Ben Rose, artistic director of the Indianapolis Black Theatre Company (IBTC), has been fired following domestic battery charges.
Rose was hired in 2023 to lead the IBTC, a resident theater company housed within the District Theatre that focuses on uplifting Black stories.
Charges were filed against Rose on March 5 on three counts: strangulation, a level 6 felony; domestic battery, a class a misdemeanor; and battery resulting in bodily injury, a class a misdemeanor.
Rose is expected to appear in court on April 9.
In a statement sent to the Recorder on March 10, The District Theatre (TDT) and IBTC board members Stephen Farris and Joe Chapelle said the boards took immediate action upon learning of the charges of domestic violence made against Rose.
“The charges are incredibly serious and stand in direct contradiction to the values of IBTC and TDT, and we take these matters extremely seriously,” Farris and Chapelle wrote in a statement. “We do not condone, nor will we ever tolerate, any form of relational or domestic violence. We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all individuals, both within and outside of our workplace.”
Rose was terminated from his position as artistic director, along with his consulting contract.
Rose declined to comment at this time when reached by email.
“We remain focused on supporting our teams, our missions and the communities we serve while addressing this matter appropriately,” according to the statement from Farris and Chapelle.
This story is ongoing and will continue to update.
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