The comedy-drama focuses on the conflict between a complacent Roman Catholic pastor and an idealistic young deacon who is assigned to his affluent, suburban parish.
Father Tim Farley is highly popular with his parishioners due to his charm, wit, easy-going manner, and entertaining (but unchallenging) sermons.
Directed by Geraldine Fitzgerald and starring Milo O'Shea as Tim Farley and Eric Roberts as Mark Dolson, it opened at the Off-Broadway Stage 73 on April 22, 1980, and ran for 104 performances.
"[1] The Broadway production, again directed by Fitzgerald and starring O'Shea as Tim Farley but with Michael O'Keefe as Mark Dolson, opened at the Booth Theatre on November 12, 1981, after 16 previews.
The play premiered in the United Kingdom at the Lyric Hammersmith in London in 1982 with Gordon Jackson as Tim Farley and Rupert Everett as Mark Dolson.
In 1982 the play was performed at Sydney's Seymour Centre Theatre, and starred real-life father and son actors Michael and Christopher Pate.