Interview: Ben Vereen of STEPPIN' OUT at The Hillman Center For Performing Arts and So Much More

Ben Vereen has been a performance icon for the past four decades. He's a man who has made his mark in a vast majority of artistic mediums. From Pippin to Jesus Christ Superstar to Roots and All That Jazz, the man can truly do it all. He has showcased his abilities a numerous amount of times to the entire world and in September, he will be bringing his extraordinary talents to Pittsburgh in his cabaret STEPPIN' OUT (September 17th at The Hillman Center for Performing Arts). I had the honor of interviewing him in regards to his upcoming production and so much more.

Michael Mekus: Before we get started, I just have to let you know I'm recording this conversation. I want to get this written as accurately as possible.

Ben Vereen: Wonderful, wonderful.

MM: Let's get started. Right now, you just finished up in New York City filming for Sneaky Pete with Bryan Cranston. Is that correct?

BV: Yes, yes! Sneaky Pete. It will be on in January. The pilot is on Amazon right now and the full season will be on Amazon in January.

MM: Amazing. Streaming is kind of the new frontier of TV now, wouldn't you say? You've been on quite a few shows in your day; Did you ever think there would be a day where it would get to this point, where audiences can just sit down and consume a show all at one time?

BV: Had I ever thought that? No! It's crazy that you're able to do that now. I'm from the Stone Age, you know? I'm from the antenna age. Having to the move the antenna around to get the picture right.

MM: (Laughs) Of course. Now, in SNEAKY PETE, you're getting to work with Bryan Cranston, who I believe is one of the most talented actors of the 21st Century. What is it like getting to work with him, even just on the producer and director level?

BV: Working with Bryan is wonderful. He's directing and producing this series, so he's been very involved in this show. I'm watching him and learning. I've been performing for how many years, and I'm still fascinated by the work of the crew, and the lighting people, and the work of the DPs and what they do. It truly does take a village, and to watch how Bryan Cranston maps out shoots and the lights and how hard everybody works to make ONE scene.

MM: It definitely goes beyond the actors on screen, and I don't know if everybody sitting there watching always realize that.

BV: Oh, it's true, and they deserve to be mentioned. I'll sit there and watch the crew set up every one of the next shots.

MM: Now, before you finished working on Sneaky Pete, you wrapped up shooting for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now Fox seemed to be getting on the right track with Grease: Live, but not every made-for-TV-musical-adaptations have gotten the most stellar reviews. Rocky Horror is definitely one of the biggest cult-classics ever. Was there ever a fear or worry with such a passionate and devout group of fans of it going wrong?

BV: Well, I had never seen it. All of these years I had been telling myself that I needed to go see it. I knew about Tim Curry's incredible performance, but I had never sat down and watched it from beginning to end. Getting to work with everybody on set though, was just amazing. We're really just paying tribute to... to those original actors, because you can't touch those performances.

MM: Have you finally gotten to experience seeing the show live and throwing the popcorn at the screen and everything yet, or no?

BV: No, I still haven't done that yet. I can't wait to do it. That's one of the next things on my list. I've watched people for years get dressed up and bring water guns to the show and everything. And I hope that everybody enjoys it.

MM: Now, you're coming to Pittsburgh in September to do STEPPIN' OUT.

BV: I cannot wait. I cannot wait. Now, I was there with Marvin Hamlisch and started out way back in Pittsburgh. The first place that I did my show, my act, was in Monroeville.

MM: Did you say you started acting in Pittsburgh? Did I hear that correctly?

BV: My first Cabaret Act, yes. I was there in Pittsburgh working with Jeff Goldblum. Yeah.

MM: Now, the show in New York was very well-received. Was this show something that you had always imagined going on tour with, and, are there any changes to the show since it was done in New York that maybe audiences can look forward to seeing?

BV: I call this my gratitude show. I say thank you to my audiences for allowing me to do what I do for them for all of these years. And also, each evening, each city, there is something special in each city regarding my journey. In Pittsburgh, I'll probably talk about Monroeville and maybe sing songs from that period of time.

MM: Is there any moment in the show or song in STEPPIN' OUT that you get to do is your personal favorite of the night?

BV: (laughs) They're all my personal favorites. I monopolize it. They're all my favorite moments, and I hope they're the audience's favorite moments as well.

MM: In July, you and many other Broadway performers sang at the DNC. I personally thought it was one of the most beautiful and inspired moments of the 2016 election cycle. Especially when you grabbed the microphone, your passion seeped through in the way you sang. It looked like you really wanted to be there. I'm going to assume you're a Democrat?

BV: I'm a people-crat. I'm about unity of the people. I'm not into this party stuff. With all of the issues going on in the world, it's time for us to come together as a nation in order to heal this planet. We keep fighting among one another and this planet is going to blow up. We really have to pull ourselves together. I think it is an amazing thing that we may have a woman as a president. Yeah, I'm for that. But I am for the PEOPLE. It's about us. Working together. Never mind our differences. It's about we as people coming together. That's what the message was saying: What the world needs now is LOVE. Sweet love. We don't need division anymore. We need love. The party of love. It's people who can stop the brutality and the disrespect of human life. We're God's creation. And then people who will get up on Sunday's and go to Church and have the nerve to pray (laughs). Come on!

