By Deirdre Parker Smith

deirdre.smith@salisburypost.com

“Mamma Mia!” is a fun musical, much better than the dreadful movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.

Piedmont Player’s version is upbeat, lighthearted and full of enthusiastic singers and dancers. Maybe it gets a little loud now and then, and maybe that doesn’t matter. You have to suspend a lot of disbelief in the flimsy plot, but remember this — the play exists simply to collect and repackage some of the group Abba’s greatest hits.

Abba, for the young folks, was a Swedish pop group from the 1970s, recording catchy tunes like “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and, of course, “Mamma Mia.”

To use the songs, creators Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus came up with a story. Donna, former lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos, ends up a single mother running a small hotel on a Greek island. Now daughter Sophie is getting married. She has no idea who her father is because her mother won’t tell her, so she steals an old diary from her mother, finds out about three close encounters in one summer on the island and promptly invites those three men to her wedding, knowing that she will instantly recognize who her father is.

She doesn’t tell Donna.

Meanwhile, wedding preparations are under way, and Donna’s Dynamos — Tanya, played by Wendy Weant, and Rosie, played by Lydia Allen — arrive. Weant is the much-married, flirtatious one now. Rosie is still looking for love, and they are thrilled to be together again.

Leah Campion plays Donna, who’s hassled, frustrated and, later, furious when the three men show up. She can still sing, and she lets her guard down a little with the Dynamos.

Sophie, played by Emma Shelton, is headstrong and determined not to end up like her mother — alone with a child. She’s still idealistic enough to want marriage and fast. She’s just 20, but she doesn’t want to miss a minute of fun with boyfriend Sky, played by Evan Little.

This core group of players seems to be enjoying themselves. Little is athletic, bright and energetic. Shelton was having trouble with her mike on preview night, but she really carries the show. Weant and Allen are having fun and keep the mood light. Campion’s Donna alternates between angry and happy, but she leaps into singing as if she actually were part of a girl band.

The three father candidates are Harry Bright, played by Andy Abramson; Bill Austin, played by Eric Slipp; and Sam Carmichael, played by Piedmont veteran Marc Trent Tucker.

Who could it be? Harry gave Donna her first guitar, but there’s something about him that’s different. Abramson is quite dapper as Harry. Slipp has the easygoing, romantic personality of a footloose and fancy-free writer. The idea of being a father scares him, but it would make a great story. Sam is somewhat cynical, with a failed marriage and failed dreams. But the tavern Donna owns looks just like one he drew on a napkin for her 21 years ago as an aspiring architect. Tucker has the right voice for the pop songs and belts them out.

Sophie does not recognize her father at first glance, and now she’s wondering if she’s made a horrible mistake. Meanwhile, the three men are slowly coming to the realization about why they are all there, and each one is happy to claim Sophie as his.

Some tense moments ensue between Donna and Sam, the guy that got away. She’s still angry about it, and he doesn’t quite know what to do.

But it’s the wedding day. What in the world will happen?

Well, you’ll hear several more Abba songs, including numbers following the curtain call when the huge ensemble again shows off its singing and dancing skills. Kudos to choreographer Ashlyn Keller Silver.

No fair revealing the ending — but you know it will be a happy one.

No orchestra is listed, so the music must be a soundtrack, but there were no problems with it on preview night. The set and lighting, as well as direction, are all by Reid Leonard, and all are bright and cheery, the right antidote to a dreary winter.

Other cast members who had moments in the spotlight are Madisyn Rey and Grace Yacobowsky as Sophie’s bridesmaids, and Michael Meres as Pepper and Henry-Wilson Thomas as Eddie, barmen, boatmen and troublemakers.

Ashely Ward of Eastern Costume Co. found or built some lovely lamé outfits for Donna and her Dynamos.

The show is presented in two acts, with a 20-minute intermission, and was over about 10 p.m.

“Mamma Mia” opens tonight and continues at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and April 10-13 at the Meroney Theater. It is presented with sponsors Ed Brown, John Basinger and David Post. The matinee at 2:30 p.m. Sunday is almost sold out, and tickets for the weekend are going fast. To reserve a seat, call 704-633-5471 or go to www.piedmontplayers.com