“The Will Rogers Follies” sure isn’t in the canon of great musicals, but who cares when a show is this much fun?

And the version at the Goodspeed Opera House makes the most of the piece’s virtues. Directed by Don Stephenson, the production is bright, shiny and spirited, leaning into the comedy of the piece.

“The Will Rogers Follies” is a rather odd amalgam of things — homespun humor from cowboy/entertainer Will Rogers; a storyline loosely inspired by Rogers’ life; and showgirls who wear glamorous, barely-there outfits in dazzling production numbers.

There is a method to the creators’ madness; back in the early 20th century, Rogers did his witty monologues and rope tricks in the Ziegfeld Follies, and the Follies also featured showgirls. So the mash-up makes some sense.

The book for “Will Rogers Follies” by Peter Stone has a great time mixing the disparate elements into a comedic cocktail. It also toys with theatrical conventions, breaking the fourth wall and having characters crack jokes about what’s going on in the show. For instance, when Rogers meets his future wife, the real location of an Oklahoma train depot isn’t exotic enough for Rogers’ boss Ziegfeld, for whom bigger is always better, so Ziegfeld sets the scene instead on the moon.

The score (music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green) didn’t produce any classics, but the tunes are all plenty enjoyable in the moment, particularly the peppy “Will-a-Mania” (which you’re bound to be singing on the way out of the theater) and the galloping “Give a Man Enough Rope.”

If you’re looking for something with depth or lasting value, look elsewhere. “Will Rogers Follies” does have a little bit of heft, though, in the form of Rogers’ political jabs. He is, after all, the guy who said, “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”

In the show, Rogers (played by David M. Lutken) reads from newspapers — from 90 years ago, to show how little things have changed, and then making quips about what’s in the headlines today, like the head of the Environmental Production Agency. Referencing current events was, oddly enough, where the show fell flattest. It felt out of sync with the rest of the proceedings, and the jokes weren’t as amusing.

Here’s more about the Goodspeed’s “The Will Rogers Follies” …

Dance that dazzles: Kelli Barclay’s choreography, performed by a stand-out ensemble, simply wows. Whether it’s cowgirls slowly twirling rope as cowboys tap dance in a flirty exchange, or performers in Uncle Sam-inspired costumes sitting in a line and executing complicated hand moves that are like patty-cake gone wild, the numbers provide an upbeat spark to the evening. And the fact that the performers dance gracefully up and down a tight flight of stairs on Goodspeed’s famously small stage is a feat in itself.

Inventive imagery: You know you’re in for a visually arresting night when this is how it starts: An image of an airplane is projected onto a scrim. As the light shifts and the scrim lifts, the audience sees three dancers decked out as their own versions of aircrafts, wearing plane wings on their arms and propellers on their caps, as they elegantly move around onstage. In a black-light production number, hidden-in-the-dark figures spin glowing lassos. And you’ve got to love a backdrop featuring a man in the moon who winks a couple of times.

He’s the man: Portraying Will Rogers, Lutken has the affable manner and the drawling delivery down pat. He also captures how Rogers delivered incisive political and social commentary in a kindly manner yet with a sly touch. There’s a reason Lutken settles so comfortably into the role; he’s played Rogers in multiple productions — including on Broadway — over the years. His pleasant, reedy voice fits nicely into such gentle tunes as “Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like” and “Look Around.”

The MVPs: The role of Will’s wife, Betty Blake, is written as a bit of a stick-in-the-mud who is often bewailing Rogers’ showbiz work and travel. The good news is Betty is played here by Catherine Walker, who brings such warmth and kindness that Betty, amazingly, doesn’t come across as a scold. Walker is blessed with the best voice in this cast, finding all the beauty in the ballad “My Unknown Someone” and getting slinky and saucy on the torch song “No Man Left For Me.”

Another scene-stealer is David Garrison as Will’s father, Clem. Garrison is lucky to get some great one-liners, but he also knows how to spin them for maximum effect. After Clem dies, Garrison returns as other characters, explaining that boss-in-the-show Ziegfeld is too cheap to hire another actor to play other roles.

The ‘Favorite’: Brooke Lacy gets saddled with a role that is a little discomfiting now that it exists in the shadow of the #MeToo movement. (“The Will Roger Follies” debuted on Broadway in 1991.) The character isn't named; she’s just Ziegfeld’s Favorite, because she has a relationship with boss Ziegfeld. Most of her job involves striding sexily around the stage. Lacy goes all in, infusing the Favorite with a sassy attitude as she struts and winks at the audience.

The more things change: The first act is a rush of upbeat energy and merry songs. The second act, though, delves into more serious subjects. After the Great Depression overtakes America, Rogers delivers a radio speech about the state of the country, noting that the difference between the rich and the poor grows each year and suggesting that those who have money help those who aren’t as fortunate. It’s as solemn as the show gets, and the words echo just as powerfully — and relevantly — today.

If you go

What: "The Will Rogers Follies"

Where: Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main St., East Haddam

When: Runs through June 21; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wed., 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., and 2 p.m. Sun.; also performances at 2 p.m. on select Thursdays and 6:30 p.m. on select Sundays

Tickets: Start at $29; all prices subject to change, based on availability

Call: (860) 873-8668