Productions & Events featuring Ben Thiem

My Kind of Town puts a human face on the police torture scandal that has plagued Chicago for more than three decades. Veteran investigative journalist John Conroy covered the story, challenging public indifference to become one of the leading voices drawing attention to the charges. My Kind of Town is his passionate, groundbreaking new drama revolving around one imprisoned man’s fight for justice, inspired by the stories of numerous victims, police officers, prosecutors and families whose lives have been poisoned by the allegations. With interlocking storylines that humanize the play’s issues of corruption and responsibility, My Kind of Town sets the stage for a new conversation about today’s culture of law and order.

TRUMBO is based on the letters of Dalton Trumbo, the legendary screenwriter who stood up to the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 and was subsequently jailed and blacklisted as one of the “Hollywood Ten.” Through his brilliant and razor-sharp letters to friends, former friends and family, Trumbo is a fascinating and often spellbinding look at how the author of Spartacus, Roman Holiday and Exodus took on Congress, Hollywood and the Red Scare — and won.

Written and set in 1892, Widowers’ Houses is a hilarious yet scathing look at the ethics of making money. When a young doctor learns that his future father-in-law has earned his wealth by renting slum housing to the poor, the doctor refuses the dirty dowry that awaits him. But he must reconsider his righteous stance when he discovers alarming news about the source of his own income. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see George Bernard Shaw’s first play — the one that launched his career as one of the wittiest and most widely produced writers of his generation.

Based on the autobiographical writings of Lillian Hellman, Lillian premiered on Broadway in January 1986 starring Tony Award-winner Zoe Caldwell.

The play is set in the waiting room of a New York hospital where Hellman awaits the death of her longtime companion Dashiell Hammett. As she waits, she reflects on her memories — growing up in New Orleans and New York, her successes and failures as an artist, her testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee and the myriad people and incidents that shaped her life.

Described as “ribald, poignant entertainment” by Time and a “beautifully constructed union of intellect and emotion” by The Washington Post, Lillianis a compelling portrait of an artist and woman who made unforgettable contributions to the worlds of theatre, literature and politics in America.

Written by veteran Chicago actor Maureen Gallagher, MARTIN FUREY’S SHOT takes us into the life and work of a photojournalist as he moves between his home in Chicago and the violence of the war zones he covers. Martin tries to balance the horrors he has seen in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and pre-election South Africa with the normalcy he is expected to return to with his family and girlfriend. With his fellow photographers, Martin captures the struggles and dreams of a nation awaiting Nelson Mandela even as his own life falls apart.

Jewish political theorist Hannah Arendt is thrown into turmoil when her lover and mentor, the renowned philosopher Martin Heidegger, develops ties to the Nazi party and becomes a vocal supporter of Hitler. After the war, she returns to Germany and must weigh the consequences of forgiving Martin for his actions and question whether or not love can truly conquer all.