Details Revealed for Chita Rivera's Upcoming PBS Special

Chita Rivera's GREAT PERFORMANCES special, subtitled 'A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO', will air as part of PBS's Fall Arts Festival 2015.

The special combines newly shot performances with a wealth of archival footage and new interviews with colleagues including Dick Van Dyke, John Kander, Carol Lawrence, and Ben Vereen.

THE VISIT star pushed forward with her concert taping earlier this year on January 26, despite the blizzard warnings being trumpeted throughout New York City. THIRTEEN went ahead with the taping for a packed audience of Rivera's die-hard fans at Jazz at Lincoln Center's The Appel Room in the Time Warner Center.

The two-time Tony Award winner performed signature moments from her legendary career, including numbers from WEST SIDE STORY, SWEET CHARITY, CHICAGO, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, BYE BYE BIRDIE, THE RINK and THE VISIT, along with a special tribute to her dear friends John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally.

The stage legend was accompanied by an 11-piece orchestra led by her music director Michael Croiter, and long-time associate music director/pianist Michael Patrick Walker and bassist Jim Donica.

Rivera returned to Broadway this season in THE VISIT, the final musical written by Kander, Ebb and McNally. Co-starring Roger Rees, who passed way tragically this month, the production was directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciele Daniele. It closed on June 14th at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre.

Rivera has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and recognized as part of the Kennedy Center Honors. The actress has won two Tony Awards, one for KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and the other for THE RINK. Among her other Broadway credits are THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, THE DANCER'S LIFE, NINE, JERRY'S GIRLS and more.

Photo by Joseph Sinnott THIRTEEN Productions LLC