Ben Vereen was the greatest stage actor I've ever seen. Yes, he could sing, yes, he could dance but what makes him great was that when I was standing in the back of the theater, he reached out and performed right in front of me. He drew the entire audience into his performance. No one like him.
So true! I saw him as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway when we went on a high-school bus trip. By the way, I went to a Catholic high school in New Jersey.
@@sophiehanssel2017 Fosse was also a disaster when it came to sexual boundaries with women, but that doesn't change the fact that the two men worked together to create an amazing work of art. The comment was on his dance moves, not on his character or legacy as a person.
Okay, so here are my thoughts. Pippin is a weirdly timeless musical, dealing with themes and issues everyone deals with, and I think this version is very indicative of the emotions of its time (the early 80s). It is dark, cynical, and underspoken, and something about it sets you on edge even if you can't put your finger on it. The revival is bright and loud (gilded would be the term I use). It is a spectacle and I think we live in a very gilded era. Things are bright, loud and shiny and the Pippin revival matched that. The emotions are no less there and the messages are no less important, but the tone of the show matches the current political and international mindset of "Oh! There's a war? But look at this really fun and exciting thing over here!! How can there be a war if everything else is so great!?! Stop looking at that! Look at this". Sorry this turned into a small book
Tardisin221B I kinda feel like the revival does that to comment on that in our society- it still keeps that twisted feeling about everyday life and the idea that we can be just as distracted or mindless. Besides if it was up to Fosse it would have been darker originally, the last line even after Catherine asks how Pippin feels was just “trapped” but then the added “but happy” because it upset people more it got lower reviews. He never wanted it to be a happy ending I feel like the new ending showing the cycle happening with Theo is just as ominous, in fact I think it was Schwartz who said he liked the ending even better but it’s definitely as a whole transformative I think some things are better in each version
The Manson Trio remains as one of the most iconic dances in theatre history. The juxtaposition of gore and violence happening all around them gives this cheery by the books jazz step routine such a sinister feeling
What I would give to go in a time machine back to 1972. If I had been in that audience, the minute the disembodied hands appeared, my mind would’ve been blown and the show just keeps getting more and more epic! Fosse didn’t have many shows on Broadway and in my opinion was the best!
Brilliant true talent you must give this man his due he has Fosse technique down to a science. Fosse trained him himself! So whoever comes after Ben has certainly been influenced. He isn't a singer he is a song stylist who is more known for dance but he is still a triple threat!
A couple years ago I saw Mr. Ben Vereen waiting for a to-go order in a restaurant I go to. I was so stunned like holy shit it's BEN VEREEN! I wanted to gush and tell him how much I love him in Pippin but also I didn't want to bother him. The only thing I could think is all these people have no idea how incredibly talented and amazing he is.. I live in LA and have seen tons of celebs but this was one of the rare times I was starstruck... the man is a legend.
I had a similar experience. I was passing by Carnegie Hall and heard his voice on the street. He was just talking to someone, a friend I gathered. I didn't gawk or interfere. It was just cool to hear his voice out of nowhere and realize "It's Ben Vereen!"
One of the things I always loved about the soft shoe number is the way his body movement produces a "moving joint" effect between the vest and the pants. I wonder if the costuming was conceived with that in mind.
Of course. I heard a dancer once say that Fosse's choreography destroys your hips and right here you can see why. Imagine dancing like that every day, some days twice.
6:27 That creepy closeup of that severed head and weird dissonant music… and then he launches right back into the liveliest dancing you’ve ever seen. I love this musical so much.
In the scene immediately following the number, Pippin has a conversation with that “severed” head. It’s been edited out of the video of this performance, but it exist(s/ed) on the master recording tape (which I caught on the Tube of You once, before it was pulled down).
looking at the art of bob fosse’s beautiful direction and choreography decades after it was on the stage is the most gorgeous thing yet so depressing knowing you’ll never get such raw art on stage. sure the fosse style is still preserved and used well, but nothing from the man himself. he was a genius
Ben Vereen was my mother's favorite male stage actor period and Pippin was one of my mother's favorite Broadway plays. Along with Timbuktu with the incomparable Eartha Kitt in it as well as Liza Minnelli's Cabaret. B's what classic plays by classic actors that I don't believe we were ever ever be blessed to experience in our generation
The video of Ben Vereen's (and cast) performance of Glory mesmerizes me. Have watched it probably a dozen times. Mr. Vereen's mastery of dance is so smooth, flowing.
