The musical opens with the animated theme song (“Here's Tony"). As the curtain opens, we are onstage at the Wintergarten Theater in Berlin where Tony Finelli opens his concert with (“Invincible”). Before the song ends, Agent Schmitt, an undercover agent working for the German CIA (Verfassungsschutz) enters with a team of officers and Tony's manager, Juergen Drahtseil. He arrests Tony in the middle of his performance. Barbara Bischof, star reporter for Television's “Hollywood Hotline” enters with her camera team and reports Tony's arrest Live on TV (“The Arrest”). As Agent Schmitt walks Tony and Juergen past Barbara, they proclaim their innocence and promise a speedy resolution to this “big mistake.”
The song continues as the scene shifts to police headquarters in Berlin, where Agent Schmitt interrogates Tony. He explains that Juergen accepted a $100,000 “off the books” concert fee from Agent Schmitt who was in disguise as a henchman working for Mr. Big, Godfather of the Gambaretto Mafia family. Schmitt is pulled out of the interrogation for an “emergency call” just as Mr. Big enters the interrogation room with Juergen and two of his trusted enforcers, Jimmy Pooch and Lucky Louis. Mr. Big explains to Tony and Juergen that they have to go to prison in his stead, or he will kill their families (“Big, Bang, Boom!”) The scene then shifts from the interrogation room to a courtroom where a judge hands Tony and Jürgen 15-year prison sentences.
At Moabit Prison Juergen and Tony's 15 years behind bars is presented in time-lapse fashion (“The Breakout”). The prison guard informs Tony that he and Juergen are finally getting released. Overjoyed, they pack their belongings to leave (“We're going home”). Neither the paparazzi nor Tony's family meets them at the prison gate. As they have no money for a taxi, they are reduced to walking through the entire city of Berlin to get to Tony's mansion. Tony finds out that his Russian wife Tina filed for divorce in absentia shortly before his release. When they arrive, Tina makes her feelings about Tony's release clear by slamming the front door in his face. Tony sings of their “toxic” co-dependent relationship (“Zombie Heart”) while discussing the divorce with Tina.
The scene shifts to Pete and Bea Finelli's apartment, Tony's parents who live upstairs in the mansion. Bea is preparing meatballs for Tony's homecoming party that evening while listening to her son's first single (“Rimani”) on her trusty boom box. When Pete enters with an armful of flea market purchases, an argument ensues about his being a pack rat (“Pete, What Have You Done?). They also argue about Bea's 90-year-old mother, Nonna, who has dementia and lives with them, much to Pete's chagrin.
Tony's daughters, Lola (27) and Lena (20) return from a shopping trip to find their father back home. Lena, who was 5-years-old when Tony went to prison is overwhelmed at the sight of her Dad and leaves (“Look At Her Run”). Tony goes to Lena who explains to him that she felt abandoned (“If You're My Father”). He tries to comfort her and explain the facts of his arrest (“Love Will Never Die”). After Lena leaves, Tony tries to reconnect with Tina. She rebuffs his attempt at reconciliation (“Bitter”).
Suddenly, Nonna wanders into Tina's living room completely confused, looking for her long-dead husband, Giuseppe. Nonna doesn't recognize her grandson Tony, or have any idea where she is. Pete and Bea are in a panic. Nonna unlocked the front door of their apartment and left on her own. On their search, they find their way to Tina's living room where they greet Tony, invite Tina to join them for Tony's homecoming dinner, and take Nonna back upstairs to their apartment.
Tina informs Tony that as per their divorce agreement, he may live in the attic apartment of the mansion as long as he pays rent. When the Finellis go upstairs, they find Tony's attic is filthy and in total disarray. Lola and Lena are horrified and angry with their mother. Upon returning downstairs, Tony distracts Lola and Lena by telling them the story of how he and their mother first met (“The Journey”). It is clear that Tina still has feelings for Tony. Tina changes the subject abruptly telling Tony that to make ends meet during his time in prison, she turned the mansion into a bed and breakfast. We find out that 10 days earlier, Mr. Melek, Tina's janitor quit. Lola and Lena then their mother to let Tony take over the janitor's job (“Go Take Charge”). Juergen then convinces a very skeptical Tony to take the janitor's job to buy them time to rebuild his career.
That evening, Lola's boyfriend Helmut, who she has been secretly seeing, unexpectedly stops by the Finelli mansion. Lola greets him in the hallway and they sing about their love (“Kiss Me Now”). Unfortunately, Tony stumbles upon them kissing and goes ballistic, throwing Helmut out of the house in the process. An argument ensues with Lola, who tells her Dad that at 27, she's a grownup, and it's too late for him to play “father”.
