BILLY & RAY

BY MIKE BENCIVENGA
DIRECTED BY GARRY MARSHALL
with Drew Gehling, Vincent Kartheiser, Larry Pine, Sophie von Haselberg

BILLY & RAY, a whip-smart comedy charting the birth of the film noir genre, follows literary odd couple writer-director Billy Wilder (Vincent Kartheiser of “Mad Men”) and novelist Raymond Chandler (Broadway’s Larry Pine of CASA VALENTINA) as they contentiously collaborate to adapt Double Indemnity for the silver screen. Set in 1940s Hollywood, BILLY & RAY is the true story of how two brilliant and thorny artists battled the Hollywood censors and each other to create a groundbreaking movie classic. Directed by legendary director/writer/producer Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, Beaches).

“A smartly humorous, suspenseful production!”

-Jennifer Farrar, Associated Press


“A highly amusing, highly polished comedy!”

-David Finkle, Huffington Post


“The ever-reliable Larry Pine, lately of “Casa Valentina,” is very fine as Chandler. Vincent Kartheiser is energetic and likable.”

–Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal


“Endearing and funny!

Sophie Von Haselberg has inherited both the looks and the brilliant comic timing of her mother, Bette Midler. Meanwhile, Broadway musical star Drew Gehling proves that he doesn’t need to sing to shine as Wilder’s frustrated producer.”
– Brian Scott Lipton, Citi Tour


Artists

Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA

(Casting Director) Vineyard Theatre: GOOD GRIEF, THE AMATEURS, HARRY CLARKE, THE LYONS (and Broadway), GLORIA (and Goodman), DOT, THE LANDING, CAN YOU FORGIVE HER?, KID VICTORY (and Signature DC), TOO MUCH SUN, BILLY & RAY, SOMEWHERE FUN, THE NORTH POOL, ARLINGTON, OUTSIDE PEOPLE, CHECKERS, PICKED, MIDDLETOWN, THE METAL CHILDREN, WIG OUT!. Other theater: KPOP, SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS, NATASHA, PIERRE, & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812; THE WILDNESS (Ars Nova). Sundance Theatre Lab: 5 seasons. Television: US Casting for “Black Mirror,” Comedy Central’s “The Other Two” with Allison Estrin, HBO’s “Succession” and Amazon’s “Mozart in the Jungle” with Douglas Aibel. Film: Saturday Church, It Felt Like Love, Easy Living; with Douglas Aibel – Grandma, Love After Love, How to Talk to Girls at Parties; with Allison Estrin – Spider-Man: Homecoming (NY Casting). Also: “Homecoming The Podcast” S1-2.

Joseph Leo Bwarie

JOSEPH LEO BWARIE (Associate Director) has collaborated with Garry Marshall on Billy & Ray since its world premiere in California. Bwarie continues with the play’s New York premiere as associate director. He has a long-time association with Marshall’s Falcon Theatre as a director, playwright and member of the critically acclaimed Troubadour Theater Company. Bwarie is best known nationally for his record-breaking number of performances as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. He continues to portray the pop icon on Broadway.  A California native, Bwarie began his professional singing career at the age of 8 and as a solo recording artist, his records are heard alongside Dean Martin and Harry Connick, Jr. on XM Siriusly Sinatra. Josephleobwarie.com

 

Mallory Hewell

Mallory Hewell (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at The Vineyard with the Billy & Ray team! Previously at The Vineyard: The North Pool. Other New York Credits: RED-EYE to HAVRE de GRACE; Fetch Clay, Make Man; A Civil War Christmas; Red Dog Howls (NYTW); A Public Reading…Disney (Soho Rep.); Buddy’s Tavern, Songs for a New World (York Theatre); Breathing Time (Fault Line Theatre); Craig’s Wife (TRG Productions). Regional: Found the Musical (NYS&F); Love in the Wars (Bard SummerScapes). Very proud AEA member and Florida State University alum. All of the love to her friends and family.

Eric Insko

Eric Insko (Production Stage Manager) is honored to be a part of the Vineyard Theatre’s 2014-15 season. First National Tours: War Horse, Jersey Boys, Titanic, Hairspray, Disney’s Aida, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s On The Record, Chicago, The Secret Garden. Los Angeles: Wicked. Toronto: Billy Elliott, Jersey Boys, Phantom of the Opera. Broadway: Saturday Night Fever, Peter Pan.

Stephen Gabis

Vineyard Theatre: INDECENT (also Broadway) and more. Select Broadway/Off-Broadway: THE SEAFARER; HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD; HANGMEN; BRIGADOON (City Center Encores!); ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD; PRESENT LAUGHTER; THE PRICE; HOLD ON TO ME DARLING; HEISENBERG; OUTSIDE MULLINGAR; LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT; LOVE, LOVE, LOVE; INCOGNITO; SHINING CITY; BEAUTIFUL; THE WINSLOW BOY; THE BOOK OF MORMON (tours); ONCE; PUNK ROCK; DOUBT; THE 39 STEPS; INTIMATE APPAREL; THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE; ABIGAIL’S PARTY; JERSEY BOYS. Selected Film/TV: Spotlight, “Law and Order: SVU,” “Bull,” “The Americans,” “Prime Suspect,” “Boardwalk Empire,” Bernard and Doris, Across The Universe.

