Some things never change: The sun sets in the west. Food from McDonald's tastes worse an hour after you eat it. When Annie sings "Tomorrow," her side-stretched hand will sweep to the sky, and she will end the song in a spectacular, note-crashing climax so inspirational you'll want to rush out and invent some sort of new vaccine.

I like the fact that "Annie" is predictably cheery. There are certain things that just seem right in this happy-go-perky musical: the cute dog; the evil Miss Hannigan; the eternal optimism of the orphans even when Annie gets picked to go live with the rich guy. The national touring production that opened Tuesday night at the Saroyan (and continues 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night for one more performance) might not be the snazziest or most cutting-edge touring musical of the year, but it knows how to get its happy job done.

The 10-year-old Amanda Balon (who has been performing since the age of 2, according to the program notes, and has her own Web site), who plays the demanding role of Annie, has a strong voice and a sassy personality. I think one test of playing Annie well is the ability to pull off the "I love you" scene with Daddy Warbucks in a heartfelt way that is neither too flippant nor too goopy. Scrappy and equipped with a powerful set of lungs, the young Amanda has no problems carrying a two and a half hour musical.

I also liked David Barton's Warbucks, who booms out such songs as "I Don't Need Anything But You" with a stirring effectiveness. Also strong in a slightly nontraditional way is a boisterous Lynn Andrews as Miss Hannigan, who puts a buffoonish spin (and a fine, jangling sense of physical comedy) to the role.

The production itself, with its many scene changes, can appear a little thin at times, but this tour doesn't skimp on the iconic visuals (the ratty orphanage, the grand staircase and lighted Christmas tree in the Warbucks mansion) that you're probably expecting. (Broadway trivia buffs will note that this tour is directed by Martin Charnin, who wrote the original lyrics for the show.) My only significant disappointment is the Hour of Smiles set piece and the performance of the Bert Healy and Boylan Sisters characters; the "Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" number wasn't up to the standards of the rest of the show.

What this "Annie" does have is a lot of cheer. It's the kind of show that can thrill kids and adults alike, and I was surprised at the number of older people (sans children, so I knew they weren't just there because they had grandchildren in tow) in the audience for a fix of "Tomorrow." When the littlest orphan, Molly (an oh-so-cute Annalisa DiBernardo) blows kisses to the crowd in the "Dressed Without a Smile" reprise, you know she's pushing your buttons. And you enjoy every minute.,.