Ben Vereen? Wicked! Ozsome!

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Wicked

Yesterday in Playbill it was announced that Ben Vereen was taking over the role of the Wizard in Wicked. CurrentlyGeorge Hearn plays the role, and he took it over from Joel Grey (who replaced Robert Morse in the west coast run. I'm still trying to dig up the truth about why he was turfed. Did he keep insisting on singing "I Believe In You" to Elphaba?).

Now I have a compelling reason to seeWicked in New York again. With Kirsten and Idina leaving and all, and the choppy book, and loving the CD on its own so much, I was finding it hard to work up the enthusiasm to go to see the show again.

But Ben Vereen! Ever since I saw All That Jazz I was a complete Ben fan. Oh, and isn't that him dancing in theSweet Charity movie too? He is on my list of people I want to see perform live before I die. I've made good progress (Bette Midler, check, Liza Minelli, check, Julie Andrews, check, Patti Lupone, check, Mandy Patinkin, check, Ann Reinking, check, Bernadette Peters, check., Tim Curry, check, Carol Burnett, check, Chita Rivera, check, Joel Grey, check, Barbra Streisand...rats!) but still haven't checked off Mr. Vereen.

I almost gave up hope when Canada's own David Foster ran Ben down with his car in Malibu...

And finally a reason to watch the Grammy's, as Wicked picked up the award for best musical show album...take that Avenue Q!

More Magic to Do: Pippin Tony Winner Ben Vereen to Be Wicked's Next Wizard, May 31

By Ernio Hernandez and Andrew Gans
14 Feb 2005

Pippin Tony Award winner Ben Vereen is returning to Broadway in another Stephen Schwartz musical. He'll play the Wizard in Wicked, starting May 31, a production spokesperson confirmed.

The actor will take over the role originated on Broadway by Cabaret's Joel Grey and currently played by George Hearn, a two-time Tony Award winner for his work in Sunset Boulevard and La Cage aux Folles.

A star of stage and screen, Ben Vereen made his Broadway debut as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. He nabbed the Tony for his work in Bob Fosse's production of Stephen Schwartz'sPippin (singing "Magic to Do") and has also starred on Broadway in Grind, Jelly's Last Jam, and Fosse. The recent revival of I'm Not Rappaport marked Vereen's non-musical Broadway debut. Vereen was nominated for Emmy Awards for his performances in Roots, Intruders, and 1976's The Bell Telephone Jubilee. He also received Golden Globe nominations for his work in Funny Lady and Ellis Island.

With a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, Wicked began
previews on Broadway Oct. 8, 2003, with an official opening Oct. 30, 2003. The musical just earned the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album for the popular Decca Broadway original cast recording.
By Suzy Conn on February 16, 2005 9:33 PM | | Comments (0)


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