Stage review: If you ask me if I love Best of Broadway’s ‘Mamma Mia’? I would say I do, I do, I do, I do, I do.

How many times can I use the word “delightful” in one article before my editor gets upset?

For her sake, I’ll use it here and not again: “Mamma Mia!,” playing through Sunday, at the First Interstate Center for the Arts, is delightful.

Not that I doubted it would be.

Twenty-five years after its debut, the story, whether being told on stage or film, feels just as familiar as the ABBA songs it features and is based upon. And maybe that’s why opening night appeared to be nearly sold out despite it being a Tuesday evening.

Most people in the audience knew what they were about to see, and hear, and were ready for the nostalgia.

The musical is set on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi (a gorgeous set from associate set designer Nancy Thun) where Sophie Sheridan (Amy Weaver) is planning her wedding to fiancé Sky (Grant Reynolds). Sophie wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but there’s just one problem – she doesn’t know who her father is.

She gets a few ideas of his identity after finding mother Donna’s (played Tuesday by Emily Croft) diary and reading about dates with three men: American architect Sam Carmichael (Victor Wallace), Australian writer and adventurer Bill Austin (Jim Newman) and British banker Harry Bright (played Tuesday by Patrick Dunn). Without telling her mother, Sophie invites each man to her wedding. All three accept.

Meanwhile, Donna reunites with her long-time best friends Tanya (Jalynn Steele), a rich divorcée three times over, and Rosie (played Tuesday by Jasmine Overbaugh), who is husband- and care-free.

Later that day, Sam, Bill and Harry arrive and meet Sophie, who asks them not to tell her mother that she invited them. But Donna soon sees her three former boyfriends and runs off in shock, though old feelings start to resurface over time.

ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus are credited with the music and lyrics, while Catherine Johnson wrote the musical’s book.

I think the main thing that struck me as I watched the show was that it seemed like everyone was (you know I had to) truly having the time of their life onstage. That joy transferred to the audience, and I heard a few people around me softly singing from time to time, though not to a distracting degree.

Seeing Weaver, as Sophie, reunite with friends Ali (Haley Wright) and Lisa (Lena Owens) was a really sweet moment, echoed a little later when Donna, Rosie and Tanya reunited themselves.

Both sets of friends – Wright and Owens for Sophie and Steele and Overbaugh for Donna – were supportive through and through, while also offering some of the funniest moments of the night.

It’s a wonder Croft didn’t break when Steele and Overbaugh were trying to cheer her up during “Chiquitita,” and Steele’s handling of taverna employee Pepper (Justin Sudderth, fully devoted to the role) during “Does Your Mother Know” and Overbaugh’s “Take a Chance on Me,” directed at Newman’s Bill, were hilarious.

Speaking of Newman, he, Dunn and Wallace all had such rich voices and, though they were surprised by the news that they might be Sophie’s dad, all stepped into the parental figure role quite naturally.

There was a sweet chemistry between Weaver and Reynolds, a strong singer who made for a charming Sky. I also loved the relationship between Weaver and Croft, both of whom seemed to top themselves vocally with each song. I really liked Weaver’s “Under Attack” and Croft’s “The Winner Takes It All.”

“Mamma Mia!” also stars Christine Sherrill, Rob Marnell, Carly Sakolove, Ethan Van Slyke, Sarah Agrusa, Alessandra Antonelli, Caro Daye Attayek, Adia Olanethia Bell, Dean Cestari, Collin J. Bradley, Tony Clements, Madison Deadman, Jordan De Leon, Nico DiPrimio, Andy Garcia, Danny Lopez-Alicea, Makoa, Erica Mansfield, Faith Northcutt, Gray Phillips, Blake Price, Dorian Quinn, Lauren Soto, Xavi Soto Burgos and George Vickers V.

Be sure to watch the ensemble during “Money, Money, Money” to see the fun choices they make, but also during scene changes. The male ensemble members impressively danced in swimming fins during “Lay All Your Love On Me,” a crowd favorite, and the female ensemble members really brought Sophie’s hen party to life while Donna and the Dynamos performed “Super Trouper.”

Fun choreography from choreographer Anthony Van Laast and associate choreographer Janet Rothermel and costumes from associate costume designer Lucy Gaiger added to the joy on stage, as did that classic soundtrack played with an incredible amount of energy by Matthew Croft (conductor/keyboard), Daniel Klintworth (associate conductor/keyboard), Nick Greathouse and Benjamin Samuelson (guitars), Noga Shefi (bass), Kevin McNaughton (drums), Ethan Deppe (keyboard programmer) and Michael Aarons (music coordinator).

Were there any surprises in this production? No, but the national tour didn’t need to reinvent the “Mamma Mia!” wheel; audiences are going to flock to the show time and time again because of that earworm soundtrack and the boundless joy from the performers on stage.

After the tour concludes at the end of the month, the full touring cast will bring the musical to the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, where I’m sure it will be as well-received as it was in Spokane on opening night.

As a final note, stay after cast members take their bows. The musical turns into a full-blown concert.