Broadway Legend Chita Rivera to Perform in Broadway @ The Nourse Series This Spring

Chita Rivera is a living Broadway legend and a two-time Tony winner who originated the Broadway roles of Anita in "West Side Story," Rosie in "Bye Bye Birdie," Velma in "Chicago," and appeared in the original casts of "Guys and Dolls," "Can Can," "Jerry's Girls" and many others. Producer Mark Cortale announced today that she will be coming to San Francisco for one night only on April 29 at 8:00 PM, joining a stellar season that kicks off this week with two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole on Saturday, January 7 at 8:00 PM. SiriusXM radio star Seth Rudetsky joins both stars as pianist and host for evenings of unforgettable song and conversation. The Broadway @ The Nourse concert series will help raise funds for San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Project Open Hand, and San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Tickets are now on-sale - further information can be found at www.cityboxoffice.com/broadway or by calling (415) 392-4400. The series offers a 20% discount when purchasing tickets to both the Christine Ebersole and Chita Rivera shows.

Chita Rivera won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical as Aurora in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and as Anna in "The Rink." Her storied career includes originating the Broadway roles of Anita in "West Side Story," Rosie in "Bye Bye Birdie," Velma in "Chicago," and appearing in the original casts of "Guys and Dolls," "Can Can," "Seventh Heaven," "Mr. Wonderful," "Jerry's Girls," and many others. An accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, aside from her two Tony Awards, she has received eight additional Tony nominations - for a career total 10 Tony nominations - including most recently for her 2015 performance in "The Visit." In recent years she has starred in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" on Broadway and in the Broadway and touring productions of "The Dancer's Life," a musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele.

She recreated her starring role in "The Visit," the new Kander/Ebb/McNally musical, at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA before bringing it to Broadway (originally done at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago in 2001). She also starred in the revival of the Broadway musical "Nine" with Antonio Banderas. Chita originally trained as a ballerina from age 11 before receiving a scholarship to the American School of Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Her first appearance, at age 17, was as a principal dancer in "Call Me Madam." On tour, Chita has been seen in: "Born Yesterday," "The Rose Tattoo," "Call Me Madam," "Threepenny Opera," "Sweet Charity," "Kiss Me Kate," "Zorba," and "Can-Can" with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama on August 12, 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, DC in December, 2002 and is the first Hispanic ever chosen to receive this award. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. In November, 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 most treasured production is her daughter, singer / dancer / choreographer Lisa Mordente.

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