2006 Tony Awards Q&A: Chita Rivera

A legend in every sense of the word, Chita Rivera, most recently appeared on Broadway in Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life. She has previously won two Tony Awards (Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Rink) and received six additional Tony nominations. In December, 2002, she received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, DC. Ms. Rivera created the role of Velma Kelly in the original Broadway production of Chicago opposite Gwen Verdon (1975) and appears in the film version. Chita starred in the London, Las Vegas and Toronto productions of Chicago The Musical. Her recent starring roles include the revival of the musical Nine with Antonio Banderas, the new Kander/Ebb/McNally musical The Visit and The House of Bernarda Alba. Chita trained as a ballerina (age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the AmericanSchool of Ballet from the legendary George Balanchine. Her first appearance (age 17) was in the chorus of Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story (1957) brought her stardom, which was repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie and Jerry's Girls (original Broadway casts), 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; and Can-Can with the Rockettes.

How did you hear about the news?

I was awakened by one of our producers Joan McGinnis, right after the nominations came out.

And what was your first reaction?

Oh, that's nice… This is a first for me and I didn't think that there could be a first after all these years!

Having been down this road several times before, does this year's nomination feel any different for you?

Every time it feels different, and every time it feels great. This time though I don't look at it as so much a nomination for me, as I do for the show getting some more recognition. We talked a moment ago about firsts, and talking about firsts, one other comes to mind and that's that this is the first time I've been nominated for a show that's not still running.

It's also the first time that you've been nominated for playing 'yourself'…

I don't look at it that way, I look at it as the show being recognized and it's nice that the show was recognized. I don't think of it as playing myself as much I do as telling stories about the theatre, about how it was, how it can be and sharing the wonderful things that have happened to me throughout my career. I loved the show, and I miss doing it. It's a great thing though to be acknowleged and recognized by your peers and even though I've been through it many times already, it's still nice.

How do you look back on that whole experience?

I look back with great pride, because I thought that Graciella Danielle and Terrence McNally did a great job. It's sad that we're still not running because it was an amazing group of dancers, and we have a lot to say. I choose the present tense there intentionally because I still feel that that we have a lot to say. I find it to be both very odd, and also different because we got good reviews, and it's not running. I think that we still have so much to say, to show, to teach and to share with this show.

So I imagine that you're looking forward to getting back together with the cast to go back out in January?

Absolutely. It was a joyous experience and the cast was superb, and we got a lot more to share, and a lot more to say. We're going to get almost everybody back when we go to Miami in January. The one person I know that we're losing is Deidre (Goodwin) because she's headed to A Chorus Line, but everyone else will be back. We're like horses that want to get out of the stable, and are just marking time at the moment. We can't wait to get back out there.

Speaking of horses that want to get out of the stable, that reminds me of Jack Cole who used to always talk in images. I love that.

Have you caught any of your fellow nominee's shows yet?

I haven't yet, but I did recently see both Bernarda Alba, and I saw Hot Feet. I had a good time at Hot Feet and to see Debbie Allen's daughter (Vivian Nixon) was just a thrilling thing. There's a group of us that are great friends, and when one of our children is performing, we all go to support them, and to see them and to praise them. Anyway, she's just extraordinary and I'm just so proud of her and for Debbie. It was thrilling to watch her.

I do want to catch Drowsy Chaperone and The Color Purple, I'm hearing great things about those and also want to see The Pajama Game if I can. Sweeney Todd is another show that I hear is fabulous and I adore Patti, and I think that it's her time again. She is great theatre, and she's my girl. I feel with all my heart that it's her time right now. We haven't seen enough of her lately on Broadway, so I'm so happy to see her stimulated again. And when she is out there, she's stimulating! I can't say enough great things about her, and definitely think that this year is for her.

Other than heading out in January – is there anything else in the pipeline for you at the moment?

Well, I've always described myself as a "one show woman" so when I focus on something, I focus on it 100% and right now a lot of my mind is on January when we kick things off for the tour in Miami.

Other than that though, The Visit is starting to raise its head again a bit, and that makes me very happy. There's some stirring in that area, and that was such a great experience with Freddie, and John, and Terrance and Ann that I'd take it again in a heartbeat. There's also the possibility of a Latin themed show that really excites me as well if it should happen, but there's not a lot that I can say about that one right now.