Legendary broadway icon passes away
Iconic Broadway performer Chita Rivera has passed away at the age of 91.
The dynamic dancer, singer and actress scored two Tony awards throughout her career, while blazing a trail for Latin American artists to shine on stage.
On Wednesday morning, Rivera's daughter Lisa Mordente confirmed the news of her passing, sharing that her mother had died in New York after a brief illness.
Rivera's representative Merle Frimark also shared a statement about her death, writing, "It is with immense personal sorrow that I announce the death of the beloved Broadway icon Chita Rivera. My dear friend of over 40 years was 91."
"She is also survived by her siblings Julio, Armando and Lola del Rivero, (her older sister Carmen predeceased her), along with her many nieces, nephews and friends."
"Her funeral will be private. A memorial service will be announced in due course."
Rivera's breakout role came in 1957 as she starred as Anita in the original production of West Side Story, and she stayed performing in a multitude of roles until 2015.
Chita starred in Broadway shows such as Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Merlin, Jerry's Girls, Nine, and many more.
She also released two solo albums during her career, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former US president Barack Obama.
Rivera won Tonys for The Rink in 1984 and Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1993, and when accepting a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, she said, "I wouldn't trade my life in the theatre for anything, because theatre is life."
In 2015, she told The Associated Press, "I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song."
"That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."
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