Wren T. Brown
By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — Wren T. Brown has been making his mark in the entertainment industry for decades — as an actor, producer and as the co-founder and artistic director of the Ebony Repertory Theatre,
Los Angeles’ only African-American professional theatre company.
Now, he’s added another moniker to his creative repertoire — author.
Brown has a story to tell, and it’s all in his new book, “The Family Business: Four Generations of One Black Family’s Artistic Odyssey.”
The first-time author has written a unique and personal narrative chronicling more than 100 years of his family’s artistic journey through show business.
The book, released Jan. 15, pays homage to his notable theatrical lineage, including his great-grandfather, Willis Handy Young, who founded the New Orleans Strutters; his grandparents, Lee Young Sr., the first Black staff musician in the history of Hollywood, who was on the Columbia Pictures staff in 1946, and who, for 25 years, was the drummer and musical director for singer Nat King Cole; his maternal grandmother, Ruth E. Givens, a torch singer and Cotton Club dancer, who also worked in films in the 1930s and 40s; his paternal grandfather, Troy Brown Sr., an actor and comic, who was the fifth Black actor in the Screen Actors Guild, played the London Palladium in 1933, and on Jan. 26, 1934, was on the first ever show at the Apollo Theater; and his paternal grandmother Bertha Lee Brown, a Cotton Club dancer and model.
His father, Troy Brown Jr., debuted on stage at 4 years old with Cab Calloway at the Harlem Alhambra Theater in Harlem. He was also in the movie, ‘To Have and Have Not’ with Humphrey Bogart. He eventually became a jazz musician, performing with Calloway.
A fourth-generation Angeleno, Brown’s family’s influence has been “immeasurable and had a tremendous impact” on his life and 43-year career in entertainment.
“With this kind of a legacy, I don’t want to live beneath my privilege,” Brown said.
“The Family Business: Four Generations of One Black Family’s Artistic Odyssey,” which includes intimate stories and never-before-seen images, captures the imagination and courage of those who have paved the way for future generations and showcases the richness of Black artistic heritage.
A multifaceted, multitalented modern-day Renaissance man, Brown is known for his booming voice, eloquent speech and vocabulary that rivals Webster’s Dictionary. He has appeared in movies, made numerous television and stage appearances, and narrated several projects.
To celebrate the release of the book, actor, Tony Award-winner (“Hamilton”), and Ebony Repertory Theatre alum Leslie Odom Jr., will join Brown for a conversation and book signing at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 W. Washington Blvd. Information: 323 964-9766, ItsMySeat.com/ERT. Admission is free. Reservations are required.
Odom wrote the afterword of the book. Wynton Marsalis wrote the foreword and Henry D. Miller, a stage actor who helped lead the Black Theater movement in the 1960s and 70s, wrote the prologue.
The self-published book is currently on sale for $30 at thefamilybusinessbook.com.
I recently spoke to Brown, who was oozing pride as he discussed his book and the importance of preserving family history when building a generational legacy.
DD: Why did you write this book?
WTB: I was positively haunted by the fact that I spent four decades in an industry where three generations had spent their careers before. That knocked me out. To go back and learn how my father’s parents and great-grandfather began this journey. The crystallization came to me when Willis Handy Young had a troop with the New Orleans Strutters and employed 20-22 people at one time and then his great grandson would decades later found Ebony Repertory Theatre, it knocked me out.
DD: Why is this a good time to release the book?
WTB: The book is being released during a propitious time. I turned 60 years old last year. I’ve had a 43-year career, 43 years of continually working and building a career. I’m proud to have reached the maturation stage, where I connect myself to their work. I’m taking the stage with them. I’m paying my dues.
DD: Talk about the research.
WTB: I assembled all the memorabilia. I researched when I could. The scanning of everything to preserve for generations was the impetus for writing this book. I kept searching for more. Getting on the road made me understand my youth. Why did I have this yearning to perform? They were in my bloodstream. This pursuit wasn’t foreign to my bloodstream at all.
DD: How did you approach writing about your family’s history?
WTB: It struck me that they all came along when the minstrel show ended, and the more traditional vaudeville began. All had come during that period. That struck me. My grandparents came from a time that fascinated me. And so the book’s structure comes out of the structure of those vaudeville shows.
DD: How can your family’s legacy inspire future generations of artists and creatives?
WTB: The family can inspire when you look at this book and read about their lives. All of them had a sense of self-worth. They brought it; they didn’t come here seeking it. They had principles that guided them through tough times. They never wanted to embarrass themselves or their community. That sense of style and personal worthiness will be something that can inspire generation after generation.
DD: Did historical events, such as the Harlem Renaissance or the civil rights movement, impact your family’s artistic journey?
WTB: Absolutely. The Harlem Renaissance and the civil rights movement of the 30s, 40s and 60s seriously impacted the family. They came out of communities where they were forced to live together. They relied upon the goods and services of Black people. They had a rich community. The Harlem Renaissance and the movement’s efforts were a collective push. There was a whole arts community.
DD: What message or theme do you hope readers take away from your family’s story?
WTB: The awareness that Black people have had class, style and talent for years. We are a part of continuity. You look back and realize they had to paint on a very small canvas. But what were the possibilities if the canvas had been larger?
DD: How has your ancestry shaped who you are today?
WTB: In profound ways. The notion that pursuing a career in the arts was honorable was profound for me.
DD: Are your children continuing the family legacy?
WTB: Yes, my son, Brandon, played in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Evan, my oldest daughter, is a writer and Morgan tremendously desires to be a cinematographer.
DD: What did you learn about your artistic journey through writing this book?
WTB: I was reaffirmed in this process that my passion for what I do hadn’t waned. I was reminded about the importance of knowing our history. This process brought it back to me in a fresh way. The most salient thing I learned was to reach into yourself first.
DD: What are you most proud of regarding the book?
WTB: I’m proud of the fact that there is a new book in the marketplace that uplifts our image, that uplifts our history, in that these three previous generations waded through the tall grass so that I and others could have a smoother path a less obstructed path. I’m proud to be associated with those I was born to.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
