Sitting in the oh-so-Grand Tier of New York City Center as the orchestra was tuning up for the Encores! series' 50th production, "Fanny" by Harold Rome, it was impossible not to reflect on seeing a classic musical play in a classic theatre. The charming interior of what was once the Mecca Temple is even more charming as the frame for a hand-tinted photograph set in early Marseilles when adventure was still to be found, very romantic and tragic as well.

Rob Berman, directing the Encores! Orchestra, and Marc Bruni, directing the play by S. N. Behrman and Joshua Logan, taken from Marcel Pagnol's trilogy, transported us to France. Spare suggestions of seaside savoir faire, by John Lee Beatty, and early 20th century timing, suggested by costumer Martin Paledinaz, were limned in pools of light, designed by Ken Billington, that kept the eye moving from place to place to place, never tiring where it lands.

James Snyder and Elena Shaddow, as our sea-crossed loves Marius and Fanny, made a winning and winsome pair. Neo-classic movie idols transported in time, our strapping young hero and lithe and lissome heroine were a perfect French twist-she is virtuous but sacrifices virtue for her one true love, while he is pursuing what he thinks is his one true love, leaving something more compelling behind him that he'll not be able to forget. Then, there is the child.

Priscilla Lopez as Honorine, Fanny's mother, was ragingly three-dimensional in her portrayal of a mother who is bound by love, loyalty, and the conventions of her time, but is wise in the ways of women and men. Fred Applegate as Panisse was as noble a hero as can be-fully understanding why he loves Fanny and what he can offer her, and understanding, as well, the course of her heart and passion and the oh-so-likely result that neither of them view as a consequence. The blessing of raising Marius' child as his own, while rescuing a woman he loves from a societal fall from grace, is as good as it gets. And while, breaking for intermission, a woman who passed us reflected, "That would NEVER happen in this day and age," I still think that there are noble men and women everywhere.

Marius leaves not only his love, but his father Cesar behind. George Hearn played out his role-written for Ezio Pinza-in this melodrama with verve and his singing was beautiful and strong. Cesar and Marius had their very first true man-to-man conversation on the night that is Marius' last in his old life, and as he runs toward the new, he is also moving toward a time when he will have a greater appreciation of his father's wisdom. And Cesar's care of the straw boater Marius has left behind speaks volumes-especially when it comes back later in the possession of Cesario Panisse.

The supporting cast of dancers, actors and singers was stellar and the choral background they created was dreamy, even while we were aware of why they were doing what they were doing. The Circus that celebrated Cesario's 12th birthday was its own passion play, with dancers and danseurs, who acted out the story of his parentage unbeknownst to him. This added so much. Lorin Latarro's choreography highlighted the high spirited athleticism of the young men and women, and the exotic interpolated Belly Dance at Hakim's, in Act I, challenged Nina LaFarga as she interacted in a physical, yet proscribed, manner with each man to engage him, while putting the kibosh on one who was determined to take what he wanted when he wanted it. Distracting somewhat, and my companion and I found it so throughout, was the sometime convention of Encores! for players to be "on book."

Panisse has all the great lines and, while he was not the star of the show per se, it was Fred Applegate who came home with us last night. Panisse' pathos highlights his full understanding that, while she might possess his name, Fanny has nothing to give him save devotion. Yet when his final moments came, Panisse's generosity reunited the family whose scion would always bear his name. While we'd already known we were at the end game, when the reprise of "Welcome Home" came from Panisse's lips, we found that he still had the final word. The lifelong relationship and chemistry between Panisse and Cesar was one of the highlights of the entire performance, the lamb and the lion always, though in the end it was the lamb who roared.

While February 7 was the last performance of "Fanny," the Encores! production of Stephen Sondhemin's "Anyone Can Whistle" will be at City Center in April. Get your tickets now, or shame on you, if you miss your chance to taste the greatness of American theatre.