A Moon for the Misbegotten

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Poster for the 2000 Broadway revival

A Moon for the Misbegotten is a play by Eugene O'Neill.

Set in a dilapidated Connecticut house in early September 1923, it focuses on three characters: Josie, a domineering Irish woman with a quick tongue and a ruined reputation, her conniving father, tenant farmer Phil Hogan, and James Tyrone, Jr., Hogan's landlord and drinking companion, a cynical alcoholic haunted by the death of his mother. As a joke during one of their drunken bouts, Tyrone threatens to sell his land and evict Hogan, which propels the latter to set into motion a scheme that will take advantage of the mutual affection between his daughter and Tyrone.

A Moon for the Misbegotten had its world premiere at the Harman Theatre in Columbus, Ohio in 1947.

The play has been produced four times on Broadway. The original production opened on May 2, 1957 at the now-demolished Bijou Theatre, where it ran for 68 performances. The cast included Cyril Cusack, Franchot Tone, and Wendy Hiller.

After four previews, the first revival, directed by José Quintero, opened on December 29, 1973 at the Morosco Theatre, where it ran for 313 performances. The cast included Colleen Dewhurst, Jason Robards, and Ed Flanders. Two years later, the cast reprised their roles in a Quintero-directed production for television, which garnered five Emmy Award nominations; Flanders alone won.

After nineteen previews, the second revival, directed by David Leveaux, opened on May 1, 1984 at the Cort Theatre, where it ran for 40 performances. The cast included Ian Bannen, Jerome Kilty, and Kate Nelligan.

After fifteen previews, the third revival, directed by Daniel Sullivan, opened on March 19, 2000 at the Walter Kerr Theatre, where it ran for 120 performances. The cast included Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dotrice, and Cherry Jones.

A fourth revival, starring Kevin Spacey, is scheduled to begin previews on March 29, 2007 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

[edit] Awards and nominations

1957 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Hiller, nominee)
1974 Tony Award for Best Actor in Play (Robards, nominee)
1974 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Dewhurst, winner)
1974 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Flanders, winner)
1974 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
1974 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (Quintero, winner)
1974 Tony Award Special Award to the Producers (winner)
1974 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance (winner)
1974 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director (winner)
1984 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Nelligan, nominee)
1984 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
1984 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (Leveaux, nominee)
1984 Tony Award for Best Reproduction (nominee)
1984 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play (Nelligan, nominee)
2000 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (nominee)
2000 Tony Award for Best Actor in Play (Byrne, nominee)
2000 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Jones, nominee)
2000 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Dotrice, winner)
2000 Theatre World Award (Byrne, winner)
2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play (nominee)
2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (Byrne, nominee)
2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Dotrice, winner)