Photo byThomas Brunot
Marianna Gailus is an actor based in New York City. She received an M.F.A. from the Juilliard School Drama Division as a proud member of Group 51. Prior to Juilliard, she earned a B.A. in History from Yale University, where she studied the intersections between American public history, cultural collective memory, and methodologies of storytelling.
NEWS + UPCOMING
Photo by Jeff Lorch
“Sally, a once-celebrated novelist grappling with writer's block and overshadowed by her husband Theo’s rising literary fame, seeks solace and inspiration in the iconic Boston apartment once inhabited by Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. But when eerie encounters begin to blur the line between inspiration and madness, Sally is forced to question what’s real, what’s imagined, and what her art may truly cost her. A darkly funny, gripping world premiere from rising playwright Beth Hyland, this tragicomic thriller explores creativity, obsession, and our ghosts that refuse to be ignored.”
Marianna is playing Sylvia Plath, alongside Midori Francis as Sally, Noah Keyishian as Theo, and Cillian O’Sullivan as Ted Hughes. This world premiere play is running at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles until March 8th. For tickets and more information, click here: https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/shows/sylvia-sylvia-sylvia/
Marianna played Hedda in Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of HEDDA GABLER, directed by James Bundy, which ran Nov 28 - Dec 20 2025.
She also recently performed the one-person play VANYA as Andrew Scott’s understudy during its NYC run off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (adapted from Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya by Simon Stephens, directed by Sam Yates). VANYA played its final performance on May 11th, 2025.
https://playbill.com/article/marianna-gailus-will-be-andrew-scotts-understudy-in-vanya-off-broadway
Here’s an interview with Dan Rubins at Theater Mania about that experience: https://www.theatermania.com/news/interview-how-marianna-gailus-became-the-one-woman-understudy-for-andrew-scotts-one-man-vanya_1777185/