REVIEWS
“A thoroughly engaging vestpocket musical … Plentiful and pleasing musical numbers … Lovely lyrics … As Oscar Hammerstein II taught protege Stephen Sondheim, the essence of effective musical theater writing is simplicity, and these lyricists seem to have learned that lesson. Their clean, rhyming wordplay neatly fulfills another golden rule of musical theater — songs must propel, not impede, the narrative … Mr. Gitter’s book accents the budding romance between Angie and Seth with cultural touchstones.”
— Broadway World review of THE SABBATH GIRL: A NEW MUSICAL at Penguin Rep Theatre, May 2024
“‘Gene & Gilda,’ playwright Cary Gitter’s 75-minute charmer of a play now getting its world premiere at the equally charming Penguin Rep playhouse in Stony Point, has an awful lot going for it. Or, to misquote Roseanne Roseannadanna, who loved to say “if it’s not one thing, it’s another,” it’s got one thing, and another, and another, and another. It has likable subjects — Gene Wilder and Gilder Radner — and Gitter weaves together the story of their opposites-attract love affair (Gilda calls their relationship “a match made in mishegas”) in a whipsmart script rendered in two fine performances.”
— peter@thetheater review of GENE & GILDA at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2023
“I also enjoyed Cary Gitter’s How My Grandparents Fell in Love with all its quirky old-school budding romance, Elizabeth Connick and Robbie O’Neill successfully answering the question ‘does anyone still wear a hat …’”
— There Ought to Be Clowns review of HOW MY GRANDPARENTS FELL IN LOVE in Theatre Handmade’s “Shorts” (London, UK), May 2023
“The audience is held in thrall throughout this production, a rollicking tour de force of a farce … The team [of playwright/lyricist Cary Gitter and composer Max Silverman] has crafted a constantly clever, sophisticated, yet simple, collection of ‘songs and ditties’ (to use their word choice) that would not at all be out of place Off Broadway. Their pithy confections not only add a diverting layer of entertainment to what otherwise would be a straight comedy, but they nimbly advance the plot. Gitter's quick-witted mastery of language and supple way with rhymes serves well the narrative and the theater experience … Gitter, who wrote the lyrics first, has given his musical teammate a lot to work with … One suspects the patron saint of modern musical theater, Stephen Sondheim, would approve … [Gitter] is a font of audience-pleasing double entendres … The headlong pace that keeps each energized beat on point and the clarity of what each character wants both testify to Gitter's disciplined and savvy playwriting skills.”
— Broadway World review of THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF JOSEPH ANDREWS at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2022
“[Four out of five stars] … If you’re looking for a lighthearted romp through Georgian era England, this is your show … The music in this show amounts to a generous peppering of short, comical ditties; the one called ‘It’s Never Too Late’ is my favorite (‘It’s never too late/To consummate/And pollinate/And penetrate’).”
— Opplaud review of THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF JOSEPH ANDREWS at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2022
“It is refreshing to see the young writer Cary Gitter unabashedly dive into a genre as rare onstage as it is popular onscreen … [Jeremy] Rishe stands out with his endearing portrayal of a nebbishy romantic. It helps that Gitter is most comfortable writing that character, endowing Seth with a sweetness that falls just short of precious, whether he’s teaching Angie the proper way to eat a knish (‘you put the mustard inside and close it up’) or standing up to his sister as he questions their religion’s demands. Rachel tells her brother that he has ‘adorably flustered charm’ — which may be a pattern for Gitter heroes, as the male protagonist of his earlier one-act ‘How My Grandparents Fell in Love’ was said to be ‘admittedly charming, in a sort of bumbling way.’”
— The New York Times review of THE SABBATH GIRL at 59E59 Theaters, February 2020
“The playwright crafts a story that is not only timeless and modern but relatable. ‘The Sabbath Girl’ has two more Theatre Ariel shows this weekend … you shouldn’t miss them.”
