American drama teacher Dino Chalmers moves to Sydney's Redfern district to be with her fiancé and is hired by the local school in what may be the school's final term. Dino's passion for Shakespeare drives her vision of producing a school play as part of the Indigenous cultural program, and finds that 16-year-old Aborigine Liam has a natural gift for performance. But there is a shadow over Liam's life, with his father in jail and his older brother determined to avenge the death of his uncle. With Dino's encouragement as she faces tough choices in her own life, Liam confronts his past and eventually takes control of his future.