About

Brent Buell is a producer, director, playwright and novelist. He is co-producer of A24's movie Sing Sing.

For ten years, Brent directed theater in New York's maximum-security prisons with plays ranging from John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men to original works by prisoners. Those plays earned praise from critics, including from The New York Times. His comedy, Breakin' the Mummy's Code, premiered inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility and was the subject of an Esquire feature by bestselling author, John Richardson. That production was the inspiration for the movie Sing Sing directed by Greg Kwedar and starring Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin. Buell is portrayed by Oscar-nominated Paul Raci. Buell's experiences provided the basis for his chapter "Drama in the Big House" in the book Performing New Lives: Prison Theater by Jonathan Shailor.

Buell's plays include the comedy The Gem Exchange, Wood Bars, which he wrote with Miguel Valentin for the opening of Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Buffalo Mailer and Tom Kail's Back House Productions; and, his Las Vegas spectacular, Undone Divas starring Madelene Capelle. With Charles Moore, he co-authored The Gate—a drama about parole.

He has taken the directorial helm on works including Iyaba Ibo Mandingo's unFRAMED, From Sing Sing to Broadway, Rosemary Hester's You Can't Leave That There, Mark Schultz's Deathbed and Josh Rivedal's The Gospel According to Josh.

He wrote and directed The Terrors of Teri, a film for Ohio University's University College, and directed Goddess Film's award-winning comedy Moses.

He has appeared in featured roles in films including Grand Opening and Al Quarem.

His novels include the political parody, Rapturous and Daniel and My Revelation. A memoir of his years directing theater in prison, Sing Sing Backstage, will be published in the near future.

Brent is available for speaking engagements about his experiences in theater and film.

He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Janice Cline.