The Moon Is Blue premiered at The Playhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on February 16, 1951 for tryout performances in preparation for the New York stage.
Given the audience response to the work, the same production team mounted a concurrent national tour starring Maggie McNamara as Patty O'Neill, Murray Hamilton as Donald Gresham, Leon Ames as David Slater, and Wallace Rooney as Michael O'Neill which began in Detroit on April 20, 1951.
[5] Prior to going on tour, the cast performed scenes from the play on the television program Showtime, U.S.A.[6] McNamara later replaced Barbara Bel Geddes as Patty in the Broadway production in 1952.
[12] In July 1952 the La Jolla Playhouse staged the play with Diana Lynn, Scott Brady, David Niven, and Jack Shea.
[13] An eight week tour of the play throughout Texas starring John Ireland and Joanne Dru occurred in the summer of 1953.