Full Synopsis
Full Synopsis
Act One
We are greeted by the glittering Diana Ross as she thanks the audience for coming to the show - particularly her greatest fan, Trevor, whom she reveals to be seated among us in the theater! Diana invites the stunned Trevor on stage, reminding him not to be shy and to always pursue his golden dream, no matter what. Joining Diana on the stage, the euphoric Trevor lip-syncs along with her - but the fantasy dissolves around him as his parents are revealed, and we see that Trevor is actually daydreaming in his living room ("Do You Know?").
The frustrated Trevor continues to speak as if he is addressing the audience, introducing us to his parents and then informing us that his mundane existence is about to change because he is on the cusp of his golden dream: to be discovered at the Junior High Talent Show and become a star just like his idol, Diana Ross. On the bus with his best friends, Cathy and Walter, Trevor excitedly anticipates the school day when the selected Talent Show acts will be announced! But instead of being accepted into the show, Trevor learns that his routine has been disqualified (he is scandalously performing all the roles, even the women!). To make matters worse, Trevor is paired to compete with super-jock Pinky Faraday in a one-on-one basketball competition in Gym. Despite these setbacks, Trevor keeps his sights on the future, confident that he will still find a way to achieve his golden dream ("On With The Show").
That afternoon, Trevor is in his room with Walter, who is observing something under a microscope. Trevor attempts to dwell on his tragic day, but Walter distracts him, reminding Trevor it's his turn to provide a 'specimen' for Walter's potency experiment. Walter hands Trevor a magazine of women's lingerie and attempts to help Trevor find the right girl to "inspire" him. But Trevor is unimpressed as he flips through the pages, until he accidentally turns to the back, where the "gross" male underwear models are featured ("Underneath"). They are interrupted by Trevor's mom, but luckily conceal the magazine before she can see it. She sends Walter home and, after they both leave, Trevor can't resist viewing the catalog one more time, tearing out the back page and hiding it beneath his mattress ("Underneath (Reprise)").
The next day at school we are introduced to the ensemble of students, including Mary, the most popular girl in school, and Frannie, who Mary is grooming to be her perfect sidekick ("Everyday"). The scene then focuses on Trevor in gym class, where he must face Pinky for their dreaded one-on-one basketball game ("Horse"). During the game, Pinky reveals his reluctance to perform at Friday's Talent Show (a humiliating annual tradition in which the 8 th Grade Football Team dances around in pink tutus in front of the entire school). Trevor, seeing an opportunity, offers to "create, direct andchoreograph" an alternative routine for Pinky and the team. Desperate to do anything but the tutu dance, and charmed by Trevor's confidence, Pinky accepts the offer (much to the chagrin of Pinky's best friend and other-super-jock, Jason).
The ecstatic Trevor celebrates in his bedroom, enthusiastically lip-syncing with his vision of Diana Ross ("It's My Turn"). Walter shows up, looking for his magazine and imploring Trevor to join him for ice cream at the Frosti-Freez. But Trevor is unable to join his friend, informing Walter that he instead must rehearse with Pinky and the football team after their practice that evening.
The scene transitions to the gym, where Trevor has his first rehearsal with Pinky, Jason, and the other athletes. They struggle to learn the very ambitious routine, but Trevor is undiscouraged, going over it again and again as his imagination brings to life the glorious dance he sees in his head ("One/Two").
After the rehearsal, Frannie approaches Trevor to ask whether Pinky has mentioned her at all and if he is taking anyone to the Quality Courts tomorrow night; a construction site where the football team traditionally takes dates the night before the Talent Show to reinforce their manliness. Trevor, unaware of this, is confused by the question, and Frannie eventually changes the subject, complimenting his dance routine as 'cute' before excusing herself. Trevor is appalled by Frannie's choice of words, noting that Diana Ross was not discovered for being 'cute'. He vows to make sure their routine is the best it can be as the scene transitions to the next afternoon's rehearsal ("One/Two - reprise").
