'Left On Tenth' w/Julianna Margulies!

Summary

The Broadway Show: Uncut – Episode: "Left On Tenth" Featuring Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher

Release Date: October 23, 2024
Host: Tamsen Fadal
Guests: Julianna Margulies, Peter Gallagher
Correspondent: Beth Stevens
Featured Author/Playwright: Delia Ephron

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Introduction to "Left On Tenth"

In this episode of The Broadway Show: Uncut, host Tamsen Fadal delves into the captivating new play, "Left On Tenth", penned by Delia Ephron. This romantic comedy, rooted in true events and based on Ephron's memoir of the same name, explores themes of second chances in life and love. The play marks Julianna Margulies' return to Broadway after an 18-year hiatus and stars Peter Gallagher alongside her. The episode features in-depth interviews with both Margulies and Gallagher, followed by a conversation between correspondent Beth Stevens and playwright Delia Ephron.

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Interview with Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher

Juliana Margulies' Return to Broadway:
Juliana Margulies expresses her immediate connection to the play upon reading the script. "[...] When I saw a story like this, I just felt I had to be a part of it," she shares (00:37).

Peter Gallagher's Connection with Delia Ephron:
Peter Gallagher recounts meeting Delia Ephron under serendipitous circumstances. "[...] Our dogs were sniffing each other on 10th Street, and that's how Delia and I first connected," Gallagher explains (00:46). This chance encounter blossomed into a friendship that eventually led to his casting in the play.

Balancing Family and Career:
Margulies discusses her initial hesitation to join a Broadway production due to the demanding schedule. "[...] I didn't want to sacrifice weekends with my family. But when 'Left On Tenth' came along, the timing was perfect," she reflects (02:30).

Themes of Hope and Second Chances:
Both actors emphasize the play's uplifting narrative. Gallagher notes, "[...] It's a story for everyone, about hope, joy, and the belief that older age doesn't mean the end," (03:36). Margulies adds, "We're all going to be there at some point. It's about embracing those moments of hope," (04:15).

Theatre as a Unifying Experience:
Gallagher highlights the collective energy of theater, stating, "[...] The audience and the cast share the same energy. It's a joyful experience in a divided world," (04:51).

Behind the Scenes – Relationships and camaraderie:
Margulies praises the supportive environment among the cast. "Our dressing rooms are next to each other; we throw arms around each other every morning. It's such an intimate and beautiful relationship," Gallagher shares (11:02). The actors speak highly of director Susan Stroman, commending her ability to weave magic into the production through dance and music.

Emotional Depth and Medical Themes:
The play delves into Delia's battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Gallagher describes a pivotal scene: "Delia begs Peter to let her go because she was battling Graft versus Host Disease. It's incredibly emotional," (14:06). This blend of romantic comedy with profound health struggles offers a unique theatrical experience.

Balancing Broadway and Personal Lives:
Gallagher discusses managing his role in a Broadway play while appearing in television productions like The Morning Show. "It's been a juggling act, but the play's timing allowed me to cherish moments with my son," he explains (20:12).

Reflections on Aging and Life:
A heartfelt conversation unfolds about embracing life's moments. Gallagher recounts his mother's wisdom: "Never waste a minute thinking you're getting old. It's a privilege," (20:47). Margulies resonates, "54 is coming up, and I'm happy about it," (21:28).

Universal Connections and Personal Growth:
Gallagher muses, "Through this play, I've learned not to sweat the small stuff and to choose joy over anger," (23:30). This personal growth mirrors the play's overarching message of resilience and hope.

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Conversation with Playwright Delia Ephron

Understanding "Left On Tenth":
Delia Ephron discusses the multifaceted meaning behind the play's title. "Left on 10th represents both my physical journey home and the numerous left turns life took after my husband's death," she explains (24:32).

Incorporating Personal Trauma into Art:
Ephron shares the therapeutic process of transforming trauma into art. "The best way to handle trauma is to create something meaningful from it. Broadway became my miraculous left turn," she reflects (26:18).

Casting and Emotional Authenticity:
Ephron talks about the challenges and joys of casting her beloved dogs in the play. "The dogs are integral, and only the actors who handle them can truly connect," (25:30). She praises Juliana Margulies for her authentic portrayal, noting, "Sometimes I start crying in rehearsal because it feels so real," (31:19).

Collaboration with Susan Stroman:
Highlighting the creative synergy, Ephron remarks, "Collaborating with Susan Stroman allowed me to explore new dimensions of storytelling through dance and music," (33:23).

Embracing the Play's Journey:
Reflecting on the emotional roller coaster depicted in the play, Ephron states, "It's a journey of hope, pain, and ultimately joy. It embodies life itself," (34:40).

