Visit to a Small Planet was originally written as a television script; its success in this medium convinced Vidal that it could be reworked for the stage. The play premiered on Broadway in 1957 to critical and commercial success. Brooks Atkinson, writing for the New York Times, wrote that, "as a writer of comedy, Gore Vidal is foolish and funny." Atkinson called the play "uproarious." He also noted the fact that, although Vidal had to make his television script longer for the stage, "the padding does not show," for Vidal "makes us look ridiculous in a low comedy carnival that has its own insane logic and never runs out of ideas." Atkinson concluded his review by remarking that Visit to a Small Planet is "a topsy-turvy lark that has a lot of humorous vitality. The tone is low; the entertainment highly enjoyable."

After its New York success...