Ben Martin Biography

Ben Martin taught and directed educational theatre in Missouri for 34 years before retiring in the spring of 2010.  During that career he served as President of Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri in 1987 as well as three terms on the Board.  He received the Outstanding Teacher Award, and was inducted into their Hall Fame in 2016.  He also is in the Culver-Stockton College Fine Arts Hall of Fame, Missouri Thespians Hall of Fame, and the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame.  He attributes these recognitions to spending too much time hanging out in the ‘hall’ while in school. In 2003 he was recognized as the Lee’s Summit School District Teacher of the Year.

Martin is active as a director and playwright.  He has directed a wide variety of types of theatre productions for school, community, and professional organizations.  Favorite productions over his career have been Bus Stop, Rashomon, Grapes of Wrath, Noises Off, A Chorus Line, Children of Eden, Titanic and Urinetown.  His own scripts have been produced at the State and National Thespian Festivals and in nontraditional spaces like the streets of Lee’s Summit.  Cellular ‘Cenes, his first ‘street’ script, was recognized as the top Promotional Event in 2013 by Missouri Main Streets and produced at the KC Fringe Festival in 2015.  He continues to work on new scripts.

He remains active in the Lee’s Summit community as a member of the Lee’s Summit Christian Church, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, winning their Newcomer Volunteer of the Year in 2012, and serving on the Education Committee and Visitors Council.  He has also served as Service Chair for the Rotary Club of Lee’s Summit.  He is a former member and president of the Lee’s Summit Arts Council and is a member of the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Cultural Committee.

Martin is an active advocate for arts education programs, and has created an Encore Career serving as Executive Director for the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education.   He enjoys the challenge of working with the various education organizations in the state to give every student a valuable arts experience in school.  He even enjoys attending State Board of Education meetings and interacting with legislators to help them understand the importance of arts education.  Finally, he is also passionate about helping students find their voice through Show-Me Arts Student Arts Advocacy program.

His favorite two words in the English language are “What if?”  His favorite single word consists of two syllables and means brown barnyard matter—but that’s another story.