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Notable Quotes

• Juliana Margulies: "The timing of everything was just perfect. It's a story about hope and joy, reminding us that even as we age, there's so much more to live for." (03:27)

• Peter Gallagher: "The theater is a place where everyone feels connected. It's rare to find such unity in today's world." (05:59)

• Peter Gallagher: "Never waste a minute thinking you're getting old. It's a privilege." (20:47)

• Delia Ephron: "Creating this play was my way of navigating through immense personal trauma and finding hope again." (26:18)

• Beth Stevens: "Juliana's portrayal is so vivid and heartfelt. It brings the story to life in the most authentic way." (31:19)

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Conclusions and Final Thoughts

"Left On Tenth" stands as a testament to the enduring human spirit, blending humor and heartache into a narrative that resonates across ages. Through the collaborative efforts of Julianna Margulies, Peter Gallagher, and Delia Ephron, the play offers audiences a moving exploration of love, loss, and the power of second chances. As the actors share their personal connections and the transformative nature of the production, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate storytelling and emotional depth that Broadway continues to deliver.

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Note: The timestamps correspond to moments within the transcript to provide context for the quoted sections.

Transcript

[Tamsen Fadal]

Thanks for joining us for this latest episode of the Broadway show Uncut. And this time, we're all about left on 10th. The new play by Delia Ephron is a romantic comedy about second chances in life and love. It's based on a true story. The new play, based on Efron's memoir, stars Peter Gallagher and Juliana Margulies, who's returning to Broadway for the first time in 18 years. We'll hear from Delia coming up in just a few. But first, here's my interview with Juliana Margulies.

[Juliana Margulies]

I'm curious, what did you think when you first got hold of this play? Because it just seems like you see a story like this and you go, I just. I have to.

[Peter Gallagher]

Well, I had a little bit of a history with Delia and her. Her memoir, left on 10th because we had sort of a meet cute moment when we. Our dogs were sniffing each other on 10th Street.

[Juliana Margulies]

Oh, wow.

[Peter Gallagher]

We live in the same neighborhood. And I had just written a book that had come out, but it was still during the pandemic, so I wasn't able to do a book tour. And this lady with her dog looked up and saw it was me. And she said, I loved your book. And I said, thank you so much for reading it. And then she took her mask down and she said, my name's Delia Efron. So that's how I met her.

[Juliana Margulies]

Wow.

[Peter Gallagher]

And she said, I actually have a memoir coming out. Can I. Can I drop it off with your doorman? And I said, oh, my God. And so she put her email and her phone number, and we started a friendship, you know, went out to dinner with her husband. My husband, and we have a lot of friends in common. And then I guess three years later, she emailed me and said, I wrote my memoir into a place. Wow. I would love it if you would play me. Wow. And it just. The confluence of events, how everything. The timing of everything, because theater is eight shows a week. You don't have a weekend. And I had just spent seven years of my child's life when he was little doing the Good Wife. And so I didn't want to take a play and then not have weekends because I'm married to a man who's not in my business. He. He has a real job, so he has weekends free. And I wanted us to have our family together on weekends, so I didn't. Plays would come and go, but it's not enough for me to sacrifice the weekends with my family. And then when this dropped into my lap, it was Just timing. And also, I find her story so hopeful and magical and beautiful. And she's a novelist, so learning lines in a play that a novelist has written, it's a very different experience because it's very. You can memorize good writing. It's very hard to memorize bad writing. And then when Peter Gallagher and Susan Stroman, like, it just all came together in this just beautiful melting pot of joy and kindness and at such a great time in my life, and I think a great time for the world to see a play about hope and joy and human empathy and love and second chances. And the idea that, you know, just because we get older doesn't mean we're done.

[Delia Ephron]

Yes.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yes.

[Peter Gallagher]

In some cases, it means we've just begun. And that's their story. And it's really a story for everyone.

[Juliana Margulies]

I think it speaks to so many of us, and especially as we're all aging, we're all gonna be there at some point. If you're 20 today, you're not gonna be at some point.

[Peter Gallagher]

Don't get cocky.

[Juliana Margulies]

Don't get cocky. Trust me. I see it all the time. And I think to myself, like, wow, I was that person that was like, someday. But I do see as we live longer and as doing different things and there's no longer just a second chapter, but a third and a fourth chapter, that there's a lot of that hope. And I think sometimes it's hard to see when you go through something, when you go through grief, when you go through a big hit, not knowing if there could ever be anything on the other side.

[Peter Gallagher]

You feel like your life is over.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yeah.

