Kushner was born in Manhattan, the son of Sylvia (née Deutscher), a bassoonist, and William David Kushner, a clarinetist and conductor.[2][3] His family is Jewish, descended from immigrants from Russia and Poland.[4][5][6][7][8] Shortly after his birth, Kushner's parents moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, the seat of Calcasieu Parish where he spent his childhood. During high school Kushner was active in policy debate. In 1974, Kushner moved back to New York to begin his undergraduate college education at Columbia University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Medieval studies in 1978.[9] He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, graduating in 1984. During graduate school, he spent the summers of 1978–1981 directing both early original works (Masque of the Owls and Incidents and Occurrences During the Travels of the Tailor Max) and plays by Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest) starring the children attending the Governor's Program for Gifted Children (GPGC) in Lake Charles.
In a 2015 interview actress/producer Viola Davis revealed she had hired Kushner to write an as yet untitled biopic about the life of Barbara Jordan that she planned to star in.[17]
In 2016, Kushner worked on a screenplay version of August Wilson's play Fences; the resulting film Fences, directed by Denzel Washington, was released in December 2016.
Kushner is famous for frequent revisions and years-long gestations of his plays. Both Angels in America: Perestroika and Homebody/Kabul were significantly revised even after they were first published. Kushner has admitted that the original script version of Angels in America: Perestroika is nearly double the length of the theatrical version.[18] His newest completed work, the play The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, began as a novel more than a decade before it finally opened on May 15, 2009.
In 2018, it was announced that Kushner was working on a script of a remake of West Side Story for Spielberg to direct.[19]West Side Story was released in December 2021 to positive reviews and received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.[20][21]
In 2022, Kushner collaborated again with Spielberg on The Fabelmans, a fictionalized account of Spielberg's childhood. The film premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim and won the festival's People's Choice Award.[22]The Fabelmans received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
In 2023, with his Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for Caroline, or Change, Kushner became one of the few writers in history nominated for all four major American entertainment awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.
Political viewsedit
Kushner's six-word memoir was "At least I never voted Republican."[23][24] His criticism of the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians and the increased religious extremism in Israeli politics and culture has created some controversy with American Jews,[25] including some opposition to his receiving an honorary doctorate at the 2006 commencement of Brandeis University. During the controversy, quotes critical of Zionism and Israel made by Kushner were circulated. Kushner said at the time that his quotes were "grossly mischaracterized". Kushner told the Jewish Advocate in an interview, "All that anybody seems to be reading is a couple of right-wing Web sites taking things deliberately out of context and excluding anything that would complicate the picture by making me seem like a reasonable person, which I basically think I am."[26]
In an interview with the Jewish Independent, Kushner commented, "I want the state of Israel to continue to exist. I've always said that. I've never said anything else. My positions have been lied about and misrepresented in so many ways. People claim that I'm for a one-state solution, which is not true." He later stated that he hopes that "there might be a merging of the two countries because [they're] geographically kind of ridiculous looking on a map", although he acknowledged that political realities make this unlikely in the near future.[27] Kushner has received backlash from family members due to his political views of Israel.[28]
On May 2, 2011, the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY),[29] at their monthly public meeting, voted to remove (by tabling to avoid debate) Kushner's name from the list of people invited to receive honorary degrees, based on a statement by trustee Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld about Kushner's purported statements and beliefs about Zionism and Israel.[30][31] In response, the CUNY Graduate Center Advocate began a live blog on the "Kushner Crisis" situation, including news coverage and statements of support from faculty and academics.[32] Three days later, CUNY issued a public statement that the Board is independent.[33]
On May 6, three previous honorees stated they intended to return their degrees: Barbara Ehrenreich, Michael Cunningham, and Ellen Schrecker.[11] Wiesenfeld said that if Kushner would renounce his anti-Israel statements in front of the Board, he would be willing to vote for him.[34] The same day, the Board moved to reverse its decision.[35] Kushner accepted the honorary doctorate at the June 3 graduation for the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.[36]
Kushner and his partner, Mark Harris, held a commitment ceremony in April 2003,[38] the first same-sex commitment ceremony to be featured in the Vows column of The New York Times.[39] In summer 2008, Kushner and Harris were legally married at the town hall in Provincetown, Massachusetts.[40]
Harris is an editor of Entertainment Weekly and author of Pictures at a Revolution – Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood, Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War, and Mike Nichols: A Life.
He is close friends with theatre director Michael Mayer, whom he met while studying at NYU.[41]
List of worksedit
Playsedit
"Incidents and Occurrences During the Travels of the Tailor Max" Lake Charles, Louisiana, Governor's Program For Gifted Children, 1980.
The Age of Assassins, New York, Newfoundland Theatre, 1982.
La Fin de la Baleine: An Opera for the Apocalypse, New York, Ohio Theatre, 1983.
The Heavenly Theatre, produced at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, 1984.