Russell H. Champa

(Lighting Design) Previously at the Vineyard: BILLY & RAY, PICKED, THE SLUGBEARERS OF KAYROL ISLAND. Current and recent projects: THE IMAGINARY INVALID (Fiasco/Old Globe), THE LIGHT YEARS (Playwrights Horizons), PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE (Old Globe), THE HARD PROBLEM (ACT), THRESH|HOLD (Pilobolus). Broadway: CHINA DOLL (Schoenfeld), IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY (Lyceum/LCT), Julia Sweeney’s GOD SAID “HA!” (Lyceum). New York: Lincoln Center, The Public, Second Stage, MTC, Atlantic, NYSAF. Regional: Steppenwolf, Arena, The Wilma, Long Wharf, Trinity Rep, Mark Taper Forum.

Charlie Corcoran

(Scenic Design) Off-Broadway: THE EMPEROR JONES (Hewes Design Award nomination), PORT AUTHORITY, THE WEIR, THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY, THE BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE, SIVE, PRISONER OF THE CROWN, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, THE FIELD, (Irish Rep), CRAVING FOR TRAVEL (Peter J. Sharp Theatre), SMASH (Juilliard), THE LAST SMOKER IN AMERICA (Westside Theatre), A PERFECT FUTURE (Cherry Lane), THE LATE CHRISTOPHER BEAN (TACT), SOPHISTRY, THE BLACK MONK, THE BULLY PULPIT (Beckett Theatre), EXITS AND ENTRANCES (Primary Stages). Regional: VANYA and SONIA and MASHA and SPIKE (The Goodman Theatre 2015), ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR (Two River Theatre 2015), THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (The McCarter Theatre), THE NIGHT WATCHER, WITHOUT WALLS (Center Theatre Group), FALLEN ANGELS (NJ Shakespeare Theatre). Opera: FIDELIO (Santa Fe Opera), THE BARTERED BRIDE, COSI FAN TUTTE (Co-Production Metropolitan Opera and Juilliard), DON GIOVANNI, (Juilliard) THE MAGIC FLUTE (Music Academy of the West). TV: “Believe,” “Madam Secretary.”

Garry Marshall

Garry Marshall (Director) is a veteran writer, director and producer of film, television, and theater. After graduating from Northwestern University’s Medil School of Journalism, he went on to create, write, and produce some of television’s most beloved situation comedies, including “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy,” and “The Odd Couple.” Marshall is passionate about live theater. His play, Shelves, was performed at the Pheasant Run Playhouse in St. Charles, Illinois, and The Roast, which he co-wrote with Jerry Belson, ran at the Winter Garden Theater in New York. In addition, he co-wrote Wrong Turn at Lungfish, with Lowell Ganz, which he then went on to direct in Los Angeles with Hector Elizondo, in Chicago and Off-Broadway with George C. Scott. At the request of Placido Domingo, he made his operatic directing debut at Los Angeles Opera in 2005, with his own adaptation of Offenbach’s The Grand Duchess, starring Frederica
von Stade. In 2007, he joined the San Antonio Opera to direct Elixir of Love, which received rave reviews. He has directed 17 movies. Among them are Pretty Woman, Beaches, Overboard, The Princess Diaries 1 & 2, Runaway Bride, Valentine’s Day, and New Year’s Eve. In 1997, Mr. Marshall built a theater in Burbank, California with his daughter, Kathleen, called the Falcon Theatre. Happy Days: A New Musical, written by Marshall with music and lyrics by Paul Williams, made its debut there and was co-produced by his sister Ronny Hallin who also produced the TV series.

Mike Bencivenga

Mike Bencivenga (Playwright) is very proud to be working with Garry Marshall, the cast, crew and everyone at the Vineyard Theatre. STAGE: During his career Mike has written, directed, produced and acted in one acts and full length plays (with MTC and the Lightning Strikes Theater Company) as well as improv comedy (as one of the Chainsaw Boys) and sketch comedy in New York, Chicago, Boston and LA. His full length plays include SINGLE BULLET THEORY, COUPLETS, BILLY & RAY, SUMMER ON FIRE and BAD HEARTS. In 2013 BILLY & RAY won the prestigious W. Keith Hedrick award for best play. FILM: Mike wrote and directed Losers in Love starring Nick Searcy and Happy Hour starring Anthony LaPaglia and Eric Stoltz. TV: Mike is an Emmy award winning editor/producer at WABC-TV in New York. He attended Adelphi University and NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Drew Gehling