[Peter Gallagher]

And the beauty of this, because it was such a medically dramatic transformation for Delia. I mean, she was given four months to live and to see her joy every night. She's in rehearsals every day with us. Oh, wow. She was there during Tech Week, which isn't like we're not even changing the play at that point. We're just, you know, figuring out blocking. She's been with us the entire way, and every day it's magical because we drive home together at the end of the day. And so I get to hear from her perspective and the joy that emanates from her entire being. And Peter, her second husband, Peter Rutter, who Peter Gallagher plays, he's a Jungian psychoanalyst. And there is this beautiful line he says in the play, which is, I want to say I've experienced totality. Not half totality. Totality. And that means every year I've lived. And why aren't we all thinking that way? And I think today, especially because we have such a divisive world and it tries to separate us more than it joins us together. The experience of theater is that collectively, you're in an audience and you're all feeling the same thing at the same time. And we feel it, too, on stage. We feel that audience energy. And so it's just been a really joyful experience, I think at a time when the world really could use that.

[Juliana Margulies]

I think we need that. We need that hope. Hope is what we're all looking for. It's every. You know, it's every promise, every commercial, every. Everything. We want hope somewhere.

[Peter Gallagher]

Peter Gallagher's mom, I'm quoting from him because he used it, and I think it's so great. She used to say to him, where there's life, there's hope.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yes.

[Peter Gallagher]

And I think that sort of sums it up.

[Juliana Margulies]

I think it really does. I love the relationship that you had before with her, because I think that that probably means. Does that put more pressure on you when you're there on stage, or do you just feel hurt because you know her so well now? It's a little.

[Peter Gallagher]

It doesn't anymore. In the beginning, it did, because I felt so passionate about her memoir when I read it. I was so impressed where she went with it. She was so raw and vulnerable and truthful in that memoir. It was quite breathtaking to read it. And so I said to her when she sent me the play, and I read it right away, within an hour, and it had all the emotions I went through as a reader just reading her memoir. And I said, delia, I love you so much. And this play is so important that let's do a reading of it first to make sure I'm the girl for you.

[Juliana Margulies]

Wow.

[Peter Gallagher]

And there's no ego attached. This has to be done right. Because it's such an important story from so many different perspectives from the medical world. I mean, we have so many transplant patients every night. We have doctors, we have surgeons. I mean, one night, the entire Weill Cornell Medical Hospital has bought out the entire evening in November. I think it will be. This is giving hope to transplant patients. It's giving hope to caregivers. It's giving hope to parents, to children.

[Beth Stevens]

Right.

[Peter Gallagher]

Because it's a different level at all different levels. And then on top of it is this idea of second chances, of love when you've lost a spouse.

[Juliana Margulies]

Right, Right. When you. And so many people will sadly go through that. Watch my father lose two spouses. You know, he got remarried after 25 years, and then he lost his second spouse. And I looked at this, and I was like, wow. And, you know, and I see him, like, looking for that next hope, which is amazing.

[Peter Gallagher]

And there should fall and there should be a next chapter, and your spouse that has passed would want that for you. And strangely, in this story, when she reconnects with Peter Rutter, unbeknownst to her, because she doesn't have any memory of it, her sister Nora set her up on a blind date with him when she was 18 that she doesn't remember, but he does. And his spouse has just died, and her spouse has just died. And she had gone through this week of hell with Verizon because they crashed her Internet and she couldn't get anyone on the phone. So she wrote this hilarious op ed in the New York Times, and of course, it went viral. And everyone read it. And out of the blue, this man says, actually, we knew each other years ago.

[Juliana Margulies]

Isn't it unbelievable how things happen?

[Peter Gallagher]

It's incredible.

[Juliana Margulies]

It's incredible.

[Peter Gallagher]

And there's this beautiful Yiddish word that Peter Rutter uses in the play called bechert, which just means fate. A comfort supposed to be. It was b'shert. It comes from a good place. And he uses that word when they reconnect, because that's how he feels, because not only did he reconnect with her over the death of their spouses, but with Nora's blessing, Bedelia was very close with already.

[Juliana Margulies]

There are so many layers to it. I want to go back to the medical one, because I think that that's something that. I mean, I don't know of any other play that I've seen like that, but that is a. There's like a whole nother layer of who you're connecting with at that point. I mean, beyond people with second chances. I mean, it's another type of second chance.

[Peter Gallagher]

It really is. And I have implored Delia, she's shy, to come out the stage door with me and Peter and Kate McCluggage and Peter Francis James, who play all the other characters. They're like this incredible Greek chorus, because the four of us get to hear what the audience was feeling during it. And so many of them are transplant patients, transplant nurses, doctors, you know, people who have lost people to cancer. And they all want to meet Delia. And I said, delia, you're their hero. You've got to come out the stage door. And she's like, I couldn't. I couldn't. So instead, what I've been doing is saying, I've been getting people's emails, and then I send them to Delia. Oh, that's nice. And she's been connecting to them that way, which has been really wonderful.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's so amazing that it'll bring that. I mean, that brings it all to life for those people, too. It's not just that they leave and they've watched a performance, that they actually. They feel her in a different way. That's really special. Really, really, really special.

