LaGravenese wrote The Fisher King on spec in the late 1980s.
In New York City during the early 1980s, billed as "The Double R" comedy duo, in collaboration with playwright Richard O'Donnell, LaGravenese co-penned and consecutively performed in several Off-Off-Broadway productions including Spare Parts, Blood-brothers" at The 78th Street Theatre Lab, The Lion Theatre, and West Bank Cafe.