William Blake once observed, “The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” At the Ogunquit Playhouse production of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” excess is redefined by a profusion of feathers, sequins, sparkles, bangles and beads, architectural wigs and headdresses that rise to a staggering height.

The fun begins as the central cast of three on a road adventure through the wilds of the Australian outback on a bus named Priscilla, adorned with a preposterous giant silver shoe.

It’s a parade of sinfully delicious extravagance in eye-popping exuberant Technicolor as three cross dressing Queens “drag” the audience along on an adventure of glorious music, song and dance.

The wacky idea behind this jubilant nonsense began as an off beat film (1994) that quickly assumed cult status. It then became a stage extravaganza in London’s West End. After a heralded run in London, it made its way to New York’s Broadway under the direction of Bette Midler.

Costumes speak louder than words and “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” is an anthem to the art of creative costume design. In each of its incarnations the costumes garnered numerous awards, including an Academy Award for the film and a Tony Award for the Broadway production. The original costumes, all 500 of them, are dazzling. The tresses and the dresses are outrageous and deliriously creative.

It’s a frivolous romp of pure unadulterated fun and bizarre circumstance. Audiences are aptly advised by the playhouse to “Get your glitter on!” as the singers and dancers celebrate a medley of disco dance fever. The hits include : “It’s Raining Men,” “I Love the Night Life,” “Shake Your Groove Thing,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” and “I Will Survive.” The songbook (28 in all) includes classics from Tina Turner, The Village People, Madonna and Donna Summer.

The mayhem reaches a pinnacle of lunacy during the production number of the Richard Harris paean to the cake that was left out in the rain, “MacArthur Park.” Here the ensemble dances as enormous cakes. Their huge banana yellow hoop skirts are adorned with oversize slices of fruit and candy, finished with a topping of whipped cream lace. It’s a shocking concoction of imaginative zany design, high camp and clever engineering.

The set itself is a design marvel. A faux proscenium of paisley cutouts twinkle and glow with neon color framing the action. As the full scale Priscilla bus spins and revolves, we witness a cavalcade of costumes and high spirited production numbers as the bus travels to dance clubs and cowboy roadhouses and is beset by mechanical breakdowns in the middle of nowhere.

There is a bit of substance to the plot that touches on issues of disillusionment, regret, intolerance and a troubled father’s desire to establish a relationship with his young son that he has not seen since birth. However, this production is a joyous celebration of the colorful exuberance of fashion, wardrobe, and lifestyle.

The production is directed by David Ruttura, choreographed by Gerry McIntyre, the original costumes for the film and the theater were devised by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner. The three principal actors are Jared Emick, Matthew Marks, and William Selby, they are bolstered by a very vivacious and energetic ensemble of 16 that sing, dance and change costumes at a furious pace.

For those that relish a grand spectacle, this ticket is a rich reward.

The Ogunquit Playhouse production “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” runs through Sept. 3, followed by “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” which runs through Oct. 1. For tickets and show times, visit OgunquitPlayhouse.org or call 646-5511. Adult ticket prices range from $47 to $87. Students and hospitality workers can pick up a RUSH ticket on the day of performance at the box office window, if seats are available, for only $20. RUSH is only available Tuesdays through Fridays. Students must present their current I.D. and hospitality workers must show their check stub and I.D. The box office opens at 10 a.m.

— Gregory Morell writes reviews for the Journal Tribune.