“I am particularly grateful to be included among the nominees,” said Broadway veteran and St. Louis native Ken Page. “The Kevin Kline Awards add cohesion to the St. Louis theatre community.”
Page has been on board with the Kevin Kline Awards from the beginning, as a former host and past winner. For the past three years, the awards have paid tribute to the top performers within the St. Louis theatre community. While African-American performers have been nominated – and given honors – at past ceremonies, next Monday there will be two men of color in the same category.
Page is up for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role in Les Miserables, and his main competition is fellow thespian of color Keith Tyrone, who received recognition for his role in The Full Monty.
“I hope I win, but if he wins, that would be great as well,” Page said. “Keith is a friend and a tremendous talent, and I think with us being nominated for such diverse roles says something about the talent pool with regard to African-American performers.”
Page hosted last year’s ceremony, but due to a schedule conflict will be unable to attend this year.
“I will be there in spirit,” Page said.
His “spirit of St. Louis” is something he says he has taken with him his entire career, which has included a body of performances that stretches across both coasts and abroad. He currently lives in California, but at the end of the day he still claims this city as his home – he is even looking forward to the day he can have a home here again.
“Anybody who knows me knows that I love St. Louis,” Page said. “The connection has never been broken, and I feel like I am a presence even though I don’t physically live there.”
Page credits the Muny for keeping him in rotation as a performer and allowing him to keep a place carved out for himself in the St. Louis theatre community.
“The Muny has given me the avenue to come back for the past 14 years,” Page says. “They have been my doorway back to St. Louis.”
Working on stage and film for more than 30 years, Page came across as humble and jovial as he reflected on the outlook for black members of the local theatre scene. He offered words of encouragement and demand for support of the black talent represented at this year’s Kevin Kline awards, especially Tyrone.
“It’s a nice event and get-together, and look at the people who are devoted enough to do this,” Page said. “Most of the actors here have a 9 to 5 and do it in their spare time. That takes a lot of love.”
“I encourage our people to go out and support Keith,” Page said.
“Let him know that the community is behind him. The fact that there aren’t very many of us means that he needs even more to look around him and see more of his own people and know that he is supported.”
The 2008 Kevin Kline Awards will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 31 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University (130 Edgar Rd.). For more information and a full list of nominees, visit www.kevinklineawards.org.
