Chita Rivera

Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero on January 23, 1933 in Washington, D.C.) - Broadway actress of Puerto Rican descent, and the first Hispanic woman to receive a Kennedy Center Honors award.

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Her father was from Puerto Rico; he played clarinet and saxophone for the Navy band. Chita's mother, Katherine Figueroa, went to work for the Pentagon when Chita was seven years old and her father passed away; Chita's mother herself passed away in 1983.

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In 1944, Chita's mother enrolled her in the Jones-Hayward School of Ballet. Later, when Chita was 15, a teacher from George Balanchine's School of American Ballet visited their studio and Chita was one of two students picked to audition in New York City; she was accompanied to the audition by Doris Jones, one of the people who ran the Jones-Hayward School. Chita's audtion was successful and she was accepted into the school and given a scholarship by George Balanchine. Among her new teachers were Allegra Kent and Maria Tallchief.

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In 1952, Chita accompanied a friend to the audition for a Broadway production of Call Me Madam and herself ended up winning the role. She followed this by landing further roles in other Broadway productions, such as:

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• Guys and Dolls,
• Can-Can,
• Seventh Heaven and
• Mr. Wonderful with Sammy Davis Jr..

Besides her ballet instructors, Chita considered that she learned a lot from Leonard Bernstein, and especially from the late Gwen Verdon, with whom she participated in the Broadway production of Chicago.

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In 1957, Chita was cast in the role which was destined to make her a Broadway star - the firebrand "Anita" in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story. Years later the role of Anita was to bring fame and an Oscar to another Puerto Rican, Rita Moreno in the film version.

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On December 1, 1957, Rivera married dancer Tony Mordente. Her performance was so important for the success of the show that the London production was posponed until after Chita gave birth to the couple's daughter, Lisa.

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Chita also starred in the Broadway productions of:

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• Bye Bye Birdie,
• Born Yesterday,
• The Rose Tattoo,
• Call Me Madam,
• The Rink,
• Threepenny Opera,
• Sweet Charity,
• Kiss Me, Kate,
• Kiss of the Spider Woman and
• Zorba.

She also went on a national tour with Can-Can. and played the role of Nicky in the movie version of Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine.

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Rivera is regarded by many theatre aficiandos as a "living legend" and indeed "In Theatre" magazine has suggested in an interview by Goerge Horsfall: " You must be tired of the term "legend", but let's get it out of the way. You have long been considered a Broadway legend."" Rivera replied "Oh, God!" and laughed (See reference below "Chita a Go-Go" for quote).

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Rivera received two Tony Awards and six additional nominations. She received her first Tony in 1984 for her role in The Rink and her second for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 1993 for her role in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

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In 2002 Chita Rivera became the first female Hispanic to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors award presented by U.S. President George W. Bush, recognizing her contributions to U.S. culture.

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Chita Rivera: See also ►



 

January 23: January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 342 days remaining, 343 in leap years....

1933: 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar)....

Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C....




Chita Rivera related Images and Photos (experimental)

Boca Chita Lighthouse	The Sunset at Yanagishima a Restaurant on a River a Woman with a Child on Her Back	An Extensive Landscape with Figures and Cattle by a River a Town Beyond 1845	Mariano Rivera Last Pitch at Yankee Stadium 2008
Mariano Rivera & Robinson Cano Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series Celebration	MLB Series 28 Mariano Rivera 3 Action Figure	Actor Cantinflas Visiting Diego Rivera in His Studio	Jorge Posada Mariano Rivera Derek Jeter & Andy Pettitte Final Game At Yankee Stadium 2008
MLB Playmakers Series 2 Mariano Rivera Action Figure	Andy Pettitte Jorge Posada Derek Jeter & Mariano Rivera Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series