Set in New York City, the play takes place between October 1985 and February 1986. The play begins with the funeral of Sarah Ironson, an elderly Jewish woman, whose rabbi eulogizes not only her, but her entire generation of immigrants who risked their lives to build a community for their children in a strange land. After the funeral, Sarah's grandson, Louis Ironson, learns that his lover Prior Walter, the last member of a long-lived WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) family, has AIDS. As Prior's illness progresses, Louis becomes unable to cope and moves out, leaving Prior to deal with his abandonment. He is given emotional support by his friend Belize, an ex-drag queen and a hospital nurse, who also must deal with Louis' self-castigating guilt and myriad excuses for his behavior.