Three-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera, originator of Anita in West Side Story and Velma Kelly in Chicago, passed away on January 30 after a short illness. The legend was 91.
Rivera's illustrious career spanned seven decades, beginning with her debut at 20 in the original Broadway production of Guys and Dolls. Before this, Rivera had been training as a dancer at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet when a teacher from the George Balanchine's School of American Ballet plucked her from the crowd and had her audition in New York City where she received a scholarship to study dance further. Her first professional theatrical dance gig followed in Call Me Madam with Elaine Stritch.
A powerhouse in every era, Rivera left a legacy behind that shaped modern Broadway and created a path for women, especially Latinas. Rita Moreno, who won an Oscar for her portrayal in the film adaptation of West Side Story, shared, “I remember seeing her for the first time in ‘Mr. Wonderful’ and exclaiming, ‘Oh my god, who IS that?’ When I found out that this astonishing creature was one of my people, I crowed with pride.” Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer, writer, and actor known for Hamilton, called Rivera “The trailblazer for [Puerto Ricans] on Broadway.”