Petition Launched to Rename Broadway Theatre for Chita Rivera

A petition has been launched to rename a Broadway theatre for the late stage icon Chita Rivera, who passed away on January 30. 

Eric Ulloa, who starred in Broadway's On Your Feet!, launched the petition, stating:

"Despite the countless contributions of our community, of the 41 active theaters on Broadway, not a single one is named after a Latin Artist.  

Chita Rivera not only defined the term Broadway Legend, but was the torch bearer for the Latin Broadway community for seven decades. 

Naming one of Broadway's theaters after her, forever keeps her legend alive and allows our community a space to (finally) call home on the Great Bright Way!

Specific Theaters like the Broadhurst, Ambassador and the Broadway Theater (all Shubert Organization owned houses) could provide this massive honor and overdue moment for this legend and for the Latin Community." 

Rivera starred at the Broadhurst Theatre in Kiss of the Spider Woman. The Ambassador Theatre currently houses the musical Chicago, in which Rivera originated the role of Velma Kelly. 

Learn more about the petition HERE! 

Recent Broadway theatre renamings include the Cort Theatre, which was officially renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre, and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, which was renamed the Lena Horne Theatre. This was the first Broadway theatre in history to be named for a Black woman.

About Chita Rivera

A theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, Chita Rivera was one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations. She won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A versatile actress/singer/dancer, her most recent starring roles include The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway; the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood; the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer’s Life, a dazzling musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas.

She trained as a ballerina (from age nine) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. Chita’s first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry’s Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes.

Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009 and received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. In 2019, Chita performed her solo concert at London’s Cadogan Hall; in 2018 she was honored as a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy; in 2016 she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin’ To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Her current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing.

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