GENE & GILDA

by Cary Gitter

Full-Length Play
90 min, No Intermission | 1M, 1W | Flexible Set

When legendary actor Gene Wilder sits for his first interview after the passing of his wife, comic icon Gilda Radner, he's visited by her effervescent spirit - who hasn’t yet said all she needs to say.

Together, they recount the story of their unforgettable Hollywood romance, from love and laughter to heartbreak and loss.

LICENSE GENE & GILDA

About GENE & GILDA

The brilliant comic actor Gene Wilder is giving his first live interview since the death of his wife, comedy pioneer Gilda Radner. But when pressed, he's reluctant to talk about her. Not yet—it's too soon. That is, until Gilda appears out of nowhere and pushes him to share their story.

In a series of flashbacks spanning the better part of the 1980s, Gene and Gilda relive their remarkable relationship, which began as a whirlwind on-set romance and grew into a passionate, complicated love. We see all that went on behind the scenes—hilarious banter, bitter fights, career ups and downs, marriage, creative collaboration, an attempt to start a family—before Gilda's tragic illness changed everything.

Ultimately, Gene seeks closure through the telling of the tale, even as his and Gilda's legendary connection lives on.

Development and Production History

Cary Gitter is the author of the plays The Steel Man, Gene & Gilda, and The Sabbath Girl (published by Dramatists Play Service), among others. He has also cocreated the musicals The Sabbath Girl and How My Grandparents Fell in Love. His work has been produced off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters, and at regional theaters including George Street Playhouse, New Jersey Repertory Company, Penguin Rep Theatre, and Tipping Point Theatre. Cary is a three-time O’Neill Center National Playwrights Conference semifinalist and a two-time Jewish Plays Project finalist. His debut novel, Cammy Sitting Shiva, was published by Alcove Press in 2025. He holds a BFA in dramatic writing and an MA in English and American literature from NYU. 

Instagram: @carygitter Website: www.carygitter.com