(photo by Scott Suchman) The ensemble in Signature Theatre’s production of Kander & Ebb’s Kiss of the Spider Woman: Stephen Gregory Smith; James Gardiner; Danny Binstock; L.C. Harden, Jr.; Matt Conner and Kurt Boehm.

The story of two cell mates in a South American prison — one a political prisoner and the other a social pariah — who are subject to interrogations, torture and psychological manipulation, wouldn’t seem to lend itself very well to song and dance. Yet the theme of the play is escape and the interior fantasies that help one endure the vagaries of life, whether it’s a mind-numbing job or an electric prod.

The fancy footwork and songs in Signature Theatre’s production of ‘‘Kiss” shine a light on the characters’ interior lives, whether they momentarily imagine themselves in the arms of a loved one or have them seeking solace in the re-telling of half-remembered pulp serializations.

Hunter Foster plays Molina, a flamboyant mama’s boy incarcerated for corrupting a minor. One day another prisoner, the surly and aloof Valentin (Will Chase), is deposited in his cell. Fast friends they’re not. Valentin even goes so far as to draw a line on the floor, warning his roommate not to stray into his territory.

Still, after Valentin is tortured and fed tainted food, Molina strays across the demarcation to treat his cell mate's injuries and mop his brow. Gradually Molina gains Valentin’s confidence, leading to a kind of circumstantial friendship. How much of this is subterfuge to elicit information on behalf of prison authorities is only hinted at.

After first rebuffing Molina’s retelling of cinematic tales, Valentin eventually comes to look forward to the episodic installments, coaxing the soothing stories from his roommate. This usually segues into a musical number. And as lights dim and the elaborate song and dance numbers take hold, you can still see Molina wordlessly mouthing the lyrics, as caught up in fantasy as his listeners.

One of the standout numbers in the production is ‘‘Over the Wall,” which has the prison population cataloguing what waits for them on the outside, from cakes in the oven and fish in the net to over-endowed women. ‘‘Anything for Him” speaks of the devotion that Molina and Valentin gradually develop for each other, and ‘‘Morphine Tango” addresses the ultimate escape, the surrendering kiss of death, as personified by the Spider Woman (Natascia Diaz).

‘‘Someday you’ll give in ... all men do. Yes, all men kiss me, and you will too,” Diaz croons, as she vampishly sashays across the stage.

There’s a lot to like in Signature’s ‘‘Kiss of the Spider Woman.” Director Eric Schaeffer brings lots of energy to the production, keeping the audience close to the stage and immersed in the claustrophobia of a dank, dark prison setting. Lighting designer Chris Lee projects horizontal beams of light to suggest prison bars, which disappear when the musical numbers unfold, and choreographer Karma Camp has her prisoners use chains and manacles for percussion in ensemble numbers.

The composing team of John Kander and Fred Ebb couldn’t ask for a better tribute as part of Signature’s season-long celebration of their work.