Left on Tenth

"Beshert" is a Yiddish word meaning fate or destiny. There were many confluences in the development of the play Left on Tenth. Moments happened that were "meant to be" – from the story itself to the uniting of the playwright, director, and the producer.

The play Left on Tenth is based on Delia Ephron's best-selling memoir of the same name. The themes resonate deeply within this memoir – second chances, love, the courage to embrace life again even when the challenge feels insurmountable. Delia was given just four months to live after she was diagnosed with leukemia. She had already lost her sister, the wonderful writer Nora Ephron, to leukemia and her beloved husband to prostate cancer. Yet amid this terrible chapter in her life, Delia not only survived but found love again.

The theater producer, Daryl Roth, who, like me, loved the memoir, contacted me about meeting with Delia. Daryl told me she felt she was "meant to produce this play." She asked if I would meet Delia to discuss the possibility of coming on board as director. I had known Delia's sister, Nora, so I was very excited about meeting Delia. The minute she came through the door, we hit it off. We shared many astounding similarities like people, food, and travel – we even went to the same gynecologist! I loved her immediately as if she were one of the many girlfriends I depended on.

Having lost my own husband to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, I deeply empathized with Delia's story. Mike had the same kind of leukemia as Nora — and, just like Nora, was unable to get a transplant. Not one match for him could be found in the whole world. The moment I began reading her play, I felt an undeniable connection to her journey.

I didn't need to study the emotional aspects of Left on Tenth because I had experienced them myself. This common background forged a special connection between us, adding authenticity and depth to the production.

We started work right away – meeting as often as possible to mold her beautiful story into a play. I adored listening to her insights about life in one's later years. She recognizes that, while we often plan our lives meticulously in our youth, we seldom consider the future. Delia's play encourages us to embrace our later years and the unexpected paths that life presents.

After several readings and the support of Daryl Roth, we were ready to go. Daryl is known for championing works that are not only entertaining but have profound messages. I knew this one was important to her. The show had a rather fast trajectory — faster than most shows I've worked on. She gave us a two-week workshop in a studio to get the material off the page and onto its feet. The workshop went very well, and we were scheduled to open on Broadway in a mere six months. One of the most exciting moments during our journey was learning Daryl had secured the beautiful James Earl Jones Theatre for the show's limited run.

The play called for only four actors. This was new to me. I usually have 20 to 30 people standing in front of me. On the first day of rehearsal, I asked the actors to join me in the middle of the room. When all four stepped forward and stood in front of me, the first words out of my mouth were, "Where is everybody?"

I adored the cast of Left on Tenth. It starred the immensely talented Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher, who portrayed a widow and widower learning to love once more. Julianna and Peter were not only exceptional actors but also wonderful human beings. They are brave actors – always ready to take a chance. The rehearsal process was filled with discovery and delight, and the chemistry between Julianna and Peter was palpable. They embodied the joy and vulnerability of their roles. They delivered incredibly heartfelt and compelling performances.

Delia and Julianna had first met while walking their dogs in their Greenwich Village neighborhood – "Beshert." Delia knew right then that Julianna should star in her play. She sent Julianna the play to read, and Julianna fell in love with the story – she was hooked.

Peter Gallagher and I had worked together briefly on the film Center Stage, where he was cast as a Balanchine-type character. I knew he would be perfect to play the real Peter Rutter, who was not only handsome but also a Jungian – wise, intuitive, balanced, loving. I was so excited about working with Peter Gallagher again. He is funny and bright and became a real company leader. He brought a great deal of laughter to the rehearsal process.

The supporting cast was just as talented – Peter Francis James and Kate MacCluggage. They were tasked with playing the various friends, doctors, and neighbors who populate the lives of Delia and Peter. We watched Peter and Kate transform into different people, sometimes within 20 seconds of each entrance. They, too, were not only talented but also always up for a challenge. Watching them switch characters using just posture, accents, or subtle class distinctions was a treat. Kate alone had 26 quick changes. She likened it to NASCAR, where a dedicated pit crew could completely change her costume and character offstage in seconds. Peter Francis James and Kate MacCluggage brought such lively energy and humor to the piece.

Two other cast members who stole the hearts of the company and the audience were Nessa and Charlie. Nessa was a Cairn Terrier and Charlie was a Havanese. Both rescue dogs. Delia wrote about the Totality of life including dogs. Having Nessa and Charlie in the cast was the greatest example of real love. The incredible animal trainer Bill Berloni, a legend in the business who has worked on many Broadway shows, rescues animals from dire situations, trains them in a loving home, and then turns them into Broadway stars. Some go from puppy mills, living their entire life in a cage, to happily being on Broadway. His goal is to ensure the animals are always happy and comfortable in any show or situation. And once the run of a show is over, they always have a forever home with Bill and his wife, Dorothy.

