Ben Vereen
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Few entertainers today are as accomplished or versatile as Ben Vereen.
His legendary performances transcend time and have been woven into the
fabric of this country's artistic legacy. His first love and passion is
and always will be the stage. "The theater was my first training
ground. It taught me discipline, dedication and appreciation of hard
work and values that will stay with me a lifetime. The stage sharpens
the creative instrument and encourages you to go deeper inside and try
new things," states Ben.
On Broadway, Ben Vereen has appeared in Wicked, Fosse, I'm Not
Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin,Grind, Jelly's Last Jam
and A Christmas Carol. His role in Pippin garnered him both the
prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for "Best Actor in a
Musical."
For over 40 years, Ben has showcased his versatility and creativity,
performing countless one-man shows not only in the United States, but
also Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. He was the first simultaneous
winner of the "Entertainer of the Year," "Rising Star," and "Song and
Dance Star" awards from the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA).
He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. Ben
and his band are currently touring his one man shows, "Ben Sings a
Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr." and
"Brooklyn to Broadway" at top performing arts centres. He also performs
with symphonies around the country.
While performing worldwide, Ben's acting credits continue to give us
memorable roles that stand the test of time such as the unforgettable
Chicken George in Roots and Louis Armstrong in Louis Armstrong -
Chicago Style.Ben's television guest appearances include How I Met Your
Mother, Grey's Anatomy, for which he won the Prism Award, House of
Payne, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, OZ, Touched By An Angel, Second
Noah, New York Undercover, The Nanny, Star Trek - The Next Generation,
The Jamie Fox Show, The Promised Land, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as
well as recurring roles on Silk Stalkings, Webster, J.J. Starbuck and
Booker. For Nickelodeon, Ben provided voice-overs on the show Wonder
Pets! Additional credits include: Anne Rice's Feast of All
Saints(Showtime), Intruders They Are Among Us (Emmy nomination),
Zoobilee Zoo, Faerie Tale Theatre's Puss N' Bootswith Gregory Hines,
The Jesse Owens Story, Ellis Island (Golden Globe Nomination), Lost in
London, and Salute to Liberty Special. His own network television shows
are Ben Vereen: His Roots (Seven Emmy Awards), Tenspeed and Brownshoe
and You Write the Songs. In the early 90's, he released a number of
well-received children's Sing-Along musical videos.
Ben was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his performance in the
Hallmark movie An Accidental Friendship. He appears in two soon to be
released features, 21 and a Wake-Up starring Faye Dunaway andMama, I
Want to Sing! in which Ben co-starred opposite Ciara and Patti LaBelle.
While filming Idlewild with the award winning group Outkast, Ben also
served as the acting coach for both Andre 3000 and Big Boy. In
addition, Ben has been coaching the singing sensation Usher both as an
entertainer and an actor. Ben was featured in the movie, On The One -
Preaching to the Choir directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. Other film
credits include Sweet Charity, All That Jazz, Funny Lady (Golden Globe
nomination), Why Do Fools Fall in Love,And Then Came Love starring
Vanessa Williams, the animated movie Once Upon a Forest, Christmas in
Washingtonand The Painting which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2004, Ben was nominated for a "Career Achievement Award" by the Le
Prix International Film Star Awards Organization.
The lecture circuit has become an integral part of Ben's career, as he
has become one of the Nations' most requested speakers among audiences
of all ages. His strong sense of social consciousness has enabled him
to reach out to his audiences and convey to them a deep feeling of
understanding. His topics range from overcoming adversity, arts in
education, Black history, motivational topics, recovery through
physical and occupational therapy and the importance of continuing
education - to name a few.
Ben's gift of time has benefited many organizations. He has served on
Ballet Florida's Board of Directors, the American Red Cross and Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome Association. In addition, he has served as
chairman of several renowned organizations including the American Heart
Association and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Association. In 1989,
he spearheaded his own organization, "Celebrities for a Drug Free
America," which raised more than $300,000 for drug rehabilitation
centres, educational programs and inner city community-based projects.
The Community Mental Health Council awarded Ben with their 2004
Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award. For his humanitarian
contributions, he has received a number of awards including Israel's
Cultural and Humanitarian Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, an Eleanor
Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and a Victory Award. He has received
honorary doctorates from the University of Arizona, Emerson College,
St. Francis College, and Columbia College in Chicago. In 2001, Medgar
Evers College created the Ben Vereen Scholarship for the Performing
Arts, and in 2004, he received an Achievement in Excellence Award from
his alma mater, the High School of the Performing Arts.
