Ben is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He received a BFA in Regional Theatre from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University and has appeared in stage productions in regional theaters across the country. Ben is passionate about developing new voices and work in theatre and was a founding member of Moment to Moment Productions in Little Rock, Arkansas and also served as the co-artistic director of Drove Theater Company in New York City.

After more than a decade working professionally on stage and feeling disconnected and lost, Ben joined the US Army in 2006. As an Airborne Ranger in the 82^nd Airborne Division, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. In 2017, he again deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. After his last deployment, Ben began to reintegrate back into theatre to heal from the stress of combat. He found a deeper connection to the material and that working in an ensemble environment helped to elevate his feelings of isolation and depression. These discoveries led Ben to enroll in the Clinton School of Public Service where he received his Master’s in Public Service.  Ben’s research and studies in theatre practiced as a public service inspired him to launch Riverside Actors Theatre, a theatre company that uses the vehicle of theatre and storytelling to address trauma and the struggles that veterans and other at-risk populations commonly face.

With musical guest The Salty Dogs

Started as a lark retro-country act, the quartet immediately found chemistry, along with a lot of joy, as they dug into their craft. Their sound has expanded over a decade and a half, from uber-twang and purist classic country to equal parts 1954 Nashville, 1961 Bakersfield, and 1972 Everywhere.