— The Jewish Exponent review of THE SABBATH GIRL at Theatre Ariel, December 2021
“Can two people from completely different worlds find common ground? This is the underlying idea of Cary Gitter’s touching romantic comedy ‘The Sabbath Girl’ … Playwright Gitter has brought a sweet, old-fashioned sensibility to this tale about finding the right person to share your life … A heartfelt tale about trying to find that person you are meant to be with, ‘The Sabbath Girl’ perfectly delivers its message on every level.”
— The Epoch Times review of THE SABBATH GIRL at 59E59 Theaters, February 2020
“The New York City premiere of The Sabbath Girl is now delighting audiences at 59E59 Theaters. This modern romantic comedy is written by Cary Gitter, directed by Joe Brancato, and features a marvelous cast of five. The play is a fine portrayal of how people can bridge their cultural differences. This story is just right for our times. It is sure to sell out, so get your tickets and enjoy … The Sabbath Girl is a universally appealing play.”
— Broadway World review of THE SABBATH GIRL at 59E59 Theaters, February 2020
“An endearing, gentle, romantic, charming and heartwarming modern love story … With Jews, Italians, New York and Jersey in the mix, it will garner a wider audience … and is well worth 85 minutes from your busy schedules to open up to the possibilities that exist when you take off your sunglasses.”
— Front Row Center review of THE SABBATH GIRL at 59E59 Theaters, February 2020
“Cary Gitter has done something wonderful. He has taken a concept that you think you know inside out, and makes it fresh. On the surface his new play ‘The Sabbath Girl’ sounds like an old-fashioned story that you've heard before — and it is. But a well-told tale can defy expectations and preconceptions, and that is exactly what Gitter has constructed: a well-told tale; in fact, a VERY well-told tale. And you don't need to know the difference between a schlemiel and a schlimazel to appreciate it.”
— Broadway World review of THE SABBATH GIRL at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2019
“Living in these disturbing times, in a country filled with division, it is heartwarming to let go and enjoy this delightful romantic comedy. Happily, there is renewed hope that love can truly bring together the most unlikely of people … It is an endearing story which delights us with insights into the details and rituals of Jewish life while also taking on a problem that is universal to every culture: How can one make one’s family happy while still being true to oneself and living the life you want to live? … The clever script delivers some provocative observations on cultural differences, misconceptions, family pressures, loneliness, single life, love, and romantic fantasies.”
— OnStage Blog review of THE SABBATH GIRL at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2019
“Gracing Penguin Rep’s stage this summer is the world premiere of The Sabbath Girl by Cary Gitter, an up-and-coming playwright with a sweet comic sensibility and a keen ear for organic dialogue … Mr. Gitter excels at romantic comedy writing … Uplifting and filled with warmth and humanity, Penguin Rep’s production of The Sabbath Girl is like savoring a delicious ‘sufganiyah’ (aka jelly doughnut) sprinkled with powdered sugar. And during difficult times, who doesn’t need a little sweetness and a gentle reminder that love can bridge divides and is always possible.”
— StageBuddy review of THE SABBATH GIRL at Penguin Rep Theatre, August 2019
“When the votes were tallied, Winitsky announced that The Shabbos Goy [by Cary Gitter] had been our audience favorite.”
— Classical Voice of North Carolina review of the 3rd Annual Charlotte Jewish Playwriting Contest, March 2019
“Possibly the most effective playlet of the evening, High School Intifada by Cary Gitter … makes the audience engage directly with this particular issue and works beautifully.”
— On Stage Los Angeles review of HIGH SCHOOL INTIFADA in Open Fist Theatre Company’s “What Matters Now?/!,” March 2019
“More highlights were … Cary Gitter’s High School Intifada … All eight of the shows are original in content and make for a refreshing theatre night.”
— The Hollywood Times review of HIGH SCHOOL INTIFADA in Open Fist Theatre Company’s “What Matters Now?/!,” March 2019
“Plays such as … Cary Gitter’s Talk Dirty to Me are filled with just enough raunchy and over-the-top humor to keep audience members laughing out loud from beginning to end.”
— OnStage Blog review of TALK DIRTY TO ME in Rule of 7x7: All-Stars Edition at the Tank, November 2018
"Mr. Gitter’s 'How My Grandparents Fell in Love' is a gorgeous high note to end on: a Jewish screwball romance set in Poland in 1933."
