Cary Gitter

Cary Gitter

Cary Gitter is the playwright-in-residence at Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York. His plays include "The Steel Man" (Penguin Rep); "Gene & Gilda" (George Street Playhouse, Penguin Rep); "The Virtuous Life of Joseph Andrews" (Penguin Rep), adapted from the Henry Fielding novel; and "The Sabbath Girl" (off-Broadway, 59E59 Theaters; Penguin Rep; Invisible...
Cary Gitter is the playwright-in-residence at Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York. His plays include "The Steel Man" (Penguin Rep); "Gene & Gilda" (George Street Playhouse, Penguin Rep); "The Virtuous Life of Joseph Andrews" (Penguin Rep), adapted from the Henry Fielding novel; and "The Sabbath Girl" (off-Broadway, 59E59 Theaters; Penguin Rep; Invisible Theatre; Theatre Ariel; published by Stage Rights). His musicals include "The Sabbath Girl" (59E59, Penguin Rep) and "How My Grandparents Fell in Love" (New Jersey Repertory Company), both written with composer/co-lyricist Neil Berg.

His play "How My Grandparents Fell in Love" was a New York Times Critic's Pick as part of the Ensemble Studio Theatre's (EST's) 36th Marathon of One-Act Plays. It was later recorded for the acclaimed podcast "Playing on Air," as was his one-act "The Army Dance." He has received commissions from the EST/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project, Penguin Rep, and West of 10th. He is an alumnus of EST's Obie Award-winning Youngblood playwrights' group.

His full-length plays have been developed by the Berkshire Playwrights Lab, the Chameleon Theatre Circle, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, EST, the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, the Jewish Plays Project, the Levine Jewish Community Center, NJ Rep, NYU, Seven Angels Theatre, West of 10th, and Wordsmyth Theater Company. He is a three-time O'Neill semifinalist and a two-time Jewish Playwriting Contest finalist, and he has received NYU's John Golden Playwriting Prize and honorable mentions for the New England Theatre Conference's Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting Award and the Kennedy Center's Rosa Parks Playwriting Award.

His short plays have been presented by the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, the Big Funk Company (Paris, France), the Boston Center for the Arts, Caps Lock Theatre, Columbia University's Center for Palestine Studies, EST, the Flea Theater, the inspiraTO Festival, the JCC Manhattan, JIB Productions, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Mile Square Theatre, the Misfits Theatre Company, NJ Rep, NYU, Open Fist Theatre Company, Roustabout Theatre Troupe, the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival (two-time finalist), T. Schreiber Theatre, the Tank, Theatre Handmade (London, UK), Theatre Nova, Tipping Point Theatre, and others.

His dramatic work has been published in anthologies from Applause Books and Smith & Kraus. His fiction has appeared in Baphash Literary & Arts Quarterly, JewishFiction.net, the Jewish Literary Journal, and Newtown Literary. He has been an artist-in-residence at the James Stevenson Lost and Found Lab and at Tofte Lake Center, and he has participated in Theater Reconstruction Ensemble's chemis|TRE workshop. He was also a finalist for the Arts Council of Rockland’s Literary Artist Award. He holds a BFA in dramatic writing and an MA in English and American literature from NYU.

Plays

  • Gene & Gilda by Cary Gitter
    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: biography, comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner + 8 more
    Genre: biography, comedy, drama, period, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, entertainers, comedians, bio drama, biography, Hollywood, film, television, cancer
    Beloved entertainers Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner come to vivid life in this hilarious and heartfelt play. Follow the famous couple from their first meeting through their personal and professional ups and downs, all the way to their poignant farewell. An intimate portrait of two comic legends in love—and the lives they led beyond the laughter.
  • The Virtuous Life of Joseph Andrews by Cary Gitter
    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: adaptation, comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: comedy, music + 8 more
    Genre: adaptation, comedy, musical, period
    Keyword: comedy, music, Musical comedy, 18th century, period, England, Farce, romp, adaptation, Henry Fielding
    Book & Lyrics by Cary Gitter
    Music by Max Silverman
    Conceived & Directed by Joe Brancato

    Misadventures abound for handsome, naive Joseph Andrews—made a servant at age 10, tutored by the clueless Parson Adams, pursued by the lecherous Lady Booby, tempted by the wily chambermaid Betty, but in love with the forbidden Fanny. Inspired by Henry Fielding’s classic novel, "The...
    Book & Lyrics by Cary Gitter
    Music by Max Silverman
    Conceived & Directed by Joe Brancato

