“Show Boat” was a groundbreaking production when it first opened in 1927, and its immortality was reinforced Friday night with an exuberant performance at Stephen’s Auditorium.Originally covering controversial topics ahead of its time such as racism, oppression and misogyny, “Show Boat” made an accurate and entertaining re-enactment of these issues relating to life in the South after the Civil War.This wasn’t one of those musicals that left the audience bored when it came time for songs; they definitely weren’t used as filler. Both the acting and the music were arranged to complement each other, and the songs conveyed the impact of the words spoken on stage magnificently. The lavish set featured a realistic-looking steamer and various scenes ranging from the boat’s port at Nachez, Miss., to the streets of Chicago.The story begins with captain Andy Hawkes parading the talents of his boat, the Cotton Blossom. The opening number, “Cotton Blossom,” was somewhat muted and left the audience straining to hear the lyrics, but the sound improved soon after.The first part of the performance focused on Julie, the Cotton Blossom’s leading lady, who is revealed as being in a multi-racial marriage. After a wannabe lover points this out, the scandal forces her to leave the boat.Her husband Steve had pricked her finger and sucked out some of her “tainted” blood to prove his loyalty to her and comes with her in an emotional departure from the boat. Disappointingly, the dedication between these two characters seen in the first few scenes is all the audience gets as their characters are more or less dropped from the script. The plot’s heart is concerned with Captain Andy’s daughter, Magnolia, after she meets the swoon-inducing Gaylord Ravenal, a tempting gambler who happens to stumble upon the Cotton Blossom in his travels. The “love at first sight” cliche is the basis of Magnolia and Ravenal’s first meeting, but the song “Make Believe” makes up for the fairy tale-like footsteps that the pair had begun to take with their relationship.The epic “Ol’ Man River” was next in the lineup and featured Phillip Boykin as Joe, a worker on the Cotton Blossom, who sang about the oppression of blacks in the day. This may have been the highlight of the entire first act, as the audience was left in awe of Boykin’s rich and soulful vocals and the bellowing bass notes that vibrated from his lips. With several reprises of this aural wonder, Joe’s character created consistency among all of the change that the Cotton Blossom and its characters went through in the 40 years that “Show Boat” spans.A flirty “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” was also a high point and was sung by a sultry Julie before she departed from the boat along with Magnolia and Joe’s wife, Queenie. This song is hailed as one of the best in the musical and it did not disappoint.The rest of the first act focuses on the blooming relationship between Ravenal and Magnolia and his proposal after a rapid romance. The progress of their relationship is a bit too predictable at this point, but the lusty duet “You Are Love” helps make the romantic aspect believable — the couple almost seems to glow under a scene of a starry night.The second act moved a bit more rapidly than the first and covered a range of scenes from an industrialized Chicago, which made a great contrast from the quaint southern community that was explored in the first act.Ravenal’s extravagant lifestyle and gambling cause problems for Magnolia and him, and he leaves her. After learning that Magnolia had given birth, Ravenal returns to the Cotton Blossom, where he reunites with Magnolia and is warmly received by his daughter. The reunion is a bit cheesy with the immediate acceptance of his reappearance, but it provides for a happy ending, which is to be expected.The entire cast joining in on the glorious “Ol’ Man River” reprise ended the performance in its best light — far from the shabby opener — and left the audience understanding why “Show Boat” is regarded as an American masterpiece in the history of musical theater.