Hamlet 1964

Dana Marschz is a former actor struggling with alcoholism who now teaches high school drama in Tucson, Arizona. Despite his belief that he’s an inspiring teacher, he only has two genuinely enthusiastic students, Rand Posin and Epiphany Sellars, and his past productions are mostly poorly received plays based on popular Hollywood movies, with the latest being a version of Erin Brockovich. As a new school year begins, a fresh batch of students is assigned to his class because of budget cuts that have left drama as the only available arts elective. Many of these students are unimpressed with Dana’s efforts and skeptical of his claims of inspiration. Among these new students is [Octavio], who quickly clashes with Dana.

Things take a turn for the worse when Principal Rocker informs Dana that the entire drama program will be shut down at the end of the term, adding to Dana’s frustrations. Determined to inspire his students and make a memorable mark, Dana decides to write and produce an original play—a sequel to Hamlet that cleverly incorporates time travel to avoid the tragic deaths of its characters. He boldly infuses the script with provocative content, including a lively song-and-dance number titled “Rock Me Sexy Jesus” featuring Jesus Christ as a character, which sparks controversy but also piques curiosity. Gradually, the students start warming up to the project. However, tensions escalate when Rand, cast as a bi-curious Laertes and overshadowed by Octavio’s portrayal of Hamlet, storms out of the rehearsal and secretly hands the script to Principal Rocker, who then orders the production to be halted.

Adding to Dana’s emotional turmoil, his personal life falls apart when his wife, Brie, leaves him for a dull but fertile boarder named Gary, whom they had taken in to help with finances. Moreover, she reveals that Dana is infertile, deepening his feelings of failure and despair. Overcome with depression, Dana falls back into old habits, contemplating abandoning the play altogether. Luckily, his students rally around him, going as far as securing a hidden warehouse and rave venue, providing technical support, and arranging security with the school’s football and wrestling teams to keep the project alive. Dana also finds out that the effort to cancel the play has become a cause célèbre championed by a zealous ACLU activist, Cricket Feldstein, making the protest a matter of civil liberties.

Against the odds, the controversial production opens to a sold-out crowd, including a critic from The New York Times. Rand returns to the cast, apologizing for leaving, and Dana lets him resume his role as Laertes. The play itself is wild and somewhat chaotic, blending humor and controversy, especially with its rewritten Hamlet storyline revolving around characters using time travel to repair fractured relationships with their fathers. The final act sees Hamlet and Jesus forgiving their fathers, symbolizing redemption and reconciliation. Despite initial protests and mixed reviews, the production gradually wins over its audience, thanks to its boldness and heartfelt performances.

Dana, now dating his favorite actress, Elisabeth Shue, prepares for the show’s ambitious Broadway debut, with the entire cast, including his students, ready to take the stage. In the end, this unlikely and controversial project becomes a testament to perseverance, creativity, and the power of art to challenge societal norms and inspire others against all odds.