Slings & Arrows

Trying to top the critical and financial success of its last production, the festival plans to stage "King Lear", as well as a contemporary new musical. But creative director Geoffrey Tennant finds himself seized by fits of uncontrollable weeping. Ellen is too busy taking Geoffrey's panic personally to be of any help. Geoffrey coaxes his boyhood hero, Charles Kingman, out of retirement to play Lear.

Charles Kingman brings secret demons of his own to the production and immediately alienates the cast and crew. Meanwhile, Richard Smith-Jones, flexes his creative muscles.

Charles's erratic behavior becomes more and more disruptive, prompting Geoffrey to consider replacing him. As tensions grow within the cast of "Lear", personal and professional jealousies widen the rift between the Shakespearean actors and the eager young players in the musical.

With "East Hastings" a smashing success, Richard proposes the heretofore unthinkable‒moving the Shakespearean tragedy to the workshop stage and the musical to the main venue.

Anna steps in to help Geoffrey with Charles. But "King Lear" loses its Regan as Ellen Fanshaw flees the festival for the promise of a big payday on TV. All the tension leads to a bar brawl.

Lear gets cancelled and Geoffrey's future at the festival is in doubt. Ellen finally fires Barabara. It ends in typical Shakespearean fashion‒with a wedding and a song.