The scene shifts to Mr. Big's Office where his daughter Aurora asks her father to hire Tony Finelli to sing at her upcoming wedding. Her future in-laws are very big fans of Tony's and she wants to impress them. When Mr. Big hesitates to contact Tony, Aurora uses blackmail to convince her father to do her bidding, “I've Got Receipts.”
Back at the Finelli Mansion, Tony is preparing the hallway to repaint it. After apologizing again to Lola, she and Tony discuss Nonna and her advancing dementia. Tony reminds Lola that Nonna “wasn't always 90” and was “pretty wild” as a young woman in Sicily. In a fantasy dream sequence, Nonna sings the disco anthem (“We Gotta Dance”) complete with Chippendale's Dancers and a breakdance.
The scene shifts back to Pete and Bea's apartment. Lola and Lena are helping Bea prepare Tony's homecoming dinner, while Bea grills Lola about her love life. When Pete asks "Where is Tony?", they tell them that Tony has taken the job as Tina's Janitor. Pete is shocked and worries that Tony has no skills, and is very clumsy ("Two Left Hands”).
Meanwhile, back in Tina's hallway, Juergen brings Tony the paint he needs to finish the job, when Mr. Big surprises them both. Mr Big asks Tony for “a favor,” and tells him he must sing at his daughter Aurora's wedding. He will pay him $15,000 for his appearance and promises to never bother him or Juergen again. While singing (“Listen, Tony!”) Mr. Big throws paint everywhere. He reminds Tony that if he refuses, it will have deadly consequences for him and his entire family. He then dumps the rest of the paint over Tony's head and exits.
The family and Tina enter to find the hallway, the walls, the ceiling, and Tony completely covered with paint. Tina fires Tony on the spot, while the rest of the family chastises him for being inept (“What Have You Done”). Tony quiets everyone down and promises to clean everything up. Once they are alone, Tony and Juergen panic about Mr. Big, the wedding appearance, and the deadly consequences if they refuse. They cheer each other up by reminding each other that whatever problems come their way, they will solve them together (“You And I”), as the curtain falls.
The curtain opens to find us onstage at Eva Klein's theater in Berlin where she's rehearsing with her dancers (“Entre'Act”). Juergen, her former flame, enters and begs her for a job for Tony. As it turns out, her upcoming production of “La Cage aux Folles” has just lost its actor for the leading role of Zaza and Eva agrees to let Tony audition.
The scene shifts to Tony's attic apartment where Tony is loudly complaining about playing a drag queen. He claims that he will be “the ugliest woman who ever lived” and wonders “What will people think?” Juergen threatens to quit if Tony doesn't do the audition. Tony and Juergen then sing about all they've been through together (“I Am A Man”). The song continues as the scene shifts back to Eva's Nightclub.
Tony enters in full drag to audition for Zaza but is completely distracted when he starts to sing. He tells Eva he feels “completely wrong” wearing the costume and tells her he "doesn't recognize himself." Eva explains to Tony that she understands exactly how he feels. She sings of how she held onto a dream (“The Woman In The Mirror”). Tony realizes that he and Eva have more in common than he realized. When he finally auditions (“Ring The Alarm”), Eva tells Juergen that has cast a big TV star to play Zaza, and that as good as Tony is, he won't get the job.
Back in Mr. Big's office, Aurora grills her father about the wedding preparations. She is rattling off a list of requirements for the upcoming nuptials when Mr. Big has a premonition about the wedding. Fearing the “evil eye,” he begs Aurora to change the wedding date or “something terrible will happen.” Aurora refuses to comply with her father's wishes and makes fun of his superstitious nature. (“Malocchio”).
The scene shifts back to Pete and Bea Finelli's apartment where Bea is trying to help her mother get dressed to go shopping. When Bea goes to answer the phone, Nonna has another episode. She imagines a painting of Maria Callas coming to life and singing to her (“Vissi d'Arte”). Nonna is overwhelmed by the beauty of her fantasy and nearly faints. Bea finds her mother on the floor and tries to get her up. Nonna doesn't recognize her daughter and begins yelling for help and calling for the police. In a moment of clarity, Nonna realizes that her mind and memory is going and starts to cry. Bea comforts her mother (“Mamma, Brave and Strong”).
Tina comes to Bea's apartment looking for Tony. She is very upset. Bea tells Tina, in confidence, that Tony still loves her. Bea then suggests that if Tina's so upset, perhaps she still loves him, too. Tony then enters Bea's apartment, still wearing his drag costume from his audition. Tina helps him get undressed, and the two laugh about how ridiculous he looks. Tony tries again to convince Tina to take him back. They share a dance and nearly kiss while singing (“I Hate Your Coffee”).
