Live theater still his passion

Elia Powers

Ben Vereen has a distinct style.

It’s elegant: black top hat, leather jacket and pressed slacks.

The Ankh, a symbol of life that is associated with ancient Egypt,

dangles from his ear.

Vereen has a recognizable sound.

His bass voice is soothing when he speaks in a whisper, and

booming when he lets loose on stage.

Vereen has an affable disposition, but he hardened for a moment

when he heard a reporter misstate the title of his upcoming show.

“It’s not ‘Ben Does Sammy,’” Vereen said. “No one can do Sammy.”

That’s legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., whom Vereen is

honoring this weekend by performing 15 of his songs in a concert that

will close out the 2004-2005 Pacific Symphony Orchestra Pops series.

“Ben Sings the Music of Sammy Davis Jr.” will be Vereen’s

first-ever show at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. He will

be accompanied by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, led by Pops

Conductor Richard Kaufman.

In the first hour, the orchestra will perform the score of

“Finding Neverland,” which Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte

said will be a West Coast premiere. In the second hour, Vereen will

take the stage.

“Many would rank Sammy Davis Jr. as one of the best entertainers

of the 20th century,” Forsyte said. “In our time, there are very few

people who have the range to pay homage to him. Ben Vereen has that

capacity.”

Vereen has been doing cabaret-style performances for decades, but

he is humble about this show. He came up with the concept not for

promotional reasons, but to “keep Sammy’s spirit alive,” Vereen said.

“I said to myself: ‘Why aren’t we hearing this music anymore?

These were some of the greatest arrangements of all time. Someone has

to keep it going,’” he said.

Vereen shares a special bond with Davis: They jogged and

socialized when both were in New York City at the same time.

As a child, Vereen said he was inspired by Davis because he was

one of the few African American performers on television. Davis was a

regular on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” and Vereen remembers huddling

around the television and watching his performances.

“A lot of his music shaped my generation,” Vereen said. “We

romanced to this music. We used the words to get our wives.

“You think these people are going to be around forever. In the

end, you have to look at what they left behind.”

Vereen is leaving behind a legacy of his own.

He is a mentor and performance coach to young musicians, such as

Usher and Andre 3000 of Outkast. He is a regular on the lecture

circuit, often speaking about black history and the importance of

keeping arts education alive in schools.

Next month, Vereen will return to New York and join the cast of

the Broadway hit “Wicked,” a musical about the Witches of Oz.

Vereen made a name for himself on stage, appearing in shows such

as “Fosse,” “Pippin” and “Chicago.” His role in “Pippin” earned him a

Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for “Best Actor in a Musical.”

He makes regular appearances on television and in film, but Vereen

said live theater remains his passion.

“I enjoy being on stage,” he said. “It’s the best place to be.”

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at

elia.powers@latimes.com.