Playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner has produced numerous plays and books, won various awards and is well known for his political views. Tony Kushner admits his determination "to attempt something ambitious and big, even if it meant being vulnerable to accusations that he had strayed too far from ambition's ugly twin, pretentiousness." He stands firmly in the American tradition of writers seeking “big gestures and big hugs.” (Klaus, Gilbert, Field Jr. 1475).Tony Kushner was born Anthony Robert Kushner on July 16, 1956 in Los Angeles City. His father William Kushner was a clarinetist and conductor and his mother Sylvia Deutscher was a bassoonist. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where his father operated the family lumber yard. His parents were musicians and their home was filled with art. Tony became interested in theater at an early age, when he saw his mother perform on stage. He also says he has fairly clear memories of being "gay" from the age of six, but that he didn't "come out" until after he tried psychotherapy to change ...