[Peter Gallagher]

And it means a lot to her, too, I'm sure, because the fact that she A, lived, but B, thrived, and C, fell madly in love. And then here we are on Broadway telling her story, and people are taking it in in and then bringing it back out into the world.

[Juliana Margulies]

I love it as a circle. And I couldn't have thought anybody more perfect to play that role because you understand it on so many different levels.

[Peter Gallagher]

Thank you.

[Juliana Margulies]

No, it means a lot. And I'm sure that's what she saw. Peter Gallagher. That's all I have to say. What is he like each and every night? I mean, he's just such a gem.

[Peter Gallagher]

It's hard to describe. He and I were doing a few interviews together this morning, and it's. It was love at first sight. We've known each other for a while, but we've never worked together, and you never know. And theater is very demanding. And especially when you get to the very difficult parts of tech week and then especially with a new play, they're changing lines every day. You're performing at night, they say, don't perform that tonight. Keep in what we already had. But then tomorrow night, we'll perform the new lines, and it's a real. You have to keep your mind so sharp. And there is no one I would rather be in the trenches with because. Including Kate McCluggage and Peter Francis James. We all have each other's backs. It's such a beautiful relationship. And Peter and I. I come home exhausted at the end of the day, and then I wake up in the morning and I can't wait to get back to work.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's everything.

[Peter Gallagher]

Our dressing room's right next to each other, and I just. We just. First thing is throw arms around each other because we're so grateful that we get to work together.

[Juliana Margulies]

I love that. But that's everything. To wake up in the morning and be excited about what you're gonna do after you just did it.

[Peter Gallagher]

You really can't fake it on stage that way. And it's such an intimate Beautiful relationship that you know. And we're both in very stable, beautiful marriages. I came home the first day after our big first, you know, when we got onto the stage, and I said, peter is a dream. And my husband said, oh, thank God. As did Paula, Peter's wife. Because they know, you know, they know that they want us to be in good company and feel safe. To feel safe. Because you have to. You do your best work when you feel safe and including. It's not just the actors. It's Susan Stroman who's just remarkable. And everyone behind the scenes. I mean, it's crazy back there. Cause we have so many fast changes. There's no intermission. So it's literally an hour and 40 minutes of just nonstop. I mean, literally, I've had to relearn how to eat because you can't keep the calories on, you know, so I'm like, okay, I've gotta get back into pasta. I need carbs.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's a good problem, though.

[Peter Gallagher]

It's amazing. I love it.

[Juliana Margulies]

Can I follow you one night?

[Peter Gallagher]

It is. It's one of those things where literally Peter was like, you're not eating enough. You have to start eating bigger meals.

[Juliana Margulies]

Because you're just burning it on, burning.

[Peter Gallagher]

It off without even knowing.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's amazing. I never even think that. I mean, that's. Yeah, that's incredible. I love that, though. Okay, so, Peter. Oh, I wanted to ask you this about Rom com. Because it's not really a rom com.

[Peter Gallagher]

Correct. Right. It is in that there's so much romantic comedy in it. But it's also romantic comedy with a lot of emotional circumstance that comes from health issues. And there's a moment in the play where I beg Peter. There's a lot of Peters in our play.

[Juliana Margulies]

I know.

[Peter Gallagher]

There's Peter Rutter, who's Delia's real life husband. Then there's Peter Gallagher. And then Peter Gallagher is playing Peter. And then there's Peter Francis James, who plays all the other parts. So we're Everyone's Peter.

[Juliana Margulies]

Last names. Do you go by last name? 1, 2, 3.

[Peter Gallagher]

We call Peter Francis James. PFJ. That makes life a little easier.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's easier.

[Peter Gallagher]

And we call the real life Peter Rutter. Peter Rutter.

[Juliana Margulies]

So he gets his full name.

[Peter Gallagher]

And then Peter Gallagher's just Peter.

[Juliana Margulies]

Okay, all right. That simplifies it.

[Peter Gallagher]

But there is tremendous amount of romantic comedy. But there is this moment in the play where my character Delia is just. It's called Graft versus host disease, which what happens is when you get the stem cell transplant, your body is fighting it. And graft versus host, meaning the host, your body is taking in what they're putting in and fighting it, and it's brutal. And she begs Peter to let her go because she was in the hospital 100 days and he never left her side. Everything we're doing on stage is true. And she begs him to let her go. And Helas looks at her and he says no. And it is an incredibly emotional scene. I tear up talking about it because it's just such a beautiful human moment when you have someone fighting for you and saying, actually, it's not your time yet. We have more time on this planet together. And then she makes it, and it's just. It's this overwhelming joy. So, yes, it's a romantic comedy. Bring tissues, I would say, because there are moments where you're going to cry.