The Pippin revival was amazing but Ben Vareen just knocos the leading player way out of the park. Miller is a damn amazing singer and dancer, but Ben made his portrayal a bit more memorable.
What a great job Mr. Vereen! Having to do a show like this, 8 shows a week, must have been so physically & vocally challenging-! Well done sir, well done. :)
The glories in the very beginning are no doubt my favorite. Ben's polished performance, awesome vocals, his look, the music, everything. Just wow, this man has been blessed unbelievably by the LORD.
It took me a couple of views to finally get what was going on here. I think this is very talented because it makes a satire on something that usually so serious. I like how animated and cartoonish they made it loo. That took real talent...Ben Vereen is so talented.
Ben Vereen at his peak! The whole clip is awesome, but watch BV in the first two minutes. The trio at 4.00 is so-o- technically brilliant too. Thanks for putting up this clip. It's wonderful to have it caught for all time.........
Oct.10: Happy birthday Actor-dancer-singer Ben Vereen; multiple Tony Awards winner, Drama Desk Award, Theater World Award. Thank you and God bless. Thanks for the upload. Blessings
Phillip Bennett Heh. Good one. I don’t see why Sophie’s post is relevant anyway. I’m sure she likes a performer who isn’t exactly blameless. It doesn’t take away from their artistry.
Ben Vereen is fantastic, and this is definately my favorite song in Pippin! Also, I know nothing about dancing, but I know what I like, and I've always loved Fosse's choreography.
I've just been cast as leading player in a local theater production. how I will get anywhere near the magnificence of ben vereen and his shiny blue pants I will never know...
Thanks to the miracle of UA-cam, and you sir, I can now see, hear, and enjoy this great performance again after a whole lot of years. Thank you. Thank you.
Nephew Pippin~Soulful is sweeeeet!!! Keep grinding with your unique self. Blow up time comes from consistency and thriving with creativity during the dry : struggling seasons; which turns into a rain seasons that makes buds which blossoms into SOLID built prosperity.
Mr. Broadway Ben is si ply magnificent 8 shows a week and strong each time Hollywood actors have nothing on theatre performers you can't retake clip PR edit a live performance simply brilliant
Can you imagine seeing this in 1972!! So shocking... even today. Genius choreography from Fosse. Ben just doesn't know the choreography... he IS the choreography. Wow.
Agreed! Pippin opened in 1972. This was filmed in 1981. Vereen defined his still while Michael Jackson was developing his. Another note: Fosse is the choreographer. He was definitely influenced by Black street dance. In this case He was a big influence on MJ. Just check out Fosse in the "Snake In The Grass" clip from the "Little Prince" and you'll see how much Fosse influenced MJ.
for what its worth, some people think this is from a re-staging of the original broadway production...this particular clip is from a traveling show of the original production, performed in Canada, and the only original staging available on DVD....Ben Vereen, Martha Raye, Chita Rivera, stage direction by Kathryn Doby, William Katt as Pippin.....as close as one can get to being in the theatre for the original show --- a masterpiece!......
I saw it on Broadway (with Ben) in '73 or '74.... I was in fifth or sixth grade. When I finally saw the DVD, I asked my Mom, 'you took me to see THAT?!? (I was especially surprised at the 'sowing his wild oats' scene). She asked if I understood that when I saw it as a kid - Heck NO! Still my fave.
I'm in this show right now. It's pretty fun. Our Leading Player is actually divided into four different characters, but the main one has most of the lines.
For exercise I usually do a ballet warm up, then something that Fosse choreographed, then stretch and sometimes do a second Fosse dance to a soundtrack of one of the something he directed and choreographed, like “I Gotcha.” 😅 This is why at age 44, with a torn labrum in my left hip I could still put one foot up on my doctors exam table, above my waist, while I had the other on the floor. I did that to show him that I thought I could do PT instead of surgery.
