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Rivera will Play Seven Performances a Week in The Dancer's Life

By: Oct. 26, 2005
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Chita Rivera, who is still in fine physical state at the age of 72, will offer seven performances a week of The Dancer's Life rather than the usual eight. The legendary star will not perform on Wednesday evenings.

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The show is currently playing at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. Twice-extended, it will end its limited engagement there on October 30th.

The retrospective show will begin New York previews at the Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) on November 23rd before opening on December 11th. In The Dancer's Life, 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.

The Dancer's Life's performance schedule is Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday evenings at 8 PM, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.

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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