Ben Vereen Plays Bristol Riverside Theatre, 4/20-22

Bristol Riverside Theatre concludes its season-long series of special performances with Steppin' Out Live with Ben Vereen, a weekend of appearances by legendary Broadway star Ben Vereen on April 20-22.  Performances are Friday, April 20 at 8 PM, Saturday, April 21 at 2:00 and 8:00 PM; and Sunday, April 22 at 3:00 PM.  Tickets starting at $50 are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100.  All performances are at Bristol Riverside Theatre (120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA).

Steppin' Out Live with Ben Vereen is a one man show with a unique blend of artistry and a tribute to Broadway, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr. featuring hit songs like "Defying Gravity," "My Way," "Mr. Bojangles," and "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries". Each performance is filled with song and dance, stories of his life, and Vereen's signature sense of humor.

            Ben Vereen starred on Broadway as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar for which he was nominated for a Tony Award and won the Theatre World Award, and as the Leading Player in Bob Fosse'sPippin, which earned him Tony and Drama Desk Awards.  He subsequently became a household name for his Emmy nominated performance as Chicken George in the legendary television miniseries Roots.  He starred in Funny Lady with Barbara Streisand and hosted the television variety series Comin' At Ya!  His other television appearances include How I Met Your Mother (recurring), Grey's Anatomy (Prism Award),  Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Zoobilee Zoo.  He made a triumphant return to Broadway in Jelly's Last Jam and has since appeared as the Wizard of Oz in Wicked. 

Vereen 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.  The Community Mental Health Council awarded Vereen with their 2004 Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award.  His humanitarian contributions have been recognized with numerous awards including Israel's Cultural and Humanitarian Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, an Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award, and a Victory Award.  Ben Vereen was recently inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

BRT's 25^th Anniversary Mainstage Season concludes with the hit musical Rent, May 8-June 3.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintained a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 66 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director, Amy Kaissar, BRT is celebrating its 25^th anniversary season.  For information, visit www.brtstage.org.