Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life | |
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San Diego 2005 Broadway 2006 US Tour |
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life is a musical revue based on the life of Chita Rivera, with a book by Terrence McNally, original songs by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and additional songs from various other composers' catalogs. It earned Rivera her ninth Tony Award nomination (for Best Actress in a Musical).
History
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life was conceived by
In 2005, Rivera debuted And Now I Sing, a one-woman cabaret at Feinstein's at the Regency in New York City, which ran from February 22 through March 12.[2][3] Though the show and its venue were both intimate, the reviews were strong. Stephen Holden, in his review for The New York Times, wrote that "her program finds a comfortable mix of sass and sentiment" and noted that in several songs ("Where Am I Going?" from Sweet Charity, for example), she "captures exactly the right tone of dazed determination."[3] The act also marked the debut of some of the anecdotes and stage patter that would be more fully fleshed out by McNally for the Broadway revue. Later that year, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts announced that another one-woman show, Chita Rivera Dances Through Life, would debut at that theater and feature a book by McNally and direction and choreography by Daniele. However, funding didn't materialize, and the booking was canceled.
It was announced in August 2005 that the revue would have a pre-Broadway production at the
Synopsis
The show is divided into thematic sections during which "Chita" (Chita Rivera) shares anecdotes from her life. Members of the ensemble play the part of various figures in her life.
- Act I
Chita remembers her father, a professional saxophonist who died when she was seven years old, playing "Perfidia" for her. "Little Chita" (played by a child) picks up the rhythm in this music in a dance which moves from the scene to the front of a large screen. Suddenly, the shadow of Chita appears behind her. The screen rises, revealing Chita, who continues the dance. (This sequence was altered for the touring version, which eliminated the "Little Chita" role.)
After this introduction, Chita is shown in 2002 at the White House, where she is to be the first Latina-American to receive the Kennedy Center Honor. She begins to reminisce ("The Secret O' Life") and decides that "the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."
The next scene shows life at the Del Rivero family table in Washington, D.C., when Chita was a young child. Various family members react to Chita's "Dancing on the Kitchen Table," and, when the table breaks, her parents decide to send Chita to dance class. This sequence transitions into one showing Chita at the barre in dance class, where she takes ballet lessons three times a week under the tutelage of her mentor, Doris W. Jones. Chita shares that Jones took her to New York City at age 17 to audition for George Balanchine, who bandages Chita's injury personally when he notices her bleeding through her toe shoe.
After winning a scholarship to the School of American Ballet, Chita accompanies a friend to an audition for a tour of Call Me Madam, starring Elaine Stritch. Chita is hired, ending her career in classical ballet. As a young "gypsy," Chita talks about her aspiration to get a "crossover" – a featured bit of dancing or business to do during a scenery change ("Something to Dance About"). Though Chita doesn't get a crossover in Call Me Madam, she does get lessons in stage presence from Stritch, who tells her to "make them hear you!" Still, Chita yearns for fame ("I'm Available").
In her first
Chita recreates the audition that earned her the role of "Anita" in
A sequence devoted to Chita's various co-stars over the years, who all appear in silhouette, follows. In
- Act II
Act II begins with a dance audition, during which Puerto Rican Chita is rejected because she is "not Latin enough." An overhead mirror provides a view from above, and, proving she is "Latin enough," Chita dances several tangos opposite a male dancer ("Adios Niñino", "Detresse", and "Calambre"). This leads to further reminiscing about her great romances ("More Than You Know"). First, her ex-husband, Tony Mordente, father of Chita's daughter Lisa. Then, the restaurateur Joe Allen, whom she nearly married. "To Tony, Tom, Joe, and Greg. And others... you know who you are!"
Next, Chita pays tribute to the choreographers in her life – Robbins, Gennaro, Jack Cole, and Bob Fosse – as she and the ensemble demonstrate their individual styles. Then, Chita talks about some of her setbacks, including an automobile accident in which she broke her leg; losing the role of Anita to Rita Moreno in the film adaptation of West Side Story; and Fosse's death from a heart attack. But, she considers herself lucky through it all – especially due to her collaborations with John Kander and Fred Ebb.
The song "A Woman the World Has Never Seen" wraps around a selection of Chita's songs from her three Kander and Ebb roles: "Class" from Chicago, "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer" from The Rink, and "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Where You Are" from Kiss of the Spider Woman. This brings Chita back to where she started – the White House, where she concludes with her trademark number, "All That Jazz" (from Chicago), with "Little Chita" shadowing her again.