Ben celebrated Eartha Kitt's 80th birthday in concert at Carnegie Hall
to multiple standing ovations and in front of the Armed Forces for
those men and women who have served in Iraq, truly a major highlight of
his career. In 2009, he performed at the Inaugural Ball and entertained
at the reopening of the Ford Theatre in Washington, D.C., which was
attended by President Obama. Last year Ben entertained at the Friar's
Club gala honouring CBS president Leslie Moonves. Ben is leading an
ongoing diabetes awareness campaign called "S.T.A.N.D." in partnership
with sanofi-aventis pharmaceuticals. Ben recently starred in the world
premier of Fetch Clay, Make Man directed by Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys)
at the McCarter Theatre. Below are some of Ben's reviews from the show:
"A seething resentment can be sensed underneath the wary cool with
which Fetchit negotiates with Fox. In brief snippets from the routines
that made Fetchit famous (and infamous), Mr. Vereen also reveals the
glowing pride of an entertainer whose gifts sometimes managed to
transcend the offensive uses to which they were put." -New York Times
"The dramatic center is Ben Vereen's role as Lincoln Perry,the
vaudeville performer who made his fortune in silent films and
Depression-era talkies playing screen persona Stepin Fetchit, the
quintessential negative stereotype of the shuffling, smiling,
work-shirking Negro...Tapping all the undiminished charisma and limber
body language of a veteran song-and-dance man, Vereen effortlessly
sells the now-reviled representation of the black flunky while slyly
asserting the cultured, savvy negotiator beneath; it's a performance of
enormous charm and intelligence." -Variety
"As Fetchit, Ben Vereen creates a man who comports himself with dignity
in hopes of negating all that he did before. In one scene, after
Fetchit has been forced to acknowledge what he'd been, Vereen blinks
three times, and actually manages to make a statement with each blink:
The first acknowledges the charge, the second shows his pain at being
reminded, and the third hopes to push away the memory." -The
Star-Ledger
Additionally, Ben has a recurring role on the CBS comedy How I Met Your
Mother, playing Wayne Brady's father. In February of 2011, he released
his CD Steppin' Out Live with Ben Vereen and staged a triumphant return
to Broadway with his concert "BEN VEREEN ON BROADWAY AT TOWN HALL" .
One review from Ben's show is featured below:
"Ben Vereen's performance at The Town Hall on February 18th was a
lesson in performance energy.....a tour de force ....Without a single
synthesizer, with no voice tuner, with only an acoustic band, Vereen
displayed shocking innovation."....." He flirted with off notes and
inventive runs during classics such as "My Funny Valentine." This is
always a dangerous idea, because it risks alientating the audience who
wants to hear the melody of a familiar tune, but Vereen not only pulled
it off, he left the audience wanting him to do more...The lasting
impression was of a man who loves life, wants you to love life, and has
mastered both his medium and his message. At age 65, he is the youngest
man performing today. - The Newark Examiner
Ben remains the consummate actor, singer, and all around entertainer
with a storied and legendary career.
His legendary performances transcend time and have been woven into the
fabric of this country's artistic legacy. His first love and passion is
and always will be the stage. "The theater was my first training
ground. It taught me discipline, dedication and appreciation of hard
work and values that will stay with me a lifetime. The stage sharpens
the creative instrument and encourages you to go deeper inside and try
new things," states Ben.
On Broadway, Ben Vereen has appeared in Wicked, Fosse, I'm Not
Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin,Grind, Jelly's Last Jam
and A Christmas Carol. His role in Pippin garnered him both the
prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for "Best Actor in a
Musical."
For over 40 years, Ben has showcased his versatility and creativity,
performing countless one-man shows not only in the United States, but
also Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. He was the first simultaneous
winner of the "Entertainer of the Year," "Rising Star," and "Song and
Dance Star" awards from the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA).
He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. Ben
and his band are currently touring his one man shows, "Ben Sings a
Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr." and
"Brooklyn to Broadway" at top performing arts centres. He also performs
with symphonies around the country.
While performing worldwide, Ben's acting credits continue to give us
memorable roles that stand the test of time such as the unforgettable
Chicken George in Roots and Louis Armstrong in Louis Armstrong -
Chicago Style.Ben's television guest appearances include How I Met Your
Mother, Grey's Anatomy, for which he won the Prism Award, House of
Payne, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, OZ, Touched By An Angel, Second
Noah, New York Undercover, The Nanny, Star Trek - The Next Generation,
The Jamie Fox Show, The Promised Land, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as
well as recurring roles on Silk Stalkings, Webster, J.J. Starbuck and
Booker. For Nickelodeon, Ben provided voice-overs on the show Wonder
Pets! Additional credits include: Anne Rice's Feast of All
Saints(Showtime), Intruders They Are Among Us (Emmy nomination),
Zoobilee Zoo, Faerie Tale Theatre's Puss N' Bootswith Gregory Hines,
The Jesse Owens Story, Ellis Island (Golden Globe Nomination), Lost in
London, and Salute to Liberty Special. His own network television shows
are Ben Vereen: His Roots (Seven Emmy Awards), Tenspeed and Brownshoe
and You Write the Songs. In the early 90's, he released a number of
well-received children's Sing-Along musical videos.
Ben was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his performance in the
Hallmark movie An Accidental Friendship. He appears in two soon to be
released features, 21 and a Wake-Up starring Faye Dunaway andMama, I
Want to Sing! in which Ben co-starred opposite Ciara and Patti LaBelle.
