Chita Rivera, Celebrated Broadway Actress, Dies At 91

Chita Rivera, the legendary singer, dancer and Broadway actress died “peacefully” in her New York home at 91 years old. She is known for her iconic roles on Broadway as Anita in West Side Story and Velma Kelly in Chicago. 

On January 30, Rivera’s publicist, Merle Frimark, said in a statement, “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.”

The daughter of the actress, Lisa Mordente, shared that her mother “died peacefully… after a brief illness.” She stated that the funeral will be private, and memorial services will be “announced in due course.”

According to Rivera’s wishes, Mordente requested that all donations made in her name be given to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a non-profit that helps people across the country with life-saving AIDS medication, access to healthcare and mental health resources.

Over her career, she earned ten Tony nominations, winning two for her performances for The Rink (1982) and Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993). Rivera released three solo albums, Bye Bye Birdie, And Now I Swing and Chita! Get Me To Church On Time.

Last year, Rivera released an autobiography, Chita: A Memoir.

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She is survived by her siblings Julio, Armando and Lola del Rivera.