Chita Rivera recreates the original Gower Champion choreography for Bye Bye Birdie for “The Shriner’s Ballet” with the American Dance Machine for a special called “That’s Singing, The Best of Broadway.” Rivera was Tony-nominated for her performance in the original production, in the featured actress category, but lost to Tammy Grimes who was “featured” in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Wasn’t that above the title billing nonsense a bit ridiculous?
Tag: Chita Rivera
Gwen Verdon & Chita Rivera: "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag"
From The Howard Cosell Show in 1975, we get Chicago as it should be performed. (Costumes…? For real??) Can you believe it’s almost eight years since we lost Gwen Verdon? Such a natural treasure. And how lucky are we that Chita Rivera is still performing? I’ve come to the conclusion that Ms. Rivera should receive a standing ovation any time she walks into a room. Enjoy this:
Here’s another one, plus interview with Mike Douglas and Hal Linden. The two ladies are nothing short of classy and gracious. I love how proud Gwen is of having a flop play, Children! Children! It ran 65 minutes with no intermission on its one and only performance. And Chita even talks about 1491, “marked down from 1776.” Then Jerry Orbach joins in too and performs “Razzle Dazzle.”
"Well, I’m Not"
Only a star with the luster of Chita Rivera could shine through the abortion that was the four performance flop Bring Back Birdie, a woefully misguided sequel to Bye Bye Birdie, checking in the familiar characters twenty years down the line. (Donald O’Connor, in his Main Stem bow, succeeded Dick Van Dyke, Maria Karnilova played Mae taking over for the late Kay Medford). The spark-plug the production needed, Rivera received a Tony nomination for her efforts, which were welcomed relief for otherwise severely disappointed theatregoers. “Well, I’m Not” was her big solo effort in the second act, a follow-up of sorts to the “Shriner’s Ballet”/”Spanish Rose” numbers where Rosie defiantly sings and dances up a storm because she’s mad at Albert.
Peter Filichia recalls the first act audience reaction at the very first preview in this 2002 article.