Ben F. Locke

Ben F. Locke

Welcome! My name is Ben F. Locke and I'm a Black, Queer and Nonbinary Chicago Writer, Actor, Director, Casting Director and Producer. Most of my work focuses on Black/Queer experiences and tries to focus on joy rather than trauma, as a way to expand how this industry sees us and what stories we're allowed to be part of. More stories for us, by us.

Plays

  • Following by Ben F. Locke
    Recommendations: 7
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: Transgender, LGBTQ + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, mystery/thriller, political
    Keyword: Transgender, LGBTQ, American race relations and racism, gay romance, black actors
    (Full Length Play)
    Darnell is an up and coming app designer. His popularity attracts a lot of fame and attention. It all seems great until he finds out that he's being stalked. Can Darnell solve the mystery before it's too late? Following explores what exactly it means to be an ally. Do we do what we do because it's the right thing to do or do we all have our own selfish motives that...
    (Full Length Play)
    Darnell is an up and coming app designer. His popularity attracts a lot of fame and attention. It all seems great until he finds out that he's being stalked. Can Darnell solve the mystery before it's too late? Following explores what exactly it means to be an ally. Do we do what we do because it's the right thing to do or do we all have our own selfish motives that dictate what we deem as what's right and wrong?
  • Write by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    4–5
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: black-white relations, bad white people + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, political
    Keyword: black-white relations, bad white people, BIPOC leads, creative writing
    New Draft Recently Uploaded! (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)

    Three BIPOC actors are on the verge of stardom but just can't seem to break through. In comes a white playwright, on the verge of a new script he wrote with them in mind. This perfect pairing seems almost too good to be true. Write asks the question of what it means to write stories that aren't...
    New Draft Recently Uploaded! (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)

    Three BIPOC actors are on the verge of stardom but just can't seem to break through. In comes a white playwright, on the verge of a new script he wrote with them in mind. This perfect pairing seems almost too good to be true. Write asks the question of what it means to write stories that aren't yours. Who is it really for and who has ownership of our words and our experiences?
  • Caught by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    8–10
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: Female police officers, police + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, docudrama/historic, drama, political
    Keyword: Female police officers, police, black lives matter, social media, excellent roles for trans actors
    New Draft recently uploaded! (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)


    When looting breaks out on the Mag Mile, one department store (adjacent from the Mag Mile) catches one of the looters. The only problem is, he doesn't have any loot. Now the young Black man they caught has accused the store of racial profiling, leaving them under fire for serious cancellation...
    New Draft recently uploaded! (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)


    When looting breaks out on the Mag Mile, one department store (adjacent from the Mag Mile) catches one of the looters. The only problem is, he doesn't have any loot. Now the young Black man they caught has accused the store of racial profiling, leaving them under fire for serious cancellation. Now the store must work together to prove that they are not racist and pin something on the alleged looter. They're totally not racist though...
  • Rooted by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: adventure, comedy + 5 more
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    Keyword: magic, all female cast + 3 more
    Genre: adventure, comedy, dark comedy, drama, faith-based, fantasy, political
    Keyword: magic, all female cast, BIPOC characters, A Family Comedy/drama, witches
    New Draft Recently Uploaded February 21, 2023! (Full Length)

    Faced with the prospect of losing their ancestral home, a trio of BIPOC modern-day witches resurrect a witch from their coven to help them grapple with rapid change, surprising discoveries and the newest neighbor in their home.
  • Even by Ben F. Locke
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    7
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: American race relations and racism, LGBTQ
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, political
    Keyword: American race relations and racism, LGBTQ
    (Full Length Play)
    Even is a play that takes place in America post race war. Black people have taken over claiming Regina and Tamir as their leaders. As part of the Peace Treaty, they've enacted an initiative that forces White people to undergo 400 years of volunteer slavery. Two new White slaves find their way into the home of Regina, Tamir and their family. Can this initiative really last 400...
    (Full Length Play)
    Even is a play that takes place in America post race war. Black people have taken over claiming Regina and Tamir as their leaders. As part of the Peace Treaty, they've enacted an initiative that forces White people to undergo 400 years of volunteer slavery. Two new White slaves find their way into the home of Regina, Tamir and their family. Can this initiative really last 400 years? Even asks the question of what does "Equality" mean and explores the effects of slavery on Black people but on White bodies.
  • Bitch! (Or that Reunion Scene in The Color Purple) by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, political
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    Keyword: 10 minute comedy, 10-minute play + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, political
    Keyword: 10 minute comedy, 10-minute play, BIPOC stories, BIPOC voices, BIPOC leads
    *10 Minute Play*

    Chris meets up with their old roommate Mick, after going back home due to the pandemic. Mick is fully under the impression that they’re going to be roommates again and change the industry/world. However, they both find out that they have differing opinions on what change looks like and how they want to achieve it.
  • Break by Ben F. Locke
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    8
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: Black Queer Love, BIPOC leads + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, political, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Black Queer Love, BIPOC leads, polyamory, black mental health, dating and relationships
    (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)

    We've all heard of couple's counseling to keep a relationship together but what happens when you go to counseling to break up? An interracial couple, a thruple and two best friends all come together with one goal in mind: to break up. Break asks the question: How badly do we want to change and where's the line between...
    (Full Length Work in Progress. Feedback is more than welcome!)

    We've all heard of couple's counseling to keep a relationship together but what happens when you go to counseling to break up? An interracial couple, a thruple and two best friends all come together with one goal in mind: to break up. Break asks the question: How badly do we want to change and where's the line between what we say we want and what we actually want?
  • Bad Boyfriend by Ben F. Locke
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    1
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    Genre: comedy, drama
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    Keyword: black actors, Contemporary gay male life
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: black actors, Contemporary gay male life
    Bad Boyfriend is a one man show about a guy who just broke up with his boyfriend. Post break up life is nothing like how they advertise on TV or in the mainstream world. This play explores relationships and how we cope with break up, being Black, and being gay in a funny yet realistic way.
  • Kid's Court by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    4–6
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    Genre: comedy, immersive + 2 more
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    Keyword: tya
    Genre: comedy, immersive, movement/physical, young audiences
    Keyword: tya
    Kid's Court is a TYA show about a Kid's Court TV show where adults are put on trial and a kids are the judge and jury. It's a fun, interactive yet relevant show about how are actions affect people, especially adults who have kids that look to them on how to behave and exist in the world.
  • Figure by Ben F. Locke
    Cast: 
    11
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    Genre: biography, comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: Mental Health, black family + 2 more
    Genre: biography, comedy, dark comedy, drama, faith-based
    Keyword: Mental Health, black family, religion, LGBTQ
    Aiden is a struggling author with a very complicated relationship with his Dad. When Aiden seeks help from a therapist, Aiden's past is unraveled. Will this do more harm than good? Figure is a play that deals with trauma and mental health in the Black Community.