Ken Page

Kenneth Page was born on January 20, 1954, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was raised Catholic by his mother, Gloria, and his stepfather, Garvin Gilstrap. He attended St. Bridget of Erin and St. Nicholas elementary schools, and it was during his time at St. Nicholas that a teacher and an older cousin inspired him to pursue theatre. He went on to graduate from Bishop DuBourg High School in 1972 and subsequently enrolled at Fontbonne College in Clayton, Missouri, on a full scholarship, majoring in theatre. Page died on September 30, 2024, at his home in St. Louis at the age of 70.

Page launched his professional career in the chorus of the Muny outdoor theater in St. Louis before making his Broadway debut in The Wiz, in which he played the Lion. He next appeared in the first Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls, taking on the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the all-Black production, a performance that earned him a Theatre World Award in 1977. His Broadway career continued with the original cast of Ain't Misbehavin', the Fats Waller musical revue in which he created the role of Ken. That performance brought him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical in 1978. He reprised the role for a 1982 television broadcast of the show and returned to it again during the production's 1988 Broadway revival.

In 1982, Page originated the role of Old Deuteronomy in the Broadway production of Cats, a part he would revisit in the 1998 filmed stage adaptation. His Broadway work spanned from 1975 to 1999 and also included a production of The Wizard of Oz. Beyond Broadway, Page played God in Randy Newman's Faust at La Jolla Playhouse and the Goodman Theatre, and again in Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden on the West End in 1991. He remained a frequent presence at the Muny throughout his career, appearing there in productions including Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida, Les Misérables, My One and Only, and Little Shop of Horrors, for which he voiced the talking plant Audrey II.

Page built a significant presence in film and voice work alongside his stage career. He voiced the villain Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas and continued in that role across the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise, as well as in titles including The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King and The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge. He also reprised the character for Disney theme park productions such as HalloWishes at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Halloween Screams at Disneyland, the Haunted Mansion Holiday, and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular. His other film credits included All Dogs Go to Heaven, Torch Song Trilogy, and Dreamgirls. On television, he appeared in guest roles on series such as Charmed and Touched by an Angel.

In his later years, Page developed and performed a cabaret show titled Page by Page and directed regional and touring productions. He also reprised Old Deuteronomy in the Lubbock Moonlight Musicals production of Cats in Lubbock, Texas, and returned to the role of Oogie Boogie for concert productions of The Nightmare Before Christmas at venues including BMO Stadium in 2021 and Wembley Arena in 2022.