THE COAST STARLIGHT 

by Keith Bunin

A young man armed with a secret that can land him in terrible trouble boards the Coast Starlight, the long-distance train that runs from Los Angeles to Seattle. With the help of his fellow travelers, all of whom are reckoning with their own choices, he has roughly one thousand miles to figure out a way forward. THE COAST STARLIGHT is a smart, funny, and compassionate story about our capacity for invention and re-invention when life goes off the rails.

“A gentle, rueful play…. the ride it offers is as smooth as it is wistful. Because Bunin knows that any trip involves leaving something or someone behind. [It] sends up sparks … So let it do what any train should, which is to move you.”— The New York Times

“THE COAST STARLIGHT is [a] funny, moving dramatic jewel… Keith Bunin’s luminous play focuses on a group of strangers on a train … and what they say to each other (very little) in contrast to the thoughts, confessions, and fantasies that run through their heads and which they convey direct to the audience (a lot).”— The Daily Beast

Production Notes

Character List(3W, 3M)

T.J.

JANE

NOAH

LIZ

ED

ANNA

Without being prescriptive about the race or ethnicity of any particular passenger, the people on the train should accurately represent the diverse population of the state of California.

Place:On a train from Los Angeles to Seattle.

Time:A few years ago.

Author

Keith Bunin

KEITH BUNIN is the author of the play THE COAST STARLIGHT, which was commissioned and first produced by La Jolla Playhouse, and received its NYC premiere at Lincoln Center Theater. His plays THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED, THE CREDEAUX CANVAS, and THE WORLD OVER all premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons. His other plays include THE UNBUILT CITY (New York Stage and Film), SAM BENDRIX AT THE BON SOIR (La Jolla Playhouse/City Theater Pittsburgh), THE PRINCIPALITY OF SORROWS (Pure Orange Productions). He wrote the book for the musical 10 MILLION MILES (Atlantic Theater Company). His screenwriting credits include Disney/Pixar's ONWARD, HORNS, NIMONA, and WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU. He was a writer for the HBO TV series IN TREATMENT. He lives in Brooklyn and...[FULL BIO]