[Juliana Margulies]

Out of joy, fear, love, and you're gonna see something. I assume if you've gone through any type of loss, if you've gone through.

[Peter Gallagher]

Anything, it's next to everybody somehow.

[Juliana Margulies]

Everybody, somehow.

[Peter Gallagher]

Everybody.

[Juliana Margulies]

No matter what it is.

[Peter Gallagher]

Yeah. And you really feel that universal connection in a theater. And it's what I've missed so much about acting is to feel it right away. And it gives you energy on stage to go back and do another show.

[Juliana Margulies]

I wonder, is that. I know it's been a while since you've been on Broadway. Was it exciting to be back there and just know you knew what you were missing? But to come back into something like this is a different level of performance.

[Peter Gallagher]

I've been waiting for this play because I go and see everything sounds like the perfect wedding. I love going to the theater. I love celebrating actors on stage. There's just nothing like it. And I started on stage, and it's my son who, you know, only knows me from doing television shows and movies. He said, oh, my God, mom, you can't do a play. And I said, why is that? And he goes, because you can't do a take two if you mess up. And I said, honey, that's the beauty of theater.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yes.

[Peter Gallagher]

Aw. Sweet. And it's great for your mental acuity. You know, it keeps you sharp. And it just. When all the. There's just not a bad apple among us.

[Beth Stevens]

We.

[Peter Gallagher]

We're all there for each other. And it feels very special. It just feels really special. And I can tell by the reaction from the audience that they are with us from the second the play starts. And the way Susan Stroman has brought in so much magic with we Dance in the play. We sing in the play. You know, there's movement constantly, so you don't feel. Even when it gets dark, it's lifted up.

[Juliana Margulies]

You feel the audience all through it. I always wonder that because plays are so. So much quieter most of the time, you know, So I just always wonder how much you hear.

[Peter Gallagher]

And so much of it. You can hear a pin drop.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yeah.

[Peter Gallagher]

I've never been in an audience. As an audience member, I'm always so infuriated by people's phones going off and, you know, clinking their sodas. Oh, my God, guys, they can hear you on stage. What are you doing? But the truth is, it's been silent.

[Juliana Margulies]

Wow.

[Peter Gallagher]

Except the audible gasp or the laughter. And there's a lot of laughing.

[Juliana Margulies]

Then you have them at every moment. Yeah. They're living it with you.

[Peter Gallagher]

At least that's what it feels like from being up there.

[Juliana Margulies]

They're living it with you.

[Peter Gallagher]

You'll have to tell me.

[Juliana Margulies]

No, I just. I always wonder how you feel on stage when you see. You know, when you feel the audience. I have to imagine them 100%. Yeah.

[Peter Gallagher]

It's just good energy, you know? And I think people walk out feeling like they've been seen by her story.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's everything. That's everything.

[Peter Gallagher]

And held and loved. And I think that's rare in today's world. And just a moment to stop feeling this divisive craziness.

[Juliana Margulies]

I don't think it could have come at a better time right now. Really?

[Peter Gallagher]

How so?

[Juliana Margulies]

Really, as we move into the next few months and everything, I think that it couldn't have come at a better time.

[Peter Gallagher]

Yeah, I'm with you.

[Juliana Margulies]

Okay. Let's talk about Morning Show 2. Because it's such a different world.

[Peter Gallagher]

Yeah, that's a different world.

[Juliana Margulies]

That's a different world. I think, you know, I relate to that in a lot of different ways. But also exciting and a part in a role with so many layers as well.

[Peter Gallagher]

Oh, I love Laura. I love Laura Peterson so much. So fun to play. I don't know how you did it for 30 years. You said you did it for 30 years. Yeah, yeah. I have such respect for journalism. Oh, my God. But I loved her. And I. You know, look, it was a blessing that they wrote that part and wanted me to play her and to play with Jen and Reese and get to be on that set with Billy and Greta and everybody else. It was really fun. It was just a juggling act because they shoot in la.

[Delia Ephron]

Oh, gosh.

[Peter Gallagher]

And I live in New York, so it was A lot of getting on a plane, but I loved it. And who knows? Maybe I'll be back in season five. Who knows? But it feels really good to take the subway to work for six minutes.

[Juliana Margulies]

It's a little bit easier than lax. A little easier.

[Peter Gallagher]

It's a little easier. And it's just I have two years left with my son at home. Not even two and a half. Okay, well, then the play came at.

