By Edward Henderson
On Sunday, May 28th at 6pm, the 2017 Ben Vereen Awards will be held at Balboa Theatre. The event is a competition to honor the top High School theatre talent in San Diego. 10 male and female competitors will showcase their talent along with five High School troupes to identify the best performers in each category. The top male and female performers will receive a cash prize and an opportunity to perform in a national competition in New York.
Ben Vereen is one of the most accomplished African American stage and screen actors in performing arts history. He’s has appeared in Wicked, Fosse, I’m Not Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grind, Pippin, Jelly’s Last Jam and A Christmas Carol. Vereen headlined with Chita Rivera in Chicago, the first Broadway production to play Las Vegas. For over 35 years, Ben has showcased his versatility and creativity, performing countless one-man shows not only in the United States, but also Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. He was the first simultaneous winner of the “Entertainer of the Year,” “Rising Star,” and “Song and Dance Star” awards from the American Guild of Variety Artists. He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame.
His screen credits include playing Chicken George in Roots and Louis Armstrong in Louis Armstrong – Chicago Style. Ben’s television guest appearances include Grey’s Anatomy, for which he won the Prism Award, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, OZ, Touched By An Angel, Second Noah, New York Undercover, The Nanny, Star Trek – The Next Generation, The Jamie Fox Show, The Promised Land, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The awards began in 2014 with the mission of utilizing a competitive Tony® Awards style adjudication process to find the best high school musical theater talent in San Diego County.
“The arts can change children’s lives,” said Vereen. “When we return to the garden of what our true power really is, we’ll see the wonders we will create on this planet. The arts is about creating and being creative. We have separated the arts from life itself, when life itself is an art form. If you want a better tomorrow, support the youth.”
You can purchase tickets to the Ben Vereen Awards here.
