Opening Night centers around Myrtle Gordon (Gena Rowlands), a successful stage actress grappling with the character of Virginia, a woman of a certain age who is trying to come to terms with her place in the world. While Rowlands’s magnificent performance is the center of Opening Night, the film does not limit itself to the depiction of one woman’s experience, but also explores the personal and professional relationships and camaraderie among artists in the workplace. John Cassavetes deftly depicts the struggles inherent in collaboration, communication, and the search for artistic integrity and truth.