Friedrich Schiller, a regimental physician in a small German principality, dreams of fame and success like his great example Goethe. The prince forbids his moonlighting, so he he fleas to the palatine electorate. In its capital Mannheim, Schiller falls in love with an actress and hopes to be appointed author in residence, after his first drama harvests acclaim. But his artistic aspirations make his next play fail, unlike the comedies of his dashing colleague and 'friendly' rival, actor August Wilhelm Iffland. Court intrigues may decide the post.