Production History
Fifth of July debuted in New York City at the Circle Repertory Company on April 27, 1978, directed by Marshall W. Mason and starring William Hurt, Jeff Daniels, Amy Wright, Danton Stone and Jonathan Hogan, who also composed the incidental music. It ran for 168 performances.
The play made its Broadway debut at the New Apollo Theatre on November 5, 1980, again directed by Mason with Daniels reprising the role of Jed, Christopher Reeve as Ken and Swoosie Kurtz as Gwen. Replacement actors for the role of Ken included Richard Thomas, Michael O'Keefe, Timothy Bottoms, and his brother Joseph Bottoms. Laraine Newman replaced Kurtz as Gwen. Kathy Bates was also a replacement in the role of June.
A television film was made of the play in 1982, directed by Mason and Kirk Browning, starring Daniels, Kurtz, Hogan, Stone, Cynthia Nixon, Joyce Reehling, Helen Stenborg, and Richard Thomas as Ken, the role in which he succeeded Reeve on Broadway.
A recent revival, starring Robert Sean Leonard as Ken and Parker Posey as Gwen, was part of the Signature Theater Company's 2002-2003 season-long tribute to Lanford Wilson.
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