Hal is chosen as a last minute replacement for the Finals of the American Shakespeare Competition in Italy. The six finalists perform monologues and size each other up. Pauline is paired with Hal, who suggests a bold idea for a scene.
Hal gets flak for his scene choice. James encourages him to think more competitively. A guest teacher brings everyone but Hal to tears. The judges assign sonnets, and Hal takes drastic measures to get his feelings going.