Ben Vereen will be performing Monday evening at The Birdland Jazz Club! A bright new ⭐️ will be singing Glory❣️A must see event doors open at 5pm only $30 📢🗣🎭🎶❤️
i can honestly say that vereen is one of my favorite actors ever. but the woman playing the lead player in the production of pippin im currently in has to be one of the strongest and most talented singers ive ever heard. ive heard her sing all these songs at least 100 times now and everytime she just knocks me off my feet in a way vereen doesnt. In a way she has ruined any other pippin production for me because i only want to hear her sing it.
Ben Vereen was the greatest stage actor I've ever seen. Yes, he could sing, yes, he could dance but what makes him great was that when I was standing in the back of the theater, he reached out and performed right in front of me. He drew the entire audience into his performance. No one like him.
He owns the stage when he's on it.
So true! I saw him as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway when we went on a high-school bus trip. By the way, I went to a Catholic high school in New Jersey.
Cosign
I saw him do a show about his life. He was amazing.
@@susancullimore5643Marylawn of the Oranges? Stuart Country Day? My mum went to Marylawn and I’ve worked at Stuart
Vereen is the greatest male Fosse interpreter of all time, and that includes Fosse himself.
Exactly!
Yeah, Fosse had a number of female muses, but Ben Vereen was Fosse's leading man.
And if Bob were still alive, I bet he would agree with you!
Any Kpop fans out there? Easy to see the Fosse influence in BTS's dance routines. That little dbl shoulder SHRUG that V does. here it is, via Vereen!!
AGREE
So dark, so uncomfortable, and so brilliantly, seductively disturbing, as only Fosse can deliver. Perfection.
His movements seems so effortless. It's amazing.
Ben Vereen was also famous for having sex with women in a production of Hair in 2015
@@sophiehanssel2017 Fosse was also a disaster when it came to sexual boundaries with women, but that doesn't change the fact that the two men worked together to create an amazing work of art. The comment was on his dance moves, not on his character or legacy as a person.
@@nathanboecker9318She’s a broken record, commenting throughout.
@@PeachWNKSeems like sour grapes.
@@bulovapsb He must have left her a small tip when she was a waitress.
Ben Vereen was so perfect for the Leading Player. He’s a born performer. Can definitely see why he won the Tony for this.
Okay, so here are my thoughts. Pippin is a weirdly timeless musical, dealing with themes and issues everyone deals with, and I think this version is very indicative of the emotions of its time (the early 80s). It is dark, cynical, and underspoken, and something about it sets you on edge even if you can't put your finger on it. The revival is bright and loud (gilded would be the term I use). It is a spectacle and I think we live in a very gilded era. Things are bright, loud and shiny and the Pippin revival matched that. The emotions are no less there and the messages are no less important, but the tone of the show matches the current political and international mindset of "Oh! There's a war? But look at this really fun and exciting thing over here!! How can there be a war if everything else is so great!?! Stop looking at that! Look at this". Sorry this turned into a small book
Tardisin221B I kinda feel like the revival does that to comment on that in our society- it still keeps that twisted feeling about everyday life and the idea that we can be just as distracted or mindless. Besides if it was up to Fosse it would have been darker originally, the last line even after Catherine asks how Pippin feels was just “trapped” but then the added “but happy” because it upset people more it got lower reviews. He never wanted it to be a happy ending I feel like the new ending showing the cycle happening with Theo is just as ominous, in fact I think it was Schwartz who said he liked the ending even better but it’s definitely as a whole transformative I think some things are better in each version
They both reached for the gun
Try the early 70s. Nixon was in the White House, the Vietnam war wag raging.
‘72!
Ben moves with sheer poetry.
facts my brother!
3:19 I'll do it I dunno... LOVE THAT
O_O
Whoa, just noticed that hahaha
omg hey Jon! so awesome you played the LP in high school! :)
I just love how one of my favorite UA-camrs commented on this video. Haha AWESOME!!! 😀
***** I KNOW, RIGHT!?!? wait, you have time to watch this, comment about Ben Vereen, but NOT TO MAKE A NEW VIDEO!?
The Manson Trio remains as one of the most iconic dances in theatre history. The juxtaposition of gore and violence happening all around them gives this cheery by the books jazz step routine such a sinister feeling
I'm surprised nobody in the audience fainted from the amount of pure Epicness that was onstage in front of them.
