''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. The play is a sequel to O'Neill's '' Long Day's Journey into Night'', with the Jim Tyrone character as an older version of Jamie Tyrone. He began drafting the play late in 1941, set it aside after a few months and returned to it a year later, completing the text in 1943 – his final work, as his failing health made it physically impossible for him to write. The play premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 1957 and has had four Broadway revivals, plus a West End engagement.

Plot

Set in a dilapidated Connecticut house in early September 1923, the play 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 Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

haunted by the death of his mother. The play begins with Mike, the last of Hogan's three sons, leaving the farm. As a joke during one of their drunken bouts, Tyrone threatens to sell his land to his hated neighbor, T. Steadman Harder, and evict Hogan. Hogan creates a scheme in which Josie will get Tyrone drunk, seduce him, and blackmail him. Josie and Tyrone court in the moonlight. The scheme falls through when Josie finds out that Tyrone isn't going to sell the land to Harder after all. Tyrone tells Josie the story of how, after his mother died, he traveled back East on the train, and hired a blonde prostitute for $50 a night to overcome his grief. The four-act play ends with James Tyrone leaving for New York to handle his mother's estate, apparently to die soon of complications from alcoholism.

Autobiographical aspects

As in ''Journey'', the Tyrone character is based on Eugene O'Neill's older brother, Jamie O'Neill.

Productions

Eugene Gladstone O'Neill, Mesec za nesrečneže, SNG v Mariboru

''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' was produced by the Theatre Guild, which had produced many of O'Neill's, plays including ''

Strange Interlude ''Strange Interlude'' is an experimental play in nine acts by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. O'Neill began work on it as early as 1923 and developed its scenario in 1925; he wrote the play between May 1926 and the summer of 1927, and complete ...

'' in 1928, '' The Iceman Cometh'' in 1946, and this play, the last. Because O'Neill was "unhappy with progress in rehearsals, ... edemanded out-of-town tryouts in a series of Midwestern cities." The play had its world premiere at the Hartman Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, in 1947. The play has been produced five times on

. The original production opened on May 2, 1957, at the now-demolished Bijou Theatre, where it ran for 68 performances. Directed by Carmen Capalbo, the cast included

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his in ...

Franchot Tone Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...

, and

Wendy Hiller Dame Wendy Margaret Hiller, (15 August 1912 – 14 May 2003) was an English film and stage actress who enjoyed a varied acting career that spanned nearly 60 years. Writer Joel Hirschorn, in his 1984 compilation ''Rating the Movie Stars'', desc ...

. Scenic design was by William Pitkin, Lighting Design by

Lee Watson Leland H. "Lee" Watson (1926 – December 8, 1989)7 was a Broadway and television lighting designer and theatre educator.5 His 1990 bio states that he worked "extensively in nearly all fields of lighting design."6 Early life and education Wa ...

, and Costume Design by Ruth Morley. Wendy Hiller was nominated for the Tony Award, Actress in a Play. The play was presented Off-Broadway by Circle in the Square Theatre, opening on June 12, 1968. Directed by Theodore Mann, the cast featured

Salome Jens Salome Jens (born May 8, 1935) is an American dancer and actress of stage, film and television. She is perhaps best known for portraying the Female Changeling on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' in the 1990s. Early years Jens was born in Milwau ...

as Josie,

Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American film, television, and stage actor, who in his six decades of television is known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', and later for his co- ...

as James Tyrone, Jr., Garry Mitchell as T. Stedman Harder, W. B. Brydon as Phil and

Jack Kehoe Jack Kehoe (November 21, 1934 – January 14, 2020) was an American film actor appearing in a wide variety of films, including the crime dramas ''Serpico'' (1973), '' The Pope of Greenwich Village'' (1984) and Brian De Palma's ''The Untouchables' ...

as Mike. Its June 20-July 8, 1973 revival production at the Academy Playhouse in Lake Forest, Illinois went on to four previews with the first Broadway staging also directed by

José Quintero José Benjamín Quintero (15 October 1924 – 26 February 1999) was a Panamanian theatre director, producer and pedagogue best known for his interpretations of the works of Eugene O'Neill. Biography Early years Quintero was born in Panama C ...

opening on December 29, 1973, at the Morosco Theatre, where it ran for 313 performances. Both productions included Colleen Dewhurst who won a Tony Award,

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...

, and

Ed Flanders Edward Paul Flanders (December 29, 1934 – February 22, 1995) was an American actor. He is best known for playing Dr. Donald Westphall in the medical drama series ''St. Elsewhere'' (1982–1988). Flanders was nominated for eight Primetime Emm ...

a Tony Award recipient as well. The cast again resurrected their roles in a Quintero-directed production for television, broadcast by ABC on May 27, 1975. One of their affiliates in the state of Florida pre-empted the film controversially because it contained adult language. It garnered five Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Special—Drama or Comedy, with Ed Flanders also winning the award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special. After nineteen previews, the second revival, directed by

David Leveaux David Leveaux (born 13 December 1957)this source shows 195filmreference.com. Retrieved 9 May 2009 is a British theatre director who has been nominated for five Tony Awards as director of both plays and musicals. He directs in the UK, working at ...

