Chita: A Memoir
Written by Chita Rivera
Narrated by Chita Rivera
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Read by the author
The long-awaited and wildly entertaining memoir of the star of stage and screen, the legendary Chita Rivera—three-time Tony Award–winner, Kennedy Centers honoree, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
She was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero—until the entertainment world renamed her. But Dolores—the irreverent side of the sensual, dark and ferocious Chita—was always present center stage, and was influential in creating some of Broadway most iconic and acclaimed roles, including Anita in West Side Story‚ the part that made her a star—Rosie in Bye Bye, Birdie, Velma in Chicago, and Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Written in gratitude to her longstanding fans and with the hope that new generations may learn from her extraordinary experience, Chita takes us behind the curtain to reveal the highs and lows of one extraordinary showbusiness career—the creative fermentation, the ego clashes, the miraculous discoveries, the exhilaration when it all went right, and the disappointment when it all went wrong. Chita invites us into workrooms and rehearsal studies, on stage and on set as she works with some of the greatest talents of the age, including Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Hal Prince, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr, Gwen Verdon, Shirley MacLaine, and many others. We also learn deeply moving, revelatory details about her upbringing and her heritage, and how they indelibly shaped her work and career.
This colorful and entertaining memoir—as vital and captivating as Chita herself—is the unforgettable and engrossing personal story of a performer who blazed her own trail and inspired countless performers to forge their own unique path to success.
Editor's Note
Breaking the mold…
Drawing on her seven decade-long career, during which she earned three Tony Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, actress and dancer Rivera gives a rich account of life in the entertainment industry. From escaping the typical Latinx typecasts to working with major players like Stephen Sondheim and Liza Minnelli, Rivera’s career is a storied tale of hard work and breaking the mold.
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (1933–2024) was one of Broadway’s most accomplished and versatile performers. Among her celebrated stage credits are West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and The Visit. Patrick Pacheco is an Emmy Award-winning television commentator and arts journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. Formerly with Ny1 On Stage, he now hosts the interview program Theater, All the Moving Parts on CUNY-TV. He has written for film, television, and the stage both in the United States and abroad, and is the author and editor of the bestselling American Theater Wing, An Oral History: 100 Years, 100 Voices, 100 Million Miracles. He lives in New York City.
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Reviews for Chita
10 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Yes!!! Just fabulous! Don’t miss this! I love you, Chita! Thanks for sharing your life story. RIP, Dear Diva. xoxo