Tony Kushner event

[FrontRow]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 2:48pm

THIS FRIDAY!

An Evening with Tony Kushner
Scheduled to perform are Kushner stalwarts including Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden ("Angels in America" on Broadway), Linda Emond ("Homebody/Kabul"), Jeffrey Wright ("Angels in America" on Broadway and HBO), Ben Shenkman ("Proof"), and Rita Wolf ("Homebody/Kabul").

Tony Kushner directs, and a cast featuring stars from several of his most highly acclaimed shows will read a series of short works by Kushner, including at least one scene from his play "Only We Who Guard The Mystery Shall Be Unhappy," a work-in-progress. In this politically-charged fantasy, First Lady Laura Bush, whose previous career as a schoolteacher is frequently noted, reads from "The Brothers Karamazov" to a silent group of dead Iraqi children.

Friday, April 2
Pace University
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts
Spruce Street (near the corner of Gold Street)
this is 1 block from City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. A private champagne reception with Tony Kushner and his special guests will follow at 9 p.m.
Tickets are $50 general admission, or $75 which includes the private champagne reception. Tickets can be reserved through SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or online at www.smarttix.com.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 4:44pm

I saw a recent reading at the American Repertory Theater of the scene from "We Who Guard The Mystery..." (back when Jose' was still Bulldog and said that Tony Kushner was the emperor with no clothes) and I have to say, it's certainly incendiary. There was a great panel discussion afterwards with the dramaturg of A.R.T. and a couple of supporters and good old Lee Habeeb from the Laura Ingraham Show. Habeeb was a show in himself, because he felt as if he was particularly brave showing up as a conservative commentator where, where, I don't know what. He expected to be punched by a bunch of sweater-wearing NPR listeners? He also wanted extra-credit because they "could have" called for a boycott of the reading on the Ingraham show but they didn't, because they don't believe in calling for boycotts. (Yes, yes, I know, extra credit for not doing something they don't believe in. It didn't make sense at the time, either).

Anyhoo, Habeeb is the kinda fella who says things like "With all due respect..." when he means the exact opposite. He was upset because he had read the scene (printed a long time ago in The Nation) and highlighted exactly which lines would get laughs, and THEY DID!

Well, anyway, I liked the scene, it certainly sees the first lady as a complex person and could one day be part of another fabulous play by the emperor with the fabulous outfits.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 5:39pm

i'll be at pace u two weeks after kushner, im going to ask everyone there if they saw him. what a genius. has anyone here seen homebody/kabul, i never have (i currently reside in obsoleteland) but judging from angels in america alone, his work is beyond anything i have ever read or seen in drama before.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 5:44pm

I saw it, it's engrossing. If Angels is a five star smash (with five being the highest), I would give Homebody/Kabul four stars with the full knowledge that most good playwrights only have three star plays in them.

Did you ever see a production of Slavs!?

[PennyLou]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 5:52pm

Tony Kushner is also going to be at my school Kean University on Thursday, April 1, at 8 p.m.

Kean is in Union, NJ not to far form the Holland Tunnel it's exit 140 off the park way for those who are interested.


Pulitzer Prize-Winner Tony Kushner to visit Kean University

UNION, N.J. – Kean University is proud to present An Evening with Tony Kushner on Thursday, April 1, at 8 p.m. in Wilkins Theatre, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J. The Pulitzer Prize- winning playwright is best known for his play, Angels in America, which Newsweek called “the broadest, deepest, most searching American play of our time.” It recently reached millions of viewers as an HBO miniseries that won two Screen Actors Guild Awards® and six Golden Globe Awards, including Best Mini-Series Made for Television.

In addition to discussing Angels, Kushner will read from a work in progress and talk about his more recent works, including the English libretto for Brundibar – a revival of a Czech opera performed in the 1940s by children of Theresienstadt, a Nazi concentration camp. He will also express his thoughts on moral responsibility in politically oppressive times; Jews in America; and the contentious debates over the Middle East. Leonard Lopate, host of WNYC public radio’s popular midday talk show, will preside.

Kushner will be available after the program to sign price-reduced copies of his books: Angels in America; Brundibar (with Maurice Sendak); The Art of Maurice Sendak; Wrestling with Zion: Progressive Jewish-American Responses to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; and Save Your Democratic Citizen Soul!: Rants, Screeds and Other Public Utterances for Midnight in the Republic.

This event wraps up the Sixth Annual Jewish Studies Lecture/Artist Series, which is co-sponsored by the Kean University Jewish Studies Program and the Unity Club. Kushner’s visit is also supported by Kean University’s Contemporary Writers Series and the Council for Part-Time Students. Tickets are $15 for the general public. Students, faculty and staff with valid Kean University identification may receive one free ticket per person. Call the Wilkins Theatre Box Office at 908-737-SHOW (7469) to reserve a ticket or request more information.


This is pretty cool nothing good ever happens at Kean and as a Theater Major there it's very exciting fot us.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 5:58pm

I understand Jose''s hiring a limo to get there!

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 3/30/04 at 7:01pm

im turning green, pennylou

[beacon1]

Posted: 3/31/04 at 4:06pm

If anyone goes to either of these puh-leeeze tell us about it. I'm especially interested in his comments on "Angels in America"!

Enying all of you who live in the NYC area! (Amherst/Buffalo doesn't get cool stuff like this.)