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Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life Extends Again, Through Nov. 6

By: Oct. 07, 2005
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Chita Rivera will light up the Old Globe Theatre's stage for yet another week. The Dancer's Life will extend its hit run at the San Diego theatre through November 6th, after extending to October 30th last week. The show, in preparation for its Broadway run, was originally to have moved on on October 23rd.

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The retrospective show, which is in its world premiere, began previews at the theatre on September 10th and opened on September 22nd. The Dancer's Life will begin New York previews at Shoenfeld Theatre on November 23rd before opening on December 11th.

In the show, Rivera is joined by a 10-person ensemble comprising Richard Amaro, Cleve Asbury, Lloyd Culbreath, Jasmine Perri, Madeleine Kelly, Malinda Farrington, Edgard Gallardo, Deidre Goodwin (who has also played Velma in Chicago), Richard Montoya, Lainie Sakakura, Alex Sanchez, and Allyson Tucker, with Liana Ortiz as Young Chita.

The Dancer's Life features a book penned by four-time Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally (who did the same for The Rink in 1984), and boasts direction and choreography by Graciele Daniele (Annie Get Your Gun, Ragtime, Once on This Island).

The Dancer's Life is billed as a "tour through famous numbers in the American musical theatre," with Rivera dipping and gliding through dances she's performed in some of her greatest triumphs. To two new songs by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Dessa Rose), as well as musical theatre classics, Rivera will perform numbers choreographed by Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Kidd and others, among them the "Shriner's Ballet" from Bye, Bye Birdie, "America" and "Dance at the Gym" from West Side Story, "All That Jazz" from Chicago and the title song from Kiss of the Spiderwoman. Rivera will be backed by 10 ensemble performers, as well.

Loy Arcenas (sets), Toni Leslie James (costumes), Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting) and Scott Lehrer (sound) comprise the show's design team. Mark Hummell handles the musical direction.

Rivera has been a consistent and dynamic presence on Broadway for over half a century. She most recently starred in the New York-bound Kander and Ebb musical The Visit at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Rivera is a two-time Tony Award winner for The Rink and Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and also received nods for her performances in Nine (her most recent Broadway appearance), Jerry's Girls, Merlin, Bring Back Birdie, the original production of Chicago and Bye Bye, Birdie. Rivera originated the role of Anita in West Side Story, and has also been seen on Broadway in Can-Can, Mr. Wonderful, Shinbone Alley and Bajour, as well as in touring productions of Pippin and Sweet Charity. Rivera is a 2002 Kennedy Center Honoree.

Tickets for The Dancer's Life at the Old Globe range from $55 to $100, and can be purchased by calling (619) 234-5623 or by visiting www.TheOldGlobe.org. Tickets (at the same price ranges) for the Broadway production are available by calling Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or online at Telecharge.com. The Schoenfeld box office will open on October 17th.



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