Jervis. He knows just how to hit the right notes to show how Jervis goes from self-assured to insecure, from suave to stumbling.

Benoit is confident in the choices that he makes and is excellent at listening. He is always paying attention to everything that Hadick does and says and reacting accordingly. Together, the two of them are always telling the story and it makes it easy for the audience to immerse themselves in the story and the world of Daddy Long Legs, a story and character brought to life on film twice before the 1955 film starring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron.

Throughout the show, the painted strokes of the director, Steve DeBruyne, are present in subtle and lovely ways. While there are no dances to choreograph, there are moments where the characters move in unison, each caught up in her or his own world. The blocking is tight even while making full use of their space. Small moves help tell the story and each are well-directed.

Matt Tomich does an outstanding job with set, lighting and sound design. The set is a gorgeous period piece that puts Jervis’ office in the upper left-hand corner and allows him to overlook all the action as he reads the letters that Jerusha sends. He also has some wonderful lighting specials that contribute to the story.

Eileen Obradovich did an impressive job pulling together period prop pieces from old-fashioned phones, manual typewriters, and bound journals. Everything contributed to the authenticity of the period. Costumer Norma Polk made sure each costume was functional and true to the period. Jerusha’s costumes in particular helped to establish her personality and fit perfectly as something she would wear.

It’s easy to forget to mention Brian Rose’s music direction, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it was so seamless and supported the singers so well that it almost went unnoticed. He and Bethany Bagbey on cello and Michael Bustos on guitar never overpowered and always provided beautiful accompaniment in every musical piece.

So often, stories set in this time period have sprawling casts that go into tedious detail about every social nicety and custom. Daddy Long Legs avoids this trap. It is disciplined in writing and in presentation. It pares away all of the unnecessary to get directly to the heart of the story.

And once the story is told? The audience leaves feeling better than when they arrived and it is hard to ask for much more than that from a musical.

Click here for show days, times and details.