Playwright shares his meaning of life
Pulitzer Prize-winning playright Tony Kushner spoke at the Writer's House yesterday, noting the risks that come with writing about political issues.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
February 13, 2001
Tony Kushner, a gay Jewish socialist activist raised in Louisiana, does a mean impersonation of a British housewife -- minus the British accent. Last night over 75 students, faculty and community members crowded into Kelly Writers House for a chance to hear Kushner, a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, read from his work, and to take part in an interactive question and answer session.
"Life is one big graduate seminar and you're required to raise your hand and speak out or fail," Kushner said.
Writers House Faculty Director Al Filreis heralded Kushner, most famous for his play Angels in America, as a " very eminent playwright." Filreis, an English professor, currently teaches the Writers House Fellows undergraduate seminar that is studying Kushner's work this semester.
Because of the large audience, half the crowd had to watch Kushner's presentation on a TV monitor from an adjoining room.
"I think I come across as more femmy on videotape than in person," Kushner told the gathering. "So for you on the other side of the wall, I'm actually more butch.">
While Kushner's jokes elicited frequent laughs, the overall tone of the discussion was serious, as Kushner stressed the importance of using art to work towards social change.
"Art is not merely contemplation," Kushner said. "It is also action and all action changes the world at least a little."
Kushner also talked about the risks he took, in order to write about political issues. At times, his work required him to imagine himself as an Afghan woman or an African-American man.
Kushner also discussed political issues, offering his leftist opinions on topics such as gay rights, the Bush administration and abortion.
Filreis said that while Kushner could have filled Irvine Auditorium, Franklin Field or Veterans Stadium, coordinators of the Writer's House Fellows Program chose the Writers House for Kushner's presentation -- which allowed the audience to interact with Kushner on an intimate level.
Writers House Fellows Coordinator and College senior Leigh Esposito, said that Kushner's politically confrontational work reaches all parts of the political spectrum.
"Me, I come from a family that votes Republican every time... sometimes he pisses me off, but then I wonder if it's not because he's challenging my most unrehearsed beliefs," Esposito said.
Some of Kushner's political comments hit close to home for Penn students, as he criticized universities for looking too much like trade and professional schools.
Overall, though, students reacted positively to Kushner's presentation.
"I liked his style," College freshman Hillary Cohn said.
Brennar Thomas, a College senior and student in the Fellows seminar, was also impressed by Kushner.
"He's been so incredibly generous with that knowledge. He really wants to reach out to people and say 'this is what you can do with talent and brains,'" Thomas said.
Esposito called Kushner's message a wake-up call for today's society.
"Societally speaking, our asses are all getting fat sitting in front of the collective national TV watching 'Survivor' and eating fat-free food that makes us obese," Esposito said. "And I think what Kushner is trying to say is that we could be missing our chance to do something."