Wren T. Brown: “The Family Business” – Four Generations of One Black Family’s Artistic Odyssey

Acclaimed actor, producer, and director Wren T. Brown, the founder and producing artistic director of Ebony Repertory Theatre.

In THE FAMILY BUSINESS , Wren T. Brown recounts his family’s more than 100 year artistic odyssey, shedding light on the significance and importance of the Black artist in American culture. The book features a foreword by Grammy Award®-winner Wynton Marsalis, a prologue by Dr. Henry D. Miller, and an Afterword by Tony Award®-winner Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton). From Hollywood to Broadway to music venues around the world, THE FAMILY BUSINESS is a lavishly illustrated book that chronicles the remarkable story of the Young and Brown families—a lineage that has significantly influenced American culture and the arts for over a century.

THE FAMILY BUSINESS is more than just a book; it's an essential addition to the African American theatrical and literary canon, destined to be a cherished coffee table centerpiece that sparks conversation and admiration for years to come. Whether you’re a lover of theater, music, film, or history, THE FAMILY BUSINESS is a vital part of our shared history waiting to be explored.

Wren T. Brown is an actor, producer, director, and a fourth generation Angeleno.

At 17, after performing a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar and landing a national commercial, Wren decided to formally enter the family business. A versatile actor with a deep melodious voice, Wren has appeared on screen in “Hollywood Shuffle,” “Beyond the Lights,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “Heart and Souls,” “Under Siege 2, ” and “Edmond.”

Some of Brown’s television appearances include: “Whoopi,” “Flipper: The New Adventures.” “Bless This House,” “Half & Half,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” ”The Orville,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Simpsons,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Frasier,” “Seinfeld,” and “A Different World.”

Wren’s voice can be heard narrating: The History Channel’s “U.S.S. Constellation: Battling For Freedom,” “E! True Hollywood Story” on the life of Diana Ross and “Bronzeville.”

His stage appearances include: “As You Like It,” “On Borrowed Time,” “Burning Hope,” and “The Gospel at Colonus.” He has directed “Fences,” “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” “Blues In the Night,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and “The World Goes Round.”

Wren is the founder and producing artistic director of Ebony Repertory Theatre, Los Angeles’ only African American professional theatre company. He lives in Los Angeles.