He gave it to artistic director Martin Benson, who worked with Edson to ready the play for production.

[4] Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut subsequently staged the play in November 1997, with Kathleen Chalfant in the lead role of Vivian Bearing.

She also incorporated her own life experience into her work on the play, including the final illness and death of her brother Alan Palmer from cancer.

[9] The play moved to the Off-Broadway Union Square Theater in December 1998, after its successful initial run at the MCC.

[15] In the fall of 2018, Southwest Baptist University sold pins featuring the quote "Keep pushing the fluids" alongside their production of W;t in order to raise money for ovarian cancer research.

[16] The action of the play takes place during the final hours of Dr. Vivian Bearing, a university professor of English, dying of ovarian cancer.

She recalls the initial diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic ovarian cancer from her oncologist, Dr. Harvey Kelekian.

Over the course of the play, Vivian reflects on her life through the intricacies of the English language, especially the use of wit in the metaphysical poetry of John Donne.

Bearing later finds herself under the care of Dr. Jason Posner, an oncology research fellow who has taken her class on John Donne.

Vivian reaches the end stage in extreme pain as Susie Monahan, a nurse at the medical centre, offers Vivian compassion and discusses with her the option of exercising her final option, "do not resuscitate" (DNR), in case of a severe decline in her condition.

[20] In 2001, the play was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning cable television film, directed by Mike Nichols with Emma Thompson as Vivian Bearing.