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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Wednesday 31 January 2024

Chita Rivera, revered and pioneering Tony-winning dancer and

singer, dies at 91

By MARK KENNEDY It took months of physical
AP Entertainment Writer therapy to bring back her
NEW YORK (AP) — Chita dancing skills. She told The
Rivera, the dynamic danc- Associated Press: “It nev-
er, singer and actress who er entered my mind that
garnered 10 Tony nomina- I wouldn’t dance again.
tions, winning twice, in a Never. I can’t explain to
long Broadway career that you why. It’s hard work get-
forged a path for Latina ting back but that’s what
artists and shrugged off a I’m doing.”
near-fatal car accident, “My spirit is still there.”
died Tuesday. She was 91. Dolores Conchita Figueroa
Rivera’s death was an- del Rivero was born Jan. 23,
nounced by her daughter, 1933, in Washington, D.C.
Lisa Mordente, who said Her Puerto Rican father,
she died in New York after Pedro del Rivero, was a
a brief illness. musician who played in the
Rivera first gained wide United States Navy Band,
notice in 1957 as Anita in who died when she was
the original production of 7. Her mother was Scottish
“West Side Story” and was and Italian descent.
still dancing on Broadway She took dance classes
with her trademark en- and then entered the pres-
ergy a half-century later in tigious School of American
2015’s “The Visit.” Chita Rivera arrives at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June Ballet in New York. Her first
“I wouldn’t know what to 10, 2018, in New York. theater gig, at age 17, was
do if I wasn’t moving or tell- Associated Press in the touring company of
ing a story to you or singing crushed her right leg and and stories come together. the role of Velma Kelly (to “Call Me Madam.” That
a song,” she told The Asso- became an indefatigable And I’ve been blessed Gwen Verdon’s Roxie Hart) led to chorus stints in such
ciated Press then. “That’s star on the road. She was enough to have done sev- in the original Broadway shows as “Guys and Dolls”
the spirit of my life, and I’m on Broadway in a raucous eral shows when they really production of “Chicago.” and “Can-Can.”
really so lucky to be able to production of “The Mystery did. They take you places Rivera had a small role in In her 2023 memoir, “Chita:
do what I love, even at this of Edwin Drood” in 2012 and they’re daring. That’s the 2002 film version, while A Memoir,” another wom-
time in my life.” and the chilly “The Visit” in what we need.” Catherine Zeta-Jones won an steals scene after scene:
In August 2009, Rivera was 2014, earning another best Her albums include 16 the best supporting actress her self-proclaimed alter
awarded the Presidential actress Tony nomination. tracks pulled from her origi- Oscar as Velma just as Rita ego, Dolores. Unapologetic
Medal of Freedom, the “She can’t rehearse except nal cast recordings and Moreno had picked up an and fiery, Dolores was the
highest honor the U.S. can for full-out,” said playwright put out as part of Sony’s Oscar for her portrayal of unfiltered version of Chita
give a civilian. Rivera put Terrence McNally in 2005. Legends of Broadway se- Anita in “West Side Story.” and served as motivation in
her hand over her heart “She can’t perform except ries and two solo CDs “And The songwriters for “Chica- times of self-doubt. In one
and shook her head in for full-out, no matter what Now I Sing” for a tiny record go,” Kander and Ebb, also chapter, Rivera writes that
wonderment as President the size of the house. She’s label in the 1960s and “And wrote Rivera’s first Tony- she doesn’t read reviews
Barack Obama presented going to be there 101% for Now I Swing” in 2009 for Yel- winning performance, for “or Dolores just might invest
the medal. In 2013, she was that audience.” low Sound Label. “The Rink.” In winning the in a dozen voodoo dolls.”
the marshal at the Puerto She won Tonys for “The Rink” In the 1993 musical “Kiss Tony for best actress in a “I consist of and I think we
Rican Day Parade in New in 1984 and “Kiss of the Spi- of the Spider Woman,” Ri- musical, Rivera topped the all do I consist of two peo-
York City. der Woman” in 1993. When vera played the title role, show’s top star, Liza Minnel- ple: Dolores and Conchi-
“She was a true Broad- accepting a Tony Award a glamorous movie star at li, who also had been nomi- ta,” Rivera sain in an inter-
way legend,” playwright for Lifetime Achievement the center of the fantasy nated. The two played a view with the AP that year.
Paul Rudnick said on X, for- in 2018, she said “I wouldn’t life of an inmate in a South mother and daughter who “Conchita, she’s the one
merly Twitter. “She always trade my life in the theater American prison. The story, struggle to rebuild their re- that has been taking all
delivered and audiences for anything, because the- from a novel by Manuel lationship after a long es- the glory, you know. She’s
adored her. The moment ater is life.” Puig, had already been trangement; the setting is been doing all the shows,
she stepped onstage, the She was nominated for the made into an Oscar-win- an old-fashioned roller rink but Dolores is the one that’s
world became more excit- award seven other times, ning 1985 movie. that has seen better days. pushed her into it. And she’s
ing and glorious.” for “Bye Bye Birdie,” which In his review, then-Asso- “Spider Woman” had been been keeping me on track,
Rivera rose from chorus opened in 1960; “Chi- ciated Press drama critic her first Broadway show so I listen to Dolores. I listen
girl to star, collaborating cago,” 1975; “Bring Back Michael Kuchwara wrote since 1986, when she suf- to her. She’s growing in my
along the way with many Birdie,” 1981; “Merlin,” 1983; that Rivera “is more than a fered a broken leg in the head now as we speak.”
of Broadway’s greatest “Jerry’s Girls,” 1985; “Nine,” musical theater star. She’s traffic accident while she Among other early appear-
talents, including Jerome 2003; and “Chita Rivera: a force of nature which is was appearing in “Jerry’s ances on the New York
Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, The Dancer’s Life,” 2005. exactly what is needed for Girls,” a Broadway tribute stage were roles in “The
Bob Fosse, Gower Cham- “I don’t think we have the role of the Spider Wom- to the songs of Jerry Her- Shoestring Revue,” 1955;
pion, Michael Kidd, Harold enough original musicals,” an. With her Louise Brooks man. a 1955 musical version of
Prince, Jack Cole, Peter she told The Associated haircut, brassy voice and At the Tony awards a few “Seventh Heaven” starring
Gennaro and John Kander Press in 2012. “I know I’m be- lithe dancer’s body, Rivera weeks later, she flashed her Ricardo Montalban; and
and Fred Ebb. ing old fashioned, but the dominates the stage when- cast and belted out “Put “Mr. Wonderful,” a 1956
She rebounded from a theater is the place where ever she appears.” on a Happy Face” from the show starring Sammy Davis
car accident in 1988 that music, lyrics, words, scenery In 1975, she originated musical “Bye, Bye, Birdie.” Jr.q