The plight of conjoined twins — “Siamese twins” as they were popularly, if politically incorrectly, called — seems a curious subject for a mainstream musical. Sure enough, 1997’s “Side Show,” which chronicles the challenges faced by circus-freaks-turned-vaudeville-stars Daisy and Violet Hilton, lasted only three months on Broadway.

Such underappreciated work is catnip for Slow Burn Theatre Company of Boca Raton, which lives to produce theatrical orphans like this. In his hard-edged take on the show, director-choreographer Patrick Fitzwater not only makes a solid case for why this musical deserves to be seen and enjoyed, he also showcases some exciting new talent that deserves further exposure on the local stage scene.

Like “The Elephant Man,” “Side Show” introduces us to real-life freaks of nature and lets us see the world from their perspective. The in-your-face, Brechtian opening number invites us to “Come Look at the Freaks,” as circus oddities from a bearded lady to a snake charmer to a cannibal parade by us. In this company, joined at the hip Daisy and Violet feel comfortable, but to the outside world they are a reason to point and gawk.

As much as the twins look identical, their hopes are entirely different. Ambitious Daisy wants fame and attention, while shy Violet yearns for the normalcy of love and marriage. Daisy gets her wish when an agent and talent scout named Terry takes them out of the side show and makes them vaudeville stars. And Violet seems headed towards her goal when Buddy, the guy who teaches the twins to sing and dance, romances her. But as foreshadowed from the start, “Side Show” is hardly a musical that believes in “happily ever after.”

Still, “Side Show” has a powerful, ballad-heavy score by Henry Krieger, best known for “Dreamgirls,” which these songs resemble in their insistent forward drive. Bill Russell’s lyrics are a cut below the music, serviceable but they rarely soar. Once he comes up with his irony-laden titles — like “When I’m By Your Side” or “I Will Never Leave You” — the numbers rarely move beyond that point.

Yet they are sold thrillingly by two of Fitzwater’s discoveries, Kaela Antolino and Courtney Poston as Daisy and Violet. A well-matched pair, they both have vocal power to spare, which comes in handy here. Curiously, though, while Violet is described as the more introverted twin, Poston possesses the more outgoing stage presence, while Antolino tends to turn upstage, shrinking from the spotlight.

Other standouts in the large cast include Rick Pena as love-smitten Buddy and Jerel Brown as Jake, the Cannibal Man, who nails his solo of unrequited feelings for Violet, “You Should Be Loved.” Also impressive is the company’s co-artistic director Matthew Korinko as Terry, who cannot commit to Daisy, as he sings with emotional gusto in “Private Conversation.”

Ian T. Almeida’s sets are low-budget wonders, from the tawdry side show tent to the lavish kitsch of an Egyptian production number. Pena again doubles as the wardrobe designer, coming up with an array of conjoined costumes for Daisy and Violet.

After “Side Show,” your view of what offbeat subjects a musical can tackle is likely to be expanded.