The scene shifts back to Mr. Big's office where he is giving instructions to Jimmy Pooch and Lucky Louis about a weapons deal that is going down at Aurora's wedding. He tells his enforcers that MP5 rifles will be packed in white gift boxes with big red ribbons on them. The rifles will be placed on the gifts table at Aurora's wedding reception. After the party, the “presents” should be loaded into Aurora's limousine where they will later be picked up by the DeMarco family. Unbeknownst to Mr. Big, Agent Schmitt has bugged his office and listens and records Mr. Big's entire conversation discussing all the details of the upcoming weapons sale. With Mr. Big on tape, Agent Schmitt calls his office and instructs them to bring in Tony Finelli and Juergen for an emergency meeting. Mr. Big has another premonition about the evil eye and the danger that is coming at Aurora's wedding (“Malocchio (Reprise)”). He instructs his Mafiosi to call Juergen and make sure that Tony's entire family attends the wedding with him. He wants them there as “insurance.”
At an out-of-the-way bar on the outskirts of Berlin, Tony and Juergen meet with Agent Schmitt. Schmitt asks them to cooperate with him and the German CIA to arrest Mr. Big once and for all. Schmitt tells them that they must catch Mr. Big with the MP5 rifles in his possession to guarantee that he'll go to prison. At first, Tony and Juergen want nothing to do with Schmitt. Schmitt then offers them a bribe so large, they realize that they will never have to worry about money again. Tony and Juergen agree to help Schmitt trap for Mr. Big . (“Hush Money”).
In Bea Finelli's kitchen, Tony and Pete are drinking shots of whiskey. Tony is feeling the pressure of the situation. When he tells his Dad about singing at Aurora's wedding, Pete is furious with him for listening to Juergen and getting involved with Mr. Big again.
Tony tries explaining that he doesn't have a choice. Pete doesn't believe him. Tony finally tells his father that the real reason he and Juergen went to prison was to save the entire Finelli family from being murdered by Mr. Big and the Gambarettos. Tony then tells his Dad that he is also working with Agent Schmitt and the German CIA and they are setting a trap to put Mr. Big in prison, and out of their lives once and for all.
The scene shifts to Lena Finelli's bedroom where she and Lola are getting dressed to go to the wedding. Lola tells Lena that she's broken up with her boyfriend Helmut because he wanted her to get a “boob job.” Lena tells her sister that she's perfect exactly the way she is, and if a man wants her to change for him, she should change the man. The girls realize that while they are polar opposites in many ways, they will always stick up for each other (“Yin and Yang”).
Tony is about to leave the Finelli mansion to go to the wedding, when he sees Tina reading a magazine in her kitchen. Knowing they are under orders from Mr. Big to have everyone at Aurora's wedding, Tony asks Tina to please get dressed and attend the wedding. Tina lets Tony know that she only agreed to have him back in the house because of their daughters. They get into an emotional discussion about their life and marriage which ends in Tony grabbing Tina and kissing her. Tina breaks away from Tony, smacking him in the face and telling him that his career and their marriage are over. Tony is angry and heartbroken and wonders how he ever ended up where he is (“Here I Am Again”).
The song continues as the scene shifts to Aurora's wedding reception where Tony finishes his song onstage. In Tony's backstage dressing room, Agent Schmitt tells Juergen and Tony that they are going to arrest Mr. Big during the traditional father/daughter dance. After Schmitt leaves, Bea, Nonna, and Lola join Tony backstage to wish him well for the second part of his performance. Tony asks them if Tina is also there. They say they haven't seen her.
Back onstage at the reception, Juergen introduces Tony and they wish each other luck. While Tony is singing (“Rimani (Reprise)”), Mr. Big and Aurora take to the dance floor. When Mr. Big wants to show Aurora all of her “presents,” he realizes that the packages with the MP5 rifles are missing. At that moment, Agent Schmitt enters with his agents and arrests Mr. Big. Aurora backs away from her father, and pulls a knife out of her wedding dress. She grabs Tony and holds the knife to his throat, threatening to kill him if Agent Schmitt doesn't let her father go. Right at that moment, Tina Finelli enters, smacks the knife out of Aurora's hands, and saves the day. As Agent Schmitt takes Mr. Big and Aurora to prison, Tina finally admits that she still loves Tony. They walk off hand-in-hand into the sunset together (“The Journey”).