Bob Fosse + Ben Vereen = Pure Heaven
What I would give to go in a time machine back to 1972. If I had been in that audience, the minute the disembodied hands appeared, my mind would’ve been blown and the show just keeps getting more and more epic! Fosse didn’t have many shows on Broadway and in my opinion was the best!
Brilliant true talent you must give this man his due he has Fosse technique down to a science. Fosse trained him himself! So whoever comes after Ben has certainly been influenced. He isn't a singer he is a song stylist who is more known for dance but he is still a triple threat!
A couple years ago I saw Mr. Ben Vereen waiting for a to-go order in a restaurant I go to. I was so stunned like holy shit it's BEN VEREEN! I wanted to gush and tell him how much I love him in Pippin but also I didn't want to bother him. The only thing I could think is all these people have no idea how incredibly talented and amazing he is.. I live in LA and have seen tons of celebs but this was one of the rare times I was starstruck... the man is a legend.
I had a similar experience. I was passing by Carnegie Hall and heard his voice on the street. He was just talking to someone, a friend I gathered. I didn't gawk or interfere. It was just cool to hear his voice out of nowhere and realize "It's Ben Vereen!"
One of the things I always loved about the soft shoe number is the way his body movement produces a "moving joint" effect between the vest and the pants. I wonder if the costuming was conceived with that in mind.
Of course. I heard a dancer once say that Fosse's choreography destroys your hips and right here you can see why. Imagine dancing like that every day, some days twice.
MAJOR chills the moment he starts dancing
6:27 That creepy closeup of that severed head and weird dissonant music… and then he launches right back into the liveliest dancing you’ve ever seen. I love this musical so much.
In the scene immediately following the number, Pippin has a conversation with that “severed” head. It’s been edited out of the video of this performance, but it exist(s/ed) on the master recording tape (which I caught on the Tube of You once, before it was pulled down).
looking at the art of bob fosse’s beautiful direction and choreography decades after it was on the stage is the most gorgeous thing yet so depressing knowing you’ll never get such raw art on stage. sure the fosse style is still preserved and used well, but nothing from the man himself. he was a genius
I feel the same, I wish they had filmed this on film so we could have had an HD version
I see his influence in BTS' stage routines, intricate or delicate.
@@charlesthomson9276Yeah, I have a DVD, but it needs remastered.
The way Ben just breaks into that dance at the beginning never fails to make me smile
That smooth Fosse choreography tho it’s so amazing
Ben Vereen was my mother's favorite male stage actor period and Pippin was one of my mother's favorite Broadway plays. Along with Timbuktu with the incomparable Eartha Kitt in it as well as Liza Minnelli's Cabaret. B's what classic plays by classic actors that I don't believe we were ever ever be blessed to experience in our generation
The video of Ben Vereen's (and cast) performance of Glory mesmerizes me. Have watched it probably a dozen times. Mr. Vereen's mastery of dance is so smooth, flowing.
What a dancer, Ben Vereen!!!
I saw Pippin in 1974! (With Ben Vereen and John Rubenstein....)
So did I! Second row center.
omg Ben Vereen. Owns it.
I borrowed the dvd from the library and after watching I felt that the best scenes were the ones with ben vereen! He's such a talent! :D
The Pippin revival was amazing but Ben Vareen just knocos the leading player way out of the park. Miller is a damn amazing singer and dancer, but Ben made his portrayal a bit more memorable.
Imagine if they got Ben and Patina to split the role into two people in the Revival.
Ohhhhhh fuck me up that would be crazy.
Ben Vereen was also famous for having sex with women in a production of Hair in 2015
And that was a good thing i guess
Pat Patriot Ya mean like how Joel grey and alun cumming did in that one performance of willkomen?
What a great job Mr. Vereen! Having to do a show like this, 8 shows a week, must have been so physically & vocally challenging-! Well done sir, well done. :)
Fosse and Vereen, a pairing never to happen again, already Broadway legends!
The glories in the very beginning are no doubt my favorite. Ben's polished performance, awesome vocals, his look, the music, everything. Just wow, this man has been blessed unbelievably by the LORD.
It took me a couple of views to finally get what was going on here. I think this is very talented because it makes a satire on something that usually so serious. I like how animated and cartoonish they made it loo. That took real talent...Ben Vereen is so talented.
