- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero
- Height5′ 3½″ (1.61 m)
- An accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, Chita Rivera won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical and received eight additional Tony nominations for an exceptional 10 Tony nominations.
She last starred on Broadway in The Visit, the John Kander/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas.
She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London.
Her career was highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes.
She was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and was the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award.
On November 6, 2015, Great Performances aired their special "Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do", a retrospective on her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Her solo CD was entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production, however, was her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.
- IMDb mini biography by: Merle Frimark
- SpouseTony Mordente(December 1, 1957 - 1966) (divorced, 1 child)
- Children
- Jet Black Hair
- Originated two roles on Broadway which would later win Oscars for the actresses playing them in the film versions: Rita Moreno in West Side Story (1961) and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago (2002).
- Was the first ever Latin-American to receive the Kennedy Honors Award.
- Achieved her first fame on Broadway in 1957, portraying Anita in West Side Story.
- Played "Rosie" in the original Broadway production of "Bye Bye Birdie" (early 1960s), opposite Dick Van Dyke ("Albert"), in a cast which also included Paul Lynde, Michael J. Pollard, and Dick Gautier.
- Daughter of the late Puerto Rican musician Pedro del Rivero, and his wife, Katherine.
- I don't see the camaraderie [on Broadway] as much anymore. Everyone wants to be a soloist before really learning how to relate. When you can relate to the person next to you without words and be alive, when you can keep the energy and interest going, it is magical.
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