Reprise Presents Ben Vereen: Up Close & Musical Sept. 8

By Andrew Gans
September 8, 2008

An evening of conversation and music with Tony Award winner Ben Vereen will be offered at UCLA's Freud Playhouse Sept. 8.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Ben Vereen: Up Close & Musical beginning at 8 PM at the California venue. Vereen will be joined by playwright and director Charles Randolph Wright, who will chat with the actor about his award-winning career; Vereen will also perform. Levar Burton is scheduled to make a special guest appearance.

A question-and-answer session will follow the conversation/performance.

A star of stage and screen, Ben Vereen made his Broadway debut in Jesus Christ Superstar, earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. He nabbed the Tony for his work in Bob Fosse's production of Pippin and has also starred on Broadway in Grind, Jelly's Last Jam and Fosse. The recent revival of I'm Not Rappaport marked Vereen's non-musical Broadway debut. Vereen was nominated for Emmy Awards for his performances in "Roots," "Intruders" and 1976's "The Bell Telephone Jubilee." He also received Golden Globe nominations for his work in "Funny Lady" and "Ellis Island." Vereen was most recently back on Broadway as the Wizard in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked.

Tickets, priced $75 and $150, are available by calling (310) 825-2101 or by visiting www.reprise.org. The Freud Playhouse at UCLA is located in Macgowan Hall.