That is definitely the underlying theme, about how some people revel in the idea of war and violence. A sort of anti-war song.
Ben is amazing! I’ve been trying to see him live for years & I finally get to Sat.!
How was it?
Wow!!! Ben is an incredible performer!!
he is extraordinary!!!! ive never seen anything like Ben Vereen before! phenomenal!!!!!
Saw this live, this gives me goosebumps every time i watch it!
Let's not overlook that this musical has some good messages that hold true today.
I appriciate this number a lot more now that I'm older.
Ben Vereen at his peak! The whole clip is awesome, but watch BV in the first two minutes. The trio at 4.00 is so-o- technically brilliant too. Thanks for putting up this clip. It's wonderful to have it caught for all time.........
0:00
He is effortless as the Leading Player. Is it a coincidence that both him and Patina won the Tony for Leading Player? :P
I played Catherine in Pippin last year, and loved every second of it. This show is my favorite!
Oct.10: Happy birthday Actor-dancer-singer Ben Vereen; multiple Tony Awards winner, Drama Desk Award, Theater World Award. Thank you and God bless. Thanks for the upload. Blessings
Ben is mesmerizing. The part that begins at 3:50 is genius.
Ben Vereen was also famous for having sex with women in a production of Hair in 2015
Sophie Hanssel So you’re saying he had sex with the women in Hair?
I guess you could say he liked having sex with hairy women...
Phillip Bennett Heh. Good one. I don’t see why Sophie’s post is relevant anyway. I’m sure she likes a performer who isn’t exactly blameless. It doesn’t take away from their artistry.
Doing Pippin for our Spring Musical! (Pit Orchestra represent)
+Matthew Nikzad Pit Orchestra ftw! what'd you play?
+Matt T Keyboard
Matt Nikzad - need a choreogrspher who was in the show ?
Ben Vereen is fantastic, and this is definately my favorite song in Pippin! Also, I know nothing about dancing, but I know what I like, and I've always loved Fosse's choreography.
I've just been cast as leading player in a local theater production. how I will get anywhere near the magnificence of ben vereen and his shiny blue pants I will never know...
Thank you whoever posted this!
I want to give you a gift!
Just how good was Ben Vereen!!!!!
Thanks to the miracle of UA-cam, and you sir, I can now see, hear, and enjoy this great performance again after a whole lot of years. Thank you. Thank you.
ミュージカル「ピピン」と言えば主役ウィリアム・カットと振付ボブフォッシーを思い出します。特にヒット曲はないが、何と言ってもボブフォッシーの振付が抜群ですね。
I am playing the part of The Leading Player at our school and I just hope to be this good. This man is a genious.
we're are dpoing this show at my school. it's pretty cool and this is one of my favourite songs
Nephew Pippin~Soulful is sweeeeet!!!
Keep grinding with your unique self.
Blow up time comes from consistency and thriving with creativity during the dry : struggling seasons; which turns into a rain seasons that makes buds which blossoms into SOLID built prosperity.
Amazing :[___________] from belting out soul to dancing for 2 minuets straight! no one can even touch that!can't wait to do this @ my school.
OMG ben verenn came to our high school and gave us a unforgettable speech!!! =D
It's unfair to compare Patina Miller to Ben Vereen. Or anyone to Ben Vereen for that matter. This is his role.
But...Patina Miller is incredible. Her voice is amazing. She's as good as Ben, just different.
She's a singer, he's a dancer.
Ben Vereen was also famous for having sex with women in a production of Hair in 2015
I prefer Ben, but both are great leading players
@@Ayden_B i prefer patina, but i completely agree with you!! ben is still a wonderful LP!
Mr. Broadway Ben is si ply magnificent 8 shows a week and strong each time Hollywood actors have nothing on theatre performers you can't retake clip PR edit a live performance simply brilliant
this is amazing!!!!!!!! i loooove this musical!
thank you sooo much for putting this on here :D
Videos like these .. makes me feel lucky we have you tube you forget how Fabulous Ben Vereen waw
Amazing play. So underrated
There isn't any Dancer in the world like Ben Vereen.
hurray, they retuned the video! many thanks!!!
I forget how much pippin makes me uneasy
Ben Vereen is amazing. My school is doing this in a week and a half and I wish we could do half the job he does...
