Robbie Gay is originally from Cullman, Alabama, population 14,984. He attended the University of Alabama where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. He graduated cum laude as a member of two honors programs and is President Emeritus of the Theatre Honors Fraternity Alpha Psi Omega.
He completed his training in Shakespeare Theatre Company's Academy for Classical Acting at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. His MFA was conferred in February 2015.
Robbie recently completed working on Othello for Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., under the direction of the Royal Shakespeare Company's Ron Daniels.
In 2015 he returned to the Folger Shakespeare stage in Julius Caesar, and played Macduff in A Tale Told by an Idiot at Lincoln Center with Psittacus Productions.
Before beginning graduate school, Robbie squeezed in regional productions of The 39 Steps for Farmers Alley Theatre in Kalamazoo, MI, and the crowd pleasing The Fox On The Fairway for Theatre Raleigh. The 39 Steps has since garnered Wilde Award nominations for Best Comedy and Best Ensemble
2012 accomplishments included playing Ensign Lovely in the overwhelmingly critically applauded The Gaming Table at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The show, directed by Eleanor Holdridge, put Robbie alongside a dynamite cast including Michael Milligan (Broadway, Jerusalem, August: Osage County, La Bete). Robbie rounded out the year in shows at Round House Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, & Adventure Theatre. He also managed to squeeze in an Assistant Fight Master role for the Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center.
Though now a resident of the Washington, D.C. theatrical community, Robbie has acted and directed across the continental United States.
2011 included a Sold Out/Standing Room Only run as Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps for Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy, an introduction to the DC area stage in Pride & Prejudice for Round House Theatre, and a turn as Ken in Neil Simon's Rumors that smashed Box Office records for Cape Fear Regional Theatre's 49th Season.
In 2010, he played Paul in Barefoot in the Park for Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy directed by Richard Roland (Broadway, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Follies, The Scarlet Pimpernel), and he also took a critically acclaimed turn as Smee in Peter Pan for Cape Fear Regional Theatre opposite Dirk Lumbard (Broadway, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Music Man, Barnum). Performances as Rodolpho in Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge and Vice Principal Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee were other highlights for the year.
Robbie is known for playing a wide variety of wildly different characters often in the same production. He took on all 7 roles in The Mystery of Irma Vep (alternating with each performance) for Jailbreak Theatre Company. He also played Tom, Phyllis, & Leslie in Sylvia for Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy (producer: Lauren Kennedy, Spamalot, Sunset Boulevard, Les Miserables) under the direction of Alan Campbell (Tony nomination, Sunset Boulevard).
Other regional performance credits include: Greater Tuna at The Palace Theatre in Myrtle Beach, SC; The Complete Works of William Shakespeare abridged for The California Theatre Center in Sunnyvale, CA (also a 2nd production with Sandbox Players in Southern Pines, NC, and a 3rd for Olney Theatre Center in Olney, MD); Hamlet for Temple Theatre in Sanford, NC; Larry Shue's The Nerd for The Old Creamery Theatre in Amana, IA; and Funny Money for The Schoolhouse Theater in Sanibel, FL.
Robbie spent two seasons with the California Theatre Center in Sunnyvale, CA, teaching, directing, writing, and performing theatre for young audiences. He performed as a resident company member in 13 shows including 9 West Coast tours and a Summer Repertory Season.
At the start of his career, Robbie spent 4+ seasons as a company member with The Lost Colony on Roanoke Island in North Carolina's Outer Banks. While there, he performed as Sir Walter Raleigh (a role shared with Andy Griffith) and Ananias Dare in The Lost Colony Symphonic Drama. Other performance credits there include: Oberon in Shakespeare and Love written and directed by Jane McCulloch (Artistic Director of The English Chamber Theatre and OperaUK), Jack in The Boys Next Door, and multiple roles in All In the Timing/Lives of the Saints directed by Steve Kazee (Tony Award, Once). He also had the privilege of working for two seasons under the direction of Terrence Mann (2 Tony Nominations, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast).
In addition to performing, Robbie also has a love for theatrical direction. Credits include:
Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Forever Plaid presents Plaid Tidings, Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo, BUDDY: The Buddy Holly Story, Cinderella (World Premiere with music by Ken Clifton), Tar Heel Territory (a tour-capable, multimedia, puppet experience for The Lost Colony's EducateNC program), The Jungle Book, Steel Magnolias, and Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Robbie's Directing Portfolio
He received the 2007 Producer's Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement in the Theatre from The Lost Colony for his production of the world premiere Cinderella. (Produced and staged in The Lost Colony's 1600 seat Waterside Theatre.)