Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career -featuring interviews, archival performance footage, and newly filmed numbers from Rivera's concert including such numbers as "A Boy Like That," "America," "A Lot of Livin' to Do," "All That Jazz," and "Nowadays" -- aired on GREAT PERFORMANCES last night, November 6 on PBS. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you the WHOLE performance! Enjoy!
Anita in "West Side Story." Rosie in "Bye Bye Birdie." Velma in "Chicago." These are just some of the iconic roles created by the incomparable Chita Rivera. In addition to originating roles in a host of other landmark musicals including "Mr. Wonderful," "The Rink," "Bajour," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and recently "The Visit, as well as major revivals of "Nine," "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," and much more, Rivera was also a frequent guest star during the Golden Age of Television variety specials. In 2002, she became the first Hispanic woman to receive the coveted Kennedy Center Honor, and in 2009, she was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The special celebrating Ms. Rivera's extraordinary career then and now will air as part of the PBS Fall Arts Festival 2015.
In addition to rare archival clips from Chita's many shows and TV appearances, there are newly filmed interviews with John Kander, entertainers Dick Van Dyke and Ben Vereen, choreographer Graciela Daniele, "The Visit" director John Doyle, original "West Side Story" star Carol Lawrence, playwright Terrence McNally, choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Chita's daughter, Lisa Mordente.
Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET.
Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do was produced by Richard R. Schilling and directed by David Horn. For Great Performances, Bill O'Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
GREAT PERFORMANCES is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Starr Foundation, The Agnes Varis Trust, The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, and PBS.
Visit GREAT PERFORMANCES Online at www.pbs.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs.
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