Ben Bradley Memorial Page
We love you.
Ben was tragically murdered on January 1, 2010 in his apartment in Los Angeles.
This is in his memory.
Updated:
February 4, 2010
8:56 AM
Memorial Service for Ben Bradley
in Los Angeles
The memorial service was held on
Saturday, January 23rd at 11am
at Barnsdall Art Park
Barnsdall Gallery Theatre
(only a few blocks from the Fountain Theatre)
4800 Hollywood Blvd (at Vermont)
Free Parking
We will have guest speakers, live music, and a video montage
celebrating Ben's life and career. Immediately followed by a reception
and gathering with food & drink in the Arts Center Gallery next door.
(In memory of Ben, and because he cooked for us all these years, we will now
cook for him. The reception will be a potluck. Please bring your favorite dish,
dessert or drink to feed Ben's spirit and soul and celebrate his love of food!)
Please RSVP to
or call: 323-663-2235
Please let us know in your RSVP:
1. If you would like to volunteer and help us.
2. What you will bring to the potluck.
3. If you have photos or footage of Ben.
(there will be a multimedia presentation)
4. If you will be sending something but not attending.
5. If you're out-of-town and would like something read
and/or included in a memorial book for Ben's family.
(please attach in the email as a .doc or .txt file)
Someone from the theatre will get back to you.
There will be an open mic segment at the memorial
if you wish to give expression to your feelings and remembrances.
If you have any questions, please call Simon Levy
at 323-663-1542
or email simonlevy@fountaintheatre.com
Thank you for your love and support.
Ben's family held funeral services in Baltimore
on Friday, January 15th
at the
Fountain Baptist Church
(yes -- the Fountain Baptist Church!)
1215 East Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-5306
(410) 675-1372
Wake 11:00 am
Funeral 11:30 am
Ben will be interred at:
King Memorial Park
8710 Dogwood Road
Millford Mill, MD 21244
(410) 944-8300
A Repast will follow back at the Church.
There was a viewing on Thursday, January 14th, 5 - 8:00pm
at the
March Funeral Home
1101 East North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 727-3300
(888) 727-3349
Cards of condolence may be sent to Ben's parents:
James and Annie Hill
1232 Winston Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21239
The Fountain Theatre has established the Ben Bradley Memorial Fund
to help offset his family's funeral expenses in Baltimore,
and to honor his passion for the theatre in the future
by supporting the development of new plays at the Fountain.
All gifts are charitable contributions.
The Fountain Theatre is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit.
Tax ID# 95-3119081.
Note: The Fountain Theatre is reaching out to you. The impact on our theatre of Ben's sudden loss
is great. The need to delay the opening of Ben's production of "The Ballad of Emmett Till" causes an unexpected, immediate and severe cash flow problem for our theatre. For the first time in our 20-year history we are making a direct request to you. We need your help, your urgent support. Right now. Please join hands with us as we walk through this sad and difficult time together.
Please make checks payable to "The Fountain Theatre"
Credit card contributions can be made online
or by calling
Diana Gibson at 323-663-1098
or with
If you would like to post comments about Ben or share photos, please visit
The Fountain Theatre's Facebook page.
The Ben We Knew and Loved
by Deborah Lawlor
January 4, 2010
Deborah at Ovation Awards January 11, 2010
Many of you must have read the Los Angeles Times articles or seen the TV news reports of the tragic and brutal murder of our beloved colleague, Ben Bradley. As you can imagine, we at the Fountain are experiencing tremendous shock and grief... and anger that such a kind, loving, wonderful human being as Ben could be taken from us in such a cruel and unexpected manner. The event, which occurred at his home over the New Year's weekend, is under intense investigation by LAPD detectives.
Ben was in the beginning stages of directing "The Ballad of Emmett Till," a new play by Ifa Bayeza. He had been working with the author on the development of this script since its early stages, and directed
a reading of a new version of it here a few weeks ago. After its Chicago production at the Goodman Theatre last year, with a cast of 14 actors, Ben worked with Ifa to pare it down to a cast of 5 actors playing multiple roles, streamlining it to fit the Fountain's space and budget. We have never seen him as excited and creatively stimulated as he was about this play and his vision for it for the Fountain. So on Saturday, January 2nd, when he didn't show up for a rehearsal, and couldn't be reached by phone, our stage manager drove over to his nearby apartment. The door was open. She looked in... and dialed 911.
If you know the Fountain, you knew Ben. Dear, dear Ben was the Man of Many Hats: Director,
Producer, Director of Audience Development, Box Office Manager and... Chef! He loved preparing
food for the Opening and Closing Night parties for each production, as well as hosting them.
Ben loved people, and always had a kind word for everyone. He had unbounded enthusiasm for the art of Theatre, and for our work at the Fountain. His brilliance as a director was evident in our productions of master playwright August Wilson's "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," "Gem of the Ocean," and in "Fences" (which he directed at a theatre in Sun Valley, Idaho). And he was looking forward to directing "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" for us at the beginning of 2011.
We are moving forward with "Emmett Till," as he would have wished, and which he was so passionate about, and are dedicating the production to his memory.
Please hold Ben in your hearts and thoughts. We miss him dearly.
Memorial Press Release January 11, 2010
