Act One
In the beautiful mountainous kingdom of Arendelle, the Townspeople introduce their beloved princesses, a mischievous and playful Young Anna and her older sister, a magically powerful Young Elsa, along with their loving yet concerned parents, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna ("Opening"). The kingdom celebrates summer while Young Anna prods Young Elsa into using her magical powers to create ice and snow. Queen Iduna reminds them that Elsa's magic must remain a secret.
Later that evening, the sisters build a toy snowman named Olaf ("A Little Bit of You"). In awe of Young Elsa's beautiful magic, Young Anna pleads for more. Unfortunately, the magic gets unwieldy, and Young Elsa accidentally strikes Young Anna with her powers, rendering her unconscious. The King and Queen rush to help, and Queen Iduna calls on the Hidden Folk to revive Young Anna ("First Joik"). Pabbie and Bulda, the mystical leaders of the Hidden Folk, remove the ice from Young Anna's head as well as all memories of her sister's magical powers. Fearful of the destructive potential of her magic, Young Elsa resolves to keep her powers hidden and learn to control them, isolating herself from everyone, including her sister ("Northern Lights").
With no memory of the ice strike or that fateful evening, Young Anna wonders why her sister will no longer play with her ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"). As time passes, Young Elsa struggles to control her powers and her fear grows, while Young Anna yearns even more for her sister's affection. The King and Queen leave the kingdom to search for answers but perish at sea. The princesses independently mourn their parents' death, isolated from each other and the outside world as they grow up.
Time passes, and it is finally Coronation Day, when Elsa will be crowned queen and the castle gates will reopen for the first time in years. Anna daydreams about how exciting it will be to have people back in the castle, while Elsa practices controlling her magic for the coronation ("For the First Time in Forever"). As guests arrive, Anna bumps into the charming Prince Hans, clumsily falling into the cart of Kristoff, a local ice harvester, and his reindeer, Sven. After an awkward first meeting, Hans introduces himself as the youngest prince of a small, humble kingdom ("Hans of the Southern Isles").
The Bishop crowns Elsa, as she successfully conceals her magic during the ceremony and privately yearns for a closer relationship with Anna ("Dangerous to Dream"). At the Coronation Ball, the two sisters finally talk and laugh together, particularly at the expense of the arrogant Duke of Weselton. Later, Anna finds Hans again. The two are instantly smitten ("Love Is an Open Door") and decide to marry. The elated couple asks Elsa for her blessing of their marriage, but she refuses. As tensions rise, Elsa loses control of her powers, accidentally blasting the ballroom with sharp ice. The guests are shocked. Elsa flees and Anna runs out to find her, leaving Prince Hans in charge of Arendelle in her stead.
On the snowy mountainside, a frigid Anna comes upon mountain man Kristoff singing to Sven ("Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People"). Kristoff decides to help Anna find her sister, but as they journey through the mountains, Kristoff and Anna's clashing worldviews come to a head ("What Do You Know About Love?"). As they climb further up the North Mountain, they are startled when Olaf, a magical talking snowman, appears. Olaf eagerly joins the duo in their quest to bring back summer, fantasizing about warmer weather ("In Summer").
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Hans has assumed leadership over Arendelle and vows to protect the nervous townspeople, including a suspicious Weselton ("Hans of the Southern Isles-Reprise"). Fearful for Anna's safety, Hans organizes a search party of Volunteers to find her. Weselton and his Lackeys join them, scheming to destroy the queen. Elsa, isolated in an ice palace of her own making, finally releases her fears and embraces her powers ("Let It Go").
Act Two
Deep in the mountains, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven come across a trading post, where the friendly shopowner Oaken shares his method for keeping spirits high in the relentless cold ("Hygge"). After supplying Anna with new winter attire, Oaken and his Family and Friends send the travelers on their way ("Hygge Encore").
Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf finally find Elsa in her ice palace, where she is amazed to see Olaf brought to life. Anna tries to convince her to return to Arendelle and tells Elsa there is nothing to fear, but Elsa remains frightened of her uncontrollable powers. She reveals to Anna the incident that almost killed her years ago and urges Anna to leave her alone ("Let It Go - Reprise"). Despite Anna's pleading to be together, Elsa is determined to remain isolated to protect her ("I Can't Lose You"). When Anna tells Elsa that her powers have set off an eternal winter everywhere, Elsa panics and accidentally strikes Anna again.
Elsa creates a snowy avalanche, sending Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven back down the mountain and away from her ice palace. At the foot of the mountain, Olaf's body is jumbled and disconnected, leaving Anna and Kristoff to put the pieces back together again ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman?- Reprise"). They share a moment of connection but are interrupted when they notice Anna's hair turning white from Elsa's strike. Hopeful to reverse the effects of the magic strike, Kristoff calls on the family who raised him: Pabbie, Bulda, and the Hidden Folk ("Kristoff Joik"). Despite their protestations, the Hidden Folk are convinced that Kristoff and Anna make a great couple ("Fixer Upper"). When Anna collapses, Kristoff reveals that Anna has been struck in the heart by Elsa. Pabbie, Bulda, and the Hidden Folk attempt to revive her with their magic; meanwhile, Kristoff realizes his love for Anna ("Kristoff Lullaby"). Unable to draw the magic out, Pabbie and Bulda declare that only an act of true love will save Anna's life. Kristoff sets off for Arendelle to unite Anna with Hans.
Back on the North Mountain, Hans continues to lead the search party through the increasingly fierce winter storm, nearing Elsa's ice palace ("End This Winter"). Elsa hears the crowd approaching and contemplates her choices, ultimately surrendering to protect her sister and her people ("Monster"). Hans brings a captured Elsa back to the castle. Shortly after, Kristoff arrives back in Arendelle with a weakening Anna, leaving her with a royal Guard to find Hans ("Kristoff Lullaby Tag").When Anna asks for her true love's kiss, Hans denies her, revealing he feigned his love to seize control of Arendelle ("King Hans"). Hans leaves a shocked and betrayed Anna to freeze to death, but Olaf arrives, determined to help her survive and find her real love, Kristoff.
Hans tells the Kingdom of Arendelle that Anna has died at the hands of her sister, and he sentences Elsa to death. Hearing this news, a grief-stricken Elsa is overcome with emotion, conjures a massive blizzard, and breaks free to escape ("Colder by the Minute"). As the storm intensifies, Hans searches for Elsa, Kristoff searches for Anna, Anna searches for Kristoff, and Elsa runs from Hans. As Anna is about to reunite with Kristoff for her life-saving true love's kiss, she sees Hans draw his sword over Elsa. Anna jumps in between them and freezes to solid ice as Hans's sword strikes, having sacrificed her own life to save her sister's.
Elsa embraces Anna, devastated that she caused her sister's death. Suddenly, Anna returns to life. Her sacrifice for Elsa, an act of true love, thaws her frozen heart. With this realization, Elsa harnesses her love for Anna and the people of Arendelle to unfreeze the kingdom, returning it to summer. Anna sends the villainous Hans away and shares a kiss with Kristoff, as Elsa assumes her place as Queen of Arendelle. The kingdom celebrates and vows to fill the world with light and love ("Finale").