Last Updated 5 days by Amnon J. Jobi | Amnon Front Page
INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — A prominent leader in the arts community resigned from his role as founding artistic director of the Indianapolis Black Theater Company, after being charged with strangulation and domestic battery.
Benjamin Rose, 54, was charged after a woman told police he strangled her and slammed her head against a cabinet during an argument, according to Marion County court documents. The alleged assault happened around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 20 in Rose’s house on the southside, according to court documents, though the woman reported it March 2.
On March 5, Rose was charged with three counts: strangulation, a level 6 felony; domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor; and battery resulting in bodily injury, a class A misdemeanor.
In an interview with the IndyStar, Indianapolis visual artist Nasreen Khan described the attack and said she went forward with her story because she doesn’t want other women to have a similar experience. She said she and Rose dated and also worked together on a documentary film.
The IBTC, which is housed within The District Theatre on Mass Ave, is an equity theater created in 2023 to assist and support Black artists in the theater industry. Rose was hired after a national search. Their first official show, “Toni Stone,” was held in September 2024 and there are plans to host a Black Solos Festival and two or three plays in 2025.
In a statement emailed March 10, board members of The District Theatre and the IBTC said they terminated Rose’s consulting contract after learning about the charges. The statement was signed by Stephen Farris, IBTC board chair, and Joe Chapelle, District Theatre board chair.
“The charges are incredibly serious and stand in direct contradiction to the values of IBTC and TDC, and we take these matters extremely seriously,” they wrote. “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.”
Reached by email, Rose said he resigned from his position and confirmed that his contract was terminated.
“I am confident in a positive outcome regarding these charges, but I don’t want the Theater to suffer while the legal process is playing out. I am assisting IBTC in any transitional support they need,” Rose said.
Rose has been in the Indianapolis creative scene for more than 20 years. Most recently, he premiered his documentary, “Haughville, USA,” at the Kan-Kan Cinema on Feb. 28. He also founded his own media production company, The Identity Complex, and created the Black-n-Brown Soulidarity Festival.
This is not the first time Rose has been charged with domestic battery. In 2013, a former partner told police he strangled and attacked her. He was convicted of criminal confinement in the incident and sentenced to a year of probation.
Mirror Indy asked if The District Theatre knew of the previous charges against Rose, or if they did background checks on the organization’s leadership. Spokesperson Pauline Moffat said, “The board policy of TDT is not to reveal personnel information.”
In 2022, The District Theatre received a $350,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create a training hub for Black theater artists. The Indianapolis Foundation and Lilly Endowment Inc. were early supporters of the IBTC.
Rose is scheduled to appear in Marion County Superior Court on April 9.
This story was posted March 11, 2025, on Mirror Indy. Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.