[Juliana Margulies]

A good time for a lot of reasons.

[Peter Gallagher]

Yeah. So I just really. I'm just very cognizant of the fact that time is fleeting.

[Juliana Margulies]

I know it is.

[Peter Gallagher]

And we need to embrace every minute of it. So I want to be there. I want to see all his moments that I'm going to have while he's home. And then. And then I'll go anywhere he should.

[Juliana Margulies]

Then I'll get on a plane. I keep hearing myself say, I'm turning 54 this year. And I keep hearing myself say, live your someday today. Like, I just, you know, we spent a long time going, like, someday I'm gonna do this, someday I'm gonna do that. And so I just keep hearing that. And I don't know if that's what happens during this time or what, but I do feel it.

[Peter Gallagher]

I'm gonna give you some words of wisdom from my mother.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yes, I'll take them.

[Peter Gallagher]

Who said to me, she's 89 now and had to give up driving when she was 86. And she said to me, never waste a minute of your time thinking that you're getting old. If only I knew how young I was at 86 when I was still driving and independent.

[Juliana Margulies]

Oh, wow.

[Peter Gallagher]

Think about that next time you feel like you're getting old. It's just a waste of time.

[Juliana Margulies]

This is our youngest. This is the youngest we're gonna be.

[Peter Gallagher]

That's right. And what are you gonna do? Waste your time worrying about your next birthday? Live in the moment. It's all we have.

[Juliana Margulies]

No, I embrace it. I used to be like, oh, gosh, I'm gonna be. And Now I'm like, 54 is coming up in three months. I'm happy about it.

[Peter Gallagher]

It's a privilege.

[Juliana Margulies]

I agree with you.

[Peter Gallagher]

Do you know that podcast? I love it. So much wiser than you.

[Juliana Margulies]

Oh, of course, Luigi.

[Peter Gallagher]

She had Diane von Furstenberg on it, and she said, you know how she asks all her guests, can I ask you your age? And Dionne said, you can, but don't ask it that way. Ask me how many years I've lived.

[Juliana Margulies]

Oh, that's great. It's so true.

[Peter Gallagher]

Because then you hear it as a privilege, right? So she said, I have lived on this planet 76 years or however old she is.

[Juliana Margulies]

I love that.

[Peter Gallagher]

And she said, and ask a child that and you'll see the pride. When a child says, I've lived nine years, they're thrilled. Just change it.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yep.

[Peter Gallagher]

You know, it's this weird narrative we have.

[Juliana Margulies]

I feel like it's starting to be rewritten a little bit. And I. But I've never felt so, you know, I lived in the TV world, so I hid my age forever. And Now I'm like 53, 50. And I think it's incredible. And it speaks to the second chances and comes back around.

[Peter Gallagher]

It comes back around and you know what beautiful. Taxes, death, and. What is it? Three Taxes, death, and divorce.

[Juliana Margulies]

Is it now?

[Peter Gallagher]

Is it divorce?

[Juliana Margulies]

No. Taxes, death, and what?

[Peter Gallagher]

There's three of them.

[Juliana Margulies]

You're all too young anyway.

[Peter Gallagher]

What is it that you can count on in life and that.

[Juliana Margulies]

Anyway, you're welcome for these messages.

[Peter Gallagher]

We're all gonna die at some point, and we all have to pay our taxes, if you're an honest person. So it's just part of life, you know, and you leave part of yourself. Like, I miss my dad every day. He died quite young, actually, at 79. And in the beginning, it was very difficult for me to wrap my head around it, of course, but now I see him almost more like he's so a part of who I am. And I take that seriously. And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna give you to your grandson. You know, part of you is gonna be in him. And it's a cycle of life.

[Juliana Margulies]

Do you feel like you've learned? This is my last question, I promise. I know you're busy. Do you feel like you've learned more about who you are through this play? I always wonder.

[Peter Gallagher]

100%.

[Juliana Margulies]

Yeah, I can hear it.

[Peter Gallagher]

I learned just from watching Delia and Peter sitting in the audience. The little stuff doesn't bother them. They've been through so much.

[Beth Stevens]

So true.

[Peter Gallagher]

And the miracle of them finding each other at that point in their lives was so enormous that the little stuff just. It goes away. It's the big stuff. And I'm learning, you know, I think I'm just learning just not to sweat the small stuff.

[Juliana Margulies]

It'll pass.

[Peter Gallagher]

Yeah, it passes. And you continue on, and you have a choice to continue on with joy or to be angry. And I choose joy.

[Juliana Margulies]

Thank you so much. You're such a pleasure.

[Tamsen Fadal]

Now here's Beth Stevens conversation with author and playwright Delia Ephron.

