Ben Peoples
PRESIDENT
Ben has been playing with electronics since he started programming in Basic on his Commodore 64 at the age of 4 (and then took it apart when it died to suss out the problem). His love of theatre began a little later, with his stage debut as The Tallest Munchkin in his elementary school production of The Wizard of Oz. In the years since, Ben gave up the limelight to study lighting design and technical direction, leading to 10 years of work in the theatre consulting industry. He also (mostly) stopped taking apart household appliances in favor of learning embedded electronics and building his own gadgets – everything from camera controllers to electrical test equipment for theatre consultants. He began exploring the possibilities of embedded electronics for theatre use in early 2011 and founded Trinculo’s Attic with the goal of making embedded technology more accessible to his friends and colleagues in the theatre world. Trinculo’s Attic grew and spun off several sister companies and a variety of new products, all of which have now come together again as Ben Peoples Industries.
Ben has a rich background in professional theatre and the construction industry, with frequent excursions into other fields such as web development, embedded electronics, and photography. He’s spent over 15 years in the entertainment industry and has consulted with Disney Creative Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Paramount Theme Parks and Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Ben was Assistant Technical Director at the California Shakespeare Theatre in 2004 and 2005 and has designed lighting for Ray of Light Theatre in San Francisco and Starlight Productions in Pittsburgh.
In 2006, Ben began learning embedded electronics, creating several camera controllers, electrical test equipment for theatre consultants, and a collaborative project with artist An Xiao creating a 26-year long count digital clock with a radio time interface. He began exploring the possibilities of embedded electronics for theatre use in early 2011, and Trinculo’s Attic was founded in the summer of 2011. Since then, Ben has taught workshops in the basics of electronics for theatre, consulted on the creation of electronically-enhanced props for professional theatre productions, and developed custom control systems for dozens of projects, from public art installations to product launches to sporting events.
Contact: ben@benpeopels.com
