The Ginger Man Play Productions

Fortune Theatre, London, September 15, 1959 - World premiere: presented by
Spur Productions, Ltd., (length of run not known at this time) but was said to be a hit production and received many favorable reviews. Directed by Philip Wiseman. Designed by Tony Walton. Special thanks to Philip Wiseman for details on this production.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Richard Harris

Wendy Craig

Isabel Dean

Ronald Fraser

Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, October 26, 1959 - The first Dublin production which created a row: presented by Spur Productions, Ltd., in association with the Globe Theatre Company. Donleavy's full account of the opening and forced closing of the play on "moral" grounds is chronicled in his introduction to the published play, titled "What They Did in Dublin." (The same piece has appeared in periodicals under the title, "What They Did in Dublin With The Ginger Man.") Directed by Philip Wiseman. Designed by Tony Walton.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Richard Harris

Genevieve Lyons

Rosalie Westwater

Godfrey Quigley

Liberty Theatre?, Scarborough, August, 1962 - This production was found on a site listing the history of what is now the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. The producer is listed as Arnold Beck. Cast credits are given, but the list of characters does not match any of those found in The Ginger Man story. The title states "by J.P. Donleavy." The email link on the site was no good, so details are still being sought. Please forward any information you may have.

Tower Theatre, Canonbury, London, April 19 - 27, 1963
Produced by Clyde Jones & Hal Hamilton - Director: Austin R. Baker - Set Design: Vic Symonds - Stage Manager: Jim Parish - ASMs: Hazel Shipley-Headly, Paula Munday - Sound: Jolyon Coombs - Lighting: Ralph Shafran - Set painted by: Gwen Evans, Toni Clarke - Wardrobe under the direction of Hazel Shipley-Headly

CAST:

Hal Hamilton

Patanne Fairfoot

Joan Wood

Clyde Jones

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Orpheum Theatre, New York, November 21, 1963 - This US premiere was well-received by audiences but was given little press attention as it opened on the night before the JFK assassination. The lead in this version of the play went on to open a landmark bar/restaurant in New York called The Ginger Man (without Donleavy's permission). The establishment has been re-opened as O'Neal's.

Directed by Leo Garen. Leo, who died tragically in 2006, contributed the program art and cast info in 2003.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Patrick O'Neal

Margaret Phillips

Marian Seldes

Stefan Gierasch

Fairfield Halls, Croydon and Royal Court Theatre, London, Oct., 1963 - Jan., 1964 - London revival of the play. Produced and directed by Philip Wiseman, Spur Productions. English Stage Company. Nicol Williamson went on to star in such films as "The Seven Percent Solution" as Sherlock Holmes and in "Excalibur" as Merlin. Anna Gilcrist took over the role of Marion when the production moved to Royal Court as Susan Hampshire had a film commitment. Again, Special thanks to Philip Wiseman for details on this production.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Nicol Williamson

Susan Hampshire / Anna Gilcrist

Margaret Tyzack

T.P. McKenna

Encore Theatre, San Francisco, March, 1964 - News of this production came as a big surprise to me and those in the Donleavy camp. It appears to be an unauthorized production. Since the theatre went through many owners and managers and is now closed, tracking down details may prove difficult. Special thanks to Ken Knabb at The Bureau of Public Secrets for sending a review of this production written for the San Francisco Examiner by Kenneth Rexroth (see complete Rexroth review, posted by permission of the Kenneth Rexroth Trust). More on this Encore Theatre performance as it is discovered. Some interesting notes on the cast: Tom Rosqui went on to a prolific film/stage/TV career, most notably known for his role as Rocco in The Godfather Part II. Priscilla Pointer also has had a long and active acting career on stage, screen and television with roles in Carrie and a long run on TV's Dallas. She is the mother of actress Amy Irving (Amy's father being director Jules Irving). Directed by Mitchell Lifton. Lighting by Dan Dugan. Thanks to Dan for additional information on this production. Dan has gone off in different directions since his lighting days. Check out his site at www.dandugan.com

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Tom Rosqui

Erica Rosqui

Priscilla Pointer

Robert Benson

Stage Society Theatre, Los Angeles, July 28, 1965 - By chance, I managed to obtain the director's original script of this production, along with a mint copy of the program as it appears in The Playgoer magazine (now part of the Robert A. Mitchell collection). Said to be the first west coast production of the play, this conflicts with the (possibly) unauthorized production in San Francisco at the Encore in 1964. Other details (including whether or not this LA production was authorized) and reviews are being sought. Directed by Robert Angus. Set design by James West. Lighting by Ian Kirk.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Shopkeeper

