Alex Burger (screenwriter)
Alexander F. Burger | |
|---|---|
Burger in 2023 | |
| Born | June 12, 1972 Wenham, Massachusetts., U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Education | INSEAD Harvard University (MBA) |
| Notable works | Umlilo (2015) |
Alex Burger is an American playwright and screenwriter, based in Los Angeles. He is known for serving as the head writer for Seasons 3 and 4 of Umlilo (Zulu for “The Fire”), the SAFTA Award-winning[1] South African drama.
Writing career
Burger began his career as a poet and later transitioned into playwriting. In 2012, his play Whose Blood: A Tale of Desire and Despair Set in a 19th Century Operating Theatre was staged at London’s Old Operating Theatre.[2] The production was later referenced in Wellcome Trust Magazine[3] and featured in the book Challenging History in the Museum.[4] His other works include Mashoga (My Wife) presented at the Glasgow Any Objections Festival in 2013, The Inkanyamba performed Market Theatre Lab in 2015, and Fees Must Fall, staged at Wits University in 2016..
In 2019, Burger was the head writer for the South African Afrikaans Drama Die Testament[5] (Season 1 and Season 2) which was released on Network 24 in September of that year.
Activist career
Burger has collaborated with the International Finance Corporation[6] (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank.
Filmography
Television series
| Year | Show | Role | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Umlilo | Head writer | 3 | 13 episodes |
| 4 | 13 episodes | |||
| Doubt | Storyline | 1 | 13 episodes | |
| Hard Copy | 4 | 13 episodes | ||
| 2016 - 2017 | 90 Plein Street | Story | 5 | 13 episodes |
| 2018 - 2019 | Isthembiso | Story consultant | 1 | Episode 1 - 208 |
| 2019 | Die Testament | Head writer | 1 | Episode 1 - 64 |
| 2022 | 2 | Episode 1 - 48 |
Plays
Writer
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Ain’t Nothin’ Changed | Writer | Was performed in San Francisco as part of the Playground Theatre |
| 2011 | Whose Blood: A Tale of Desire and Despair Set in a 19th Century Operating Theatre[7] | Writer | At London’s Old Operating theatre (2012) |
| 2013 | Mashoga (My Wife) | Writer | Glasgow Any Objections Festival 2013 |
| 2015 | The Inkanyamba | Writer | Market Theater Lab |
| 2016 | Fees Must Fall | Writer | The University of the Witwatersrand |
| 2024 | The Cry of Winie Mandela | Writer (adapted from the novel) | The Market Theatre[8] |
Writing awards and recognition
- 1st Prize Short Fiction Competition Award sponsored by the Times Literary Supplement (UK), 2009[9]
References
- ^ Fry,Andy "Africans Tell their own Stories", 30 November 2016
- ^ Hazel "Theatre Review: Whose Blood @ The Old Operating Theatre","Londonist",26 February 2011
- ^ Bynum, Helen "Whose Blood: A Tale of Desire and Despair Set in a 19th Theatre. Event Review", "Wellcome Trust Magazine; Issue 48 Winter 2011"
- ^ Bryan, Judith "Making Them Laugh, Making Them Cry: Theatre's Role in Challenging History", "Challenging History in the Museum"
- ^ "SA's first online Afrikaans soapie features an A-list cast". News24. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "About the Authors". World Bank Blogs. World Bank Group. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Hazel (26 February 2011). "Theatre Review: Whose Blood @ The Old Operating Theatre". Londonist. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ "The Cry of Winnie Mandela – Market Theatre".
- ^ Blackman, Andrew, "A Writers' Life: And The Winner is...", 25 July 2009
External links
- ^ "It's the end of the road for Umlilo!". Daily Sun. 2016-08-24. Retrieved 2025-04-16.