Inspired by actual events, “The Family that Sings Together” tells the story of a famous entertainer who took his seven rambunctious kids into vaudeville with him. They became the most popular family act of the day. And–more important–while touring the country, they learned the real meaning of family.

Written by ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award-winner Chip Deffaa, “The Family that Sings Together” is a full-length musical with plenty of laughs and a good deal of heart. Based on the story of song-and-dance man Eddie Foy and his family, the score includes such infectious, enduringly popular songs as Irving Berlin’s “I Love a Piano” and “I Want to Go Back to Michigan (Down on the Farm)” and George M. Cohan’s “Harrigan” and “Mary,” along with such patriotic favorites as “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” plus a high-spirited original by Deffaa with a Gospel feel, “Faith.”

This two-hour musical comedy is designed for 22 actors. There are 22 roles (10 male, 12 female), although some flexibility is possible. If you want a smaller cast, the show can be performed by as few as 16 actors, with some “doubling”; if you want to add a few more extra singers to the finale, that is possible, too.