While filming Idlewild with the award winning group Outkast, Ben also
served as the acting coach for both Andre 3000 and Big Boy. In
addition, Ben has been coaching the singing sensation Usher both as an
entertainer and an actor. Ben was featured in the movie, On The One -
Preaching to the Choir directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. Other film
credits include Sweet Charity, All That Jazz, Funny Lady (Golden Globe
nomination), Why Do Fools Fall in Love,And Then Came Love starring
Vanessa Williams, the animated movie Once Upon a Forest, Christmas in
Washingtonand The Painting which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2004, Ben was nominated for a "Career Achievement Award" by the Le
Prix International Film Star Awards Organization.
The lecture circuit has become an integral part of Ben's career, as he
has become one of the Nations' most requested speakers among audiences
of all ages. His strong sense of social consciousness has enabled him
to reach out to his audiences and convey to them a deep feeling of
understanding. His topics range from overcoming adversity, arts in
education, Black history, motivational topics, recovery through
physical and occupational therapy and the importance of continuing
education - to name a few.
Ben's gift of time has benefited many organizations. He has served on
Ballet Florida's Board of Directors, the American Red Cross and Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome Association. In addition, he has served as
chairman of several renowned organizations including the American Heart
Association and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Association. In 1989,
he spearheaded his own organization, "Celebrities for a Drug Free
America," which raised more than $300,000 for drug rehabilitation
centres, educational programs and inner city community-based projects.
The Community Mental Health Council awarded Ben with their 2004
Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award. For his humanitarian
contributions, he has received a number of awards including Israel's
Cultural and Humanitarian Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, an Eleanor
Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and a Victory Award. He has received
honorary doctorates from the University of Arizona, Emerson College,
St. Francis College, and Columbia College in Chicago. In 2001, Medgar
Evers College created the Ben Vereen Scholarship for the Performing
Arts, and in 2004, he received an Achievement in Excellence Award from
his alma mater, the High School of the Performing Arts.
Ben celebrated Eartha Kitt's 80th birthday in concert at Carnegie Hall
to multiple standing ovations and in front of the Armed Forces for
those men and women who have served in Iraq, truly a major highlight of
his career. In 2009, he performed at the Inaugural Ball and entertained
at the reopening of the Ford Theatre in Washington, D.C., which was
attended by President Obama. Last year Ben entertained at the Friar's
Club gala honouring CBS president Leslie Moonves. Ben is leading an
ongoing diabetes awareness campaign called "S.T.A.N.D." in partnership
with sanofi-aventis pharmaceuticals. Ben recently starred in the world
premier of Fetch Clay, Make Man directed by Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys)
at the McCarter Theatre. Below are some of Ben's reviews from the show:
"A seething resentment can be sensed underneath the wary cool with
which Fetchit negotiates with Fox. In brief snippets from the routines
that made Fetchit famous (and infamous), Mr. Vereen also reveals the
glowing pride of an entertainer whose gifts sometimes managed to
transcend the offensive uses to which they were put." -New York Times
"The dramatic center is Ben Vereen's role as Lincoln Perry,the
vaudeville performer who made his fortune in silent films and
Depression-era talkies playing screen persona Stepin Fetchit, the
quintessential negative stereotype of the shuffling, smiling,
work-shirking Negro...Tapping all the undiminished charisma and limber
body language of a veteran song-and-dance man, Vereen effortlessly
sells the now-reviled representation of the black flunky while slyly
asserting the cultured, savvy negotiator beneath; it's a performance of
enormous charm and intelligence." -Variety
"As Fetchit, Ben Vereen creates a man who comports himself with dignity
in hopes of negating all that he did before. In one scene, after
Fetchit has been forced to acknowledge what he'd been, Vereen blinks
three times, and actually manages to make a statement with each blink:
The first acknowledges the charge, the second shows his pain at being
reminded, and the third hopes to push away the memory." -The
Star-Ledger
Additionally, Ben has a recurring role on the CBS comedy How I Met Your
Mother, playing Wayne Brady's father. In February of 2011, he released
his CD Steppin' Out Live with Ben Vereen and staged a triumphant return
to Broadway with his concert "BEN VEREEN ON BROADWAY AT TOWN HALL" .
One review from Ben's show is featured below:
"Ben Vereen's performance at The Town Hall on February 18th was a
lesson in performance energy.....a tour de force ....Without a single
synthesizer, with no voice tuner, with only an acoustic band, Vereen
displayed shocking innovation."....." He flirted with off notes and
inventive runs during classics such as "My Funny Valentine." This is
always a dangerous idea, because it risks alientating the audience who
wants to hear the melody of a familiar tune, but Vereen not only pulled
it off, he left the audience wanting him to do more...The lasting
impression was of a man who loves life, wants you to love life, and has
mastered both his medium and his message. At age 65, he is the youngest
man performing today. - The Newark Examiner
Ben remains the consummate actor, singer, and all around entertainer
with a storied and legendary career.