[Delia Ephron]

Well, Delia, thank you for meeting me for coffee.

[Beth Stevens]

It's a pleasure.

[Delia Ephron]

Your memoir is called left on 10th, and this play is called left on 10th, but I don't think people really know what that title means. Can you explain what that is?

[Beth Stevens]

Left on 10th is my way home. I get off on the subway at Broadway and 8th street, and I walk up Broadway and I turn left, and I think, I cannot believe I get to live on this block. But it also has other meanings because my life took many left turns. And so I was left on 10th when my husband died. And. And then the number of left turns it took after that were really miraculous in many ways and terrifying in other ways. So left on 10th has this loaded with me, for me, with metaphor.

[Delia Ephron]

I want to ask you the most important question I can think of. How was it for you to cast your beloved dogs in this play?

[Juliana Margulies]

Oh.

[Beth Stevens]

We were so happy. I love to explain. That's okay. I just want to say I was basically saved by love, medicine, friendship, and dogs. And dogs are a very big part of my life. And so there are two dogs in this play, and they are the cutest, most adorable dogs I've ever seen. But if you do a play, the only people allowed to relate to the dogs are the actors who actually deal with them. So there are these gorgeous, fluffy, irresistible animals, and I can't touch them. So it's very.

[Delia Ephron]

But you have your dog at home, right?

[Beth Stevens]

I sure do, Charlotte.

[Delia Ephron]

So when I read this book, it was so filled with honesty and vulnerability. Tell me how you were able to access that and what it did for you to write about something so personal.

[Beth Stevens]

Well, there's an enormous amount of trauma that I went through. The trauma losing Jerry, and then the trauma of illness. And, you know, the best thing you can do with trauma is make something out of it. And so, I mean, the most amazing left turn for me is Broadway. I mean, this out of that. You know, it's overwhelming to think that I was able to take that and make this play out of it and have an adventure I never had before. So I think it's extremely healing for me to have written this, the book, and then to take this one step further into this joyful place.

[Delia Ephron]

So let's explain, for people who don't know the story, what left on 10th is about.

[Beth Stevens]

Well, I lost my husband, and I was trying to, you know, disconnect his phone, and Verizon crashed my Internet, and I almost went crazy with those prompts trying to get it back. I really just went wiggy. So what I do when I get upset is I write about it. And I wrote about this piece about losing Jerry and having this nightmare with Verizon, and I had it published. It was published in the New York Times on the op ed page. And I got a lot of mail because it turns out everyone hates their phone companies. And one of the pieces of mail I got was from Peter Rutter, who is a psychiatrist living in the Bay Area. And we had had two dates, like, 100 years before. I mean, when I was 18.

[Delia Ephron]

You didn't remember it?

[Beth Stevens]

No, I don't remember. I still don't remember it. I've tried and tried, but I don't remember a thing about it. And he said, you know, well, we were fixed up by your sister Nora. So this guy comes blessed by Nora, who's no longer with me. And so we started writing, and I really did think, oh, my gosh, I've fallen into my own romantic comedy. I mean, I wrote you've Got Mail, and here I am falling in love on email. And then it took a turn. It was not that at all. And Peter was just incredible. I mean, he went through the illness with me.

[Delia Ephron]

And you were diagnosed with the same illness your sister had.

[Beth Stevens]

Yeah, not my sister had. Yeah. I was diagnosed with aml, which is a fierce leukemia. And, you know, Peter, you know, his first thing he said to me is, we'll get through this. And, my God, we did. And it's so. It's a journey. It's like a roller coaster. This plays a roller coaster of emotions. You're up, you're down, you're up, you're down. It's like, then you're up.

[Delia Ephron]

You know, you use this word in the memoir, and I haven't seen the play yet, so I don't know if it's in there, but shared. Tell me how Bashert explain to people what that means and how it has.

[Beth Stevens]

Besheart is a Yiddish word, and it means finding a special fit or match or comfort that you've been looking for your whole life.

[Delia Ephron]

Like, meant to be.

[Beth Stevens]

It's a fate. It's a fate. It's a word that means fate. And when I wrote this reply to Peter's email and he read it and he just said, but share, it was like it just slipped out of his mouth. It was like, oh, this is meant to be. And there have been so many Bechert moments in this show. I mean, because everybody in it, Peter Gallagher, Juliana Margulies, everybody's so crazy about Each other. We're getting along so beautifully and so everyone feels very beshearte about the whole experience of making this play.

[Delia Ephron]

You come from a family of writers.

[Beth Stevens]

I do.

[Delia Ephron]

What does it mean to you to have a play on Broadway?

[Beth Stevens]

This dream was so big that I didn't even have it.

[Delia Ephron]

Too big to even.

