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The Eugene O'Neill Festival is an annual event held each September that brings the works of America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright to life in the historic setting of his home at the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site. Each year, the festival features performances of O'Neill's plays, often complemented by related workshops, discussions, and other cultural events.
2026 Festival: Two Plays at Tao House!
September 12th-13th/17th-20th (Tours of Tao House are not offered on performance days.)
Thie year, the Festival will feature two different plays in the Old Barn Theater. Opening weekend (September 12-13) will be the US premiere of Teddy, a powerful and heart-wrenching story of family ties, home, and secrets. Written by Irish playwright Sheila Forsey.
September 17-20th will feature Eugene O'Neill's play, Ah, Wilderness, a comedy of recollection set over the Fourth of July weekend in 1906. Unlike typical O'Neill plays, this one does not address dark themes but rather is a wishful reimagining of what O'Neill's childhood could have been like.
While the festival plays are hosted at the park, all ticketing details are managed by the Eugene O'Neill Foundation. To purchase tickets, visitors should consult the Eugene O'Neill Foundation's website. This ensures that attendees have the most up-to-date information for planning their visit to the festival.
2025 Festival: The Hairy Ape
Robert “Yank” Smith is the master of all he surveys until an encounter with a mysterious woman in white turns his world upside down. The experience sends him on a quest to find her and ultimately find where he belongs. Eugene O’Neill’s 1922 theatrical fantasy will be brought to life by a dynamic ensemble of six actors in a highly imaginative production of this O’Neill classic.
2024 performance of O'Neill's "Mourning Becomes Electra"
The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House
Founded in 1974 with the primary goal of preserving Eugene O’Neill’s former residence in Danville, California. This historic site, known as Tao House, is where O’Neill wrote some of his most significant works, including Long Day’s Journey Into Night and The Iceman Cometh. The Foundation’s mission extends beyond preservation; it aims to promote O’Neill's legacy as America’s first great playwright by offering a range of educational, artistic, and research programs. These initiatives include annual events like the Eugene O’Neill Festival, artist residencies, student workshops, and scholarly research opportunities, all designed to engage the public with O’Neill’s contributions to American theater and culture.
