Gary M. Gere
BBTF FESTIVAL
RECOVERY, by Gary Marlon Gere, has been selected for inclusion in the 2026 Broadway Bound Theatre Festival, July 20 — August 16 at AMT Theatre, Times Square New York. https://www.broadwayboundfest.com/. Performances will be August 13th, 2026 @ 2:00pm and 8:00pm, August 14th @ 2:00pm and August 15th @ 5:00pm.
RECOVERY will make its New York City debut the week of August 10th, with between 3 and 5 performances. So far, we have cast Denise Lute as "Violet Camp" — Johnny Cannizzaro as "FDNY Lt. Leo Camp" — Clara Bishop as "Brittani Camp" and Desiree Baxter as "Rev. Mitties McDonald." The role of Leo Camp is based on real-life FDNY Firefighter Ralph Geidel, who spent 9 months at Ground Zero searching for his brother, Firefighter Gary Geidel of FDNY Rescue-1. Nicknamed "The Crow" at the WTC site, Ralph recovered more remains than any firefighter in 9 months. Ralph passed away in 2014 of 9/11-related cancer.
The role of Reverend Mitties McDonald is based on the real-life Rev. Mitties DeChamplain — a Ground Zero morgue Chaplain — who worked with Trinity Church and St. Clement's Church in New York City. Rev. DeChamplain passed away in 2018 of an aneurysm. Mr. Gere was close friends with the Geidel family and with Rev. DeChamplain — summarily bringing their stories to the main stage after bearing witness to their work and sacrifices at Ground Zero. Mr. Gere is an Honorary Battalion Chief in the Fire Department of New York.
Gere, who wrote the role of Leo Camp for himself, will not appear in this first iteration due to festival rules prohibiting playwrights from appearing in their own productions.
Dennis Oliveira will direct RECOVERY and Alayna Klein has been selected for Scenic Design. Lighting Design by Levi Morici. Sound Design by Peter Papangelopoulos. Stage Management by Jamie Chen.
Acclaimed Quebec Composer Julien Bilodeau has created beautiful music for the play.
RECOVERY is set on one night — Christmas Eve, 2001 — at Ground Zero during the long dig for the missing. It deals with issues of guilt, redemption, faith and a relentless desire to push forward in the face of unimaginable loss.
Tickets for RECOVERY are available here: https://broadwayboundtheatrefestival.ludus.com/200532171
A Play About Guilt and Redemption in the aftermath of 9/11
Gary Marlon Gere
PLAYWRIGHT
Marlon is a New York City-based playwright who spent 7 months at the Ground Zero site after 9/11 - digging alongside the FNDY. He is pleased bring this unique story from inside Ground Zero to the New York Stage. RECOVERY is based on real individuals he worked alongside at the World Trade Center recovery operation following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
For his service at Ground Zero, he was appointed an Honorary Battalion Chief by the FDNY Commissioner in recognition of his work and solidarity with the fire department.
Marlon hopes the play will be a source of continued healing for those impacted by the events of September 11, as well as a tool for historical education for those too young to remember the attacks, or not yet born when they occured.
dennis oliveira
Director
Julien bilodeau
composer
Julien Bilodeau has composed beautiful music for RECOVERY. He is one of the leading composers of his generation. After winning two first prizes with great distinction at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, he went on to perfect his skills in France and Germany, where he worked with Pascal Dusapin, Fausto Romitelli and Karlheinz Stockhausen, among others.
In 2006, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him the Robert Flemming Prize for the most promising young composer. His works, which are very open and varied in style and aesthetic, have been performed around the world by leading ensembles including the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Itinéraire, New York’s Orchestra of the Americas, I Musici, Orchestre Métropolitain and Nouvel Ensemble Moderne.
In 2011, Maestro Kent Nagano commissioned “Qu’un cri élève nos chants”, a work given its world premiere by the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal on the occasion of the inaugural evening of the Maison Symphonique de Montréal.
His first opera, Another Brick In The Wall – L’opéra, meanwhile, was premiered in 2017 by Opéra de Montréal, directed by Dominic Champagne, and received Opus Awards in the “Event of the Year” and “Composer of the Year” categories.
alayna klein
scenic designer
Scenic Designer Alayna Klein brings amazing training, experience, creativity and energy to RECOVERY. She earned her MFA at the prestigious Northwestern University in Chicago and has worked on such projects as:
Set Design:
Leaving Eden, New York Musical Festival, Dir. Susanna Wolk
Winner Outstanding Overall Design
Associate Set Design:
Catch as Catch Can, Steppenwolf Theatre, Des. Andrew Boyce
The Monsters, MTC, Des. Andrew Boyce
Assistant Set Design:
The Lunchbox, Berkeley Rep, Des. Mimi Lien
Jamie chen
stage manager
Jamie Chen is a stage manager with experience in drama, musical theater, dance, and live events. Her recent credits include productions at Ars Nova, Theatre Row, HERE Arts Center, and The Center at West Park. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and an alum of The Juilliard School’s Professional Apprentice Program.
johnny cannizzaro
Actor
Johnny Cannizzaro is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician whose credits include Jersey Boys (directed by Clint Eastwood), as well as appearances in Matlock, Quantum Leap, Criminal Minds: Evolution, The Rookie, New Amsterdam, NCIS: Hawaiʻi, S.W.A.T., and Colony. He most recently portrayed Steven Van Zandt in the feature film Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.
michael bertolini
actor
Michael Bertolini brings “FDNY Chief William Henry” to life for the first time on a New York stage. He is a theatre, TV, and film actor based in New York. Michael is also a voice-over artist, singer, director & writer.
Michael has performed a wide variety of roles in New York City (City Center, Town Hall, La MaMa Theatre, etc.), on the road, and in many regional theaters, including the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He also toured as Edgar Allan Poe in a one-man show featured on PBS.
denise lute
actor
Actress Denise Lute portrays “Violet Camp” in this first production of RECOVERY. She has also performed in The Humans, national tour directed by Joe Mantello with Richard Thomas.
She has played six roles in the Law & Order franchise. Favorite among them Law & Order: SVU, role of Marion Penner.
Middle of the Night at the Keen Company, Theatre Row.
She has performed in numerous shows at the Actors Studio with legendary directors Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan and Arthur Penn, among many others.
desiree baxter
actor
Desirée Baxter is a New York City actress and has a diverse theatrical background, from her portrayal as Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard to the Countess in All’s Well — and as Hope in Be a Good Little Widow. From the classics to new works, she is always chasing great storytelling.ember. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged.
clara bishop
actor
Actress Clara Bishop is excited to portray “Brittani Camp” in RECOVERY. She has also played Adèle in Jane Eyre in Concert at The Lincoln Center and was in the children’s ensemble of Elf the Broadway Musical at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.
Clara also won Ellen’s Stardust Diner’s first-ever Kids’ Night on Broadway competition.