Slings and Arrows

Geoffrey Tennant carries on with a production of The Tempest despite the reality that his ragtag theatre company is broke. Over at the New Burbage Shakespearean Festival, Geoffrey’s former mentor, Oliver Welles, opens a lavishly backed but artistically hollow Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Geoffrey discovers that death has not completely silenced Oliver. New Burbage general manager Richard Smith-Jones takes over Oliver’s memorial, while wide-eyed acting apprentice Kate McNab sneaks off to Toronto for a commercial audition.

Geoffrey passes off the theatre’s new production of Hamlet to flamboyant visiting director Darren Nichols. Kate and Jack take an afternoon off and feed the rumor mill. Scheming board member Holly Day spirits Richard off for recreation and research in Toronto.

Geoffrey broods in jail, where Oliver’s spirit drops by to counsel him. Kate and Jack’s friendship moves to a higher plane. Ellen’s dirt-biker boy toy defends her honor, and Geoffrey fires Darren, which reassures the cast but worries the board of directors.

With unglued Geoffrey taking up the reins of Hamlet, Richard and Holly feel certain the production will flop. Geoffrey digs in and believes there’s more to Jack than they’ve seen so far. Then Ellen’s pet chameleon ably assists him in recasting Ophelia.

It’s high noon in the Shakespearean corral. Opening day for Hamlet has arrived, and Jack has disappeared. Ellen comes clean about what really happened on that fateful night seven years ago. Kate finds Jack, the lights go up, and against all odds, magic happens.