AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chita Rivera

Artist:Chita Rivera

Song:Kiss of the Spider Woman

Album:Legends of Broadway

Chita Rivera was an all time great of the Broadway stage. She worked in films and TV. But she is mainly known for Broadway musicals. Her Tony winning performance in the 1993 musical Kiss of the Spider Woman cemented her legacy. She was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Jan.23, 1933 in Washington, DC. The Chita nickname was because her real name is a mouthful. Her father was born in Puerto Rico and he played clarinet and sax in the US Navy Band. He died in 1940. Chita was one of five children so her mom worked as a clerk at The Pentagon to support the family. In 1944, mom enrolled Chita at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet. A teacher from George Balanchine's School of Ballet visited the school. Chita auditioned and won a scholarship. She started appearing on Broadway shows in 1950. Her breakthrough was in the 1956 musical Mr. Wonderful starring Sammy Davis Jr. And she danced on the 1956 TV show The Maurice Chevalier Special. And that led to West Side Story which made her a star. Keep in mind Chita was the only Latino actor in West Side Story and there were plenty of Latino characters. Chita got her first Tony nomination for the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie. She finally appeared in her first film. Bob Fosse cast her in the 1969 film of the Broadway musical Sweet Charity. Then Fosse cast her in the 1975 musical Chicago and she was nominated for a Tony. She was also Tony nominated for the 1983 musical Merlin. And she finally won a Tony for the 1984 musical The Rink. It all came to a halt when Chita broke her leg in 12 places in a 1986 car accident. After she recovered, she continued to perform. But I think some on Broadway must have thought that Chita had retired. Because when Garth Drabinsky was casting the 1993 musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, New York Times drama critic Frank Rich thought the title role needed a Chita Rivera type. Of course she played the role. The other stars were Brent Carver and Anthony Crivello. Kiss of the Spider Woman was written by John Kander and Fred Ebb who also wrote Chicago and The Rink. Harold Prince directed and Vincent Patterson and Rob Marshall choreographed. It won seven Tonys including one for each of the three stars. The show ran for two years and it made Chita Rivera a star all over again. The original cast of Kiss of the Spider Woman is available on CD. But I recommend this budget comp which is one of a Columbia Masterworks series. After that, Chita made occasional appearances. But she was winding down her career. In 2009, President Barack Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She returned to Broadway in the 2015 musical The Visit and was nominated for a Tony. In 2018, she received a Lifetime Achievement Tony. Chita Rivera died on Jan.30, 2024 at age 91. Here's Chita Rivera performing Kiss of the Spider Woman on the 1993 Macy's Parade broadcast.