Diversionary Theatre’s Falsettos is singing its heart out in a story about a confused, bisexual man in New York in 1979, surrounded by his imperfect, Jewish family.

The introductory number sets the tone with a rousing, “Four Jews Bitching.”

It’s rather a musical preamble of things to come and perhaps underscores just how many families operate: criticizing, nurturing, criticizing, loving — and then there’s more criticizing and bitching. The smart choreography of this number by able director Tim Irving carries itself throughout the entire production, with well-balanced movement and smart pacing.

David Weiner’s set design allows for a wide variety of scene changes that maximize the space — easily taking the audience to sites as varied as a baseball field, a hospital room, a bedroom, a tennis court and a bar, all under the neatly stacked skyline of New York.

The cast is quite capable, offering group harmonies as well as sassy or heartfelt duet and solo performances. Themes running through the play include: male domination, winning, family, forgiveness, acceptance and love.

Marvin (Jon Levenson) provides a tireless performance as the father who breaks up his perfect family because of his attraction to Whizzer (Warren G. Nolan, Jr.). The initial sexual attraction slowly fades to routine and resembles his previous, ordinary, heterosexual life as Whizzer sings, “Send me flowers, pick up your clothes, Marvin…”

In a following scene, Trina (Melissa Supera-Fernandez), Marvin’s ex-spouse, begins vamping on the top of a piano with her dust-mop while singing, “I’m Breaking Down,” as she tries to understand why a perfectly fine husband would choose a boy over a good woman like herself.

Jason (Matthew Ira Bohrer), Marvin and Trina’s son, then sings out about the most beautiful thing in life, chess. Thankfully, as he learns and grows through the production, he realizes, as his father tells him, that love is the most beautiful thing in life, although games seem to play a major role.

The triangle of love becomes a rectangle as Mendel (Andy Collins), the family psychiatrist, falls in love with Trina. Mendel is a well-intentioned guy who wants everyone to “feel alright for the rest of your life.”

Although the blissfully happy lesbian couple makes sporadic cameo appearances in Act I, Charlotte (Susan Hammons) and Cordelia (Sandy Campbell) come into their own in the second act. Charlotte, a doctor proud of saving lives (her partner saves chicken fat), provides one of the first diagnoses for AIDS (to Whizzer) while Cordelia offers comfort. Some of the best moments in the play come, surprisingly, when Cordelia sings of mundane activities like preparing Kosher food for her lover.

Falsetto serves up a yummy morsel of theatre while underscoring that “life is never what you plan.” Go!

Falsettos runs through Aug. 2 at Diversionary Theatre. Call (619) 220-0097 or visit www.diversionary.org, for more information.