If you're a theater geek like me, you'll recognize Chita Rivera as the iconic dancing star from West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, and many more shows. But if you're a dedicated Dickensian theater geek (also like me), you know that she played Princess Puffer in the 2012 Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. I had the great good fortune of seeing her perform in this musical adaptation, which requires lots of stamina and improvisational skill from its actors. Incredibly spry and spirited at the age of 80, Rivera pulled it off with aplomb.
Chita Rivera, by all accounts as spirited in life as on the stage, passed away yesterday at the age of 91.
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