I remember the commercial with the dance at 4:00 in the New York area.
Can you imagine seeing this in 1972!! So shocking... even today. Genius choreography from Fosse. Ben just doesn't know the choreography... he IS the choreography. Wow.
Agreed! Pippin opened in 1972. This was filmed in 1981. Vereen defined his still while Michael Jackson was developing his. Another note: Fosse is the choreographer. He was definitely influenced by Black street dance. In this case He was a big influence on MJ. Just check out Fosse in the "Snake In The Grass" clip from the "Little Prince" and you'll see how much Fosse influenced MJ.
MJ was influenced by many other dancers incl. street dancers…
for what its worth, some people think this is from a re-staging of the original broadway production...this particular clip is from a traveling show of the original production, performed in Canada, and the only original staging available on DVD....Ben Vereen, Martha Raye, Chita Rivera, stage direction by Kathryn Doby, William Katt as Pippin.....as close as one can get to being in the theatre for the original show --- a masterpiece!......
It seems to be the case that whatever version of something you see first is the one you like best.
I would love to do this play! Only a few can do the Leading Player role and pull it off. Ben Vereen... another Broadway Legend...
Playing this role at APU on December 15 So Excited!!!!!
So awesome!!!!
I love this musical! The, uh, hip thrusts are a bit surprising. XD
I saw it on Broadway (with Ben) in '73 or '74.... I was in fifth or sixth grade. When I finally saw the DVD, I asked my Mom, 'you took me to see THAT?!? (I was especially surprised at the 'sowing his wild oats' scene). She asked if I understood that when I saw it as a kid - Heck NO! Still my fave.
I'm in this show right now. It's pretty fun. Our Leading Player is actually divided into four different characters, but the main one has most of the lines.
saw this today at my school
what a profound play!
Nobody fucks with Ben Vereen. He is the best ever.
we did this musical at my school actually with 3 schools and i LOVE it.
what a talent !!!
How could anyone think their school did better? This is the cream of Broadway!
I always thought this number, SPECIALLY the little number in the middle with the LP, was dark and creepy as hell. :P
Silvia Lamarca It was meant to be. So great.
For exercise I usually do a ballet warm up, then something that Fosse choreographed, then stretch and sometimes do a second Fosse dance to a soundtrack of one of the something he directed and choreographed, like “I Gotcha.” 😅
This is why at age 44, with a torn labrum in my left hip I could still put one foot up on my doctors exam table, above my waist, while I had the other on the floor.
I did that to show him that I thought I could do PT instead of surgery.
10-10-2009. He's full of glee at 63. Happy Birthday, Ben. Or can I call you Chicken George? Heh-heh.
Such a great anti-war song.
I don't know. I think the revival was pretty fantastic
My brother is a producer of the 2013 Broadway revival.
Bonnie Brunish I just saw a show in the national tour of that revival yesterday, absolutely spectacular, blew my mind!
I admired Fosse choreography for YEARS, Vereen then MJ later. If I had become professional with my dancing, I would have danced Fosse any way I could.
My Sweet Ben,,, You are the BEST and I will always love you.
it's an awesome song. so much fun to sing.
1:00
You can NEVER outdo or come close too ORIGINAL
Ben Vereen will be performing Monday evening at The Birdland Jazz Club! A bright new ⭐️ will be singing Glory❣️A must see event doors open at 5pm only $30 📢🗣🎭🎶❤️
1:43 that walk though👌👌👌
soo great
Wow. This is genius.
My highschool is doing a production of this now, I really like it. I'm the light operator.
I did this role in High School & about to Audition for same role this week (am now 40+)... Myla 💃🏻🎭🎶🙏🏼
Pippin is the best
If you can do this choreography, you can do anything!
i can honestly say that vereen is one of my favorite actors ever. but the woman playing the lead player in the production of pippin im currently in has to be one of the strongest and most talented singers ive ever heard. ive heard her sing all these songs at least 100 times now and everytime she just knocks me off my feet in a way vereen doesnt. In a way she has ruined any other pippin production for me because i only want to hear her sing it.
our school is doing this BUT we could never do better! :)
so good
He's really really hot.
saw him in person once - he gave me the napkin he used to wipe his forehead.....wow
thats special!!