Benjamin E. Latham

Benjamin Erwin Latham was born in Belle Fourche, SD on April 7th, 1971. His father, Erwin Latham, was a rancher and community activist, and his mother, Shirley (Rowley) Latham, was an entrepreneur and business owner, as well as a housewife. Both of his parents encouraged his participation in the arts. His father had been a gifted amateur actor in community productions and his mother was a clarinet player playing in the world famous Belle Fourche Cowboy Band. Latham was raised on the family ranch north of Camp Crook, SD and attended elementary and high school in Harding County Schools. He had an early passion for music and theatre. The acting bug bite him early in life, as he first appeared as an evil wizard in a church play when he was 10 years old. To entertain themselves, Latham and his little sister would record radio plays developed from comic books on their brother's tape recorder. He appeared in several community and school productions throughout his school years, receiving his early training from Wally Stephens. A natural mimic, Latham gain notoriety locally for being able to supply accents for various character roles in school plays. This talent would serve him well in his later career. His first music lessons were singing lessons he received from his Aunt Frankie Latham, and piano lessons from a local piano teacher in Camp Crook. He joined the school band in 5th grade and played trumpet and cornet throughout school, as well as singing in the school choir. Latham attended Black Hills State University, in Spearfish, SD, majoring in Music Education and Theatre Arts. He was active in main stage productions in the campus theatre from his freshman year. He was greatly involved in both the music and theatre departments at BHSU, participating in the instrumental and vocal ensembles in the music department, and doing at least three shows a year in the theatre department. Latham was also heavily involved in the local Matthews Opera House Company during his college years. At Matthews, Latham acted, directed and designed scenery over the course of seven seasons. He had his professional directing debut at Matthews Opera House. His professional acting debut was with the Black Hills Passion Play of America, in Spearfish, SD, playing the role of Japhet, the Pilgrim. He was with the company from 1990 until 1997, playing a variety of roles, including Ezekiel, the Pharisee and Simon Peter. In 1992, Latham formed the Why Knot Theatre Company to produce and star in the one-man show "Grant" by Paul Higbee. Latham has performed the show about the Civil War general across the United States, notably at Mt. Rushmore and at the Rogue Theatre Festival in Fresno, CA. In 1997, Latham moved to California's Central Valley to pursue a teaching career, but kept active in theatre, joining the Theatre J'Nerique Company in Fresno, CA, working with playwright and director Marcel Nunis. He later moved to the Bay area, living and teaching in Pacifica, CA and working semi-professionally with three Bay Area theatre groups - Broadway By The Bay in San Mateo, CA; Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City, CA and Pacifica Spindrift Players in Pacifica, CA. Latham's film debut was as a voice character in Declaration of Independents, as a debt collector. He has also done background work in student films. He returned to his home state in late 2012 to be closer to his father, who was dying from cancer. Since his father's passing, he has revived his acting career, appearing in some community productions in the Kadoka, SD area and beginning his debut in the Los Angeles, CA area.