Following their second rehearsal, Jason expresses his concerns to Pinky that Trevor, and his routine, are too weird and could damage their reputation. He presses Pinky to reconsider just doing the traditional (and safe) pink tutu dance. Pinky is torn and asks Trevor if they can walk home together. As they walk, Pinky shares his concerns with Trevor, who is initially crushed. But then, remembering Diana Ross' inspiring words, Trevor explains to Pinky the importance of his golden dream and implores Pinky to be bold and follow his dreams as well. As they share their future hopes with each other ("One of These Days"), Pinky confides that he has a crush on Frannie. Trevor reluctantly tells Pinky that Frannie wants to go to the Quality Courts with him, and Pinky is so overjoyed he tells Trevor they will not abandon his routine at the Talent Show. He also informs Trevor that he is part of the group now, which means he must find a date and join the guys at The Quality Courts tomorrow.
Meanwhile, at the Frosti-Freez, Walter is waiting for Trevor to meet him - but it's obvious that Trevor is too busy for him. Again. Cathy, who works at the ice cream shop, tries to cheer Walter up and the two discuss their friendship with Trevor. As they talk, it becomes evident that Cathy has feelings for Trevor - and that Walter has feelings for Cathy. The scene splits and we see Frannie on the phone with Mary, telling her that Pinky has asked her to the Quality Courts and admitting she is nervous to go because she has never kissed anyone before. Mary tells Frannie to stop acting like a child or people will think she's weird, and Mary cannot be friends with a weirdo. The scene splits again to reveal Trevor's mom, who has found a catalog page under his mattress which displays a picture of a man in his underwear! Trevor's father enters the scene and the two try to make sense of the situation, blaming each other before ultimately deciding that they need to confront Trevor about it ("Everything Is Weird").
Back home in his bedroom, Trevor enthusiastically recaps his afternoon with Pinky in the pages of his journal. He begins to imagine their future as best friends while a vision of Pinky rises from beneath his mattress and the two dance together, accompanied by the celebratory Diana Ross ("Daydream Sequence/Upside Down"). Trevor suddenly brings the fantasy to a screeching halt - confused and a little worried about the feelings he is having for Pinky ("Weird"). There is a knock at Trevor's door, and his parents enter, awkwardly trying to have a conversation with him. At the same moment, Walter and Cathy arrive to find out why Trevor never showed up at the Frosti-Freez. Walter hears Trevor's mom mention the magazine and bursts into the room, defending himself and explaining that the magazine was his mother's and that he and Trevor were just looking at it as a joke. Trevor's relieved parents laugh off the situation as a misunderstanding and exit.
Walter, still furious, confronts Trevor - pointing out that Trevor not only ditched him today but also just nearly got him grounded for the rest of his life. Trevor apologizes, explaining that he just has a lot going on, which reminds him that he needs to go to the Quality Courts and he still doesn't have a date. Desperate, he asks Cathy if she'll join him. She enthusiastically agrees, much to Walter's continued dismay.
The scene transitions to the Quality Courts as Trevor/Cathy, Pinky/Frannie, and Jason/Mary break off into couples and prepare to kiss ("Can't Wait"). It is a long moment of anticipation (and, for some, dread) during which Trevor and Frannie attempt to stall Cathy and Pinky respectively, while Jason is so upset about Trevor's friendship with Pinky that Mary promises to help him prove what a weirdo Trevor is. Ultimately, they are all interrupted by flashing lights as the police appear to patrol the construction site, sending the couples scattering to hide.
Trevor and Pinky end up together behind a dumpster, where they begin to talk about their dates. Pinky admits that he might be developing feelings for someone other than Frannie. Trevor tells Pinky he feels the same, and then asks Pinky why he has been so nice to him when he doesn't have to be. Pinky explains that Trevor is not like anyone else he knows, because he is able to just be himself, whereas Pinky always feels he must edit himself to be what his peers and father expect of him ("Who I Should Be"). Trevor is about to admit his feelings for Pinky when they realize the police have left and Pinky states he needs to go find Frannie. As Pinky leaves, he asks Trevor what he was about to say, but Trevor has lost his nerve and tells Pinky he was simply going to remind him to 'break a leg' at the Talent Show tomorrow.
Alone, Trevor's joy manifests in another vision of Diana Ross as he journals about his feelings again, believing for the first time that Pinky might feel the same way ("Do You Know? (Reprise)") The scene transforms into the next day at school as Trevor continues to pour his feelings into his notebook. He is interrupted by Walter, who is still angry at Trevor for dismissing their friendship andfor taking Cathy to the Quality Courts. Their argument escalates, and Trevor angrily leaves to prepare for the Talent Show, accidentally leaving his notebook behind. Mary, having overheard them, approaches Walter and uses his anger to convince him to leave Trevor's notebook behind, allowing her and Frannie to discover what Trevor has written about Pinky. As Pinky and the jocks prepare for the Talent Show, the rumors about what Trevor has written spread through the school while Mary delivers the notebook to Jason, who shows it to Pinky.
