▁U . S . ▁Senate . ▁Meanwhile , ▁her ▁marriage ▁in ▁t at ters , ▁Mel issa ▁d ab bles ▁in ▁art ▁and ▁gig ol os , ▁drink s ▁more ▁than ▁she ▁should , ▁and ▁becomes ▁est r anged ▁from ▁her ▁children . ▁Event ually ▁she ▁and ▁Andy ▁do ▁become ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁brief ▁affair , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁really ▁too ▁late ▁for ▁both ▁of ▁them . ▁However ▁Andy ' s ▁last ▁letter , ▁written ▁to ▁her ▁mother ▁after ▁Mel issa ' s ▁un tim ely ▁death , ▁makes ▁it ▁el o qu ently ▁clear ▁how ▁much ▁they ▁really ▁meant , ▁and ▁gave ▁to , ▁each ▁other ▁over ▁the ▁years — phys ically ▁apart , ▁perhaps , ▁but ▁spirit ually ▁as ▁close ▁as ▁only ▁true ▁lo vers ▁can ▁be . ▁ ▁Broadway ▁& ▁Off - B road way ▁produ ctions ▁▁ ▁Direct ed ▁by ▁John ▁Till inger , ▁it ▁opened ▁with ▁Kath le en ▁Turner ▁and ▁John ▁Rub in stein ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁at ▁the ▁off - B road way ▁Prom en ade ▁Theatre , ▁where ▁it ▁ran ▁for ▁ 6 4 ▁performances . ▁The ▁play ▁was ▁performed ▁only ▁on ▁Sunday ▁and ▁Monday ▁even ings ▁and ▁changed ▁its ▁cast ▁week ly . ▁Among ▁those ▁who ▁appeared ▁in ▁it ▁were ▁Barbara ▁Bar rie , ▁Philip ▁Bos co , ▁Stephen ▁Collins , ▁Victor ▁Gar ber , ▁Jul ie ▁Harris , ▁George ▁G ri zz ard , ▁Anthony ▁He ald , ▁George ▁H ear n , ▁Richard