Left on Tenth – Play – Review – James Earl Jones Theatre – Shows I've Seen

@showsiveseen "Left on Tenth" #play at #Broadway's James Earl Jones #Theatre. Starring celebrities Peter Gallagher & Julianna Margulies. Elegant scenic design from Beowulf Boritt. Hope for the middle aged! Review: showsiveseen.com/11163 Production Video: Courtesy of @Left on Tenth Director: Susan Stroman Playwright: Delia Ephron Stage Mgmt: Michelle Bosch, Noam Lautman, Robbie Young #showsiveseen #startingOver #romCom #secondChances ♬ Akon's Beautiful Day – Akon

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Delia Ephron’s Left on Tenth play at Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre. Starring celebrities Peter Gallagher & Julianna Margulies. Elegant scenic design from Beowulf Boritt. Hope for the middle aged! #startingOver #cancer #leukemia #romCom #secondChances

Recommendation:
See it if either 1) you’re a woman of a certain age 2) you’re worried about aging 3) you’ve experienced a “starting over” milestone 4) or you’ve dated via email/letters.

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): After losing both her husband and sister to cancer, Delia finds herself grappling with the potential for a second chance at love, while also confronting the possibility of facing cancer herself. This script is based on Delia’s book Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: When she least expects it, Delia, beloved novelist and screenwriter of You’ve Got Mail, reconnects with a man from her past and falls into her own romantic comedy. What starts with an unlikely spark blossoms into a love story that seems to defy all odds in the face of life’s challenges. Left on Tenth tells the messy, beautiful true story of a woman “navigating the miraculous life stream of the Beshert” and discovering how to embrace the unpredictable and open her heart again.

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Mostly static but the stage transformed during the hospital scenes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but I imagine you might appreciate this more if you read the book

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but it started out with a lot of passive dialogue and introspection until the script finally gained some momentum

Union Actors: 4

Total Actors: 4

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 110 minutes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Unique Demographic: I feel that many live theatre productions often overlook romance in middle age or later years. Romantic comedies focused on older adults are relatively rare on stage and romance is seemingly a young person’s game. It was refreshing to see older characters in this play fantasizing about love and experiencing vulnerability/butterflies in this slow-burn romance. However, I was surprised that the play didn’t explore the awkwardness that can come with sexual intimacy, especially on the first night. This play reminded me of Michael Mott & Gretchen Suárez-Peña’s musical in development And Sometimes … Love, which also covers similar themes of romance later in life.
Scenic Design: Beowulf Boritt’s set design was timeless, elegant, and mature, which perfectly complemented Delia’s vibe. The scenic design also seamlessly harmonized with the theatre’s inherent classic French aesthetic. The accent lighting on the bookcase shelves added a subtle warm glow, and the rotating bookcases were a clever/effective transition element for the hospital scenes.
Projections: Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew created beautiful watercolor-style impressions of iconic NYC locations. I personally find these much more appealing than the artificial-looking CGI projections often used by many other theater companies like in Anastasia. Unfortunately, in this production, the images often clashed against the bookcases filled with books. It was much easier to see the projections when shown against a plain white background without the interference from the books.
Favorite Line: “Every man in Northern California has a backpack [with him at all times].”
Cast Doubling: Peter Francis James and Kate MacCluggage impressively portrayed a range of supporting characters, including a British friend, two doctors, a gay neighbor, an urban orderly, and a Gen-Z influencer among others. This hustle showcased their versatility and skill.
Dogs: I was surprised to see a real dogs in the show, especially since they weren’t even integral to the story. This production must have quite the budget to afford non-essential dogs and a trainer … not to mention the celebrity casting!

Rant(s)

Transitions and Scene Cohesion: The transitions between scenes felt stilted and unnatural. Some scenes appeared randomly placed, lacking cohesion and failing to advance the plot. It’s as if the playwright couldn’t decide between a linear structure verses a series of vignettes. This resulted in a disjointed and awkwardly constructed narrative.
Healthcare Inaccuracies: As someone with a background in hospital oncology, I can’t help but notice inaccuracies in shows that touch on healthcare. For instance, the scene with the unconscious patient struggling with low oxygen saturation while a loved one frantically pleaded for them to fight while practically jumping on the inpatient bed felt gratuitously melodramatic to the point of absurdity. Someone call hospital security! Additionally, intravenous nutrition solutions are typically clear yellow or opaque milky white, which was not accurately portrayed. Lastly, only healthcare students wear white coats that end at the waist. Doctors wear white coats that end at the knees or calves. It was surprising to see such a basic costume detail wrong in a Broadway play. I recently noticed a similar oversight in How to Write a New Book for the Bible as well.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP): Whenever I review shows that touch on blood cancers, I make a point to remind my readers to think about joining the National Marrow Donor Program’s “Be the Match” registry. This vital program connects patients (like the characters in the play) in need of a stem cell or bone marrow transplant with potential donors. They recruit donors, manage the matching process, and coordinate donations to ensure patients receive life-saving transplants from compatible donors, often across the globe. This program is especially crucial for people of color, who are underrepresented in the donor registry. I wish more theatre companies would spotlight “Be the Match” in the same way Broadway Across America national tours previously paused for a moment after every performance to talk about Broadway Cares. While Left on Tenth did include the “NMDP” initials on the press wall photo backdrop, many people likely don’t know what that acronym means. Unfortunately, I also didn’t see any mention of the National Marrow Donor Program in the playbill either.

Venue: James Earl Jones Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 138 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036

Venue Classification: Broadway

Price Range: $74-291

Ticket Affordability Options: You can likely buy discount tickets at the TKTS booth.

Dates: First preview was 9/26/24 and opening night was 10/23/24. As of 1/11/25, the closing date is 2/2/25.

Seating: Assigned Seating

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Joan Marcus.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.