Benjamin Augustus Vereen (b.1946,) née Middleton, is an American actor, dancer, and singer renowned for his contributions to Broadway, television, and film. His dynamic performances and charismatic stage presence have made him a legendary entertainer.
Born in Dade County, Florida, Vereen was raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he discovered his passion for performing. He trained at the High School of Performing Arts, studying under Martha Graham, George Balanchine, and Jerome Robbins.
Vereen gained prominence with his Tony Award-winning role in Pippin (1972) and his Tony-nominated performance in Jesus Christ Superstar (1971.) His Broadway credits include Hair (1968,) Fosse (1999,) Jelly’s Last Jam (1992,) and Wicked (2005.)
Beyond theater, he starred in the Emmy-winning miniseries Roots (1977) as Chicken George and appeared in films like All That Jazz (1979) and Idlewild (2006.) Vereen authored Ben Vereen: Steppin’ Out (1999, Steppin’ Out,) reflecting on his life, career, and personal challenges.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Ben Vereen
You’ve got to make haste while it’s still light of day. My godmother used to say, “I don’t want to rust out, I just want to work out.” If you stand still long enough, people will throw dirt on you.”
—Ben Vereen
Topics: Idleness, Laziness
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