Detailed Summary

Daniela, Kristen, Andrew, and Jessica begin by providing some backstory for our main characters, Samantha and her younger sister Melissa, in the song “Chasing a Fallen Star.” We discover that the girls’ parents have died in a car accident—forcing the siblings to go live with their grandfather in the small town of Star Harbor, and taking with them unresolved emotional turmoil.

Once in Star Harbor, Samantha goes to the music school for her violin lesson. In the song “Anyway, Hey,” she makes a new friend, Kristen, and meets her neatness-obsessed teacher, Porter. Her lesson is briefly interrupted by a boy of her age, Andrew. When Samantha goes to throw a dirty tissue in the garbage can, Porter’s unexpected reaction leads to the song “A Clean Neat Freak.”

After her lesson, Samantha FaceTimes Daniela to tell her about Andrew. We learn more about him—and his bad luck with girls—in the song “So Many Dang Rejections.”

In “Chasing a Fallen Star” (Reprise 1), Daniela and Jessica introduce another argument between Samantha and Melissa. The sisters then sing separately but simultaneously about their feelings of loss and pain in “I’m Barely Hanging On.”

Next, in “Dear Diary,” we officially meet Melissa’s new friend, Jessica, as the two girls spy on Samantha by secretly reading from her diary.

Meanwhile, Samantha and Kristen have made their way to the park so that Samantha can experience Sparky’s legendary hot dogs in “That’s a Hot Hot Dog.” In the song “How to Make it Through,” Kristen reassures Samantha that she’s there for her, and Samantha admits that she blames Melissa for their parents’ death. Kristen encourages Samantha to remember that she and her sister are going through this together.

Samantha, in an effort to improve her relationship with Melissa, texts her and invites her to the mall on Saturday at 2:00. As Melissa is reading the text, three mean girls—Benicia, Belinda, and Becky, collectively known as the Three Bs—give Melissa and Jessica a hard time in “The Three Bs.”

Back at the music school, Andrew finally works up the courage to ask Samantha out in “Just One Chance,” with Samantha accepting in “Just One Chance” (Tag). Alone, Samantha takes a couple of minutes to reflect on the potential of this newfound relationship in “A Story Brought to Life.”

Melissa and Jessica are again reading all of Samantha’s most private thoughts—this time at the park!—as they sing “Dear Diary” (Reprise). Melissa discovers that Samantha has made plans with Andrew for Saturday at 2:00, the same time Melissa and Samantha were supposed to go to the mall together! Frustrated and hopeless, Melissa throws the diary in the trash—only for the Three Bs to retrieve it and make plans to use it as revenge.

In “Chasing a Fallen Star” (Reprise 2), Daniela, Kristen, and Jessica remind us of the heartache that has led Samantha and Melissa to this place. In “Wait But…There’s More!” the Three Bs hand out copies of pages from Samantha’s diary to everyone at the park. Samantha shows up for her date with Andrew just in time to discover what is happening. Embarrassed, she runs off.

At home, Samantha angrily confronts Melissa as the younger sister attempts to apologize in “Don’t Even Try.” After Samantha storms off, the girls’ grandpa enters. It takes him a while to remember why he’s there as he comically meanders off topic in “I Came in Here for a Reason.”

Grandpa calls Jessica, Kristen, and Daniela to ask for their help in restoring Samantha and Melissa’s relationship. The friends accept as they sing “A Better Place.”

In the final scene, we learn that Daniela, Jessica, and Kristen have bought and named two stars in the sky, one for each of the sisters’ parents, to honor their memory in “In Our Hearts.” Samantha and Melissa begin to realize that they are stronger together. Unexpectedly, Becky shows up to apologize—acknowledging that Benicia and Belinda are the worst and she’s done with them. In “Aw Snap!” she attempts to help Samantha and Melissa get even by presenting them with a compromising photo of her former friends, but the sisters decline. As Becky leaves, Grandpa enters with a slideshow of pictures depicting Samantha, Melissa, and their parents in “Look to the Stars.” The slideshow was created by Andrew, who arrives and asks Samantha if she’s still interested in going out with him. After she accepts, Samantha reaffirms with Melissa that they will always be there for each other in the future.