Ben Wendel, Artistic director
Major: Theatre
ATC Member: Winter 2018 - Spring 2021
Ben is a Senior at USC studying Theatre with a minor in Cinema. They began their theatrical career by making their parents watch home-made puppet shows. Their parents were not impressed. Thankfully, their work has gotten significantly better since then. While at USC, they directed The Laramie Project for One and All Social Justice Theatre and Mother Courage and her Children for Aeneid Theatre Company. In addition, they have worked as a producer and production manager on several other shows, both with ATC and other companies. Their work explores the body on stage as a metaphorical object, taking inspiration from dance and clown work. As well as a stylistic focus on Brechtian aliennation, Viewpoints, Grotowski's Poor Theatre. They believe theatre is at its most electric when an audience is asked to build along with the ensemble. When aspects, from themes to worlds, are hinted at rather than spelled out, allowing the audience to project their own understandings onto the piece and thus are forced to be a participatory player rather than static spectators. As they enter their final year, Ben is sad that their time with ATC is coming to a close, but are excited for what theatrical possibilities lie ahead.
Contact
bmwendel@usc.edu
benjaminmwendel@gmail.com