The National Hellenic Museum’s (NHM) dynamic mock trial event The Trial of Socrates, starring Hollywood actor and Second City alum John Kapelos (The Shape of Water, The Umbrella Academy, The Breakfast Club) as ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, makes its broadcast debut on Lakeshore PBS on Friday, May 10 at 9 p.m. CT and Thursday, June 13 at 9 p.m. CT.
Viewers across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana can tune in to the broadcasts on Lakeshore PBS (WYIN) via their preferred TV/Internet provider or online via any device with a web browser. More details on how to watch are available at lakeshorepublicmedia.org/how-to-watch.
A video trailer for The Trial of Socrates is available for viewing on NHM’s YouTube page. The Trial of Socrates was directed by Brian Kallies and produced by the National Hellenic Museum. NHM recognizes and appreciates the support of its Lead Sponsors for The Trial of Socrates, as well as the generosity of all the sponsors who helped make this event and broadcast possible. Lead Sponsors are The Jaharis Family Foundation, Calamos Investments and Clifford Law Offices.
In The Trial of Socrates, NHM revisits history at Chicago’s Harris Theater as nationally renowned attorneys take on ancient Greece’s most famous court case: The People vs. Socrates. Two thousand and five hundred years after his original conviction for corrupting the youth of Athens and impiety, Socrates and his defense team face his prosecutors before a panel of four esteemed judges and an audience of over 500 jurors. This dramatic “re-trial” of the ancient case features compelling and engaging testimony from Socrates himself, played by Hollywood actor and Second City alum John Kapelos, and a successful defense led by renowned attorneys Robert A. Clifford (Clifford Law Offices PC), Dan K. Webb (Winston & Strawn LLP) and Sarah King (Clifford Law Offices PC). The People’s case against Socrates is presented by renowned attorneys Patrick Collins (King & Spalding LLP), Tinos Diamantatos (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP) and Julie Porter (Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter, PLLC).
The prominent judges presiding over The Trial of Socrates are Hon. Joy V. Cunningham of the Illinois Supreme Court, Hon. Jorge Alonso of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and Hon. Anna Demacopoulos (Ret.) and Hon. Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The event is emceed by award-winning Chicago media personality and NHM Trustee Andrea Darlas.
Socrates’ trial has fascinated and troubled generations who have struggled to comprehend the death of one of history’s greatest philosophers at the hands of a legitimate jury. Convicted in Athens in 399 B.C.E. with impiety and corrupting the youth, Socrates’ pursuit of wisdom was seen as a threat to the survival of Athenian democracy. NHM’s The Trial of Socrates invites audiences to consider anew the fragility of democracy, the limits of freedom, and the imperfection of human justice.
Alongside the original audience of over 500 jurors, featured jurors at the Trial include (with affiliations as of the recording date in May 2023): Hon. Louis G. Apostol, Public Administrator of Cook County; Monica Eng, Reporter at Axios Chicago; Toby Eveland, Managing Partner at Saul Ewing; Andrea Hanis, Editor of Chicago Daily Law Bulletin; John Howell, Host at 890 WLS AM; Tony Karman, President and Director of EXPO CHICAGO; Eleni Katsoulis, Senior Counsel of Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and President of the Hellenic Bar Association; Young Richard Kim, Associate Professor and Head of Classics and Mediterranean Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago; Johnny Mars, DJ at 93 WXRT FM; Dan Mihalopoulos, Investigative Reporter 91.5 WBEZ FM; Jim Sotos, Managing Partner at Sotos Law Firm; Georgia Tasiopoulou, Consul of Greece in Chicago; and alternate juror George Bellas, Partner at Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law.
The dynamic NHM Trial Series highlights the enduring relevance and value of ancient Greek thought and history and supports the mission of the National Hellenic Museum. It has grown both in reputation and following since its inception in 2013. In 2016, NHM’s The Trial of Antigone was broadcast on WTTW TV (PBS Chicago) and in May 2017 it was nominated for a Midwest regional Emmy. Subsequent NHM Trial Series events have also aired on public television and received regional Emmy nominations. Since 2017, the annual event has been qualified by the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) for continuing legal education (CLE) credit. Attorneys attending these events can register for CLE credit on site.
About the National Hellenic Museum
The National Hellenic Museum (NHM) has a mission to share Greek history, art, culture and the Greek American story. NHM preserves the Hellenic legacy and makes this rich heritage relevant today through its extensive collection of more than 10,000 physical artifacts, hundreds of oral histories, exhibitions, educational programs, and special events. Originally founded in 1983 and located in Chicago’s historic Greektown neighborhood since 2011, the museum provides lifelong learning for the community and sparks inquiry and discussion about the broader issues in our lives and society. Regular museum hours are Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn more at nationalhellenicmuseum.org.