Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin opened on Sunday night to ecstatic audience response. A child of the 80’s, I went into the theater only merely recognizing the iconic look of Chaplin. Little did I know, I was in for one of the most excitable theater experiences to date.

Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin is not a musical that serves you donuts for dinner with a side of plot. Let me clarify: in many non-fiction musicals the real-life events are often heavily fluffed with exaggerated romantic storylines, or unnecessary, elaborate musical numbers that have no intention of furthering the story along or developing character. Limelight is not that musical, not even close. The idea of a real ‘story’ and ‘character’ is such a strong theme in the script, by Thomas Meehan, that it is no surprise Limelight demonstrates, and celebrates, such ideology. The story is truly, but not dully, the life of Mr. Chaplin (Robert McClure), with the rest of the cast as a strong ensemble that assists in the story’s narration and creation of the world around this incredible man. The great aspect of Meehan’s story telling is that it’s a thoroughly focused biography, while keeping the stakes high and the audience striving to know what happens next.

The story begins with a boy and his brother learning how to read people by their physicality on the street by their mother, a vaudeville performer. They then find their own way onto the vaudeville stage, and then into the limelight of the silver screen where we get to see Chaplin create the iconic character known for the silent physical comedy- the ‘Tramp.’ Making his life in Hollywood, he goes through wife after woman after wife, longing for a love that would fulfill the loneliness left by his mother. After insisting on keeping the ‘Tramp’ a silent character after years after talking films became popular, the need for the ‘Tramp’ to speak for the first time came during WWII, when Chaplin decided to let the ‘Tramp’ speak against the Nazi efforts in his film “The Great Dictator.” The consequences of how this man’s amplified voice is tainted by the media during the Communist scare, how he was exiled out of the country and then forgotten.

Directors Warren Carlyle and Michael Unger showcase some of the most brilliant musical theater staging I’ve ever seen, some of which is assisted by the impressively innovative, but not intrusive, set design by Alexander Dodge and appropriately elaborate choreography (also by Carlyle). The music is also a terrific pulsating force of the show that blends the sound of Ragtime and a narrative, melodic structure similar to Alan Menken or Stephen Schwartz that’s more fierce and richer than the Disney composers.

The show’s producers have really been pushing Ashley Brown’s (Oona) name along with the title, for Broadway star points, and she’s totally worth it. She is wonderful in the show and her beautiful voice is consistently perfect in every sense of the word. She plays two characters in the show and they are both presented with an interesting relationship to one another and Chaplin. I hesitate to say more, but I was thrilled with a plot twist that she is very good in executing.

Robert McClure has defined the role of Charlie Chaplin. McClure captivates with a beautifully portrayed and well-crafted character arch and brings a sincere humanity to the role. His physicality in this role is beyond outstanding. He has a few dance numbers and many scenes that are predominantly miming, that you’d think he’d been training his whole life to play this part- just pure talent oozing out of this outstanding portrayal.

Other standout performances include the incomparable Jenn Colella as the bitter radio news announcer Hedda Hopper, whose characterization is lusciously sinister, Brooke Sunny Morrible is deliciously indulgent as Chaplin’s first wife Mildred and ensemble member Jessica Reiner Harris’ multiple characterizations are laugh-out-loud hilarious.

This is a show that is not to be missed- an absolutely delightful musical with a real story to be told.

*Limelight runs through October 17^th at the Mandell Weiss Theatre at La Jolla Playhouse.