It’s not unusual to be surprised by Theater West End in Sanford. The plucky little place knows how to make moments of stage magic in every show it produces. But it is unusual to be surprised by the fact a show is even included in the season.

That’s how I felt about the announcement that the theater would stage “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” the gentle musical comedy with a down-home country heart. It may very well be the only show I will ever see staged by both Winter Park Playhouse and Theater West End.

That’s because Theater West End has built a reputation on shows with an edge, whether through specific casting like “Sweeney Todd,” or hard-edged music like “American Idiot,” or shows with obvious social agendas like “Spring Awakening.”

“Edge” is not a word associated with “Pump Boys and Dinettes.” But Theater West End has put the same care and creativity into this good-time collection of homespun harmonies that it does with its usual fare. “Pump Boys and Dinettes” is pure, simple (sometimes hokey, but in the best nostalgic way) fun. I had a smile on my face the entire show.

It’s a simple little musical, no real story to follow, unless you count a few lines about a missed date. “Pump Boys and Dinettes” is really just an excuse to watch some entertaining performers sing catchy country-rockabilly songs, throw in some jokes and affectionately and humorously evoke small-town life — where the roadside gas station and family diner are the star attractions.

At Theater West End, director Kari Ringer smartly has an invisible hand that makes it appear the performers are just doing their thing as they please. That’s particularly appropriate for this show, which was created in the 1980s by a group of friends.

Sean Powell, a 2021 Orlando Sentinel Critic’s Pick for acting, is the unofficial ringleader: Good-natured Jim. Powell’s natural affability shines in this role, as does his baritone with just a hint of twang. His cohorts are Jackson, played with devilish glee by Kenneth Thiboult — a veteran of this role — and secretly romantic L.M.

Alexander LaPlante does fine work making his performance grow bigger as L.M. goes from woman-shy to besotted to back in the game, comically bragging about the sexual appeal of his farmer tan.

The adjacent Double Cupp Diner is run by sisters Prudie and Rhetta. Anneliese Banks has the right playfulness for fun-filled Prudie, while Monica Quinn unleashes her voice on a feisty warning to the opposite sex: “Be Good or Be Gone.”

If the show feels like a departure from the usual Theater West End offerings, there are enough signature touches to remind you where you are. Derek Critzer’s appealing scenic design fits the space well and offers fun touches, his lighting amps up the experience — maybe a little too much in places for a show this laid-back.

And then there’s the music. Powell, whose character delivers a moving ode to his grandmother in a show highlight, also serves as music director. Theater West End is known for its live music; here, several of the actors play their own instruments — including LaPlante, who puts a piano through its paces.

So here’s a call for action: If you are a Theater West End regular who thought this show wouldn’t be for you, give it a chance. If you haven’t tried Theater West End because you didn’t think its productions were to your taste, maybe this one is.

Theater West End is on a Southern country kick this season, with an immensely entertaining production of “Steel Magnolias” leading into the current “Pump Boys and Dinettes.” Next up: classic Southern drama in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” If that show rises to the lofty level of these latest two titles, it’s sure to be a treat.

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment.