While its headquarters undergoes renovation, the Irish Repertory Theatre is in a temporary home at the DR2 Theatre at Union Square. Its intimate stage is used effectively with scenic design by James Noone.

Ashley Robinson congenially plays the Adult Buddy, who returns home and acquaints the audience with the characters of his childhood, including himself as a boy. Silvano Spagnuolo, who plays Young Buddy, would seem to be a born entertainer, with all the right, amusing moves in the musical numbers. Director Moore and choreographer Barry McNabb have combined to direct young Spagnuolo smartly, so that he is winsome as an appealing performer. There’s a show-off element, to be sure, but he also captures the required dramatic energy and feelings associated with the role.

Young Buddy is being raised by relatives, and he has formed an especially close bond with Sook Faulk, sensitively acted and sung by Alice Ripley who looks after him and provides a fun aspect to his life as they bake together and provide an element of magic to his childhood and to her life as well. They have some lovely musical numbers together, including “Alabama Fruitcake,” “One Small Seed,” “No Tellin’,” and with the Ensemble, “Buddy’s Midnight Adventure.”

Robinson as Adult Buddy looks fondly on this childhood connection and is a likable observer and explainer of the action. Others in the cast of characters adding to the recollections include Virginia Ann Woodruff, Nancy Hess, Sanuel Cohen and Taylor Richardson.