Meanwhile, Trevor enthusiastically prepares to watch the Talent Show, but when the curtain goes up on Pinky and the jocks, they have abandoned Trevor's routine and are instead in the traditional pink tutus. The curtain falls on a devasted and betrayed Trevor ("The Notebook/Act One Finale").
Act Two
As Act Two opens, we see Trevor lying motionless while his peers eulogize and mourn him. We soon realize that the funeral is imaginary, and the mortified Trevor is attempting to navigate his emotions from the previous evening at the Talent Show. He eventually lifts his spirits by imagining what Diana Ross might say about him, prompting Trevor to dial Pinky's home and try to explain himself. Pinky's mother answers and claims Pinky cannot speak. Trevor implores her to tell Pinky that it was all a misunderstanding and that he is going to visit Pinky in person to explain. All the while, Trevor's own mom eavesdrops from another line in their house ("Your Life Is Over/Ain't No Mountain"). Trevor's mom enters his bedroom, cutting off his call and telling him she is taking him to see someone who will help with his situation. Trevor optimistically assumes she is going to take him to see Pinky, but she instead brings him to the Frosti-Freez to meet with a priest, Father Joe, who subjects Trevor to a mortifying conversation about ignoring and suppressing his feelings for Pinky ("Weird (Reprise)").
Father Joe (feeling he has succeeded) leaves Trevor to contemplate his words. But Cathy is working at the Frosti-Freez and spots Trevor. Their conversation turns quickly to the rumors surrounding his journal entries, and Trevor (with Father Joe's words fresh in his mind) denies everything. Cathy offers to help Trevor prove the truth by letting him kiss her right there in public, but Trevor deflects by saying he needs to go and explain things to Pinky. Frustrated that Trevor continues to be more concerned about Pinky than herself or anything else, Cathy lets her feelings out. Her words echo in Trevor's head, along with his own mounting questions and insecurities ("What's Wrong With You?").
Trevor finally arrives at Pinky's front door and attempts to plead his case. But Pinky quickly dismisses Trevor, making it clear that he can't have anything to do with him.
The dejected Trevor returns home to his bedroom, where he openly admits to himself that people are calling him gay. Desperate to change this reality, he electrocutes his tongue with the frayed wires of a large battery in hopes that it will "reset" his brain back to normal. And, in an attempt to prove that his experiment was successful and that he has transformed, Trevor heartbreakingly purges his room of Diana Ross; tearing posters from his walls and discarding his albums ("Remember Me"). Even so, Trevor is still ignored and whispered about at school the next day, becoming a pariah to everyone he knows ("Monday"). Through it all, Trevor still holds on to the hope that Pinky will recognize that he has been fixed and come to his defense. But Pinky crushes even that glimmer of hope by publicly delivering a cruel and hateful note to Trevor ("Invisible").
Trevor finally recognizes that the rumors are true, there is nothing he can do to change himself, and he doesn't believe there is a place in the world for a person like him ("Wrong"). Seeing no other choice, Trevor returns home and consumes a bottle of pills that he finds in the medicine cabinet, reembracing Diana Ross as he accepts his truth and surrenders ("Endless Love").
Fortunately, Trevor wakes up again, albeit in a hospital bed. But it is here where he meets a young Candy Striper named Jack. Despite Trevor's initial resistance to re-engage with anyone ever again, he can't help but recognize in Jack a kindred spirit. And, as they go on to discuss (i.e., 'debate!') their favorite divas, Trevor begins to find his way back to himself via his revived passion for Diana Ross, who he knows would continue to pursue her golden dream, no matter what ("One of These Days (Reprise)").
Armed with a restored faith in himself, along with the knowledge that he might not be totally alone in the world after all ("My Imagination"), Trevor leaves the hospital and returns home where he reconnects with his parents, Walter and Cathy. Empowered by their unexpected support, Trevor goes back to school and ultimately stands up to Pinky and Jason, publicly declaring his pride in himself, no matter what they say ("Finale / I'm Coming Out").