The Umbrella Oracle, Martha's Vineyard, The Yard, Inc..
Last Gasp at the Cataract, Martha's Vineyard, The Yard, Inc., 1984.
Yes, Yes, No, No: The Solace-of-Solstice, Apogee/Perigee, Bestial/Celestial Holiday Show, produced in St. Louis, Imaginary Theatre Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, 1985, published in Plays in Process, 1987.
Reverse Transcription: Six Playwrights Bury a Seventh, A Ten-Minute Play That's Nearly Twenty Minutes Long, Louisville, Humana Festival of New American Plays, Actors Theatre of Louisville, March 1996.
A Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds (adapted from Joachim Neugroschel's translation of the original Yiddish play by S. Ansky; produced in New York City at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, 1997), Theatre Communications Group, 1997.
The Good Person of Szechuan (adapted from the original play by Bertolt Brecht), Arcade, 1997.
(With Eric Bogosian and others) Love's Fire: Seven New Plays Inspired by Seven Shakespearean Sonnets, Morrow, 1998.
Terminating, or Lass Meine Schmerzen Nicht Verloren Sein, or Ambivalence, in Love's Fire, Minneapolis, Guthrie Theater Lab, January 7, 1998; New York: Joseph Papp Public Theater, June 19, 1998.
A Meditation from Angels in America (1994) Harper, San Francisco, ISBN 0-06-251224-2
Thinking about the Longstanding Problems of Virtue and Happiness: Essays, a Play, Two Poems, and a Prayer (1995) Theatre Communications Group, New York, NY ISBN 1-55936-100-X
David B. Feinberg (1995) Queer and Loathing: Rants and Raves of a Raging AIDS Clone, introduction by Kushner, Penguin, New York. ISBN 0-14-024080-2
David Wojnarowicz (1996) The Waterfront Journals, edited by Amy Scholder, introduction by Kushner, Grove, New York. ISBN 0-8021-3504-8
"Three Screeds from Key West: For Larry Kramer", (1997) in We Must Love One Another or Die: The Life and Legacies of Larry Kramer, edited by Lawrence D. Mass, St. Martin's Press, New York, pp. 191–199. ISBN 0-312-22084-7
Moises Kaufman (1997) Gross Indecency, afterword by Kushner, Vintage, New York, pp. 135–143. ISBN 0-8222-1649-3
Plays by Tony Kushner (New York: Broadway Play Publishing, 1999), ISBN 0-88145-102-9. Includes:
A Bright Room called Day (First published 1994)
The Illusion, freely adapted from Pierre Corneille's L'Illusion comique
Death & Taxes: Hydrotaphia, and Other Plays, (1998) Theatre Communications Group (New York, NY), ISBN 1-55936-156-5. Includes:
Reverse transcription
Hydriotaphia: or the Death of Dr. Browne, (adaptation of Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, a fictitious, imaginary account of Sir Thomas Browne's character not based upon fact)
La Fin de la Baleine: An Opera for the Apocalypse, (opera) – 1983
St. Cecilia or The Power of Music, (opera libretto based on Heinrich von Kleist's eighteenth-century story Die heilige Cäcilie oder Die Gewalt der Musik, Eine Legende)
Brundibar, (an opera in collaboration with Maurice Sendak)
Directoredit
Helen, written by Ellen McLaughlin, produced at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, 2002.[44]
Interviewsedit
Gerard Raymond, "Q & A With Tony Kushner," Theatre Week (December 20–26, 1993): 14–20.
Mark Marvel, "A Conversation with Tony Kushner," Interview, 24 (February 1994): 84.
David Savran, "Tony Kushner," in Speaking on Stage: Interviews with Contemporary American Playwrights, edited by Philip C. Kolin and Colby H. Kullman (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1996), pp. 291–313.
Robert Vorlicky, ed., Tony Kushner in Conversation (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1998).
Victor Wishna, "Tony Kushner," in In Their Company: Portraits of American Playwrights, Photographs by Ken Collins, Interviews by Victor Wishna (New York: Umbrage Editions, 2006).
Jesse Tisch, "The Perfectionist: An Interview with Tony Kushner," Secular Culture & Ideas Archived September 24, 2020, at the Wayback Machine 2009.
Christopher Carbone, Q & A With Tony Kushner, L Style G Style, (May/June 2011): [2]
Michał Hernes, "Kushner: Polityczna dusza Amerykanów została okaleczona" in Polityczna dusza Amerykanów została okaleczona, May 17, 2012.
