Ben Vereen Steps Out At Catalina Jazz Club

The Cooper Company and Catalina Jazz Club are pleased to announce the return of Ben Vereen, one of North America's greatest entertainers performing his popular stage show, Steppin' Out with BEN VEREEN. The strictly limited engagement plays two performances only on Friday, July 19 at 8:30 pm and Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 pm at Catalina Jazz Club.

Few entertainers today are as accomplished or as 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. On Broadway, Ben Vereen starred in Pippin, Wicked, Fosse, I'm Not Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grind, Jelly's Last Jamand A Christmas Carol. His role in Pippingarnered him both the prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for "Best Actor in a Musical." This past spring, he brought his show An Evening with Ben Vereen to Jazz at Lincoln Center as an exclusive eight-performance run at Dizzy's Club. The New York Times raved, "Everything finally coalesced in 'Mr. Bojangles,' when he became and archetypal vaudevillian: singing, dancing, whistling - doing it all."

"The theatre was my first training ground. It taught me discipline, dedication and appreciation of hard work and values that will stay with me a lifetime," said Ben Vereen. He added, "The stage sharpens the creative instrument and encourages you to go deeper inside and try new things."

Also a force in film and television, Ben recently appeared in an episode of Bull, and new TV series Magnum P.Iboth for CBS. Last December, Ben finished filming a recurring role on the FOX series Star, created by Lee Daniels, and an episode of the BET series Tales. Ben also recurs as PORTER in the first and second season of the hit Amazon TV series Sneaky Pete,produced by David Shore and Bryan Cranston. Prior to this, Ben starred in the Rocky Horror Picture Showfor Twentieth Century Fox,directed by Kenny Ortega and starring alongside Laverne Cox.Other film credits include: Times Out of Mind where he starred alongside Richard Gere, Sweet Charity, All That Jazz, Funny Lady(Golden Globe nomination), Why Do Fools Fall In Love, amongst many others. On television, his memorable character Chicken George created a veritable cultural tidal wave in the landmark television series Roots.

Steppin' Out with BEN VEREENis an evening filled with song, dance, stories, and humor that takes you on a journey through Broadway with some of the greats of our time including Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. The show features hit songs such as 'Magic to Do' from Pippin, 'Defying Gravity' and 'For Good' from Wickedand 'Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.'The show won the prestigious Cabaret Award after playing New York's 54 Below in 2015.

Ben is now in the Theatre and Dance Hall of Fame and is considered one of our nation's most popular motivational speakers. Last year he joined American for the Arts, the largest arts organization in the country advocating for the advancement of the arts and art education.

In addition to his estimable artistic career, Vereen has devoted considerable time and energy to numerous nonprofit organizations. He has served on the boards of Ballet Florida, the American Red Cross and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Association. Ben's most recent endeavor is Wellness Through the Arts, a program, which allows kids especially ones who may not have access to the arts a chance to explore how they can express and heal themselves through art, and each year culminates in a competition, which awards scholarship money to the winner. In 1989, he launched his own organization, Celebrities for a Drug-Free America, which raised funds for drug rehabilitation centers, educational programs and inner-city community-based projects. In recognition of his humanitarian contributions, Vereen received the Community Mental Health Council's 2004 Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award, Israel's Cultural and Humanitarian Award, the NAACP Image Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.

Steppin' Out with BEN VEREEN plays at Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 West Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Performances are Friday, July 19 at 8:30 pm and on Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 pm. Tickets are available online at TicketWeb.com (search Ben Vereen) or by phone at 323.466.2210. Tickets start at $35.00. Note: Dinner or a two-drink minimum per person is required in addition to the ticket purchase. Seating is first-come, first-served; and the doors open at 7:00 pm for dinner.

For general information, please call Catalina Jazz Club at 323.466.2210 or visit www.CatalinaJazzClub.com.

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