Little Boy

Miss Malarky

Anthony Costello

Maria Lennard

Joyce Ann Miller

Robert Hogan

Hert Gilbert

Jeffrey Gordon

Gilda Frantz

South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California, May 21 - June 20, 1971 - Many thanks to Heather Van Holt, Publications Manager at SCR for supplying the JPDC with the details on this production. Billed as The West Coast Premiere, it raises more legitimacy questions regarding the earlier Encore, San Francisco and Stage Society, Los Angeles productions. Directed by Martin Benson. George Freeman, Stage Manager. Designers: Robinson Royce; sets/costumes, Bruce McCloud, lights.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

David Emmes

Toni Douglass

Cherie Patch

Ronald Boussom

Kleinau Theatre - Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1970-71 Season, April 16-24
Details regarding this production are being researched. Any information on this production would be greatly appreciated. The only information I've found is one credit: adapted and directed by Robert Fish.

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Peter Carmody

Rosemarie Lenzo

Penny Cook

Robert Menzies

Deutches Schauspielhaus, December, 1991, Hamburg, Germany - A very successful German production, featuring one of Germany's biggest stars, Ulrich Tukur, in the lead role and directed by Michael Bogdanov. Reviews are all in German, but a friend who read them said they were favorable to outright raves. Donleavy traveled to Hamburg and worked with the director on the adaptation and translation. This version is the only production to feature Mary from the novel.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Mary

Kenneth O'Keefe

Ulrich Tukur

Catrin Striebeck

Marlen Dickhoff

Marion Breckwoldt

Burghart KlauBner

White Bear Theatre, May 2 - 28, 1995, Kennington, England - Special thanks to Gareth Griffiths for providing information and a facsimile of the program for this production, presented by "Rummage." Directed & produced by Caterina Loriggio; co-producer: Helen Scott; set & costume design: Philippa Kunisch; assistant designer: Mavis Howard; lighting: Charlotte McClelland; original music: Peter Davies; stage manager: Stephen Haynes; production assistant: Olivia Foster; sponsorship & development: Peter Tunwell. This was an authorized production with Donleavy present opening night.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Paul McEwan

Melanie Carson

Paula Dillon

Peter Brooke

Dublin Theatre Company, July - Sept. 1999, New Theatre, Temple Bar, Dublin - (12 & a half-week run) Directed by Ronan Wilmot. Well-attended and received return of the play to Dublin where it was quickly stopped during its first Irish production at
The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin in 1959. Donleavy attended the opening and after-show reception.

CAST:

David Murray

Julie Hale

Mary McEvoy

Karl Hayden

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

Dublin Theatre Company, May - June, 2000, The Irish Arts Center, New York - Presented by Robert A. Mitchell, David P. Addington, Philip Donleavy (son of JPD) and The Irish Arts Center. Director: Ronan Wilmot; associate producers: Druids Restaurant, Rosie O'Grady Restaurant, Chris Noth & Sea Green Productions; design: Niall Walsh; costumes: Marie Tierney; lighting: Michael Doyle; sound: David Nolan; original music composed and performed by Tom Cullivan; production manager Dublin: Conor Mullen; producer New York: Pauline Turley; stage manager: Jenny Deady; program cover design: Benjamin Kirkendoll; assistant stage manager/understudy: Laura Flynn; press relations New York: David Rothenberg press relations Ireland: Carmel White.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

David Murray

Julie Hale

Mary McEvoy

Karl Hayden

Dublin Theatre Company, August, 2000, Centaur Theatre, Montreal - The Dublin Theatre Company was scheduled to tour Canada, playing in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax. The only confirmed cities are Montreal and Toronto. Details of the tour are being researched. Ronan Wilmot directed the entire tour. I'm assuming the cast remained the same as well.

CAST:

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe

David Murray

Julie Hale

Fiana Toibin

Karl Hayden

Dublin Theatre Company, September, 2000, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto - Part of the Canadian tour of the revival, presented in conjunction with the Irish Theatre Festival of Montreal. Directed, as throughout the tour, by Ronan Wilmot.

CAST:

David Murray

Julie Hale

Fiana Toibin

Karl Hayden

Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield

Marion Dangerfield

Miss Lilly Frost

Kenneth O'Keefe