Public Celebration of the Life of Ann Reinking Will Be Held at the Ambassador Theatre This Month

A celebration of the life of famed choreographer and performer Ann Reinking will take place March 20th at 1:30PM ET at Broadway's Ambassador Theatre. Ann passed away on December 12, 2020.

Organized by Bebe Neuwirth, Caitlin Carter and Ann's husband Peter Talbert, the memorial is open to the public. Participants scheduled to pay tribute include James Naughton, Dylis Croman, Rob Fisher, Bebe Neuwirth and Ben Vereen.

One of seven children, Ann Reinking grew up in Seattle, Washington where she studied ballet with Ballet Russe dancers Marian and Illyria Ladre, and earned scholarships to San Francisco Ballet and Joffrey Ballet. Upon completing high school, she moved to New York City where her first job was with the Corps de Ballet at Radio City Music Hall. Ann went on to Broadway, films and television, earning numerous accolades for her work as a dancer, singer, actor and choreographer.

During her career, Ann Reinking was nominated for four Tony Awards in four different categories: Best Actress in a Musical (Good Time Charley), Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Dancin'), Best Direction of a Musical (Fosse) and Best Choreography (Chicago). She won the Tony for her choreography of the 1996 revival production of Chicago, as well as the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Astaire and New York Drama Critics Awards.

Reinking's notable Broadway credits include Cabaret, Coco, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity, Chicago (both the original 1975 production as well as the 1996 revival), Fosse and her debut in Over Here! for which she received the Theatre World, Clarence Derwent and Outer Critics Circle awards. On film, she starred in Movie, Movie, All that Jazz, Micki and Maude, and as Grace Farrell in the 1982 film adaptation of Annie. She produced two award-winning documentaries: Two Worlds-One Planet about high functioning autism and In My Hands about Marfan Syndrome.

Reinking choreographed for American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Seattle Spectrum Dance Theater, Kansas City Ballet, "Bye Bye Birdie" for ABC-TV, City Center's Encores!, Signature Theater, The Goodman Theater and Thodos Dance Chicago.

She was the recipient of the National Broadway Theater Arts Award, Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement, Musical Hall of Fame Award, Dance Magazine Award, Dance Library of Israel/Distinguished Artist Award, Governor's Award-Ambassador of The Arts for the State of Florida, and an Honorary Doctorate from Florida State University.