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Former Tribune theater critic found dead in home
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Chris Page
Chris Page, who covered local theater for the Tribune from 2003 until early this year, was found dead Monday at his Mesa apartment. He was 29.
Sign guest book for Chris Page
Mesa police were called to the apartment Monday morning by friends and co-workers who hadn’t seen him since Wednesday. His body was inside, and he apparently committed suicide. According to police reports, Page apparently inhaled a fatal combination of potassium cyanide and muriatic acid.
The discovery required neighbors to evacuate their residences, in the 1900 block of South Emerson, while hazmat teams investigated. An autopsy is planned, and toxicology reports are pending.
While at the Tribune, Page earned a fellowship to attend the NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Theater and Musical Theater at the USC Annenberg School for Communication. He won an Arizona Press Club award in 2005 for his coverage of Liza Minnelli’s performance at Mesa Arts Center, and shared another with co-workers in 2007 for a graphic that previewed the new Tempe Center for the Arts.
“He validated our work and made us feel that we were contributing to the richness of Valley culture,” said Katherine Stewart, artistic director of Desert Rose Theatre.
Page also covered entertainment at the Bakersfield Californian from 2000 to 2003. In January, Page moved from covering theater for the Tribune to overseeing online features content. In early May, his position was included in a round of layoffs at the paper.
Informal memorial services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the Dobson Ranch Community Center, 2719 S. Reyes, Mesa.
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