BIOGRAPHY

GARY MARLON GERE
Playwright / Actor

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Gary Marlon Gere is a New York City–based actor and playwright whose work is grounded in classical training, firsthand experience, and a sustained commitment to serious American theater. Originally from Chicago, Gere spent his teenage years studying drama in New York City under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof, before earning a full drama scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin, consistently ranked among the nation’s leading university drama programs. He later returned to New York to study full-time with acclaimed acting teacher William Esper.

During his early years in New York, Gere lived and trained alongside actor Clark Middleton, later known for his work on stage and television. While studying at Esper Studio, Gere further developed his craft through an internship at Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST), then under the direction of Curt Dempster. During this period, he was asked to assist Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote after Foote experienced health challenges, helping him in his home, including reorganizing his apartment to make it easier for him to continue writing—an experience that shaped Gere’s understanding of discipline, humility, and devotion to craft.

Gere’s early professional work included Off-Broadway productions such as Fool for Love and Oedipus Rex, as well as appearances in television. Seeking greater creative autonomy, he wrote and starred in Taxicab Chronicles, an Off-Off-Broadway play at TriBeca Lab which later moved to an Off-Broadway production at New York Performance Works — in which he portrayed five New York City cab drivers. The production received strong critical response, including praise from The New York Times, with critic Anita Gates writing:

“Mr. Gere is a talented guy. Mr. Gere, who wrote this two-act, five-sketch drama, plays all five of the drivers, and he’s impressively versatile.”

The production featured performances alongside actress Laura Bell Bundy. The original poster artwork for the Off-Broadway run was created by acclaimed American artist LeRoy Neiman, a close friend and mentor, who gifted a striking original artwork for the production.

Following Taxicab Chronicles, Gere began working with the William Morris Agency. His career trajectory was abruptly altered by the September 11 attacks. In the days following, Gere joined the bucket brigade and became part of the Ground Zero recovery effort, working alongside FDNY firefighters in search and recovery operations for seven months.

In recognition of his work at the World Trade Center site and his sustained solidarity with the Fire Department, Gere was formally honored by the Fire Department of the City of New York. In 2004, at a special ceremony held at FDNY MetroTech Headquarters, he was awarded the rare appointment of FDNY Honorary Battalion Chief.

In the years following his work at Ground Zero, Gere stepped away from the stage for an extended period due to health challenges related to his time at the World Trade Center site. That period marked a profound personal reckoning and ultimately redirected his creative focus toward writing, laying the groundwork for RECOVERY. On New Year’s Day 2005, the initial story arc for RECOVERY was conceived. A first table reading was held in Manhattan in 2009 with notable actors Jay O. Sanders and Louis Zorich, followed by continued development.

From 2017-2020, he studied improv full-time at Upright Citizens Brigade, resharpening his timing and skills for a possible future run with RECOVERY. In 2024, renowned composer Julien Bilodeau read RECOVERY and joined the project, composing an original opening score for the play. On January 12, 2026, Gere assembled a developmental table reading of RECOVERY at New Victory Studios on 42nd Street in New York City.

RECOVERY is currently seeking to attach a director, secure committed backers, and find a home for its first full production.

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