Ben Vereen to Appear as Inaugural Guest on New Online Series LEGENDS LIVE: WITH TORREY RUSSELL

Broadway In The HOOD has announced the new online series "Legends Live: with Torrey Russell" premiering exclusively on Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube Live, TODAY! April 2, at 5:00 pm ET, 2:00 pm PT.

Hosted by Producer, Director, Writer, Educator, Tour Manager, Assistant, CEO, and Founder, Torrey Russell. Torrey has worked with, educated, trained,
inspired, and has been inspired by some of the world's most notable celebrity entertainers, civil rights leaders, politicians, and sports
figures. With the world feeling the inaccessibility of social distancing, this virtual talk show will allow the host and guests to connect and stream live from the comfort of their own homes.

"Legends Live" international virtual talk show series that allows viewers from all over the Globe to share in the journey of some of the world's most inspirational people. After 30+ years of being behind the scenes, 3-Time TONY Award nominee for Excellence In Theatre Education, Torrey Russell is ecstatic to use this virtual platform to share his awe-inspiring journey while allowing others to use their stories to inspire and uplift those in our virtual audience. During the live show, audience members will have the opportunity to interact with special guests and Torrey for a Q&A session live on-air.

About Ben Vereen

Few entertainers today are as accomplished as Ben Vereen. He won a Tony Award for Pippin and starred in such phenomenal musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Fosse, Hair, Jelly's Last Jam, Chicago, and Wicked, I'm Not Rappaport, to name a few. He is remembered for films like 'Sweet Charity' and 'All That Jazz,' and he became a household name in his Emmy nominated role of Chicken George in the groundbreaking television series 'Roots.'

This season, Ben Vereen appeared in the TV series BULL and MAGNUM PI to great acclaim, both on CBS. Last December, Ben finished filming a recurring role on FOX's STAR produced by Lee Daniels. Ben was a series regular on SNEAKY PETE for Amazon for 2 seasons with Bryan Cranston, starred in the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW for 20th Century Fox, co-starred with Richard Gere in TIME OUT OF MIND, and later with Chris Rock in TOP FIVE. He is now working on his new Broadway musical, entitled REFLECTIONS, written by Joe Calarco, to be directed by Tony-nominee Josh Bergasse with music by Stephen Schwartz.

In January 2016, Ben signed with Americans for the Arts, the largest advocacy group of the Arts in America. Ben went to DC and spoke before Congress defending the National Endowment for the Arts against the proposed budget cuts. He also attended the Democratic National Convention where Ben spoke out to various senators, congressmen, governors on the arts and education and later he sang "WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW" on television in front of the approximately 50,000 delegates.

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. Medgar Evers College created the Ben Vereen Scholarship for the Performing Arts, and he received an Achievement in Excellence Award from his alma mater, the High School of the Performing Arts. Ben has also been inducted in to The Theatre Hall of Fame., as well as the Dance Hall of Fame, various Emmy and Golden globe nominations and he received the Broadwayworld.com Cabaret Award BEST CELEBRITY MALE VOCALIST. Ben received the Career Achievement Award (Le Prix International Film Star Awards Organization). Ben is most proud of his ongoing work involving the Arts and Education, providing the youth with arts programs across America. Last November, Ben received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Gold Coast International Film Festival.