— The New York Times Critic's Pick review of HOW MY GRANDPARENTS FELL IN LOVE in EST's 36th Marathon of One-Act Plays, May 2017
"The final one-act of the evening, How My Grandparents Fell in Love by Cary Gitter, was the perfect ending to a wonderful evening."
— Front Row Center review of HOW MY GRANDPARENTS FELL IN LOVE in EST's 36th Marathon of One-Act Plays, May 2017
"Perhaps the best of the evening, Cary Gitter's script (expertly directed by Colette Robert) struck the perfect balance between comedy and tragedy."
— Opplaud review of BIG DATE in Rule of 7x7: Holiday Edition at the Tank, December 2016
FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
“From Leonia to just off Broadway — so far,” The Jewish Standard, June 2024
“Rockland County theater set to debut new comedy inspired by classic novel by Henry Fielding,” CBS New York, August 2022
“Playwright Watches His Work Come to Life,” The Jewish Exponent, December 2021
Podcast reading and interview for Jewish Literary Journal, November 2020
Podcast interview for Positive Creativity Podcast, April 2020
“Finding connections across faiths in ‘The Sabbath Girl,” Hollywood Soapbox, February 2020
“A Knish Man Crosses Delancey,” The Jewish Week, February 2020
“How Two New Comedies Are Subtly Combating Anti-Semitism,” TDF Stages, February 2020
“‘The Sabbath Girl’,” The Jewish Standard, January 2020
“This romantic theater comedy is part love story, part culture clash,” The Charlotte Observer, October 2019
“At NJ Rep festival, Jersey writer's brief play speaks volumes,” New Jersey Jewish News, September 2017
Podcast interview for Broadway Bullet (with playwrights Maggie Diaz Bofill and Emily Chadick Weiss, 17:00-37:00), September 2017
Interview for West of 10th theater company, July 2017
Interview for "People You Should Know" on Visible Soul, June 2017
Interview for I Interview Playwrights, June 2017
Interview for "The Friday Six" on Broadway World, May 2017
Interview for StageBuddy, May 2017
Podcast interview for Baphash Literary & Arts Quarterly, December 2016
Interview for Newtown Literary, September 2016
PUBLICATIONS
Monologue from SUMMER BREAK
Published in The Best Women’s Monologues from New Plays, 2020 (Applause), April 2021
THE SABBATH GIRL (play)
Published by Stage Rights, November 2020
SUMMER BREAK (short play)
Published in The Best New Ten-Minute Plays, 2020 (Applause), October 2020
Monologue from THE SABBATH GIRL
Published in The Best Men’s Monologues from New Plays, 2019 (Applause), November 2019
Monologue from HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADAM SCHWARTZ
Published in The Best Men's Stage Monologues 2018 (Smith & Kraus), December 2018
HIGH SCHOOL INTIFADA (short play)
Available in Break the Wall Theatre Project curated online archive, November 2017
HOW MY GRANDPARENTS FELL IN LOVE (short play)
Published in 2017 Theatre Brut Festival Anthology (Smith & Kraus), September 2017
"LETTERS TO ISRAEL" (short story)
Published in Issue 18 of JewishFiction.net, September 2016
MOLLY FINN R.I.P. WE LOVE YOU (short play)
Published in Volume 1, Issue 1 of Baphash Literary & Arts Quarterly, September 2016
"THE STARDUST DANCE" (short story)
Published in Volume 1, Issue 1 of Baphash Literary & Arts Quarterly, September 2016
Published in Issue 8 of Newtown Literary, Spring/Summer 2016
"TEMPLE DUES" (short story)
Published in Issue 17 of the Jewish Literary Journal, November 2014
“Sweet Fix bring their '80s-inspired rock to Mercury on 10.03" (article)
Published in the Deli, September 2014
"BREAKING UP" (monologue)
Published in interJACtions: Monologues from the Heart of Human Nature, Volume III (JAC Publishing & Promotions), 2014