Broadway is the latest in the entertainment industry to be hit with the on-going revelations of sexual misconduct among its workers. Veteran Broadway actor, Ben Vereen, has been accused of sexual assault and harassment during the 2015 production of the critically acclaimed show, Hair.

Vereen's Broadway Disaster

Vereen has been a part of the theater world for decades. The actor played Claude in the original Hair production in 1968 and also Judas Isacariot in Jesus Christ Superstar from 1971 to 1973. Vereen has also starred in several films such as: Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Idlewild, Mama I Want to Sing!, and Top Five. He's probably most remembered for his role as Will Smith's estranged father in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Vereen has been accused by half a dozen women, who claimed that the 71-year-old actor groped, kissed, gave aggressive hugs, made lewd comments, and exposed himself during exercises and in the hot tub.

Vereen did not deny the allegations and took the Twitter to issue an apology to the women he's offended.

One of the women who accused Vereen, Kaitlyn Terpstra, recounted the actor's actions against her during an interview with the Daily News.

"He gave this whole speech about how nudity was not inherently sexual. 'That's not what it's about.' He made me feel that if I wasn't mature enough to understand that, I wasn't mature enough to be in 'Hair,'" Terpstra stated. Terpstra, who was 22 at the time, also claimed that while Vereen consoled her about her parents, she felt his erection as she sat on his lap.

Terpstra elaborated that she felt "powerless and intimidated" by Vereen and actually believed she needed his guidance.

"Now I understand it was a power play. It was so calculated. It was like we were putty in his hands," she continued.

The Venice Theater, in Venice, Florida, also issued a statement that they are working to strengthen policies involving sexual harassment and the procedures needed to report them.

New Year, New Allegations

Vereen joins Ballet master, Peter Martins, and actor, Albert Schultz, who have been accused of sexual misconduct since the beginning of 2018. Martins retired from the New York Ballet Company after several of his former student claimed he abused and coerced them into a sexual relationship with him.

Schultz is currently facing four separate lawsuits from the women who claimed he sexually harassed him.

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Tags
Hair, Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, Sexual assault