, ▁they ▁discuss ▁their ▁hopes ▁and ▁amb itions , ▁dream s ▁and ▁disappoint ments , ▁vict ories ▁and ▁defe ats ▁– ▁that ▁have ▁passed ▁between ▁them ▁throughout ▁their ▁separated ▁lives . ▁ ▁The ▁play ▁is ▁a ▁performance ▁favorite ▁for ▁busy ▁name ▁actors , ▁for ▁it ▁requires ▁little ▁prepar ation , ▁and ▁lines ▁need ▁not ▁be ▁memor ized . ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁performed ▁by ▁the ▁play w right ▁himself ▁with ▁Holland ▁Taylor ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Public ▁Library , ▁then ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁at ▁the ▁Long ▁Wh arf ▁Theatre ▁in ▁New ▁H aven , ▁Connecticut , ▁with ▁Jo anna ▁G le ason ▁and ▁John ▁Rub in stein . ▁ ▁Plot ▁▁ ▁Andrew ▁Make pe ace ▁L add ▁III ▁and ▁Mel issa ▁Gard ner , ▁both ▁born ▁to ▁wealth ▁and ▁position , ▁are ▁child hood ▁friends ▁whose ▁lif el ong ▁correspond ence ▁begins ▁with ▁birth day ▁party ▁thank - you ▁notes ▁and ▁summer ▁camp ▁post cards . ▁Rom ant ically ▁attached , ▁they ▁continue ▁to ▁exchange ▁letters ▁through ▁the ▁board ing ▁school ▁and ▁college ▁years — where ▁Andy ▁goes ▁on ▁to ▁excel ▁at ▁Y ale ▁and ▁law ▁school , ▁while ▁Mel issa ▁fl unks ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁" good ▁schools ". ▁While ▁Andy ▁is ▁off ▁at ▁war ▁Mel issa ▁mar ries , ▁but ▁her ▁attachment ▁to ▁Andy ▁remains ▁strong ▁and ▁she ▁continues ▁to ▁keep ▁in ▁touch ▁as ▁he ▁mar ries , ▁becomes ▁a ▁successful ▁att orney , ▁gets ▁involved ▁in ▁politics ▁and , ▁eventually , ▁is ▁elected ▁to ▁the