It’s a true pleasure to welcome you back to the cover of Travelgirl Magazine. We were honored to feature the illustrious Ben Vereen in 2021, and it’s been a joy to follow your remarkable, ever-evolving career. Your legacy as one of the world’s most celebrated song-and-dance performers continues to inspire, and it has been a privilege to get to know you and to share your story with our readers. On a personal note, it makes this moment even more meaningful that we share a dear friend—the wonderfully accomplished LaVelle Olexa. We are absolutely delighted to have you back aboard Travelgirl.
Travelgirl: You’ve had an extraordinary career across Broadway, television, music, and dance. When you lookback, which moment still feels most defining to you?
Ben Vereen: This is a great question because so many times in my life and career, I have truly been blessed. I must give you two answers here. Winning the Tony Award was electric. I ran to the stage in such glee and honor and was so thrilled to become a part of the Broadway community.
Also, stepping out on stage in Jelly’s Last Jam after recovering from my medical journey in 1992. I felt truly blessed to share the stage with my friend Gregory Hines, who I miss so dearly. I was also blessed to be sponsored by Lexus and to have all of my wellness people in the front row cheering me on. I felt truly blessed.
TG: Pippin, the Tony-winning Broadway musical about a young man’s search for meaning — staged with Bob Fosse’s unforgettable style — was a defining moment for you. What did that role mean to you then, and what does it mean to you today?
BV: Being under the guidance of Bob Fosse was a gift. Being under the music of Stephen Schwartz was a gift. Today, Pippin and the role of The Leading Player remain a treasure that keep entertaining the world. Spiritual connections continue to influence a greater message, not only for the youth to find themselves, but to exist in a world of peace.
TG: Roots was the landmark miniseries that followed generations of an African American family, beginning with Kunta Kinte and the legacy of slavery in America, and it reached millions of viewers around the world. What did that experience mean to you personally and professionally?
BV: The week that Roots aired, the streets were silent. Everybody was embraced by this significant story of humans searching for freedom. To live in the words of the magnanimous Alex Haley, “I shall never forget.”
TG: You’ve sustained a career over decades — something very few performers achieve. What has allowed you to keep evolving as an artist?
BV: Learning from my fellow artists, inspiring me to always — and I mean always — go the extra mile to believe in the arts, to believe in oneself, and to present my best self in any role, on any stage has sustained me.
TG: Your next role is in a streaming series, The Gray House, and the executive producers are Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner. What drew you to that project and what can audiences look forward to?
BV: Anything that Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner are a part of, I am honored to be selected to perform in. The audiences can look forward to learning such an important chapter of our American history, which is finally shared in a light I personally hope lives in our past, and not in our future.
TG: The Gray House is a true story set during the Civil War about four women who run a spy network for the Union. What do you hope audiences will take away from the series?
BV: I hope the audiences understand not only the severity of the Civil War, but about the importance of these women risking their own lives to save the lives of others in need. I hope audiences today will recognize their contributions and hope that this may never happen again.
TG: What was it like to be in Romania for five months filming The Gray House? What are the challenges you faced living in Bucharest with a language barrier?
BV: Romania is a beautiful country. I loved connecting with the people and the culture. I didn’t feel so challenged with the language barrier; instead, I welcomed the opportunities of collaborating with an international crew that worked so diligently.
TG: You’re entering an exciting new chapter as Brand Ambassador for the clothing brand Snow Milk. What inspired you to step into fashion, and what’s your inspiration for the brand?
BV: Snow Milk’s mission is to amplify positive messages which inspired me. Each piece is one-of-a-kind with designs utilizing positive affirmations. My hope is that Snow Milk will inspire others to express their own individual styles and spread kindness throughout the world.
TG: You are collaborating with your longtime bass player, Mike Boone, on an upcoming album, “Ben Vereen: For You.” What can we expect from the album, and what was your favorite moment recording it with Mike?
BV: I am so proud that Mike Boone, my friend and musician, chose to work with me. I gave Mike his first professional job back in 1977. At that time, Mike realized that I was an avid jazz fan and noticed my extensive record collection. We first had the idea of making a jazz album in the mid-90s.
Last year, we finally got together and recorded my favorite songs with new jazz arrangements. It has been a labor of love. My favorite moment was when my former guitar player, Tony Ventura, came in to play a session. Mike didn’t tell me he was inviting Tony, and it was a wonderful surprise. Getting to record with someone I haven’t seen in 20 years was such a special experience.
TG: When audiences think of Ben Vereen, what do you hope they carry with them about your legacy — and about what you’re still creating today?
BV: I truly hope to never disappoint anybody. It has always been my goal and intention to offer messages of hope and inspiration, and I will continue to do so each and every day in my personal life and career. I am currently working on a book of affirmations that will also be part of my legacy.
TG: You continue to share your experience through Master Classes and mentorship. What do you most want young performers to take from your journey?
BV: With discipline, determination, and spirituality, you can do anything. It’s a mindset. If this is your calling in life, “hard work and perseverance” is your mantra.
TG: Our Travelgirl readers want to know, is there one item Ben Vereen always takes with him when he heads out on a journey?
BV: I take my altar wherever I travel. It has both meditation and spiritual guidance books, photos of my family, candles, and affirmations. It is my way of starting and ending my days and nights.
TG: Do you have a favorite travel destination, perhaps a favorite city or country to perform in? What makes your choice a special destination for you?
BV: My favorite travel destination is Bali. One day it will become my second home. The country is filled with spirituality and humans who are generous with their culture. They have unbelievable architectural landmarks to visit, places to pray and to become one with your higher power, whatever that may be.
TG: You have traveled the world performing. Is there a city or stage that has always felt especially meaningful to you?
BV: Every time I walk onstage, whether I have been to that city or not, it is meaningful to me. If I can give the gift of a smile to my audience in a world so diverse, I’ve achieved my dream. I was fortunate enough to be in the first group of Americans to travel to mainland China and perform. In a country where African Americans were rarely seen, where Chinese families lived and prayed together across three generations, and where a Polaroid camera felt like pure magic, I experienced — quite unexpectedly — a profound sense of rebirth
I was also honored to experience the arts in a profound way — not only performing my own concert but sharing the stage with a Chinese opera. Just as meaningful were my visits to local schools and training programs where young Olympians were already dedicating themselves to the disciplines that would shape their futures.
Of course, I will never forget performing for Princess Grace in Monaco at the Sporting Club. If she liked your performance, after the performance, she would invite you to her table for midnight supper. And she liked me! I was fortunate to sit not only with Princess Grace, who was so beautiful and charming, but also with writer James Baldwin and French oceanographer, marine conservationist, filmmaker, and explorer Jacques Cousteau who were also seated at her table. The next day Jacques took me on a private tour of his museum and as a lover of the ocean and a scuba diver, it was the ultimate treat.
