11-17-2015 Audio Interview with Ben Vereeen

Ben Vereen is an icon; star of stage and screen, he is an internationally known and loved performer. Although he was singing and dancing in church and entertaining at churches and hospitals by the time he was four, Ben had no aspirations to be a performer; he thought he was going into the military. It took a very perceptive school principal to insist that he try out for the school of performing arts, and another perceptive teacher to see though his “bad audition.” Listen to the ironic way life conspired to help him find his passion. And once having found it he grabbed on and hasn’t let go. His credits include Wicked, I’m not Rappaport, Chicago, Hair, Jelly’s Last Jam, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Christmas Carol and winning the Tony and Drama Desk awards for his performance in Bob Fosse’s Pippen. His movies include Idlewild, All That jazz, Sweet Charity, and Funny Lady. TV; How I Met Your Mother, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, Law and Order, Criminal Intent, Armstrong. His latest film Time out of Mind costarring Richard Gere opened in September. He’s been inducted into both the Theater Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame. Hyper aware that his generation “failed to make good on its promise to create a safer more humane world,” Ben has re-imagined the iconic musical Hair and directed a very young cast at the Venice Theater in Venice FL in a production that will run Dec 13th. He hopes that by bringing this version to a current audience he will jump start a renewal of the spirit contained there. Listen to this serious, funny, self-deprecating, man talk about his life, his hopes for his version of Hair; and hear Sharon Leslie’s review as well as several songs from the show.

8-5-14 – Audio Interview

Bobby Brader became a musician by accident. Although he didn’t play an instrument a clerical error put 13 year old Bobby in advanced concert band. He didn’t want to be in band and planned to quit as soon as possible. Just as he was about to quit the band director asked him to demonstrate a scale on the trumpet. Bobby says that he didn’t really know the scale and that it must have been an angel who entered his trumpet and played it correctly. However it happened in that moment Bobby was captured by music. He still expected to pursue his dreams of becoming an aviator or even an astronaut until another surprising experience showed him his true path. While taking a chemistry test – a subject he liked and was good at – Bobby realized that his head was filled with music, thought “you are not going to be an aviator – you are going to be a musician!” And the decision was made, his fate was sealed; Bobby Brader would be – is a wonderful musician. We in Sarasota have been fortunate to have him here playing in every possible venue. And as he sets off to increase his skills by taking his MA in Film Composition we get one more chance to hear him play and learn what he has to share about the history of music. Come to see Bobby’s farewell concert at the Venice Theater, 140 Tampa Ave, Venice FL 34285 Sun 8/10 2PM and/or Thurs 8/14 8PM – Tickets ($15.00) can be purchased on line at www.venicestage.com or by calling the box office – (941) 488-1115. And listen to Bobby talk about how he discovered his “obsession” and how he balances his love of music with his equally powerful love of his family and friends.