Productions
The musical first opened at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, where it ran from September 10 to October 23, 2005.[8] It then transferred to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway, opening in previews on November 23, 2005, officially on December 11. The show closed after 72 performances and 20 previews. The play's Executive Producers were Marty Bell and Aldo Scrofani (the show credits 19 producers and associates). It was directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, with reproductions of original choreography by Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse reconstructed by Alan Johnson and Tony Stevens, respectively. Mark Hummel was musical director and arranger, as well as the orchestra's conductor, while orchestrations were provided by Danny Troob. Loy Arcenas (sets), Toni-Leslie James (costumes), and Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting) comprised the show's design team.
After the show's closing on Broadway, Rivera toured throughout the United States during 2006 and 2007.[9] Major changes were made for the touring version of the show: the numbers "Can-Can", "Don't 'Ah Ma' Me", and "Where You Are" were all dropped, as were the Act II-opening Tango sequence and the character of "Little Chita/Lisa." Of the Broadway cast, only Richard Amaro, Lloyd Culbreath, and Richard Montoya went on tour with Rivera. Notably, however, Rivera's daughter Lisa Mordente joined the tour as dance captain and female swing. Cities on the tour included Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Boston. The tour concluded on June 10, 2007, in Norfolk, Virginia.
After the ending of the tour, Rivera performed a solo cabaret act at the New York cabaret
Cast
In addition to Chita Rivera (playing herself), the original Broadway cast featured Liana Ortiz as both the young Rivera and as Rivera's daughter, Lisa Mordente. The ensemble included Richard Amaro, Lloyd Culbreath, Malinda Farrington, Edgard Gallardo, Deidre Goodwin, Richard Montoya, Lainie Sakakura, Alex Sanchez, and Allyson Tucker.
In four performances between January 24, 2006, and January 26, 2006, Rivera was joined by her
Song list
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life is a revue: the work of numerous composers and lyricists is represented.
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Response
Award nominations
The Broadway production received one
Critical reception
While the show won a great deal of praise for its 72-year-old star's performance, the "non-Chita" aspects of the show received little critical acclaim. In his review for TalkinBroadway.com, Matthew Murray referred to the show as a "stretch-mark-pocked retrospective," and called Terrence McNally's libretto "scattered" and Graciela Daniele's direction "busy but uninspired," while calling Rivera "terrific."[11] David Rooney of Variety called the show "never less than enjoyable but too rarely exhilarating." He went on to say that McNally "[comes] off like a bumbling novice at theatricalizing a showbiz legend's life."[12] Ben Brantley of The New York Times said "the production elements often dim rather than enhance Ms. Rivera's natural incandescence. Never entirely, though. Which means that The Dancer's Life remains a must-have ticket for aficionados of the American musical."[13]
References
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Chita Is Chita In Terrence McNally-Penned Show" playbill.com, November 24, 2003
- ^ "Chita Rivera presents 'And Now I Sing' at the Regency" theatermania.com, accessed May 2m, 2014
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen."A Voice of Old Broadway Helps to Make Things New Again" The New York Times, February 24, 2005
- ^ "Press Release, Old Globe" Archived 2013-10-19 at the Wayback Machine theoldglobe.org, August 12, 2005
- ^ a b Gans, Andrew. " Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life Opens at the Old Globe Sept. 22" playbill.com, September 22, 2005
- ^ Louie, Elaine. "Currents: Dressing Rooms; Creating Spaces to Rest Those Dancing Feet" The New York Times', December 29, 2005
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Together Again: Dick Van Dyke Joins Chita Rivera in The Dancer's Life Jan. 24-26" playbill.com, January 24, 2006
- ^ Gans, Andrew. " Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life Opens at the Old Globe Sept. 22" playbill.com, September 22, 2005
- ^ Gans, Andrew. " 'Something to Dance About': Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life Begins National Tour" playbill.com, December 19, 2006
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Together Again: Dick Van Dyke Joins Chita Rivera in 'The Dancer's Life' Jan. 24-26" Playbill, January 24, 2006
- ^ Murray, Matthew. "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life". Talkin' Broadway. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
- ^ Rooney, David (December 11, 2005). "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life". Variety. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
- ^ Brantley, Ben (December 12, 2005). "You Just Can't Keep a Good Broadway Diva Down". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
External links
- "The Internet Broadway Database". IBDB.com. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
- Buffalo United Artists. "The Dancer's Life". ChitaRivera.com. Retrieved 2007-11-28.