Initially, we started rehearsal with another Havanese pup named Dulcie. In the end, however, it was clear to Bill that Dulcie was not interested in show business. She was perfect in rehearsal and tech, but she'd shy away from the sound of an audience. Bill found a loving couple to adopt her and brought in Nessa. Nessa replaced Dulcie after just one put-in rehearsal. Nessa had been starring in regional productions of The Wizard of Oz on and off for several years – show business was in her veins. A true pro, she would hear her cue over the Tannoy speaker in her dressing room and head right for the door. The cast and crew adored the dogs, and, in a show about love, these rescue pups were an example of the ultimate love story. Bill Berloni provided me with dogs for Bullets Over Broadway and New York City Ballet's Double Feature. While Left on Tenth was running, Bill also had two pups in Gypsy just down the street. On matinee days, the Gypsy dogs would come backstage and play with Nessa and Charlie.

I was blessed with a talented design team. The set designer Beowulf Boritt, lighting designers Ken Billington and Itohan Edoloyi, and projection designer Jeanette Oi-suk Yew's artful designs made the visual profound and poetic. The set was abstract in nature. Beowulf took a phrase from Delia's play that read, "My family worshiped the written word." From that, Beowulf built a giant bookcase that supported the text and transformed into multiple locations along with the help of Jeanette's beautiful projections. Beowulf went to Delia's home and photographed her bookcases. He recreated the many books, tchotchkes, and pictures in Delia's apartment.

Beowulf also created a set piece which was a nod to my late husband. There is a scene between the two lead characters, Peter and Delia, that takes place on a green park bench in Washington Square Park. I have a bench just like it in Central Park dedicated to Mike Ockrent. Beowulf recreated its plaque and put it on the back of the bench in our show. Every time the bench would slide out, I would tear up. In the bench scene, the characters would talk about Totality. It was a beautiful scene about living life with joy and pain. Accepting it all – "In life, you want to experience Totality."

Everything in the show had happened in Delia's real life, so it was important for Delia to be truthful. She and her late husband used to take tap dancing lessons together. Julianna took tap dancing lessons during rehearsals so she could recreate Delia dancing around her living room. Julianna worked hard and I was so proud of her as she bravely tapped across the stage every night.

My outstanding Associate Director Leah Hofmann and Assistant Director Naomi Kakuk were instrumental during the preproduction and rehearsal process in helping me create a real flow to the story using music and movement. The scenes were all short vignettes and often needed to show the passage of time. The hospital scenes especially had to reflect that – sometimes a span of a few specific hours or days and sometimes months. I created what we lovingly referred to as the "Screen Ballet." Hospital screens would spin onstage, revolve, cross to the other side, all with various projections and sounds, while hiding quick changes happening behind them – all to help us feel the weight of time.

The characters in the show were based on the actual characters in Delia's life. Kate MacCluggage portrayed Dr. Gail Roboz, a well-known oncologist. Dr. Roboz is the professor of medicine and director of the Clinical and Translational Leukemia Program at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. After Delia was told she had just four months to live, Dr. Roboz guided her through the difficult decision of whether she should undergo a Haplo-cord transplant – a then-new procedure with only a 20 percent survival rate. At a post-show talkback, Dr. Roboz said she had patients in situations similar to Delia's who were considering not going through the procedure. She encouraged them to see Left on Tenth. After seeing the show, several patients changed their minds and opted to continue with the treatment. Proof that art can make a difference.

Throughout the play, Delia finds solace in her friends. Every New Yorker can relate to this – finding comfort in dear friends and associates. In Left on Tenth, they provide everything from dating tips to doughnuts. During a poignant scene when Delia is deliberating whether or not to have the transplant, Delia's neighbor Mitch shares advice from his experience of living 30 years with HIV. Thanks to science, the medication has kept him alive when he had a zero chance to survive. He encourages her to take the experimental treatment. Many nights when the Mitch character said, "I am alive today, thanks to science," there were cheers and applause.

The show really resonated with an older audience. As a matter of fact, we held the distinction of handing out the most hearing aid devices of any Broadway show! I loved the idea that there was finally a show for an older audience. A story they could connect with and actually see themselves in the characters.

The play ends with the characters of Peter and Delia seated facing upstage, watching a total eclipse projected across the back wall. The character of Delia says, "Totality is surrounding yourself with love, friendship, dogs. Totality is taking a chance, getting past the fear, accepting the pain, and reveling in the joy. That's how you get to the magic of Totality.”

How lucky I am to be in the theater and have the chance to tell so many kinds of stories. Left on Tenth is not just a play – it is a journey through grief, joy, and the transformative power of love. The difficult experiences we endure can lead to something beautiful. Daryl Roth knew this was an important story to tell and that it would strike a chord with the right audience. With Delia and my strong collaborative team, we were able to intertwine laughter and tears, leaving the audience with a sense of hope. The show allowed the audience and all of us who worked on it to reflect on the importance of cherishing every moment. It was "Beshert" that the play Left on Tenth found me.