Imagine for a moment you are going to write a major musical show with only six characters in it and have (initially) only a solo piano as accompaniment. That’s precisely what Joel Paley (book and lyrics) and Marvin Laird (music) did – and by golly did very well in “Ruthless,” the musical now playing at the Hackmatack Playhouse.

The story, as in many musicals, is a convoluted one and deals with the concept of ambition to succeed in show business at any cost. There is the daughter, Tina (Alison Schaufler), a thirdgrade student who kills her rival in order to get a “lead” in the school play. After spending two years in reform school, she remarks “I’ve had a normal childhood, now it’s time to move on.” She shines in the song “Born to Entertain.” The part of her mother, Judy, is marvelously acted and sung by Linette Miles.

Eventually we learn that even though she is an “average” housewife, in reality she is the daughter of Sylvia St. Croix, who is presented as an agent and talent scout and whose talent as a singer is formidably acted as well as sung by Jenn Batchelder. This gifted performer can move as well as sing and act. The part of Lita Encore is affectively portrayed by Jerard-James Craven. Dressed in drag, she (he) is a critic who ruined Sylvia’s career with a negative review. He confesses as much in the song “I Hate Musicals.”

After Sylvia disappears following his review, she brings up Judy as her daughter. A smaller part is given to Hannah Perry as Tina’s school drama coach (Miss Thorn) and who also plays Miss Block, a reporter in the second act. She nearly stopped the show when she sang “Teaching Third Grade.” A smaller part is effectively done by Hannah Perry as Louise Lerman (the student that Tina killed) and also as Eve, Judy’s maid and assistant, whom we meet in the second act. Linette Miles has many brilliant phrases to sing, but “Angel Mom” showed off her fine soprano the most. We meet her not as housewife but as a successful Broadway star in the second act.

Eventually, (spoiler alert) all except Judy and Tina are killed off in the hilarious second act and the Denmarks, mother and daughter, determine to leave Broadway for Los Angeles to do television instead. The plot may be convoluted but the message is simple: The price we pay for success may be too high.

The songs by Laird as well as their accompaniment are neither melodious nor easy to sing. A major exception to this is “It Can Never Be That Way Again.” There are many credits to go around. The first and foremost goes to Adam MacDougall, first as a superb accompanist and second as the person who supervised the singing by the cast. The directing by A. Nora Long was such that there were movements by the solo singers in which they never simply stood their ground and belted the notes out.

A minor criticism is that the upper notes (by all singers in the first act) were not always as well sung as they were in the second act. The choreography by Amara Decker and Crystal Lisbon was effective as was the lighting design by Michael Turner. The two sets by J.J. Craven, as well as the costume design by Rhonda Verges, did much to enhance the visual quality and enjoyment of the show.

This is the last show of this season at Hackmatack that ends on Sept. 5. This is a well produced, acted and sung musical and one that I am happy to recommend. Prices range from $10 to $30 with evening performances starting at 8 p.m. and matinees at 2 p.m. (Their homemade blueberry pie is great.)

—Dr. Gold is a composer/conductor and an arts reviewer for the Journal Tribune.