# Brian Parks

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brian_Parks
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brian_Parks.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Parks
> Source revision: 1318109982
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Brian Parks** (born c. 1962) is an American [playwright](/source/Playwright), journalist and editor. He is a former Arts & Culture editor of *[The Village Voice](/source/The_Village_Voice)* and former chairman of its [Obie Awards](/source/Obie_Award).[1]

As a playwright, Parks has produced works that are noted for their dark comedy and fast pace. Best known for his play *Americana Absurdum*[2] (which consists of two shorter plays, *Vomit & Roses*[3] and *Wolverine Dream*), his other works include *Goner*, *Suspicious Package*, *Out of the Way*, *The Invitation*[4] (titled *Einladung zum Abendessen* in the German-language version, translated by John and Peter von Duffel),[citation needed] *Imperial Fizz*,[5] and *The Professor*.[6]

*Americana Absurdum* was honored with the “Best Writing” award at the 1997 [New York International Fringe Festival](/source/New_York_International_Fringe_Festival) and a [Scotsman Fringe First Award](/source/Scotsman_Fringe_First_Award) at the [2000 Edinburgh Festival Fringe](/source/2000_Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe). It was also produced in London in 2004 at the [Menier Chocolate Factory](/source/Menier_Chocolate_Factory) Theater.[citation needed] In 2019 *The Scotsman* called Parks "one of the great absurdists of Fringe theatre".[6]

## Education

Parks graduated from [Brother Rice High School](/source/Brother_Rice_High_School_(Michigan)) in [Bloomfield Township, Michigan](/source/Bloomfield_Township,_Oakland_County,_Michigan), in 1980.[7] He attended [Brown University](/source/Brown_University), then [Brooklyn College](/source/Brooklyn_College), where he was awarded an [MFA](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts) in playwriting.[4]

## References

1. ["The 2012 Obie Award Winners"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180917122716/https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/16/the-2012-obie-award-winners/). *The Village Voice*, May 16, 2012.

1. Marks, Peter (August 22, 1997). ["Keeping Pace In a Marathon of Playgoing"](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/22/theater/keeping-pace-in-a-marathon-of-playgoing.html?pagewanted=2). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 2008-07-14.

1. *The Nation*, vol. 261, 1995, p. [364](https://books.google.com/books?id=oeFNAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Brian+Parks%22+Village+Voice).

1. ["Bio"](http://brianparksplaywright.com/). brianparksplaywright.com.

1. Gardner, Lyn (August 13, 2010). ["Imperial Fizz"](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/aug/13/imperial-fizz-theatre-review). *The Guardian*.

1. McMillan, Joyce (22 August 2019). ["Theatre review: The Professor, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh"](https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/theatre-and-stage/theatre-review-professor-assembly-rooms-edinburgh-1409702). *The Scotsman*.

1. ["New York Playwright returns home to Detroit to open comedy "The House" at Ringwald Theatre"](https://www.wxyz.com/news/new-york-playwright-returns-home-to-detroit-to-open-comedy-the-house-at-ringwald-theatre). WXYZ-TV, March 29, 2019.

## Further reading

- [Personal website](http://brianparksplaywright.com/).
- ["Brian Parks"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180916154429/https://www.villagevoice.com/author/brianparks/). *The Village Voice*.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Brian Parks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Parks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Parks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.