Broadway Games: The Many Roles of Chita Rivera

Beloved Broadway legend, the late, great Chita Rivera had a Broadway career that spanned some 60 years, from her debut as a dancer in the original production of Guys and Dolls to her final Tony-nominated turn in The Visit. Along the way, she earned 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, and the recognition of a lifetime Tony Award. She also created several now-iconic roles in everything from Bye Bye Birdie and West Side Story to Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman.

How well do you know the roles of Ms. Rivera? Good luck!

Broadway Games:

The Many Roles of Chita Rivera

   

Match the role with the show.

    1. Rose                                                    a. Bajour
    2. Claire Zachannassian                        b. Bye Bye Birdie
    3. Anna                                                    c. Chicago
    4. Aurora                                                 d. Kiss of the Spider Woman
    5. Anita                                                    e. Merlin
    6. The Queen                                           f. Nine
    7. Liliane La Fleur                                  g. The Mystery of Edwin Drood
    8. The Princess Puffer                           h. The Rink
    9. Anyanka                                               i. The Visit
    10. Velma Kelly                                        j. West Side Story

BONUS QUESTION: Which of the two roles above earned Chita her Tony Awards, both for Best Actress in a Musical?

STOP!

If you don't want to know the answers, 

stop scrolling NOW!

    1. Rose   b. Bye Bye Birdie                                                    

    2. Claire Zachannassian   i. The Visit                       

    3. Anna   h. The Rink                                                   

    4. Aurora   d. Kiss of the Spider Woman                                                 

    5. Anita   j. West Side Story

    6. The Queen   e. Merlin                                          

    7. Liliane La Fleur   f. Nine                                 

    8. The Princess Puffer  g. The Mystery of Edwin Drood                         

    9. Anyanka   a. Bajour                                              

    10. Velma Kelly   c. Chicago 

BONUS QUESTION: Which of the two roles above earned Chita her Tony Awards, both for Best Actress in a Musical?  

Anna   The Rink (1984)                                                  

Aurora   Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993)

                                      

One That Got Away: Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

One That Got Away:

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (2005)

Chita Rivera has been a performer I've looked up to and revered almost since I began following and learning about Broadway musicals. Over the years, I've had the pleasure of seeing her perform on Broadway, on National Tour, and on film. I even had a chance to speak with her, ever so briefly when I stage doored Kiss of the Spider Woman. It was a moment I'll never forget. With her passing, I am even more grateful for all those opportunities, but, of course, there is some regret for opportunities lost. One that got away was her autobiographical show, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, a production that I could have seen when I was in town (the same week Dick van Dyke guest starred). We could have gotten tickets. We should have gotten tickets. 

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life began its 20 previews on November 23, 2005. It then opened at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, where it ran for 72 performances, closing on February 19, 2006. Ms. Rivera was nominated for a 2006 Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award.

Broadway in a Box CD Review: Chicago (OBCR 1975)

Broadway in a Box CD Review:

Chicago (OBCR 1975)

At Christmas a few years ago, Jeff gave me a copy of Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection. He has now given me the opportunity to use his blog to share my impressions of each of the 25 cast recordings contained in the set, in alphabetical order. 

This week’s entry is about the 1975 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Chicago.

Like many people, I first became familiar with Chicago through the 2002 Oscar-winning film and, especially, its soundtrack recording. As I was listening to this Broadway recording, I couldn’t help but compare its content and performances to the newer version more familiar to me. Accordingly, I’m arranging this entry as a comparison between the two recordings, indicating my personal preference for each of the various elements.

   

VELMA KELLY: Broadway

Chita Rivera is one of two performers on this CD that are probably impossible to top. From the first notes of “All That Jazz,” her singing is rich and character-driven, and I hear she danced the part pretty well. I very much enjoyed Catherine Zeta-Jones’ take on this part, but it’s unfair to expect her to live up to a legendary Broadway triple-threat.

ROXIE HART: Soundtrack

Well, maybe I shouldn’t have spoken so soon! Gwen Verdon is an equally legendary Broadway triple-threat, but there’s something about this particular interpretation that, at least on an audio recording, doesn’t measure up to Renée Zellweger’s juicy take. Verdon is surely a better singer, but her fluttery vocals don’t quite do it for me in this performance. Zellwegger also does a better job making you believe that anyone would believe that she’s an innocent bumpkin - note the contrast between her demeanor in “Funny Honey” and “Roxie.”

BILLY FLYNN: Broadway

Jerry Orbach sings the part in a way that is attractive while conveying his essential cynicism. His vocal acting (for lack of a better term) is at least as good as Richard Gere’s in “We Both Reached for the Gun,” but his more legitimate singing is leagues ahead in songs like “All I Care About.” This is another performance that no one is likely to beat anytime soon.

MERRY MURDERESSES: Soundtrack

The actresses in the film have an edge and an anger in “Cell Block Tango” that comes across much more vividly on recording than the more subdued performances here. Even if, as I suspect, some of the takes from the movie are slightly anachronistic, they just make for a more satisfying experience as they tell their stories. 

