Review: Oh What a Night with CHITA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATION at the Broad Stage

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica recently presented the one and only spectacular Broadway legend Chita Rivera in a unique, one-night solo concert event - CHITA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATION, and I can honestly tell you the girl's still got it and knows exactly how to use it to bring Broadway magic to the stage! The incomparable Tony Award winner recreated signature moments from her legendary career including numbers from Sweet Charity, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie, The Rink, The Visit, and from her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story which brought her the stardom she so richly deserves.

Accompanied by her magnificent trio, Gary Adler (piano/conductor), Joe Choroszewski (drums) and Jim Donica (bass), Chita performed a special tribute to her dear friends John Kander & Fred Ebb, the timeless music of Leonard Bernstein, Charles Strouse, Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim was featured. During the evening, we also learned how as an aspiring 17-year-old ballerina, Chita Rivera made a fateful decision to accompany a friend to an audition for the chorus of Call Me Madam. Although she had no serious intention of pursuing a part in the show, Chita was cast as a principal dancer, and choreographed by the legendary Jerome Robbins. The ballet world's loss was Broadway's gain as a future legend's theater career was born with Ms. Rivera going on to win two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical as well as being nominated for many more Tony Awards.

Chita's career parallels the rise of many classic Broadway musicals. After completing a cross-country tour of Call Me Madam, Chita returned to New York to replace Onna White as a principal dancer in Guys and Dolls. Following Guys and Dolls, Chita joined the cast of the original Broadway company of Can-Can, in which her future co-star, Gwen Verdon, first achieved stardom. But it was not until September 26, 1957 that Chita made the transition from accomplished Broadway performer to "a toast of the town Broadway star" with her electric performance as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story. In fact, during the evening she reminded us to "take our time and don't go by the numbers," which she proved during her renditions of "A Boy Like That" and "America" performed as if time has stopped still for her.

After her success in West Side Story, Chita returned to Broadway to star as Rosie with Dick Van Dyke in the new musical, Bye Bye Birdie. Her rousing performance earned a Tony nomination as Best Actress. So it was a special treat when she called Dick Van Dyke up to the stage from the audience to perform a spectacular encore of "Rosie" from Bye, Bye Birdie, which they had not performed together for 60 years. It was a special moment during which the years disappeared and the two stars shined as brightly as ever.

In 1975 she starred in Chicago opposite Gwen Verdon and Jerry Orbach, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. Chicago opened to glorious reviews, making Chita and Gwen Verdon the toast of Broadway with both receiving Tony nominations as Best Actress. She starred in 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.

Her career is also highlighted by starring roles in The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of 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. Chita 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 (2015) following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014.

As a star during Broadway's Golden Age, Chita chose to share many more of her most memorable songs from all of the aforementioned shows including "I Got a Lot of Living to Do," "My Wish for You," "Where am I Going," "Camille, Collette and Fifi" during which she portrayed three very different "ladies of the evening" to perfection, "All That Jazz," and many others, ending the evening with a special tribute to all her supportive "Circle of Friends" while making everyone in the audience feels as if we were among that special group of people.

The New York Times said "Chita Rivera has a gleam in her eye, a smirk on her lips and a bounce in her step ... you leave this show walking on air!" I totally agree with that assessment and can tell you I never wanted to leave as I could have sat there enthralled by her incredible energy and talent until the wee hours of the morning. I do hope to see her gracing a Los Angeles stage again in the future, and do your best to be there too!

Photo credit: Laura Marie Duncan

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