Vale: Chita Rivera

Legendary stage and screen star Chita Rivera, best known for West Side Story, Chicago and Tick Tick Boom, has died aged 91.

Daughter Lisa Mordente said Rivera died peacefully in New York from a brief illness.

Her career spans nearly seven decades.

In 1957, she was part of the original West Side Story cast where she played the role of Anita – a performance that paved her way to Broadway stardom.

Soon after, Rivera was nominated for a Tony Award her portrayal of Rose in the musical Bye Bye Birdie alongside Dick Van Dyke. A few decades later, she starred in another iconic role: vaudeville performer Velma Kelly in Chicago. She won Tony Awards for best actress in The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman and was nominated for eight others.

She is celebrated for being a “triple-threat” – singing, dancing and acting in numerous Broadway hits throughout the years, as well as being a trailblazer for Latina women.

Her screen credits include Tick Tick Boom, Dora the Explorer, Will & Grace, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Carol Burnett Show, Pippin, The Outer Limits, The Judy Garland Show, Chicago, Kalamazoo? and Sweet Charity.

Industry colleagues paid tribute on social media.

“The incomparable Chita Rivera was one of the greatest spirits and colleagues I’ve ever known,” said actor Jason Alexander. “She set the bar in every way. I will cherish her always.”

Actress Mia Farrow called her “an authentic Broadway icon”.

“No one who was fortunate enough to have seen any of her performances will ever forget the experience,” Ms Farrow said.

The Tony Awards called her a “Broadway legend … whose grace, talent and passion left an unforgettable mark on the world of theatre”.

Rivera was the first Latina to be awarded Kennedy Center Honors, is a recipient of a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was given a lifetime Tony award.

Source: BBC