Philadelphia, Here I Come! AUTHOR Brian Friel Setting Set in Ballybeg. Time, the present (1964). Synopsis Fed up with the dreary round of life in Ballybeg, with his uncommunicative father and his humiliating job at his father's grocery shop, with his frustrated love for Kathy Doogan who married a richer, more successful young man and with the total absence of prospect and opportunity in his life at home, Gareth O'Donnell has accepted his aunt's invitation to come to Philadelphia. On the eve of his departure, despite the fantasies Gar entertains of life in America, all it take to stop him leaving would be one word of affection from his father or Kathy, or a word of genuine understanding from his friends. PLAY TYPE Plays General Number of Acts Full-Length Cast Size Male 11 Cast Size Female 3 Date of First Production 28 September 1964 Production Produced by Edwards-Mac Liammoir Gate Theatre Productions In association with Dublin Theatre Festival Production Notes Produced in association with Oscar Lewinstein Ltd. ORIGINAL VENUE Gaiety Theatre Original Cast Senator Doogan Cecil Barror Gar Public Patrick Bedford Joe Emmet Bergin Gar Private Donal Donnelly Kate Doogan Máire Hastings Lizzy Sweeney Ruby Head Con Sweeney Tom Irwin S.B. O'Donnell Eamon Kelly Ben Burton Michael Mara Canon Mick O'Byrne Alex McDonald Ned Eamon Morrissey Tom Brendan O'Sullivan Madge Maureen O'Sullivan Master Boyle Dominic Roche Production Team Director Hilton Edwards Settings by Alpho O'Reilly Lighting Designer Hilton Edwards Stage Director Ruth O'Mara CLICK HERE for information on script availability, production rights and translations for this play The information for this entry was taken from the original Production Programme. Printer friendly version