Broadway: ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, JERSEY BOYS. Other: BILLY & RAY (Vineyard Theatre), A MINISTER’S WIFE (Lincoln Center Theatre), JERSEY BOYS (Chicago, San Francisco, and Las Vegas), JOHNNY BASEBALL (A.R.T.), ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (Off-Broadway, Award Winning Cast Album), MATA HARI, DEATHNOTE, THE FLAMINGO KID, MOBY DICK, HELLO DOLLY, MYTHS AND HYMNS, NIGHTINGALE. TV/Film: “30 Rock” and “Smash” (NBC), Mohammad Ali’s Greatest Fight (HBO), Blinders (Glamour Films), and some really baller video games. @drewgehling

Sophie von Haselberg

Sophie von Haselberg recently graduated with her MFA from the Yale School of Drama, where favorite credits included SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, VIEUX CARRE, Wendy in PETER PAN, and Olivia in TWELFTH NIGHT. BILLY & RAY marks her New York theater debut and other credits include THE CAT AND THE CANARY (Berkshire Theatre Group), OUR TOWN (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and THE FATAL EGGS (Yale Cabaret). This summer, Sophie worked with Woody Allen on his next feature. She is also a graduate of Yale College, where she studied Sociology with a concentration in East Asian Studies.

Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser recently wrapped AMC’s award-winning and critically-acclaimed television series “Mad Men.” His performance as a young advertising executive on the make has attracted the attention of critics and audiences alike, earning him two SAG awards. On the feature side, Vincent was the lead villain in the Andrew Niccol’s feature In Time opposite Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, and Cillian Murphy for New Regency, and Universal’s Alpha Dog. He also starred in the independent films Elektra Luxx opposite Carla Gugino, Timothy Olyphant and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Killing Zelda Sparks and Waining Moon.

Larry Pine

Broadway credits include: CASA VALENTINA, THE ROYAL FAMILY, THE SEAGULL, END OF THE WORLD, Roy Cohn in ANGELS IN AMERICA, BUS STOP. Off-Broadway credits include: AN UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY, TOP SECRET, BEAST, SECRET ORDER, THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, STUFF HAPPENS, ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE, SAVED OR DESTROYED, THE DESIGNATED MOURNER, THE CHEMISTRY OF CHANGE, MIZLANSKY/ZILINSKY, UNCLE VANYA, THE DISPUTATION, AUNT DAN AND LEMON, THE MANDRAKE, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TALK RADIO. Regional credits include KREUTZER SONATA (adaptation by Larry & Margaret Pine), CAROL MULRONEY, ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, WRONG MOUNTAIN, LIGHT UP THE SKY, HEARTBREAK HOUSE, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE, JOE EGG, HENRY V AND MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Film: MoonRise Kingdom, A.D. Project, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, OutSourced, TransBeMan, Sweet Flame, Vick Cristina Barcelona, Empire Falls, Door in the Floor, Particles of Truth, Maid in Manhattan, The Royal Tenenbaums, A Foreign Affair, The Shipping News, Woody Allen’s Melinda and Melinda, Small Time Crooks and Celebrity, Sunday (Sundance Grand Prize winner), Vanya on 42nd Street, Dead Man Walking, Addicted to Love, and Stranger in the Kingdom. Television: “Hostages”, “House of Cards”, “Homeland”, “The Good Wife”, “Person Of Interest”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”, “Law & Order”, “Gilmore Girls“, “Oz”, “100 Centre Street”, “A Will of Their Own”, (Movie of the Week), “New York Undercover”, “New York News”, “Prince Street”, “Feds”, “All My Children”, “One Life to Live” and much, much more.

Michael Krass

(Costume Design) Vineyard Theatre: THE LANDING, THE LYONS, MARY ROSE, BEAUTIFUL CHILD, EIGHT DAYS (BACKWARD), ANTIGONE IN NY, AMERICA DREAMING, HIT THE LIGHTS. Broadway: MACHINAL (Tony nomination); THE LYONS, AFTER MISS JULIE; THE CONSTANT WIFE (Tony nomination); TWELVE ANGRY MEN; YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN; RECKLESS, THE REHEARSAL (Drama Desk nomination), HEDDA GABLER, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE; many more. Off-Broadway: world premieres by Edward Albee, John Guare, Nicky Silver, Kenny Lonergan, David Rabe, Christopher Durang, Alfred Uhry, Theresa Rebeck, Elaine May, Keith Bunin. Downtown NY: built for collapse, THE SERPENT (Daniel Kramer), HADESTOWN (Rachel Chavkin), etc. Dance: BalletTech. Regional: The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The McCarter, Old Globe, La Jolla, ten summers at The Hangar, twelve summers at Williamstown. Film: Campbell Scott’s HAMLET. Opera: PELLEAS AND MELISANDE in St. Petersburg, Russia. Teaching: eighteen years at NYU undergrad, now the grad school at Brown.