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Chita Rivera, who died on Tuesday on the age of 91, was recognized for her extraordinary artistry. But, it’s arduous to understand the complete scope of her expertise as a result of, like so many Broadway performers of her era, a lot of her greatest work was not captured on-screen. Her Anita within the landmark 1957 Broadway manufacturing of “West Aspect Story”? Rita Moreno took it on within the Hollywood adaptation. Rose within the hit “Bye Bye Birdie,” from 1960? That position went to Janet Leigh within the film. Solely in 1969 did Rivera make her feature-film debut, in “Candy Charity,” virtually 20 years after her Broadway debut. Fortunately, we’ve selection exhibits, TV specials and unofficial fan movies to assist us patch collectively a compelling video portrait. Her life power bursts by way of in each second.
Right here’s a glance again at a few of these indelible moments.
1962
Though this track is carefully related to its author, Steve Allen, Rivera made it her personal on this look on “The Ed Sullivan Present” in 1962. The dancers welcome her by singing “Hey, Chita! Like, wow!” and that just about sums all of it up. Rivera didn’t want an entire present to make an affect: She may ship a knockout punch in only a few minutes. Not solely did the period’s selection exhibits present excellent settings for these self-contained gems, however in addition they launched her to a nationwide viewers.
Rivera simply held her personal towards one of the best, together with Judy Garland. The 2 ladies carried out a duet of this track from “Tips on how to Achieve Enterprise With out Actually Making an attempt” on Garland’s selection present in January 1964. On that very same episode, Rivera additionally blew the roof off the studio with “I Bought Lots O’ Nuttin’,” a quantity from “Porgy and Bess” reimagined as a va-va-voom dance extravaganza choreographed by Peter Gennaro.
1965
Triple risk? Make {that a} quadruple one, as a result of Rivera possessed the elusive high quality often known as charisma that’s essential to drive cabaret acts and selection exhibits. That’s the place you may totally expertise her explosiveness as a pure entertainer, the place she matched the elite likes of Ann-Margret and Liza Minnelli. Devised by Jack Cole, whom Rivera known as “the quintessential West Coast choreographer,” this intoxicating efficiency turned up on a 1965 episode of ABC’s “The Hollywood Palace.” (Rivera’s “Fairly for Me,” three years afterward the identical present, ranks among the many most fabulously camp numbers ever seen on tv.”)
1969
It feels unbelievable, in hindsight, that it took so lengthy for Rivera to be solid in a film. After enjoying the title position through the first nationwide tour of “Candy Charity” in 1967, she was not totally comfortable to be solid within the supporting position of Nickie for the Bob Fosse adaptation two years later. However it was one thing, and he or she even bought to guide an enormous rooftop quantity. On this basic barnstormer, one of the best pals Charity (Shirley MacLaine), Helene (Paula Kelly) and Nickie dance up their desires of escaping their present actuality as taxi dancers. The quantity is so exhilaratingly that by the tip you might be satisfied that completely nothing may stand of their method. And, in fact, it’s Rivera who’s main the cost.
Rivera and Gwen Verdon sang a two-song medley from “Chicago” on “The Mike Douglas Present” in June 1976. By then they’d been enjoying Velma and Roxie — roles they originated — for a 12 months, and knew the characters and Fosse’s strikes inside out. That is pure, unadulterated Broadway fabulousness: indulge in it. (Be sure to stay round for the post-performance interview.)
1982
Brent Carver arrange Rivera’s massive quantity on the 1993 Tony Awards, the place they represented the Kander and Ebb musical “Kiss of the Spider Girl.” This was a becoming framing since, Rivera wrote in her memoir, Carver helped her discover her character, a fantastical diva who occurs to be a figment of his character’s creativeness. The present marked Rivera’s triumphant return to Broadway after seven years away, and he or she received her second Tony.
2000
Rivera had an extended affiliation with Kander and Ebb, however this track from her solo act isn’t really from one among their exhibits, a lot much less one she appeared in. Quite it’s from the film “Humorous Woman,” which implies that she needed to go towards the reminiscence of Barbra Streisand. No drawback! That is only a sterling illustration of Rivera appearing a quantity as a lot as singing it. The track revs up in probably the most thrilling method, and Rivera rises to the problem.
2003
Rivera placed on a French accent in 2003 to painting the getting old showgirl Liliane La Fleur (created by Liliane Montevecchi) in a revival of the Maury Yeston-Arthur Kopit musical “9.” Naturally, she made a meal of this nostalgic ode to a pale period of leisure and glamour.
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