^Yin, Maryann (May 14, 2011). "Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner To Adapt Team of Rivals". Mediabistro. Archived from the original on April 17, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
^SYME, RACHEL (August 25, 2015). "Viola Davis, on Finding Creative Space in TV With No Limitations". The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
^Lucas, Craig. "Tony Kushner" Archived May 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, "BOMB Magazine", Spring, 1993. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
^Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 19, 2018). "Steven Spielberg Eyes Indiana Jones & 'West Side Story' Atop Next Directing Vehicles". Deadline. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
^"West Side Story - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. December 10, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
^Cohn, Gabe (February 8, 2022). "Oscars 2022 Nominee List: 'Power of the Dog' and 'Dune' Lead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
^Rubin, Rebecca (September 18, 2022). "Steven Spielberg's 'The Fabelmans' Wins Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Award". Variety. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
^Smith, Larry; Fershleiser, Rachel (2010). It All Changed in an Instant: More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. Harper Collins. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-06-196348-3.
^"Can You Tell Your Life Story In Exactly Six Words?". NPR. February 3, 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
^David Zax and Ted Merwin, (2007), The Playwright's Politics Moment Magazine
^Shayndi Raice. "Brandeis graduation honoree draws fire." The Jewish Advocate. May 4, 2006.
^Cynthia Ramsey (August 24, 2007). "Tony Kushner as film subject". Jewish Independent. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007.
^David Zax and Ted Merwin (2007), The Playwright's Politics Moment Magazine
^The Board of Trustees Archived September 29, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, UNY
^Podcast: Board of Trustees Public Hearing, May 2, 2011 (1:04:00-1:14:00), CUNY, May 2, 2011
^Transcript of CUNY Trustee's Speech on Kushner Award, The New York Times, May 6, 2011
^Kushner Crisis (blog) Archived May 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, CUNY GC Advocate
^Statement on Honorary Degrees at the City University of New York Archived June 22, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, CUNY, May 5, 2011
^Shamir, Shlomo; Mozgovaya, Natasha (May 6, 2011). "CUNY trustee: Kushner must renounce anti-Israel statements to get honorary degree". Haaretz. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
^Hu, Winnie (May 6, 2011). "After Reversal, Honor Is Likely for Kushner". The New York Times.
^"Dramatist Alludes to Dispute as He Accepts CUNY Honor". The New York Times. June 3, 2011.
^"A Statement From Jewish Americans Opposing AIPAC". The Nation. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
^Lois Smith Brady (May 4, 2003). "Weddings/Celebrations: Vows; Mark Harris and Tony Kushner". The New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
^McCarter, Jeremy (May 28, 2009). "Tony Kushner's Day: The playwright at the heart of America's cultural moment". Newsweek. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
^Stockwell, Anne (October 8, 2012). "Love Stories: Tony Kushner and Mark Harris". Advocate. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
^"SECOND FLOOR OF SARdi's: A Drink with Michael Mayer". August 24, 2010.
^Jonathan Kalb (August 6, 2006). "Still Fearsome, Mother Courage Gets a Makeover". The New York Times. p. 2.4. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
^"Tiny Kushner: An Evening of Short Plays". Guthrie Theater. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
^[1] Brantley, Ben. The Face Again, Still Gorgeous But a Bit Weary. New York Times. April 9, 2002.
^Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship Archived July 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, official website.
^"Saint Louis Literary Award – Saint Louis University". Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
Anderson, Virginia (2022) "Tony Kushner" in Noriega and Schildcrout (eds.) 50 Key Figures in Queer US Theatre, pp. 118–122. Routledge. ISBN 978-1032067964.
Contemporary Literary Criticism, Gale (Detroit), Volume 81, 1994.
Bloom, Harold, ed., Tony Kushner, New York, Chelsea House, 2005.
Brask, Anne, ed., "Ride on the Moon", Chicago, Randomhouse, 1990.
Brask, Per K., ed., Essays on Kushner's Angels, Winnipeg, Blizzard Publishing, 1995.
Dickinson, Peter (January 1, 2005). "Travels with Tony Kushner and David Beckham, 2002–2004". Theatre Journal. 57 (3): 429–450. doi:10.1353/tj.2005.0096. JSTOR 25069672. S2CID 154406689.
Fisher, James. The Theater of Tony Kushner: Living Past Hope. Second edition. New York: Routledge, 2020.
Fisher, James, ed., Tony Kushner. New Essays on the Art and Politics of His Plays, London, McFarland & Company, 2006.
Geis, Deborah R., and Steven F. Kruger, Approaching the Millennium: Essays on Angels in America, University of Michigan Press, 1997.
Klüßendorf, Ricarda, "The Great Work Begins". Tony Kushner's Theater for Change in America, Trier, WVT, 2007.
Lioi, Anthony, "The Great Work Begins: Theater as Theurgy in Angels in America", in CrossCurrents, Fall 2004, Vol. 54, No 3
Solty, Ingar, "Tony Kushners amerikanischer Engel der Geschichte", in Das Argument 265, 2/2006, pp. 209–24 [3]
Wolfe, Graham, "Tony Kushner's The Illusion and Comedy's 'Traversal of the Fantasy'." Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism 26.1 (2011): 45–64. * [4]
External linksedit
Media related to Tony Kushner at Wikimedia Commons