, opened on May 1, 1984, at the

Cort Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was built in ...

, where it ran for 40 performances. The cast included

Ian Bannen Ian Edmund Bannen (29 June 1928 – 3 November 1999) was a Scottish actor with a long career in film, on stage, and on television. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in '' The Flight of the Phoenix'' (1965), the first ...

Jerome Kilty Jerome Timothy Kilty (June 24, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland – September 6, 2012) was an American actor and playwright. He wrote ''Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letters.'' He worked extensively on the stage, both in the United States and abroad. Career K ...

, and

Kate Nelligan Patricia Colleen Nelligan (born March 16, 1950), known professionally as Kate Nelligan, is a Canadian stage, film and television actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tide ...

. This production was nominated for the Tony Award for: Actress in a Play, Director of a Play, Lighting Design (Play or Musical) (Marc B. Weiss), and Revival (Play or Musical). 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 Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...

Roy Dotrice Roy Dotrice (26 May 1923 – 16 October 2017) was a British actor famed for his portrayal of the antiquarian John Aubrey in the record-breaking solo play '' Brief Lives''. Abroad, he won a Tony Award for his performance in the 2000 Broadway r ...

, and

Cherry Jones Cherry Jones (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress known for her roles on screen and stage. She has received various accolades for her performances in television and theatre including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, th ...

. A fourth revival, starring Kevin Spacey, began previews on March 29, 2007 and closed on June 10, 2007, at the

Brooks Atkinson Theatre The Lena Horne Theatre (previously the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 256 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1926, it was designed by Herbert ...

following a 112 performance run at the

Old Vic Theatre The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat, not-for-profit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, England. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal ...

in London 15 September 2006 to 23 December 2006, featuring Eve Best,

Billy Carter William Alton Carter (March 29, 1937 – September 25, 1988) was an American farmer, businessman, brewer, and politician. The younger brother of U.S. President Jimmy Carter; he promoted Billy Beer and Peanut Lolita; and he was a candidate for ...

, Colm Meaney, and

Eugene O'Hare Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...

. A London production at the Riverside Studios in 1983 starred Ian Bannen and Frances De La Tour. Between October 13 and November 15, 2013, ''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' was produced for the first time in Low German under the title ''Lengen na Leev (Longing for Love)'' at the Ohnsorg Theater in

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Critical response

According to Michael Manheim, the 1973 revival, starring

and Colleen Dewhurst, was "the most famous" of the productions, and "the performances of this production are usually seen as the defining interpretations of Tyrone and Josie." The ''CurtainUp'' reviewer of the 2000 revival compared the 1973 production: "Dewhurst and Robards rescued O'Neill's failed play from neglect by digging beneath the facades these desperate people presented to the world -- he as a cynical carouser, she as the town tramp....The revival at the Morosco...proved O'Neill scholar Travis Bogard right when he declared Moon 'doomed to failure without superb acting' since no subsequent production ever recreated the magic of those 314 performances.Sommer, Elyse
"A CurtainUp Review. ''A Moon For the Misbegotten''"
''CurtainUp'', accessed August 13, 2015 In his review of the 2007 production,

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

, writing in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' mentioned the prior two revivals, noting "Both those versions emphasized the pathos of ''Moon,'' written in 1943 and first produced on Broadway in 1957. Inspired by the unhappy final chapters in the life of O’Neill’s ne’er-do-well older brother, James, the play is singular within its author’s body of work for its forgiving spirit."

Awards and nominations

;2007 *Best Actress in a Play, Eve Best (nominee) ; 2000 *Tony Award, Best Revival of a Play (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Actor in Play, Byrne (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Actress in a Play, Jones (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Dotrice (winner) ;1984 *Tony Award, Best Actress in a Play, Nelligan (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Lighting Design, Marc B. Weiss (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Direction of a Play (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Reproduction (nominee) ;1973:Academy Playhouse Producers Marshall Migatz and William T. Gardner ;1974 *Tony Award, Best Actor in Play, Robards (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Actress in a Play, Dewhurst (winner) *Tony Award, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Flanders (winner) *Tony Award, Best Lighting Design, Ben Edwards (nominee) *Tony Award, Best Direction of a Play, Quintero (winner) *Tony Award, Special Award, Elliot Martin (recipient) *Tony Award, Special Award, Lester Osterman Productions (recipient) ;1958 *Tony Award, Best Actress in a Play, Hiller (nominee)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Moon For The Misbegotten 1947 plays Autobiographical plays Broadway plays Plays by Eugene O'Neill Plays set in Connecticut Sequel plays