“Give my regards …”: A Touch of the Poet on Broadway

A Touch of the Poet is the least frequently revived of O’Neill’s later plays, although four productions did make it to Broadway, in 1958, 1967, 1977, and 2005. The most intriguing of these is the Broadway debut and American premiere in 1958, notable both for the performances on stage and the controversy offstage, which received equal scrutiny. Historically, the machinations behind the scenes have overshadowed the actual production, but the lurid details of the backstage skirmishes should not eradicate the indisputable achievements of the premiere production of the play on Broadway.