The musical “A Man of No Importance” is anything but conventional. Based on the 1994 film that stars Albert Finney, “A Man of No Importance” was adapted for the stage in 2002. Recently, students in the vocal performance program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development took it upon themselves to bring new life to a musical that had been buried in obscurity for nearly a dozen years, after it survived only a brief run at Lincoln Center.

The musical is centered on the life of Alfie Byrne, an aging, working-class Irishman living in 1960s Dublin, who is played by Steinhardt student Ross Brown. A ticket taker on a city bus by day, Alfie comes alive after hours when he manages an amateur theater group in the basement of a church.

Throughout the musical, Alfie struggles with the realization that he is a homosexual living in a very conservative environment. Further complicating matters are his conflicting feelings of loyalty to his religion and his unrequited love for his coworker Robbie. Acting as a mentor, the ghost of Oscar Wilde appears in dreams several times throughout the play, helping Alfie come to terms with his identity.

These difficult topics are handled brilliantly by the talented cast, who bring life to otherwise static characters and to a plot that lacks in substance. Steinhardt graduate student Alyssa LeClair, who plays Alfie’s sister, gave the most riveting performance. Dynamic and dazzling, LeClair brought empathy to a character who initially seems almost villainous.

The musical’s score is largely unmemorable, except for “The Streets of Dublin,” which was sung with exceptional skill by Steinhardt undergraduate senior Donald Coggin, who played Robbie. Despite the individual talent of the show’s leads, however, the true star power lay in the ensemble holding the show together. Ultimately, the performance reminded audience members that the theme of acceptance is not as outdated as it may seem.

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Feb. 17 print edition. Email Katie Collins at [email protected].