It is, it seems, a small world after all.

Proving that is “The Magic of ABBA: An ABBA Celebration,” a British production built on the music of a Swedish super-group cast with American actors. The show takes the stage at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono.

Formed in 1973, ABBA has been one of those lasting, beloved Swedish imports. Maybe not as sturdy as a Saab, but just as enduring.

The group’s name is created from the first letters of its four members’ names: Agnetha “Anna” Faltskog Ulvaeus, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad-Fredriksson-Andersson.

Although it’s often said, ABBA truly was “huge overseas,” the most commercially successful group of the ’70s in every country except the United States. (At one point, they were the second most profitable corporation on the Stockholm stock exchange.) U.S. success was more limited, with several hit albums and two gold singles.

“ABBA’s had so many number one hits that everyone knows the words to the songs and gets up and dances,” said Alex Baldwin, British tour manager for “The Magic of ABBA.”

Now, a quarter-century later, knowing me, knowing you, we are more than willing to take a chance on ABBA. Their music is the heart of the Broadway musical “Momma Mia,” and A-Teens found success with an album full of tepid recyclings of the quartet’s songs.

What is it about ABBA that has captured generations? Is it the tight harmonies within a thumping beat? Is it the wholesome image despite often-outlandish costumes that would put many dancing queens to shame? Is it simply hearkening back to a more innocent time? Whatever it is, the ABBA sound has proven to still be money, money, money.

“The Magic of ABBA,” produced by Andrew Wyke and Rob McIntosh, first toured the United Kingdom and Europe. It’s been recast with American performers for its U.S. tour.

“Because ‘Momma Mia’ has taken off, we’re just following off of their success,” Baldwin explained.

The show is more concert than Broadway musical.

“It’s all the well-known songs you would associate with ABBA,” Baldwin said from a tour stop in Billings, Mont. “We recreate the best costumes and dance routines and live backing music, and it gives you a real feel for the show.”

The cast is Randall Patterson as Bjorn, Kevin Noonchester as Benny, Tamara Giffin as Agnetha and Virginia Weber as Anna-Fria. Noonchester and Giffin are engaged in real life, but they aren’t a couple in the show.

“It’s almost keeping up with the real ABBA, isn’t it?” Baldwin said with a laugh. (Let’s hope not, since both couples in the real group are now divorced.) “All the performers know each other from before, and everyone gets on very well together.”

On this day, the show is only three dates into a monthlong tour, but Baldwin said any kinks have already been worked out.

“It was set after the second show,” Baldwin said. “The first show gave us a great idea how the audience would react, and we made adjustments, taking out one or two songs. Now we’re really confident. It really flows and has a lot of energy to it.”

A limited number of tickets remain for “The Magic of ABBA.” For tickets, visit the Maine Center for the Arts box office or call 581-1755. Dale McGarrigle can be reached

at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.

?The Magic of ABBA?

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20

Where: Maine Center for the Arts, Orono

Tickets: $20-$30

Contacts: 581-1755