STEPPIN' OUT WITH BEN VEREEN Announced At Catalina Jazz Club, February 24-25

The Cooper Company has announced the return of Ben Vereen, one of North America's greatest entertainers performing his popular stage show, Steppin' Out with Ben Vereen at Catalina Jazz Club (6725 West Sunset Blvd.) in Hollywood.

The strictly limited engagement plays two performances only on Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25, both shows are at 8:30 pm. For the first time, each performance of Steppin' Out with Ben Vereen will feature special ASL interpretation by Jeanette Lee (Mrs. Sweden World 2022) - Through the Hands of a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Tickets are now on sale and available at www.TicketWeb.com and by phone at 323.466.2210.

Steppin' Out with Ben Vereen is an evening filled with song, stories, and humor that takes you on a journey with tributes to Broadway, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Stephen Schwartz, and splash of reggae and rock 'n' roll. The show features hit songs such as 'Magic to Do' from Pippin, 'Defying Gravity' and 'For Good' from Wicked and 'Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.' The show won the prestigious Cabaret Award after playing New York's 54 Below in 2015.

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, Vereen starred in Pippin, Wicked, Fosse, I'm Not Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grind, Jelly's Last Jam and A Christmas Carol. His role in Pippin garnered him both the prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for "Best Actor in a Musical." He performed 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 an 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."

Vereen is also a force in film and television. His iconic character Chicken George created a veritable cultural tidal wave in the landmark ABC series Roots. He starred in the Chuck Lorre series B Positive on CBS and completed multiple episodes of The Good Fight, playing Frederick Douglas, also on CBS. Ben guest starred in Magnum P.I. and Bull for CBS; multiple episodes of Star for Fox; and the BET series Tales. He also co-starred with Richard Gere inTime Out of Mind, Chris Rock in Top Five, and was featured as Dr. Scott in the re-imagined The Rocky Horror Picture Show for 20th Century Fox. And he was picked by Bryan Cranston to co-star in Sneaky Pete for Amazon. Other film credits include Sweet Charity, All That Jazz, Funny Lady (Golden Globe nomination), Why Do Fools Fall In Love, amongst many others.

Ben was inducted into The Theatre Hall of Fame and The Dance Hall of Fame and is considered one of our nation's most popular motivational speakers. He is active member American for the Arts, the largest arts organization in the country advocating for the advancement of the arts and art education. Ben's passion is to educate and inspire children about the Arts. He was awarded the inaugural Juneteenth Legacy Award from the Broadway League, as well as receiving the Hero's Award from the First Responder's Children's Foundation due to his presence at Ground Zero in helping the first responders. He was recently honored with the Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Black Theatre Festival.

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, to name a few. 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. And in March 2022, Ben starred in the video/recording of a new song, "We Sing For Ukraine." The proceeds from this song will benefit both UNICEF and Abundance International.

Steppin' Out with Ben Vereen plays at Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 West Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Performances are Friday, February 24 at 8:30 pm and on Saturday, February 25 at 8:30 pm. The doors open for dinner and seating at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available online at www.TicketWeb.com (search Ben Vereen) and www.CatalinaJazzClub.com or by phone at 323.466.2210.

Tickets are $40 on Fridays and $50 on Saturdays. Note: Dinner or a two-drink minimum, plus a $0.49 music royalty, is required per patron in addition to the ticket purchase. Seating is first-come, first-served. For general information, please call Catalina Jazz Club at 323.466.2210 or visit www.CatalinaJazzClub.com.

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