Home / Quotes / Quote by Tony Kushner

Quote by Tony Kushner

“I'm not a poet. I wish I was a poet but I'm not. I'm a playwright. And so I have a different set of antecedents.”

Author

Tony Kushner is an American playwright known for his profound social and political commentary and complex character development. His works often explore historical, moral, and identity issues, reflecting the diversity and complexity of American society. His most famous works include 'Angels in America' and 'Homebody/Kabul.' Kushner has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to theater, including the Pulitzer Prize. more

“I love musicals but it's very, very different. It's really just a different form than serious drama, and has very different rules and a completely different set of characters and requirements and ambitions. It maybe shouldn't be as separate as it is, but it's got a different history. In terms of serious drama, I think you'd have to say that you could break it down essentially into the narrative realist tradition and experimental theater.”

Thinking Different Character Form Term Break Serious Drama Ambition Tradition Theater Narrative Requirements Realist I Love Music

Author:Tony Kushner

“There are two strains, I think, in American playwriting, of importance. One is traditional narrative realism, which is definitely my strain, and then the other great contribution is American musical theater, which is a whole other kettle of fish.”

Thinking Two Whole Importance Theater Musical Fishes Traditional Narrative Contribution Realism Strain Kettles Musical Theater Playwriting

Author:Tony Kushner

“I'm not an experimental artist. I have no talent for that. I need a certain kind of antecedent form to follow.”

Needs Kind Form Artist Certain Talent

Author:Tony Kushner

“I think that when you're writing plays, and I think it's also true with novels, it helps to have an ear for the music of language, for what we call poetry, for the sound effects and the way that the sound can produce sensual feeling at odds with or consonant with the content of the work. Your work is also gorgeous writing. It's very unfortunate when you open a novel that everybody's loving and it's just, you know, an excruciatingly bad sentence.”