    Misadventures abound for handsome, naive Joseph Andrews—made a servant at age 10, tutored by the clueless Parson Adams, pursued by the lecherous Lady Booby, tempted by the wily chambermaid Betty, but in love with the forbidden Fanny. Inspired by Henry Fielding’s classic novel, "The Virtuous Life of Joseph Andrews" is a rollicking musical-comedic romp through 18th-century England.
  • The Sabbath Girl by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
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    Keyword: New York, Jewish + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: New York, Jewish, Jewish-American, judaism, Orthodox Judaism, Sabbath, Italian American, Interfaith, Art and Artists
    Angie Mastrantoni has a lot going for her. A job at a hip Chelsea art gallery. A new one-bedroom on the Upper West Side. And, despite her concerned Nonna’s wishes, not much time or hope for relationships. But then her neighbor Seth knocks on her door. He’s a 32-year-old, divorced Orthodox Jew with a knish store on the Lower East Side. And he needs some help turning on his AC. He needs a "Shabbos goy,...
    Angie Mastrantoni has a lot going for her. A job at a hip Chelsea art gallery. A new one-bedroom on the Upper West Side. And, despite her concerned Nonna’s wishes, not much time or hope for relationships. But then her neighbor Seth knocks on her door. He’s a 32-year-old, divorced Orthodox Jew with a knish store on the Lower East Side. And he needs some help turning on his AC. He needs a "Shabbos goy," a non-Jew to help him with little tasks forbidden to Jews on the Sabbath. Could it be love? THE SHABBOS GOY is a contemporary romantic comedy with an old-fashioned heart—about the loneliness of big-city life, the surprise of encountering another culture, and the possibility of finding love next door.
  • Reunion by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    8
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    Genre: comedy, drama
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    Keyword: reunion, high school + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: reunion, high school, romance, New Jersey, death, success, failure, friendship, friends
    It’s the 10th reunion of the River Hill High Class of ’08, and everyone’s gathering at the old American Legion Hall in the tiny town of River Hill, NJ. How’re people doing? Well, Sarah’s already divorced. Adam’s a failure. Melissa’s a TV star. Pete’s dead. And Katie’s just really excited to be hosting. Will former crushes fall in love? Will friendships stand the test of time? Will life start to make any sense?...
    It’s the 10th reunion of the River Hill High Class of ’08, and everyone’s gathering at the old American Legion Hall in the tiny town of River Hill, NJ. How’re people doing? Well, Sarah’s already divorced. Adam’s a failure. Melissa’s a TV star. Pete’s dead. And Katie’s just really excited to be hosting. Will former crushes fall in love? Will friendships stand the test of time? Will life start to make any sense? REUNION is an ensemble comedy-drama about a group of classmates getting together to figure out how far they’ve come since high school—and how far they still have to go.
  • Social Studies by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: drama, political
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    Keyword: Politics, education + 8 more
    Genre: drama, political
    Keyword: Politics, education, History, teachers, civil rights, gay rights, Roe v. Wade, climate change, democracy, Michigan
    Who gets to decide what our children learn? It’s the fall of 2018, and the Michigan Board of Education has released new social studies standards for the state’s public schools. But many topics are mysteriously missing from them: civil rights, gay rights, Roe v. Wade, climate change, and even the word “democratic.” When high school history teacher Sarah Miller catches wind of this, she embarks on a quest to find...
    Who gets to decide what our children learn? It’s the fall of 2018, and the Michigan Board of Education has released new social studies standards for the state’s public schools. But many topics are mysteriously missing from them: civil rights, gay rights, Roe v. Wade, climate change, and even the word “democratic.” When high school history teacher Sarah Miller catches wind of this, she embarks on a quest to find out what happened—and she uncovers an effort by local conservatives to undermine the curriculum. Based on true events, SOCIAL STUDIES is a timely, urgent play about education and politics in a divided America.
  • The Holiest Place in the World by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: drama, political
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    Keyword: Israel, Palestine + 6 more
    Genre: drama, political
    Keyword: Israel, Palestine, Jewish, Arab, science, archaeology, women in science, Middle East
    It’s spring 2018, and tensions in Israel are high. President Trump has recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and is moving the U.S. Embassy there—to the dismay of the Palestinians, who see Jerusalem as their city too. Enter Hanna Levy, an ambitious young archaeologist who works for the Israeli government. Hanna is asked to come up with an ancient artifact that will prove the Jewish claim to Jerusalem once...
    It’s spring 2018, and tensions in Israel are high. President Trump has recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and is moving the U.S. Embassy there—to the dismay of the Palestinians, who see Jerusalem as their city too. Enter Hanna Levy, an ambitious young archaeologist who works for the Israeli government. Hanna is asked to come up with an ancient artifact that will prove the Jewish claim to Jerusalem once and for all. But Hanna is deeply left-wing, and her boyfriend, Sayed, is a Palestinian writer and activist. Torn between science, politics, and her personal life, what will she do? THE HOLIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD is a timely play about archaeology, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the effect of the ancient past on the fraught present.
  • Old Fucking Friends by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: friends, friendship + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: friends, friendship, reunion, men and women, 30-somethings, New Jersey
    Cam, Joe, and Nick are old friends. Best buds. Now they’re 30, and Nick’s getting married. So they’re back in the New Jersey basement where they (mis)spent their teen years for a final night of drinking, drugs, and remembering old times. But when Kate and Marissa, two women from their past, show up, a wild boys’ night turns into something more dangerous and painful. OLD FUCKING FRIENDS is a provocative dark...