MM: At the DNC, you also spoke about the importance of arts and arts education. Now, I'm a student at Point Park University pursuing my B.F.A. in musical theatre and-

BV: Beautiful. Wonderful.

MM: Thank you. Now, you didn't go to college or pursue a theatre degree and it seems to have worked out pretty okay for you. Do you have any advice for young artists in regards to if they should pursue the college route or if they should head to whatever city and goal they're after as soon as possible?

BV: Here is the thing: You are a creative outlet of that which created you. Whatever you believe created you, whether it be God, Allah, Buddha, any higher power, you do it's works. And it works in you when we get our thinking out of the way. I call it "stinking thinking." We think too much. We need to allow spirit to exist. That's what you're doing right now! You listen to these words, you hear and feel them, and put them on the page. It's the art of writing. I started a program called Wellness in the Arts and what it is is a program where we try and put the arts back in school. The arts have been cut from many schools. We have kids write about obesity, diabetes, bullying, depression and if they're living with that. If you live with that, write a page essay or make a two-minute video on how you deal with your situation. We select five winners, who get 500 dollars each, and we give 1000 dollars to the school for the arts. In New York, we plan on having a whole show about these essays. It starts a dialogue about these issues.

MM: That's a perfect lead in. I'm a Type I Diabetic, and I know you're very open and vocal about being a Type II Diabetic. There are so many performers that deal with Diabetes. I was wondering if you could go into the process of what you do to make sure you manage your diabetes and take care of yourself, while still leading a fun and (mostly) normal life? With Diabetes, the first thing to go is your feet and your eyes... So what do you do?

BV: Well, here's the thing: I have Diabetes. Diabetes doesn't have me. What does that mean? Diabetes is a wake-up. I have to take care of my God-given vessel. I've got to do what I need to do. If I can get kids in school to watch kids living with Type I Diabetes, we would have a healthier school. Kids with Type I know they have to exercise and they have to eat the proper food. We have to get kids eating the proper food and exercising daily and then we don't have to deal with obesity. And then we can talk about other things, like bullying. We can get Diabetes out of the way. Just take care of your own temple and Diabetes will be no more. We can get rid of Diabetes in our lifetime. I'm a spoke person for Noble Artists, and why is that? Because I sat down with a woman from there and she said, "We want to eradicate Diabetes in our lifetime." And we can. But we as a nation must be educated on how to deal with it. People are always taught how to make a living, not how to live... And I'm quoting Dick Gregory now (laughs). The battlefield isn't with my neighbor down the street, it's within myself. And we have all the components we need to heal ourselves. We just let our stinking thinking get in the way.

MM: At this point in your career, you've clearly done quite a bit of everything. I think versatile is an excellent word to describe you. You have the film, you have the theatre and the Tony, the TV, the dancing. At this point, what in particular really interests and gets you excited about a role? What are you looking for now when choosing your material?

BV: Employment. I'll make it work, you just give me the job (laughs).

MM: I can't argue with that (laughs).

BV: I'll make it work, just give me that job.

MM: You've worked with some very incredible and important, talented artists over the course of your life.

BV: Yes, I have. I've been blessed.

MM: Right. From Bob Fosse to Andrew Lloyd Webber to Stephen Schwartz and Jerome Robbins, Sammy Davis Jr., to everyone in between. So, which person or experience with a peer really helped shape and define who you are as an artist the most?

BV: God, that's a hard one. It's like asking me to pick between one of my children. You know, they all have. Especially Fosse and Sammy Davis. Davis taught me about the love and compassion and the passion. Fosse taught me style. He taught more than to step beyond the boundaries, and to want more.

MM: You really can't go wrong with any choice.

BV: Exactly.

MM: So you're a man who has gone through a lot of adversity in your life and your story and your perseverance, your grit, is something that is really inspiring and should leave most anybody who knows about what you've overcome in awe. For me, that's what I think defines how successful somebody can eventually be. What is the quality that you would say is the best indicator of success for an artist, or anybody for that matter?

BV: I would have to say that. For me, there is a church song we used to sing that says, "There is something within me. I cannot explain. All I know it there is something within me." All I know is there is something within me that tells me to keep doing it, keep going at and to step on out. If I listen to that and have faith in that, and stop with my stinking thinking, I'm in a pretty good place. Your inner spirit has all of those attributes. Just listen to that inner voice.

MM: So 2016 has been a pretty packed and loaded year in the best way possible for you. What is next for Ben Vereen?

BV: What is next? Well, I'm finishing up filming for Sneaky Pete. We're writing for my new show called From Brooklyn To Broadway which will hopefully be in pre-rehearsal stages by December. I want to continue doing lectures and teaching master classes. I'm a busy, busy man and of course, there are more shows coming down the line that I cannot talk about. Can't talk about it until I've got them, and once I've got them, then there is something to talk about (laughs).

MM: Of course. I have to say it was incredible talking with you and having this conversation.

BV: Wonderful. Thank you. It was a pleasure, and tell Pittsburgh I can't wait for them. This was a delight.

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