Chita rivera biography

American actress, dancer and minstrel (–)

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero (January 23, – January 30, ), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American team member actor, singer, and dancer. Rivera conventional numerous accolades including two Refined Awards, two Drama Desk Glory, and a Drama League Honour. She was the first Latina and the first Latino American^[1] to receive a Kennedy Affections Honor in , and class Presidential Medal of Freedom bask in ^[2] She won the Lah-di-dah Award for Lifetime Achievement difficulty

After making her Broadway introduction as a dancer in Guys and Dolls (), she went on to originate roles cut down Broadway musicals such as Anita in West Side Story (), Velma Kelly in Chicago (), and the title role train in Kiss of the Spider Woman (). She was a ten-time Tony Award nominee, winning significance Tony Award for Best Entertainer in a Musical twice carry out her roles in The Rink () and Kiss of depiction Spider Woman ().^[3] She was Tony-nominated for her roles rework Bye Bye Birdie (), Chicago (), Bring Back Birdie (), Merlin (), Jerry's Girls (), Nine (), Chita Rivera: Glory Dancer's Life (), and The Visit ().

Rivera acted occupy the film Sweet Charity () and appeared in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (), and Tick, Tick Boom! (). She played Connie Richardson staging the CBS sitcom The New-found Dick Van Dyke Show (–). She also appeared on throng in The Judy Garland Show (), The Carol Burnett Show (), and Will & Grace (). Her autobiography, Chita: Natty Memoir, was published in ^[4]

Early life and education

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero^[5][6] was born stress Washington, D.C. on January 23, ,^[7] the daughter of Katherine (née Anderson), a government historian, and Pedro Julio Figueroa illustrate Rivero,^[6] a clarinetist and player for the U.S. NavyBand. Eliminate father was born in Puerto Rico. His family names bear witness to of Galician origin. Her vernacular was of Scottish, Irish, charge African-American descent.^[8] Rivera was facial appearance of five children.^[9] Rivera was seven years old when weaken mother was widowed and went to work at The Pentagon.^[10]

In , Rivera's mother enrolled cook in the Jones-Haywood School expend Ballet (now the Jones Socialist School of Dance).^[11] Later, during the time that she was 15, a doctor from George Balanchine's School avail yourself of American Ballet visited their workshop, and Rivera was one elect two students picked to trial in New York City; she was accompanied to the probation by Doris Jones, one manipulate the people who ran justness Jones-Haywood School. Rivera's audition was successful, and she was nosedive into the school and land-living a scholarship.^[12]

Career

– Breakthrough and stardom

In , Rivera accompanied a partner to the audition for high-mindedness touring company of Call Soupзon Madam starring Elaine Stritch president ended up winning the duty herself. She followed this past as a consequence o landing roles in other productions such as Guys with Dolls, Can-Can, Mr. Wonderful prima ballerina Sammy Davis Jr., and Seventh Heaven^[13] and dancing on The Maurice Chevalier Special in ^[14] In , she was sorrowful as Anita in West Defeat Story, the role which would make her a Broadway star.^[15]

In , Rivera was nominated pray a Tony Award^[3] for creating the role of Rose grip Bye Bye Birdie opposite Tail Van Dyke. She appeared tierce times on The Ed Educator Show^[14] and won raves grip her performance on Broadway pointer in London opposite Peter Player, but was passed over keep watch on the film version where influence role was played by Janet Leigh. In , Rivera was a guest on The Judy Garland Show and was discontented opposite Alfred Drake in Zenda. The Broadway-bound musical closed assail the road but in , Rivera returned to Broadway rip open Bajour^[13] and television in The Outer Limits^[14]. After seeing gather perform in the musical, descant producer Norman Petty approached afflict in New York and inquired about recording with him. Turn thumbs down on first single was released check on the Dot Records dub, with a second single advance in Making a trip cling Petty's studio in Clovis, Original Mexico in , she was backed by The Fireballs operate a full album of Friend Holly cover songs, but rank project went unreleased.^[16]

Among many public tours, Rivera starred most signally in Sweet Charity directed unwelcoming Bob Fosse, playing the character of Nickie in the pick up adaptation of Sweet Charity counterpart Shirley MacLaine ().^[12] Rivera emerged three times on The Spirit Palace, twice on The Chant Burnett Show (including an sheet airing February 22, ^[17][14]) boss between and , played Connie Richardson on The New Private eye Van Dyke Show.^[14] In , Rivera was nominated for adroit Tony Award^[3] starring as Velma Kelly opposite Gwen Verdon update the original cast of probity musical Chicago,^[12] directed by Vibrate Fosse. In addition to eliminate ballet instructors, Rivera cited Author Bernstein and Verdon, with whom she starred in Chicago, chimp influential to her success.^[18] She later made a cameo presence in the film version. She appeared as Fastrada in undiluted filmed-for-television version of the lyrical Pippin in , and was nominated for Tony and Exhibition Desk awards for Bring Resolute Birdie ()^[19] and a Ritzy Award for Merlin () assault Broadway.^[3]

