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Originally premiering in March 2015 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, “Lizard Boy” makes its New England debut with a 29-day run at the SpeakEasy Stage in Boston’s South End. With book and lyrics by Justin Huertas, this 2015 indie-rock musical comedy has been nominated for multiple Drama Desk awards. In this production directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox, the talented cast and crew valiantly attempt — but ultimately fail — to reanimate this lifeless show.

“Lizard Boy” follows Trevor (Keiji Ishiguri), a young man haunted by a childhood event that has left him covered in scales and emotionally traumatized. After downloading Grindr and receiving a match with a boy named Carry (Peter DiMaggio), he leaves his home for the first time in a year. The two embark on an adventure to see an alluring singer named Siren (Chelsi Nectow) in concert, but wind up on a journey of acceptance and self-discovery, all while battling mythological creatures.

For all the material’s faults, the cast does a terrific job performing it. As Lizard Boy himself, Ishiguri delivers a fantastic multi-instrumental showing which includes some very energetic cello playing and an impressive vocal performance which blends well with his castmates Nectow and DiMaggio.

Nectow’s Siren commands the stage in her red leather pants, six-inch sky-high boots, and platinum blonde blowout. She oozes swagger and confidence when waiting in the wings atop a piano, utilizing it as a musical instrument and at times a soundboard to accentuate dramatic beats, such as in moments when Lizard Boy begins to transform. DiMaggio delivers the most natural performance of the bunch, partly due to the fact that he is the only “normal” character of the three. His comedic timing and delivery provide the majority of the laugh-out-loud moments of the show, and he puts on a great — albeit simple — guitar performance throughout.

Cox, the design team, and the actors utilize the small stage to great effect. By keeping the props minimal and set simple, the actors are able to use creative blocking to depict a variety of locations, including a bedroom, the backstage of a concert, an old fashioned diner, and a public park. Lighting designer Deb Sullivan utilizes flashing lights during slow motion sections, well-timed lighting cues during Siren’s song “The Fight,” and a big reveal at the end all to help the audience forget they’re watching a staged theater production.

The prop and costume departments, led by Emme Shaw and Zoë Sundra respectively, do well enough to give Carry a wardrobe which plays into his playful demeanor, as he sports teddy bear sneakers and a dressed down baby costume for a majority of the show. However, Lizard Boy’s makeup is a bit sparse and could stand to be more lizard-like, as it hardly covers any of his face and is not particularly scale-like.

Unfortunately, the show is held back by its foundations: the script and its songwriting. While the show is billed as having a “genre-blending indie-rock score”, it sounds a lot more like a mashup of long-forgotten 2010 Top 40 radio hits which sound bland even with a solid performance from the cast. The lyrics are also severely lacking in subtlety, making sure to tell the audience exactly what is happening and how the characters are feeling about it at every turn, which makes for some clunky expositional scenes that the actors are required to stumble through. The show ends on a cheesy audience sing-along portion where the characters are effectively singing the thesis of the show directly to the audience to make absolutely sure the message was clear, creating a rather awkward experience for spectators in a venue this small.

Despite Speakeasy Stage’s best efforts, ‘Lizard Boy’ is an ultimately forgettable 90 minutes. Thanks to some quality performances and production value one might enjoy moments of the show while they’re happening but would be unlikely to find themselves humming along to Siren’s songs in the kitchen or thinking back on Lizard Boy’s transformation on the way to work a week later. Those who are looking for a simple story and 2012 radio nostalgia should go see “Lizard Boy.” Those who aren’t will not miss anything.

“Lizard Boy” runs at the Boston Center for the Arts through Nov. 22.