MATRON: Soundtrack

Basically the same comments apply for Queen Latifah’s soundtrack version versus Mary McCarty’s interpretation on the Broadway recording. I don’t know how they would have compared if I’d seen the stage version, but on CD I much prefer Latifah’s more colorful take on “When You’re Good to Mama.”

AMOS HART: Tie

This one is a classic case of excellent singing (Barney Martin on the Broadway recording) versus vivid vocal acting (John C. Reilly on the soundtrack). Each version of “Mr. Cellophane” works for me in its own way, so I’ll call it a draw.

MARY SUNSHINE: N/A

Christine Baranski only sings a few measures in “We Both Reached for the Gun” on the movie soundtrack, so there’s no point in comparing her to M. O’Haughey’s unique vocal performance on this recording. Instead, I’ll say that I find that the bizarreness of this character, as originally conceived, doesn’t do anything for me; in fact, it takes me out of the moment each time the character is present, both on this recording and when I finally saw the superb Broadway revival.

ORCHESTRA: Tie

I think the soundtrack version has slightly fuller orchestrations that help make the brassy flourishes in “Cell Block Tango” pop a bit more, but I like the often faster tempos on the Broadway recording, so this is another draw.

COMPLETENESS: Broadway

The Broadway version is the clear winner here. The movie soundtrack cuts “A Little Bit of Good” (Mary Sunshine’s song), “My Own Best Friend,” “Me, My Baby,” and “When Velma Takes the Stand,” adding only the new closing credits song, “I Move On.” (“Class” was cut from the movie but is included on the soundtrack recording). 

Next up is the Original Broadway Cast Recording of A Chorus Line. 

Lots to unpack here, Mike! Thanks for this unique way of looking at a Broadway classic.  Jeff

#2612

 

Broadway Who's Who: Dick Van Dyke

With the new year, we are trying new things. Since Broadway remains "on pause," we are going to pause our traditional Mr. and Ms. Broadway and Standing @ Zero columns. In place of those, we'll take a look at some of Broadway's Who's Who - people who made the theater scene their home in front of the footlights and behind the scenes, making the art form all the better for their being a part of it. 

Our first in the series goes to a true entertainment icon, who, even at 95 years of age is still making headlines. Last week, it was revealed  that he would be a 2021 Kennedy Center Honors recipient. I'm speaking of the great Dick Van Dyke, star of the big screen, the little screen and the stage. That my young niece and nephew know him from Mary Poppins, my sister knows him from TV's Diagnosis Murder and a particularly fun episode of The Golden Girls, my parents know him from one of the greatest sit-coms of all-time, The Dick Van Dyke Show, goes to show you that he is truly a multi generational legend, whose gift just keeps giving. He's a real "who's who."

We, of course, will be focusing on his contributions to theater.

The Broadway Who's Who:

Dick Van Dyke

DID YOU KNOW?...

• BIRTH DATE: December 13, 1925
• BIRTHPLACE: West Plains, Missouri
• FAMILY: married twice, four children, seven grandchildren
• MILITARY SERVICE: World War II, United States Army Air Forces, Staff Sergeant, ret., recipient of Good Conduct Medal. After being denied for pilot training four times for being underweight, he was assigned to Special Services in the American Theater, where he entertained the troops. This service became a big part of his role as Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
• EDUCATION: At age 78, he received his high school diploma. He quit high school to join the army for World War II.
• HONORS: 5 Emmy Awards, 1 Grammy, Television Hall of Fame (1995), SAG Lifetime Achievement Form (2013), Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, named a Disney Legend.

BROADWAY CAREER:

The Girls Against the Boys (debut): November 2, 1954, Alvin Theatre. A musical revue that also starred Bert Lahr and Nancy Walker. 

⭐He was honored with a Theatre World Award.

     

Bye Bye Birdie  (Albert Peterson): April 14, 1960 - April 8, 1961, Martin Beck Theatre/54th Street Theatre/Shubert Theatre. Co-starred Chita Rivera, Paul Lynde, Kay Medford, Susan Watson and Dick Gaultier. 

⭐He won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

The Music Man (Harold Hill): June 5 - 22, 1980, City Center. Co-starred Meg Bussert as Marian, and a young Christian Slater as Winthrop. There was a pre-Broadway national tour.

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (Guest Star): January 24 - 26, 2006, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. His final Broadway performance to date, reunited him with his Bye Bye Birdie co-star and friend.

#2479

This Week in Broadway History: January 17 - 25

This Week in Broadway History:

January 17 - 25

(Starting next week, weeks will run Tuesday - Monday for this column.)

🎭OPENING NIGHTS🎭

• January 17, 2008: David Mamet's political play, November, starring Nathan Lane opens its 205 performance run at the Barrymore Theatre.

