Holland Mariah Grossman as Fiona MacLaren and Joe Carroll as Tommy Albright in "Brigadoon."

photo by Peter Smith Photography

Why isn’t Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s first theatrical collaboration, “Brigadoon” — now being staged by the University of Michigan’s musical theater department — revived more often than it is?

Maybe it’s the kilts.

“The period dress can be difficult,” said director Linda Goodrich. “In our case, we tried to rent the kilts, but we couldn’t find the proper amount, because we’re trying to be true to the clans.”

For each Scottish clan/family name has its own tartan, or plaid pattern. Ultimately, student costume designer Shawn McCoulloch ended up arranging to purchase some kilts, while also building some of the show’s costumes and pulling some from stock.

“We’ll be offering (the kilts) as a rental package, so we may be contributing to bringing ‘Brigadoon’ to more audiences in the future,” said Goodrich.

Premiering on Broadway in 1947, “Brigadoon” tells the story of a Scottish town that comes to life for one day every 100 years. When two vacationing men from New York City, Tommy and Jeff, happen upon the town, Tommy falls in love with a woman in the town, forcing him to choose between the life he left behind and love in highly complicated circumstances.

Goodrich fell in love with “Brigadoon” when she was part of a production in high school.

“I haven’t even seen it since then,” said Goodrich. “It was just so magical to see the town of Brigadoon appear through a scrim on stage. I thought it was the most incredible thing, to be transported to that world. … I think (‘Brigadoon’) is one of Lerner and Loewe’s greatest works. Some of the old warhorse musicals feel clunky when you come back to them, but I didn’t find that at all with ‘Brigadoon.’”

The show comes from a time, of course, when the presence of both a singing chorus and a dancing chorus made for large cast lists; and while some productions update Jeff and Tommy’s New York life to the present day, Goodrich felt it important to keep their world and perspective in 1946.

“There’s this idea out there that if you put a story in contemporary times, it somehow becomes more relevant for audiences,” said Goodrich. “But by keeping (Tommy and Jeff’s story) in 1946, the show’s central theme about having faith or not makes even more sense. Something about living in times of war raise questions in us about why I exist, and is there a god.”