Act Break

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Act Break is the name of an episode of the American television series, The Twilight Zone.

James Coco plays Maury, a playwright who is desperately behind in his rent. After incessant hounding by his landlord, Avery Schreiber, his partner dies of a heart attack. His partner, in his last moments, hands Maury an ancient relic and explains to Maury that the bearer of this relic grants the indiviual one wish and one wish only. He continues on to tell Maury that he (Avery) had already given up his wish and needs Maury to hold the relic and use his wish to heal him. After pondering for a moment, as he watches his partner fade, Maury apologizes to Avery and tells him that the wish should be used for something a whole lot more. Avery dies and Maury then wishes he could have the greatest playwright ever as his partner.

There is a flash and Maury is then dressed in what appears to be clothing from the old Reinessiance era. After finding his mental bearing, he comes to terms that not only is he somewhere else, but in a different TIME! He sees a man speaking to himself as he paces back and fourth. Maury recognizes the man as the one and only William Shakespere. Realizing that he had made a serious miscalculation in his wish, his informs William that he can't work with him and that he doesn't belong there. However, before he could think of a way to return to his own time period, Maury also notices that the relic is no longer in his possession and sees that William has it in his hand. Maury cautiously asks for the relic back and, clenching it in his hand in a gesture of thought, William says to Maury, "I wish for you to work with me."

Suddenly Maury is filled with thoughts of all the plays that William has written and filled with ideas for possible other plays. Finally realizing that his fate has been set, he succumbs and sits at a desk and begins to write.