Second City alum John Kapelos to portray Socrates at National Hellenic Museum trial event

For the first time since 2020, the National Hellenic Museum is presenting a trial event that takes on a famous court case from ancient Greece: The People vs. Socrates.

In 399 B.C.E., Socrates was convicted in Athens of impiety and corrupting the youth. Second City alum John Kapelos (“The Shape of Water,” “The Umbrella Academy”) will portray the famed philosopher, while real-life attorneys, including Robert A. Clifford, Dan K. Webb, Sarah King, Patrick Collins, Tinos Diamantatos and Julie Porter, will take part in the debate.

“The Trial of Socrates will continue our exploration of how the ancient Greeks grappled with timeless controversies that continue to shape modern society,” NHM Trustee Konstantinos Armiros, counsel at Saul Ewing, said in an announcement.

NHM Director of Research and Content Katherine Kelaidis said the trial will consider questions about democracy and liberty, such as the balance between enacting limits for protection while maintaining freedom.

May 22 at 7 p.m. at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St.; early bird tickets are $80 until April 30, prices increase to $100 on May 1, while student tickets are $50 at nationalhellenicmuseum.org/trial or 312-655-1234.