The wildly successful production of “My Fair Lady” at Ellsworth’s Grand Auditorium is a happy reminder of the magic of old time musicals. Crowds of young and old have been coming out humming, singing and whistling tunes like “Wouldn’t it be Loverly?” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” “A Hymn to Him,” “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”

There’s nothing wrong with the hugely popular screen version of “Chicago,” but the old musicals don’t rely on special effects, zigzag switches of scene and plot or graphic sex. Instead, they entertain with humor, romance, touches of pathos, memorable and singable songs and reasonably coherent, if light, story lines. They follow the dictionary definition of “a film or theatrical production consisting of musical numbers and dialogue based upon a unifying plot.” For the young, they are fresh and unexpected. For older folks, they stir pleasant memories.

The Ellsworth show, to be repeated this weekend, is one of several vintage musicals being staged around here by local companies. A production of “Fiddler on the Roof” has just finished a run at the Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School. By all accounts, that show was a big success. The Down East cast managed the New York accents and Yiddishisms handily.

Let’s hope for a lot more musical revivals. With a little bit o’ luck, we will get them.