Keith Bunin (born c. 1971)[1] is an American dramatist and screenwriter. His plays include The Credeaux Canvas,[2] The World Over,[3] and The Busy World is Hushed,[4] all of which have been produced by Playwrights Horizons.

Life and career

Bunin was born in Poughkeepsie, New York.[5] The son of "a half-Jewish father [and] a Catholic mother," he was first "raised in the Episcopal Church,"[6] then attended Oakwood Friends School, a Quaker prep school.[7] He ascribes his religious viewpoints, as manifested in works such as The Busy World is Hushed, to this "polyglot religious" upbringing.[5][6] He moved to New York to attend film school at NYU,[1] then graduated from Goddard College and received a master's degree from Columbia University.[8]

In his 2002 review of The Credeaux Canvas, Alvin Klein of The New York Times called Bunin "a brainy young playwright with the mighty mission of combatting mindlessness" and said his "works reveal a boundless sense of wonder".[2]

Bunin's play The Coast Starlight premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 2019 and was subsequently staged by Lincoln Center in 2023.[9] The 2023 Lortel Awards recognized Mia Barron as "Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play" for her performance as Liz in the New York production.[10]

Bunin wrote the "Oliver" episodes for season 2 of the HBO series In Treatment, as well as the screenplay for the 2013 film Horns, based on the novel by Joe Hill.[11] In 2012 it was reported that Philip Seymour Hoffman had agreed to direct Bunin's screenplay, Ezekiel Moss, which had been included on the 2011 "Black List" of most promising unproduced screenplays.[12]

Bunin's screenplay for Pixar's Onward (co-written with Dan Scanlon and Jason Headley) earned a nomination for Best Writing: Feature from the 2021 Annie Awards.[13] Bunin also shares story credit on Netflix's animated film Nimona (2023).[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Veronica Rueckert, "With Success, Panic Ends for Playwright Bunin", Wisconsin State Journal, October 23, 2003, via HighBeam Research.
  2. ^ a b Alvin Klein, "3 Youths, Adrift in Life and a Play", The New York Times, July 14, 2002.
  3. ^ Ben Brantley, "Danger in a Fairy Tale Taken Seriously", The New York Times, October 2, 2002.
  4. ^ Charles Isherwood, "Questions of Family and Faith in 'The Busy World Is Hushed'", The New York Times, June 26, 2006.
  5. ^ a b Robert Vaughan, "Keith Bunin's Busy World", At Play (Dramatists Play Service), no. 13, Fall/Winter 2008, pp. 6-7.
  6. ^ a b Everett Evans, "Main Street Theater production explores faith", Houston Chronicle, September 25, 2007.
  7. ^ Keith Bunin, "From the Writers’ Picket Lines: ‘I Hate That I’m on Strike", Beliefnet, November 15, 2007.
  8. ^ Meet Our Faculty: Keith Bunin, Primary Stages (accessed 2014-01-15).
  9. ^ Soloski, Alexis (March 13, 2023). "The Coast Starlight Review: Strangers on a Train". New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  10. ^ Gordon, David (May 8, 2023). "Wolf Play and Titanique Top List of 2023 Lortel Award Winners". TheaterMania. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  11. ^ Dave McNary, "Daniel Radcliffe’s 'Horns' Finds a U.S. Home", Variety, October 4, 2013.
  12. ^ Borys Kit, "Philip Seymour Hoffman to Direct Supernatural Drama 'Ezekiel Moss'", The Hollywood Reporter, September 17, 2012.
  13. ^ Julie (March 4, 2021). "Pixar Honored with an Outstanding 20 Nominations for the 48th Annual Annie Awards". Pixar Post. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  14. ^ "Keith Bunin". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-07-02.

External links

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