Act I
The play opens on a classroom at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater in New York City, September 14th, 1957. Sanford Meisner is 50 years of age.
Act II
In 1977, Sanford Meisner was hit by a delivery truck while standing on a street corner in New York City and dragged two city blocks. While in the hospital in critical condition, he was also diagnosed with throat cancer and had emergency surgery to have his larynx removed.
Sandy not only fought back, he continued to teach until the morning of February 2nd, 1997 when he died in his sleep at the age of 91. Act II opens eight years after the accident, November 29th, 1987.
The old lion is now 80 years of age.