Hamlet

Dana Marschz is a recovering alcoholic and failed actor who now teaches high school drama in Tucson. Although he sees himself as an inspirational figure, he only has two ardent students and a track record of poorly received productions.

When a new intake of students arrives, they are mostly unimpressed by Dana's pretensions and methods. Dana immediately finds himself in conflict with Octavio, one of the new students who challenges him.

Principal Rocker informs Dana that the drama program will be shut down at the end of the term due to budget cuts. The threat forces Dana to rethink his approach and rally the students.

In response to the shutdown, Dana decides to write and produce an original play: Hamlet 2, a time-traveling sequel that includes controversial content and a song-and-dance number called 'Rock Me Sexy Jesus'.

The students gradually warm to the project. Rand is cast as Laertes (bi-curious), and Octavio is cast as Hamlet, which stirs tensions but also motivates the cast.

Rand storms out of the group and hands a copy of the script to Principal Rocker. The principal orders Dana to stop the production, threatening the future of the project.

Dana's wife Brie leaves him for Gary, the fertile boarder they had invited to help with income. He also discovers that he himself is infertile, compounding his despair.

Despondent, Dana falls off the wagon and contemplates abandoning the project. His students refuse to give up, arranging an abandoned warehouse and a makeshift rave, with technical help and security from the high school's football and wrestling teams.

Dana learns that the planned cancellation has become a civil liberties issue championed by an ACLU activist, Cricket Feldstein. The development broadens the stakes beyond a school project.

The play opens to a sold-out house, including a critic from The New York Times. The performance defies early expectations and begins to win over the audience.

Rand returns to the group, apologizing for deserting his friends and the project. Dana lets him reclaim the role of Laertes, restoring the team’s chemistry.

The production receives a mixed reception due to its controversial content and its mangling of Hamlet. Its running joke centers on time travel to mend relationships with fathers, culminating in Hamlet and Jesus forgiving their fathers.

Several protesters infiltrate the audience to stage direct protests, but over time the crowd is won over as the performances proceed. The controversy fuels curiosity and discussion about art and censorship.

Dana begins dating Elisabeth Shue, his favorite actress, as they meet the students to prepare for the Broadway opening. The involvement adds personal stakes to the project and motivates the team.

The team prepares for a Broadway opening, maintaining the original cast and marking a triumphant turn for Dana and his students. The film ends on a note of hopeful ambition for future stages.