• January 18, 1998: Ragtime, the epic musical starring Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie and Judy Kaye opens at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, where it will play 834 performances and win 4 Tony Awards.
• January 19, 2017: The final play in August Wilson's play cycle to arrive on Broadway, Jitney, opens at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater for a limited run of 62 performances. The play wins the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
• January 20, 1954: Henry Fonda stars in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial which opens at the Plymouth Theatre.
• January 21, 1903: The very first Broadway adaptation of The Wizard of Oz opens with a book and lyrics by L. Frank Baum himself.
• January 22, 1953: Arthur Miller's The Crucible makes its Broadway debut at the Martin Beck Theatre.

• January 23, 2005: The musical adaptation of Little Women starring Sutton Foster as Jo March and Maureen McGovern as Marmee opens at the Virginia Theatre.
• January 25, 1968: Lillian Gish, Hal Holbrook and Tony-nominee Alan Webb opened in I Never Sang For My Father at the Longacre Theatre.

📰 BROADWAY HEADLINES📰

• January 18, 1974: Michael Bennett holds a meeting with Broadway ensemblists who share their stories. It is recorded and becomes the basis for A Chorus Line.
• January 20, 2003: Broadway artist, and later theater namesake, Al Hirschfeld passed away at age 99.
• January 25, 1996: Many of history's great artists did not know success during their lifetimes. Jonathan Larson, who passed away on this date one day before the first preview of Rent was one such artist.
• January 25, 2003: The Michael Crawford Gothic musical Dance of the Vampires closed at an estimated loss of $12 million.

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAY🎂

Jesse L. Martin     Katie Finneran     

Eartha Kitt     James Earl Jones

January 17: legendary actor James Earl Jones, director and subject of Mack and Mabel Mack Sennett, legend Eartha Kitt, Tony-winning actor Denis O'Hare  January 18: actor Danny Kaye, actor Mark Rylance, Rent actor Jesse L. Martin  January 19: the original Phantom Michael Crawford, 9 to 5 composer Dolly Parton, actress Veanne Cox  January 20: comedy icon George Burns   January 22: two-time Tony-winner Katie Finneran  January 23: designer Irene Sharaff, Broadway icon and legend Chita Rivera  January 24: playwright Sarah Ruhl, actor Carrie Coon, Rony-winner Daveed Diggs  January 25: Company's original Bobby Dean Jones, actor and bullet ArianaDeBose, Tootsie actor John Behlmann

📆ON BROADWAY THIS WEEK IN 1991📆

The winter blues definitely hit Broadway this week. It would be your final chance to catch Cathy Rigby's debut as Peter Pan at the Lunt-Fontanne, James Clavell's Shogun: The Musical (including a shipwreck, earthquake, and ninja-prostitutes) at the Marquis, and the Tony-winning revue, Black and Blue at the Minskoff, all three of which closed on January 20.

Aspects of Love & Buddy on Broadway

Still, there were some things to see, like the award-winning revival of Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol and Marcia Lewis. If rock and roll nostalgia is your thing, you could catch Paul Hipp as Buddy Holly in Buddy. And the brand new Ahrens-Flaherty musical Once On This Island was making a star of LaChanze at the Booth Theatre. Both the long-running A Few Good Men and the not so long-running Aspects of Love were finishing up their runs at the Music Box and Broadhurst Theatres, respectively.

#2478

TheatreScene Thursday: Friends of JKTS Working Hard

With a slight lull in Tony mania this week, the TheatreScene was more about future shows and friends of this blog getting some high profile press.  But first, a little Tony business:

Don't forget to vote for the #MissingTonyAward (Best Ensemble in a Play and Musical)! Click the icon to your left! Polls close on May 18th.

And my Broadway pic of the week, from the Tony Nominee press event!

History meets the future: two of my favorite
Broadway gals, Chita and Sydney (NYT)

One of the big news stories of the week was/is the continuing saga of Rebecca.  What a mess.  It leads me to the Question of the Week:

If Rebecca ever makes it to the Broadway stage, will anyone even care about this epic musical?

Related question: Have we learned nothing from Dr. Zhivago?

Another more likely (and happier) future show announced this week was Tuck Everlasting.  I have high hopes for this one.  It looks enchanting in that Secret Garden/Finding Neverland kind of way.  And it features a good friend of this blog, Andrew Keenan-Bolger.  I just love this former Newsie!  Check out his interview from awhile back by clicking his pictures to the right (depending on your screen, you might need to scroll down a little).  I wish him the best of luck with this new endeavor!

Speaking of the Keenan Bolger clan, congratulations to Celia and husband John Ellison Conlee (who was awesome in The Full Monty), who welcomed their new son, William Emmet into the family on April 29.

You certainly can't say that Virginia's Signature Theatre doesn't do enough press!  They've gone all out for their production of Cabaret.  It seems to be everywhere on the Broadway sites.  I'm really happy for a great friend of this blog, Wesley Taylor, who stars as the Emcee.  Check out these simply marvelous photos:

Wesley Taylor as the Emcee and Barrett Wilbert Weed as Sally Bowles

(C. Mueller)

Who knew leather lederhosen could be so sexy?
(T. Ranson)

Here's a link to a great interview Wesley gave to Metro Weekly.  Check out the dish on Smash, Rock of Ages and The Addams Family.  HERE

Have a great week, theatre fans!
Jeff