EVERYONE SHOULD BE AS GOOD AT HIS JOB AS YOU ARE. -- WILLIAM GOLDMAN, TWO-TIME ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING SCREENWRITER
Seventy-seven theater reviews, written by Dennis Brown between 2001 and 2013 for the St. Louis weekly, The Riverfront Times, once again see the light of day with the publication of "Stage Page: Memories of (mostly) Marvelous St. Louis Theater." The anthology is enlivened with 47 all-new illustrations by gifted artist Marjorie Williamson. The 77 reviews (mostly) celebrate productions from 30 different producing venues. Some of these venues (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the Muny) continue to thrive, while others (Act Inc., Orange Girls) are relegated to fond memory. But during that first decade after America was rocked by 9-11, these venues provided St. Louis with often vital, challenging theater. In addition to the reviews, "Stage Page" also includes conversations with composers Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked") and Hugh Martin ("Meet Me in St. Louis"), as well as actors Ken Page, Estelle Parsons, and Lee Roy Reams. The delightful illustrations by Marjorie Williamson add zest and humor to the pieces. The book also includes two of Brown's RFT cover stories -- one, an in-depth account of "The Nervous Set," a musical that was created in St. Louis' storied Gaslight Square area in the 1950s but which failed when it transferred to Broadway; the other, a remembrance of the esteemed Theatre Project Company, which thrived in St. Louis in the 1980s. Why is Brown now publishing an anthology of reviews and articles from two decades ago? "Sometimes," the author replies, "we allow ourselves to become so preoccupied with the future -- with new play festivals and with works-in-progress -- that the past is neglected. I hope that 'Stage Page' might serve as a kind of town crier to remind the community -- in this instance, the theater community -- that they once participated in creating some remarkable theater experiences."
"I don't think you can be a great theater critic if you don't love the theater. Dennis Brown is a great theater critic. It is, however, a bit sad to read his reviews because by the end of each review I find myself thinking, wow, I wish I'd seen that." -- RICHARD JENKINS, TW0-TIME ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE
"Take it from an actor of many decades whose rule of thumb has been to never believe a good review or a bad one: Dennis Brown is without doubt the most insightful drama critic in the country. His prose combines intelligence, compassion, history, and love for the lively arts. 'Stage Page' is a reminder of what drew me to theater in the first place." -- LEWIS J. STADLEN, TWO-TIME TONY AWARD NOMINEE
