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An eighteen year old hearing impaired girl who grew up in New York City struggles to fit in with her new peers in the beach town of Santa Cruz, California. Her distant alcoholic mother and emotionally absent, workaholic father provide little support. Lia expresses her desire to learn to sing to the school audiologist who quashes her dream by informing her that she will be unable to match pitch due to her hearing loss. However, Lia meets a new friend, Beth, who helps her train and eventually encourages Lia to audition for a solo in the musical. In the meantime Lia begins teaching ASL at the Deaf Institute, and starts to accept herself and her impairment. Her father is touched by Lia's singing at the performance of the musical and connects with her for the first time in years... But Lia's mother did not attend her triumphant performance, a great disappointment for Lia. She asserts her independence from her family, and finally accepts herself and her family's situation.