Broadway San Diego, a touring production group, announced on Friday that it had cut ties to the actor Ben Vereen, whose name was on an awards program rewarding outstanding local high school performers. This came after The New York Daily News reported that multiple women were accusing Mr. Vereen of sexual misconduct, connected to a 2015 community theater production of the musical “Hair” in Florida.
“Effective immediately, Broadway San Diego is ending its association with Mr. Ben Vereen,” the company said in a statement reported by The San Diego Union Tribune.
The awards will still be presented but will no longer be called the Ben Vereen Awards, the group said.
Mr. Vereen is a veteran actor and singer, with a lengthy résumé both on stage and on screen. Among his many theater credits, he won a Tony Award as the star of “Pippin” in 1973. On screen, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1977 for his portrayal of George Moore in “Roots.”
On Friday, he apologized with a statement posted to Twitter, saying, “I would like to apologize directly to the female cast members of the musical ‘Hair’ for my inappropriate conduct when I directed the production in 2015. While it was my intention to create an environment that replicated the themes of that musical during the rehearsal process, I have since come to understand that it is my conduct, not my intentions, which are relevant here.”
— Ben Vereen (@BenVereen) Jan. 5, 2018