    Cam, Joe, and Nick are old friends. Best buds. Now they’re 30, and Nick’s getting married. So they’re back in the New Jersey basement where they (mis)spent their teen years for a final night of drinking, drugs, and remembering old times. But when Kate and Marissa, two women from their past, show up, a wild boys’ night turns into something more dangerous and painful. OLD FUCKING FRIENDS is a provocative dark comedy about male friendship, male frailty, and the reckoning between men and women happening today.
  • After Dad by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: death, grief + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: death, grief, Jewish, judaism, New Jersey, filipino, Korean
    What do you do when your dad suddenly dies? If you're Jewish, you go home for shiva—seven days of ritual mourning. So Cammy's back from New York City and living in Jersey for a week. And her mom, her childhood BFF, her high school crush, and the rabbi are all there waiting for her. Not to mention the sexy Jersey Bro invading her dreams. Will she make it out alive? AFTER DAD is a raw, raunchy comedy...
    What do you do when your dad suddenly dies? If you're Jewish, you go home for shiva—seven days of ritual mourning. So Cammy's back from New York City and living in Jersey for a week. And her mom, her childhood BFF, her high school crush, and the rabbi are all there waiting for her. Not to mention the sexy Jersey Bro invading her dreams. Will she make it out alive? AFTER DAD is a raw, raunchy comedy about grief, coming home, and figuring out how to live your life after you lose the person you loved most.
  • Menorah by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: Jewish, judaism + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, political
    Keyword: Jewish, judaism, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, New Jersey, christianity, Korean, hanukkah, christmas
    The world’s in turmoil, Israel's at war with Palestine—and in tiny River Hill, New Jersey, super-Jewish Georgia is just trying to get a big Hanukkah menorah placed next to the town Christmas tree. But with her angry son in love with a Palestinian-American girl, and a seductive Christian mayor in office, Georgia has no idea all hell's about to break loose. MENORAH is a dark comedy about a clash of...
    The world’s in turmoil, Israel's at war with Palestine—and in tiny River Hill, New Jersey, super-Jewish Georgia is just trying to get a big Hanukkah menorah placed next to the town Christmas tree. But with her angry son in love with a Palestinian-American girl, and a seductive Christian mayor in office, Georgia has no idea all hell's about to break loose. MENORAH is a dark comedy about a clash of faiths and identities in a small American town.
  • Youth Group by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, drama
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    Keyword: teenagers, high school + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: teenagers, high school, New Jersey, coming of age, illness, mental illness
    A Sunday night in January. A snowstorm has hit New Jersey. But the River Hill Youth Group, a forum for teenage "real talk," is still meeting at the local Presbyterian church. And only four high schoolers have shown up tonight: intense, romantic Cameron, who’s here to pursue Kate, the girl of his dreams; his shaggy, pot-smoking best friend, Joey; bubbly Broadway wannabe Marissa; and Kate herself, a...
    A Sunday night in January. A snowstorm has hit New Jersey. But the River Hill Youth Group, a forum for teenage "real talk," is still meeting at the local Presbyterian church. And only four high schoolers have shown up tonight: intense, romantic Cameron, who’s here to pursue Kate, the girl of his dreams; his shaggy, pot-smoking best friend, Joey; bubbly Broadway wannabe Marissa; and Kate herself, a smart, serious girl grappling with a family crisis. Together with Ed, their well-meaning but troubled adult advisor, they spend the evening clashing, oversharing, consoling each other—and growing up. YOUTH GROUP is a bittersweet comedy about four misfit teens and one oddball adult who gather on a snowy night to form an accidental community.
  • The Smelly Girl by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: teenagers, high school + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, young audiences
    Keyword: teenagers, high school, peer pressure, bullying, coming of age
    It's the start of freshman year for Will: the time when high school reputations get made. And there's an unconventional new girl named Sara in town, with thrift-store clothes, artistic talent, and a love of '60s music. But when Will befriends her, his popular pals Derek and Mackenzie aren't too happy—especially once Sara gets pegged as “the smelly girl.” Can Will stand by his outcast new...
    It's the start of freshman year for Will: the time when high school reputations get made. And there's an unconventional new girl named Sara in town, with thrift-store clothes, artistic talent, and a love of '60s music. But when Will befriends her, his popular pals Derek and Mackenzie aren't too happy—especially once Sara gets pegged as “the smelly girl.” Can Will stand by his outcast new friend, or will he ditch her for the mainstream social life he craves? THE SMELLY GIRL is about growing up, making choices, and figuring out the kind of person you want to be.
  • How My Grandparents Fell in Love by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 8
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, drama + 3 more
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    Keyword: Jewish, judaism + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, period, political, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Jewish, judaism, Polish, Poland, Yiddish, 1930s, immigration, Anti-Semitism, Holocaust, marriage
    In 1933, Charlie, a Polish Jew who has immigrated to America, returns to the Old Country in search of a wife—and then he meets Chava in a hat shop.
  • Big Date by Cary Gitter
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: female friendship, immigration + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, political
    Keyword: female friendship, immigration, Donald Trump, inauguration, Mexican, Mexican American, Jewish, Jewish-American, college
    It’s January 19, 2017: the night before Trump’s inauguration. Best friends Zoe and Ana are college freshmen getting ready to go out on a big double date. Zoe is super excited—but Ana is the Mexican-American daughter of undocumented immigrants, and she has other things on her mind.