The original cast included Roger Rees as Alfie Byrne, Jarlath Conroy as Father Kenny, Jessica Molaskey as Mrs. Patrick, Sean McCourt as Sully O'Hara, Luther Creek as Peter/Breton Beret, Faith Prince as Lily Byrne, Sally Murphy as Adele, Ronn Carroll as Baldy, Charles Keating as Carney/Oscar Wilde, and Steven Pasquale as Robbie Fay.

[2] In April 2013, A production of the show was played at the Salisbury Playhouse for three months, with cast members including Mark Meadows, Fra Fee and Laura Pitt-Pulford.

The Classic Stage Company produced the first New York City revival of the musical in October 2022 - directed by John Doyle in his last show as artistic director of the CSC, and starring Jim Parsons as Alfie Byrne.

As he reflects on events, the actors in the troupe become, in effect, a Greek chorus and take him through a typical day of "A Man of No Importance", in the form of a play in which he is not the director but the star.

As the "play" unfolds, the people in Alfie's life appear: his sister Lily, a handsome bus driver Robbie Fay, and newcomer Adele Rice.

Alfie "performs" by speaking Wilde's words to Adele, impressing the bus passengers (who are members of the acting group).

Lily has delayed marriage with her boyfriend Mr. Carney to take care of Alfie until he marries, and is happy for him ("Burden of Life").

At the pub, Alfie goes through several traditions for newcomers, including ordering a pint and singing a song in front of Robbie's pals ("Love's Never Lost").

After a rehearsal of 'Salome', Lily invites Adele for Sunday dinner, saying that Alfie is hesitant to speak for himself ("Burden of Life" – Reprise).

One and a half weeks before the opening night, the troupe is rehearsing and going through some interesting ideas on how to address the problems of props, costumes, lighting, promotion, and choreography ("Art").

Alfie is called to an emergency Sodality meeting organized by Mr. Carney, where the play 'Salome' is deemed blasphemous ("A Man of No Importance (Reprise)/Confusing Times"); Monsignor cancels it and orders that the St. Imelda's Players be ended.

Going home to his room, Alfie is visited by a multitude of visions of the townfolk, Robbie, and Oscar Wilde, who tell him how to dress and how to express his hidden self ("Man in the Mirror").

Convinced that "the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it" and newly dressed in clothes that indicate his sexuality, Alfie goes to the pub and propositions Breton Beret.

A ray of sunlight enters the dimly lit room as Robbie walks in, and he explains that he's here to play the part of John the Baptist and that he was forcefully placed in another station by the supervisor.