[Beth Stevens]

Yeah. Too big to even dream it. Yeah. Uh huh. I mean, when I started my career, I thought I was very careful because I started writing movies. And the first movies that got made were with my sister Nora. And I thought if you just write movies, you're not gonna have your own voice. So I thought write books and tell your own stories. So I very carefully created a career where I was able to have my own stories. And I like to try different things. So, you know, I wrote essays and then I wrote novels and so I tried to do all of that. And then, you know, Nora and I found this book, Love Loss and what I Wore. And we just knew it could be a wonderful evening. And so the next thing I knew, I wrote a little for theater, but I had never tried a major play before. But it's been part of my career to try to take chances.

[Delia Ephron]

And now what does it feel like for you to see Juliana Margulies play a character named Delia, going through what you went through, revisiting that part of your life?

[Beth Stevens]

Sometimes I sit there and I just start crying, really, in rehearsal, and laughing because she's very funny too. And sometimes I'm just overwhelmed by it and I can't quite. And it feels too close to the reality of it. So I sort of seesaw through a whole bunch of emotions in rehearsal of what I'm experiencing. And there have been all this, you know, I mean, Juliana lives in the Village and I met her in a very beshere way. I was reading her memoir, which is called Sunshine Girl, and I was loving it and I said, oh my God, she lives near. And I went out that afternoon with my dog and I'm walking down Fifth Avenue, just about a 10th street, and my dog sniffs another dog and I look up to see who's walking the dog and it's Juliana. So I introduced myself because I had written a piece about. I had loved the Good Wife and I wrote a very funny piece about it for the New York Times. So I thought she knew who I was. So I introduced myself and we hugged and that's how I met her. But there's these strange. These are ridiculous little things. But we were in rehearsal. I think it was the first day and she said, oh, you're left handed. Which she is also. And then she was learning. There's dance. There's a little dance, of course, because Susan Stroman is directing this. We have dance in this show. A little dance and some music. And she was learning a tap step. And she said to me, she said just to everyone. Well, you know, it's tricky because I'm left handed, but I do sports with my right hand. So I think it's making it harder for me to do this. Well, that's me. I do sports with my right hand and I write and eat with my left hand. So, like, it's stupid, but it's still, you know, crazy.

[Delia Ephron]

I was going to ask you about Susan Stroman directing because in the memoir you mentioned that you and your husband Jerry took tap dancing lessons. So you definitely like to experiment.

[Beth Stevens]

Yeah, yeah, it's true. I grew up on Broadway musicals. It's the only music I really know. I can recite the entire beginning of west side Story. Where are you going to find Nardo at the dance tonight? At the gym. But the gym, I mean, really, I can go on, so. Right.

[Delia Ephron]

And how many times have you seen Seven Brides with Seven Brothers?

[Beth Stevens]

About 16. Yes. And it's a terrible movie. It's about these men stealing women. It's just awful. And I love it so much. So anyway, romantic comedies can mess with a woman's brain, let us just say that. So. But I, of course, grew up in love with them and Susan Stroman because she's so brilliant at musicals. And we started collaborating. I started to think, okay, what work from my life works in this way? Which is the wonder of collaboration. You start to explore different things you might not. And Jerry and I, for two or three years, we each took private tap lessons, and we would occasionally dance together in the bedroom. So there's neighbors dancing in this play for sure, you know.

[Delia Ephron]

That's amazing. That's amazing. Well, thank you so much for coming and talking with me. I feel like this play, you've mentioned that it's a romantic comedy. It goes through these traumatic places. Do you feel like when you watch it, you're left with hope?

[Beth Stevens]

Or do you feel like, yes, it's a very, very hopeful play, but it does take you on a big journey. Big journey up, big journey down, and then, you know, joy. So I don't know if I would classify it exactly as a romantic comedy, but it has the romance and it has the comedy and it has the pain. It has life. That's what it is.

[Delia Ephron]

I have to ask you a really important question. At the end. We started with the dogs, but you did write that smash, Love Lost and what I Wore. So what are you wearing on opening night?

[Beth Stevens]

Oh, that's so okay. My friend Mitch across the hall, who's also a character in the play, called me up the other day, and he said, I have some things for you to try on. He was in fashion. And I go into his apartment, and his entire bed is covered with things to wear. And he says, well, you have to try all these on. So, like, three hours later, I'm, like, staggering out of there, you know? But anyway, we're picking it out.

[Delia Ephron]

That's not a bad problem to have, though.

[Beth Stevens]

No. No, it is not.

[Delia Ephron]

Well, thank you for meeting with me.

[Beth Stevens]

My pleasure.

[Tamsen Fadal]

And that's gonna do it for this week's episode of the Broadway show Uncut. Until next time, Tamsen Fadal.