Every once in a rare while, you experience a musical event that transports you to a totally different place, a higher realm. Tina and I experienced such an event when Maine native Scott Moreau performed Neil Diamond songs before a packed house at Pickard Theater at Bowdoin College.

The musicians threw everything they have into every number. The audience members remained transfixed for two hours, often mouthing the words or singing right along, swaying to the sounds, tapping feet to the beat. No one wanted it to end, but end it must. We left the theater with a feeling of great gratitude that we had been there on that truly magical night.

You could tell that Curt Dale Clark, Maine State Music Theatre’s artistic director, knew he had a winner on his hands when he came out on stage to introduce the show. With a big smile, he proclaimed, “This show sold out faster than any one we’ve ever had.”

What sets Scott Moreau apart isn’t just his prodigious talent, his uncanny ability to capture the spirit and soul of Neil Diamond, just as he had captured the spirit and soul of Johnny Cash at a past MSMT concert. What sets him apart is his humanity, his genuine authenticity.

Scott posted the following on his Facebook page on Father’s Day, the day the show opened at MSMT: “Today should have been the day that my dad would have seen my Diamond show for the first time, at the first place he ever took me to see theater — at Maine State Music Theatre. It never occurred to me when I got him tickets for tonight that it was Father’s Day. I reserved the ticket eight months ago, but immediately after he passed away. I realized that the ticket was for Father’s Day. Many of these songs have a different meaning for me since losing them [he had lost his mom earlier] but even more so being on this stage here in Brunswick.”

Moreau couldn’t sing all of Diamonds’ numerous hits, but he picked wisely, featuring legendary standbys, such as “Song Sung Blue” and “I’m a Believer.” Members of the audience would often nod at hearing the first few notes of a song. They knew what was coming and they loved what was coming. Moreau, who wrote the show, passed along interesting details about Neil Diamond’s life. For example, he began as a songwriter, never believing that he would become a legendary singer.

Two numbers stood out for me — “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” and “Sweet Caroline.” The first one is about two people mourning the loss of what their relationship once meant. Anyone who has been divorced or grown distant from a family member or lost a deep friendship can relate to those feelings.

And then there’s “Sweet Caroline,” which has been a regular feature at Boston Red Sox games at Fenway Park since 2002. It has become a loving part of the Fenway Park experience and a source of great enthusiasm. Almost everyone in the audience joined Moreau in belting out this iconic number, no doubt remembering their times at Fenway or other special moments with friends or family members.

On a personal note, baseball helped bond my father and me. He was my Little League coach. He sometimes took me to major league games. And he used to listen to the radio and keep official scores of games, a practice I copied.

Scott Moreau’s magnificent tribute to Neil Diamond provides yet another example of why Midcoast Maine is so fortunate to have MSMT right in our own backyard. Thanks to Curt Dale Clark and his talented team. You continue to bring us flowers in the form of fantastic concerts and musicals every summer, and for that we remain ever grateful.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.