This year marks the 40th season for Pittsford Musicals, and the third time the company has put on "Hello, Dolly!" That choice reflects the group's commitment to the Broadway classics, along with its stated three-part mission: to raise money for performing-arts scholarships; to entertain the local community; and to give adults an outlet to participate in community theater. On opening night last Saturday, at least two of those goals were met, as the fairly packed house ensured plenty of money went to scholarships, and the crowd sure seemed to have a good time. I just wish that the actors on stage looked like they did.

"Hello, Dolly!" tells the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a widow living in late 19th-century New York, who keeps herself busy (and barely financially afloat) by passing herself off as an expert in all manner of subjects. She doles out cards proclaiming to be a matchmaker, dance instructor, chicken egg farmer - you name it, Dolly does it, or at least can fake it well enough. When the play begins, Dolly is working on arranging the marriage of artistic sap Ambrose to whiny Ermengarde, niece of the likability-challenged Horace Vandergelder. Angry blowhard Horace is the noted "half-millionaire" of Yonkers, and Dolly has also been hired to find him a suitable wife, which he thinks she's found in hat-making Manhattan widow Irene Malloy. But it becomes clear that Dolly herself has designs on marrying Horace (we're never really given a satisfying answer as to why, as he behaves like a jackass for 90 percent of the show), and the play follows her various machinations in making that happen.

The character Dolly is tricky since, when you think about it, she's a liar, a manipulator, a busybody, and, at least on the face of it, a gold digger. I suspect that in a more modern piece, she might be cast as the villain. In order for the audience to like her, she needs to be magnetic, plucky, and playfully mischievous. That was unfortunately lacking through most of Act I. Heather Spencer clearly possesses all of the qualities needed to portray one of the grand dames of American theater. She has a commanding stage presence, is a good actress, and has a decent singing voice (although it does tend to go a touch flat on the higher notes). But in the first act, she seemed almost joyless. What a difference an intermission makes, because in Act II Spencer came out full of swagger and sass, dominating the courtroom scene and tearing through the teasing number "So Long, Dearie." She was seductive, smart, and playful, and she seemed to be having a damned good time.

I wish the same could be said of the male chorus. Pittsford Musicals is blessed to have a remarkable male ensemble, full of strong singers and dancers - something most community theaters would kill to have. Act II is especially demanding of the men, between the athletic "Waiters Gallop" dance routine and the show-stopping title song, both of which rely heavily on the male chorus. The men in this cast did a commendable job in both, and yet, almost every one of them looked as though they were standing in front of a firing squad. Panic or terror was drawn across their faces, and they needn't have been, since the actors did remarkably well. A tip, guys: we don't care if you miss a few steps here or there, and a smile on your face will go a long way toward making us not even notice.

In addition to a strong male chorus, Pittsford Musicals also has a great pit orchestra, wonderful sets, and luscious costumes. This is a well-made production, especially by community-theater standards. And that's why I was so mystified by how dour most of the actors and actresses looked on the stage. This should be fun! It's certainly hard work, but you're singing and dancing in a classic story, and the audience is enjoying itself. You should be too! And so to the cast, I say: let go a little. Enjoy the moment, before the parade passes by and all that.

A final word on the play itself: sitting there on opening night, I was struck by how archaic this show is. Almost every major plot point - arranged marriages, women of ill repute, essentially indentured servitude - has almost no relevance to modern times, and the script and songs are loaded with references that are likely totally alien to 21st-century audiences. (One notable exchange involved "hacks," and I wonder how many people in the room had any idea that the characters were talking about taxi drivers.) I would even argue that Shakespeare's themes and language are more universal than this show's. It made me wonder: When does a classic become too classic, so that it no longer makes sense?

Hello, Dolly!

Pittsford Musicals

Through November 22

Pittsford Mendon High School, 472 Mendon Rd, Pittsford

$15-$20 | 586-1500, pittsfordmusicals.org