 J. Castro decided to take his acting career in his own hands. After initial success selling monologues for a few bucks apiece, his luck has turned for the worse. Facing foreclosure, Castro is physically persuaded by his business partner, Janet, to audition other actors with enough money to bail them out of their $20,000 debt, however what all the potential partners lack is talent. Depressed at the impending loss of his dream, Castro drinks himself into a stupor. He is awoken by a bum named Billy Shakes performing on the shop s stage. Claiming to be the 400 year-old writer of all writers, Shakes tells Castro that as an actor he must create  magic  to save his business. Castro doesn t buy the bum s solution, but becomes a true believer on closing night when he receives the request of his life.