[Americana:] Chita Rivera, Electrifying Star of Broadway and Beyond, Is Dead at 91

Appearing in scores of stage productions, she dazzled audiences for nearly six decades, most memorably starring as Anita in “West Side Story” and Velma Kelly in “Chicago.”

A black and white studio publicity photo of a dancing Ms. Rivera in 1957, when “West Side Story” opened on Broadway. She is show lifting a ruffled skirt above her waist as she performs a dance step, her left leg lifted and flung behind her.
Chita Rivera, an original cast member in the Broadway production of “West Side Story,” was a hard-working perfectionist who rarely missed a beat, let alone a performance.Credit...Associated Press
By Robert D. McFadden, The New York Times, Jan. 30, 2024 Updated 3:11 p.m. ET [...]; see also
image from article
Mr. Obama stands behind Ms. Rivera as he bestows the medal, hanging from a blue ribbon, on Ms. Rivera. She wears a white dress and is smiling with a thrilled expression.
Ms. Rivera receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2009 at the White House. She was showered with honors during her career. Credit...Pool photo by Fabiano

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