Chita Rivera Joins Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Advisory Board

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that the 2021 ICON Award-recipient and Broadway legend Chita Rivera of New York City, New York has joined Porchlight's Advisory Board.

Ms. Rivera, when accepting her 2021 ICON Award, delighted the audience with her acceptance speech and applauded Porchlight's programming celebrating her legendary career. Artistic Director Michael Weber said, "Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Rivera knows of her dedication to the arts, specifically music theatre. On behalf of Porchlight, I welcome her to our Advisory Board and look forward to her participation."

Porchlight's Advisory Board consists of seasoned professionals who have excelled in their theatrical disciplines and who have a vested interest in the artistic and professional advancement of the company. This group acts as a valued resource for the artistic director, executive director and other facets of the company in their support and guidance to achieve Porchlight's mission as Chicago's center for music theatre. Membership includes artists from Chicago and across the United States including E. Faye Butler, Joel Grey, William Finn, Sean Allan Krill, Lonny Price, Dominic Missimi, Hollis Resnik, Chuck Smith, Bob and Jim Walton, Maury Yeston and others.

ABOUT Chita Rivera

A theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, Chita Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations, won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A versatile actress/singer/dancer, she recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway, the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age nine) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. Rivera's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Rivera was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009 and received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. In 2019, Rivera performed her solo concert at London's Cadogan Hall; in 2018 she was honored as a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy; in 2016 she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Her current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

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