Actor John Turturro's directorial debut won him the Cannes Camera d'Or for the film Mac (1992), he returned to directing with this period farce about a struggling Theatre Company owned by Astergourd (Beverly D'Angelo) and pallenchio (Donal McCann). It's the turn-of-the-century, and in New York the ambitious playwright Tuccio (John Turturro), is desperate to have his new play 'Illuminata' staged, with the troupe's manager Rachel (Katherine Borowitz), as the star in his elaborate production. However, his attempts to impress the theatre owners have failed and his play is rejected, but undeterred he will find a way to bring his play to life at all costs.