He is known for many acclaimed works, including:
Plays:
* Master Class (1995) - A fictionalized account of opera singer Maria Callas giving a master class.
* Love! Valour! Compassion! (1995) - A play about a group of gay men dealing with love, loss, and AIDS.
* Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (1987) - A romantic drama about two lonely people who connect.
* The Lisbon Traviata (1999) - A play about a group of friends in New York City who are obsessed with a popular but outlandish opera singer.
* Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) - A play about two men imprisoned together in a South American prison, one a revolutionary and the other a flamboyant homosexual.
* A Perfect Ganesh (2001) - A play about a group of friends in New York City who are dealing with the aftermath of 9/11.
Screenplays:
* Andre's Mother (1990) - A film about a young gay man coming to terms with his sexuality.
* Lipstick (1976) - A film about a group of women who are dealing with the challenges of being women in the 1970s.
* The Ritz (1976) - A film adaptation of his own play.
Opera Librettos:
* Ragtime (1997) - An opera based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow.
* Dead Man Walking (2000) - An opera based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean.
McNally was a prolific writer and received numerous awards for his work, including four Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. His plays are known for their wit, intelligence, and humanity.