Chita Rivera Kicks Off My Broadway Tour Jan. 17

By Andrew Gans
17 Jan 2010

Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera
Photo by Laura Marie Duncan

Tony Award winner Chita Rivera, who was recently presented with the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, kicks off her new concert tour Jan. 17 in Florida.

The two-time Tony-winning actress will perform Chita Rivera: My Broadway at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL. The triple threat will be backed by an 11-piece orchestra led by musical director Michael Croiter.

Rivera will perform songs from her celebrated musical theatre career, including tunes from West Side Story ("America"), Sweet Charity ("Where Am I Going?" and "Big Spender"), Chicago ("All That Jazz" and "Nowadays"), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie and The Rink.

Visit www.rutheckerdhall.com for ticket information.

Rivera's current tour itinerary follows:
Jan. 20 - Sarasota, Florida – Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
April 9 – Naples, FL – Philharmonic Center
April 13 – West Palm Beach, FL – Kravis Center
April 15/16 – Stuart, FL – Lyric Theatre
April 18 – Key West, FL – Tennessee Williams Theatre
April 19 – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
April 29 – Newport News, VA – Ferguson Center for the Arts
May 1 – Brookville, LI, NY – Tilles Center for the Performing Arts (performing with the Long Island Philharmonic)
May 4 – Buffalo, NY – Center for the Arts

Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in 1933, Chita Rivera is one of the theatre's most acclaimed performers. She has won Tony Awards for her performances in two Kander and Ebb musicals, The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman, and was also nominated for her work in Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Bring Back Birdie, Merlin, Jerry's Girls and her most recent outing, the Tony-winning revival of Nine. Rivera's other Broadway credits include the musical Seventh Heaven, her Broadway debut; Mr. Wonderful; the original production of West Side Story; and Bajour. She appeared in the film version of "Sweet Charity," starred in the world premiere of Kander and Ebb's The Visit, and also headlined Bernarda Alba at the Mark Taper Forum. Rivera was most recently on Broadway in Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life. She was recently seen in the Signature Theatre's production of The Visit.

Rivera's new solo recording is titled "And Now I Swing" and is available on the Yellow Sound label.