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Moments of Pure Tingling Magic in "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life"
by Anthony Chase
• Chita’s first entrance in silhouette.
• Chita’s second entrance in the light.
• After two tries, Chita finally nails “A Boy Like That,” recreating her successful audition for West Side Story.
• Chita performs “America” and “Dance at the Gym” from West Side Story, with the cast of The Dancer’s Life.
• The way Chita looks to the spotlight during “Nowadays” and sings “In 50 years or so, it’s gonna change you know” to the pointedly absent Gwen Verdon.
• Chita’s quick impersonations. She has Gwen Verdon’s quavering voice down to perfection. She also does a great Marilyn Monroe, a good Stritch and a good Peter Gennaro, (Upon request, she does a convincing Tony Mordente.)
• Chita opens the second act by dancing a sexy tango sequence opposite sexy Richard Amaro.
• Chita gives a master class on the styles of great choreographers she has known: Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro, Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins.
• Chita sings “Class” from Chicago, “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer” from The Rink, and the title song from The Kiss of the Spider Woman all in quick succession.
• After teasing us all night, Chita finally sings her signature song, “All That Jazz” in the final moments of the show.
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