Ben Vereen Staying Put

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/1/05 at 6:58pm

"Wicked" ensemble member Jen Waldman just told me that Ben Vereen will be staying in the show through next summer, so he won't be leaving January 8th as previously thought.

Michelle is still leaving the 8th, but her replacement situation has not been figured out yet.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 12/1/05 at 6:59pm

wow.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/1/05 at 7:02pm

::crosses fingers::

I pray that to be true. He at least can stay through Jan. 18th, then he's free to leave. I've never had the opportunity to see him in anything (though this isn't the role I'd like to be seeing him in.....) and this is probably going to be my only chance.

[AlixEG1]

Posted: 12/1/05 at 7:16pm

I enjoyed him more than anybody I have seen in the past. I am happy to hear that he is staying and hope that I get to see him again before he goes. He added so much more life to the character in my opinion.

[softershade]

Posted: 12/1/05 at 10:40pm

does anyone know if he will be taking a week or so leave sometime this month to do candlelight at epcot in florida? for the past three years i've had the pleasure of performing in it while he was the narrator and was hoping to make it a fourth. but i'm guessing if he's busy with wicked he won't be making the trip, although he did fly down over the summer to spend a day with us at broadway theatre project.
anyway, just curious!

EDIT! nevermind. just got an email with the list. no ben this year
Updated On: 12/1/05 at 10:40 PM

[WickedRentHead]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 8:40am

Michelle is still leaving the 8th, but her replacement situation has not been figured out yet

Hmm well it's December 2nd...they probably ought to figure that out sometime in the very near future. I mean if they use whoever covers Nessa when Michelle is out (which is hardly ever) then it wont be THAT big a deal because they will already know the part. If they plan on casting someone new...well then they better get a move on.

Im glad Ben's staying with Wicked. With him staying and Eden coming in it looks like there will be an awesome cast.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 11:30am

Does anyone know when Megan Hilty is leaving?

[MissNY]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 12:11pm

I believe her contract expires begining of June

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 2:42pm

god, i wish he would leave...he's terrible...he doesn't act, he begs for applause by breaking character and scene to do a tap dance, that has nothing to do with anything, just to hear cheers and applause...he turns my stomach, he over acts and he's just a big ol' ham...i'll step down now...hehe...sorry

-vincent

[Kass983]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 2:52pm

While I have never seen Ben Vereen live, I've seen a lot of footage of him on variety shows and talk shows over the years as well as being a big fan of his acting, since I was a child...and that was a while ago heh. He's one of those so called triple threats that never got the amount of work he was capable of, in my opinion. I'm glad he's staying in Wicked which gives me some hope of seeing him.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 3:46pm

Ben is the best wizard I've seen in the role. I hope he does stay.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 4:01pm

It's not like the Wizard is a deeply complex part with thousands of nuances to him. He is a razzmatazz character with less than razzmatazz songs to sing. Anything Vereen can do to spice up his time on stage, within reason, I say more power to him!

[Anne_here]

Posted: 12/2/05 at 4:02pm

I loved him as the Wizard! He was brillant!