EAST HADDAM — In the small town of Lanark, Scotland, a woman named Maggie faces the ever changing landscape of her country during the tumultuous 60s, raising three boys all on her own. That is the central conceit of Goodspeed Opera House’s current offering, Maggie.

Scottish-Canadian country music artist Johnny Reid has teamed up with Matt Murray and Bob Foster to bring the story of Reid’s grandmother to life in this striking new musical.

Maggie is having its US premiere at Goodspeed, having been previously co-produced in Canada by Theatre Aquarius in Ontario and Confederate Center for the Arts in PEI. While the story may be Scottish-Canadian, the themes are universal. This show really could have been set anywhere.

Maggie tells the tale of family, friendship and the power of motherhood. It is the simple tale of a single mother who, through the help of her extended family, raised three boys who all have varying paths in life. The story is an epic one, spanning twenty or so years. The show does a wonderful job of bringing the audience into the story, letting them feel through music and design what it was like in a post-World War II gritty coal mining town in Scotland.

Beowulf Boritt’s simple, yet incredibly effective, scenic design lets Maggie’s story shine through on its own. The music is both fun and powerful, evoking recent musicals such as Once and Come From Away. Two particular standouts are the songs “Livin’ it Up,” a jovial party anthem, and “Used to be Fire,” an equally powerful Eleven O’Clock number for Maggie herself.

Maggie is brilliantly played by Christine Dwyer. If audiences don’t already know Dwyer’s name thanks to her Broadway stint as Elphaba in Wicked, they most certainly will very soon. Her powerful voice and strong sense of character bring both humor and pathos to her role.

Maggie’s three sons are played by Jeffrey Kringer (Shug), Wes Williams (Tommy) and Sam Primack (Wee Jimmy). Each brings a distinct uniqueness to their characters, while bringing an incredible sense of brotherly bond.

Special mention should also go to Ryan Duncan as Uncle Charles. Duncan injects much-needed humor and heart into the story as the unofficial father figure to the three boys.

Terra C. MacLeod also brings the quips and laughs as Betty, one of Maggie’s stalwart friends.

The cast is stacked with some of the most powerful and beautiful vocals audiences have seen at Goodspeed in quite a long time. Every single member of the company has standout moments; one wishes there was room enough to mention them all.

Audiences will have to go see these powerhouse performances for themselves.

Maggie continues at Goodspeed through October 20. Tickets and more information can be found at goodspeed.org.