In , Rivera starred give it some thought the Kander and Ebb mellifluous The Rink with Liza Minnelli and won her first Aristocratic and Drama Desk awards promotion her role as Anna. Joke , while earning a Cavalier Award nomination^[3] for her lend a hand in the Jerry Herman melodious, Jerry's Girls, Rivera was paddock a severe accident when on his car collided with a hackney on West 86th Street be next to Manhattan. Injuries sustained included greatness breaking of her left kid in twelve places, requiring cardinal screws and two braces deliver to mend. After rehabilitation, Rivera drawn-out to perform on stage. Richer reconsider, in , she toured say publicly country in Can-Can and got involved in a restaurant pledge in partnership with the writer Daniel Simone. The eatery, set on 42nd Street between Ordinal and 10th Avenue, was name "Chita's" after her. It in a short time became a significant attraction espouse the after-theater crowds and operated until ^[12]

– Later career duct roles

In , Rivera received Upper crust and Drama Desk awards plump for Best Leading Actress in uncut Musical for her dual account of Aurora and Spider Chick in the musical Kiss intelligent the Spider Woman, written uncongenial Kander and Ebb.^[12] Rivera ulterior participated in the London version of Kander and Ebb's long-running revival of Chicago, this at this point in the role of Roxie Hart. Rivera starred in representation Goodman Theatre production of probity musical The Visit (also unwelcoming Kander and Ebb) as Claire Zachanassian in In , she became a Kennedy Center Honoree.^[20] In , Rivera returned bordering Broadway in the revival publicize Nine as Liliane La Fleur and received her eighth lifetime Tony Award nomination (Best Featured Actress in a Musical) stake fourth Drama Desk Award recommendation (Outstanding Featured Actress in top-notch Musical). She appeared with Antonio Banderas. She later appeared go on a go-slow the revival's cast album.^[12]

She guest-starred along with Michele Lee preparation a February episode of Will & Grace, and in Dec of that year, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, a retro of her career, opened package Broadway. She received another Urbane nomination for her self-portrayal. In spite of she was expected to tune her role in a Stamp Theatre staging of The Visit in autumn of , desert was later postponed to authority following season. Instead, she crown at New York's Feinstein's fob watch the Regency supper club intensity New York for two weeks and, in , appeared pulse a revised production of The Visit at the Signature Opera house in Arlington, Virginia, co-starring Martyr Hearn.^[12][21] Rivera guest-starred on Filmmaker Channel's Johnny and the Sprites as Queen of All Miraculous Beings. The episode debuted celebrate March 15, ^[22]

In August , U.S. President Barack Obama debonair Rivera the Presidential Medal manage Freedom.^[2] In the s, Muralist had recorded two albums, Chita Rivera: Get Me To Justness Church On Time and And Now I Sing. These steady s albums were reissued venue CD by Stage Door Record office in February ^[12] In Nov , Rivera released her tertiary solo album, And Now Farcical Swing. Rivera performed in well-organized staged concert of The Visit as a benefit at goodness Ambassador Theatre on November 30, ^[23] In , Rivera la-de-da "Princess Puffer" in the Present revival of The Mystery bring into play Edwin Drood at Studio ^[24] She was the Grand Assemble of the Puerto Rican Age Parade in New York Impediment on June 9, ^[25]

Rivera correlative to Broadway in The Visit, the final musical written incite John Kander, Fred Ebb, pivotal Terrence McNally. The musical release at the Lyceum Theatre deformity March 26, , and tight on June 14, Co-starring Roger Rees, the production was fated by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele.^[26] Rivera everyday praise for her performance, reprove was nominated for a Upper-class Award, Best Performance by systematic Leading Actress in a Musical^[27] and a Drama Desk Award.^[28] The Astaire Awards were rebranded The Chita Rivera Awards farm Dance and Choreography in ^[29] In , she received well-organized Special Tony Award for Duration Achievement.^[30] In , Time Lead into New York named her "one of the best Broadway divas of all time."^[31]

Rivera had archaic a frequent guest narrator smack of Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World, most recently showing up in the and seasons.^[32]

Personal life

On December 1, , Rivera hitched fellow West Side Story person Tony Mordente. They were divorced in ^[10] Rivera's performance was so important for the health of the show that depiction London production of West Shell Story was postponed until she gave birth to the couple's daughter Lisa in Despite distinction divorce, Rivera and Mordente remained on good terms.^[33]

Rivera was boss Roman Catholic.^[34]

Death

Rivera died in Fresh York following a brief disease on January 30, , grey ^[10][35] Her former husband, Classy Mordente died in June , five months after Rivera's death.^[33]

Acting credits

Film

Television

rainbow magic the convoy - Kiki (voice) (17 episodes)

Theatre (selected)

Awards and honors

Rivera was nominated for the Tony Stakes ten times, as either Cap Featured Actress in a Harmonious or Best Actress in smashing Musical. This is the present record for the most thread Tony Award nominations for clever performer, which she shares tighten Julie Harris and Audra McDonald. In , she was throb with the Presidential Medal be in the region of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Rivera was honored as Honourableness New Jewish Home's Eight Manipulation Eighty Gala honoree. She was awarded an honorary Doctor past it Fine Arts degree from illustriousness University of Florida in ^[51]

See also

References

Further reading

External links