Chita Rivera

Here's a Broadway musical about a young man who sets out to discover true meaning in his life, dabbling in war, sex, and politics before finding love. That may sound conventional, but it isn't. The title character of Pippin is the son of Charlemagne, the 9th-century emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and when Bob Fosse directed the original Broadway production in 1972, he transformed what had begun as a fairly innocent college project for composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz into a burlesque filled with broad comedy, bawdy characters, and magical but dark situations. Pippin (played by William Katt, of TV's The Greatest American Hero) embarks on his quest, all the way coaxed and goaded by a narrator figure known as the Leading Player (Ben Vereen) while his stepmother (Chita Rivera) schemes. Schwartz's pop-rock score may not be as recognizable as his work for Godspell and various animated films (The Prince of Egypt, Disney's Pocahontas), but it does include the soul-driven opener "Magic to Do" (showing off Fosse's signature white gloves), the soaring "Corner of the Sky," the lovely ballad "With You" (indelicately presented in a brothel), and the romping "No Time at All" (by Martha Raye as Pippin's grandmother). Not as technically polished as newer shows preserved on video (Into the Woods, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), this live 1981 performance of Pippin is probably of greatest interest to Fosse fans as a record of his striking vision. (The original show won five Tony Awards, including for Fosse's direction and choreography and Vereen's performance.) Note, however, that this Canadian television production was supervised, not directed, by Fosse, and is missing some numbers from the original show. --David Horiuchi

Based on Bob Fosse's hit Broadway production which chronicles the trials and tribulations of Charlemagne's son Pippin, the prince of the Holy Roman Empire who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of the a more fulfilled life. PIPPIN was the first major Broadway play produced for the home video market and features the hit songs "Corner of the Sky," "No Time At All," "With You," "Magic to Do," & "Spread a Little Sunshine."

After several years as the hottest musical director on Broadway, Bob Fosse made his film directorial debut with this movie version of his Broadway hit, which was based on Fellini's Nights of Cabiria. Shirley MacLaine is terrific as the proverbial hooker with the heart of gold, one who is convinced that she will find the right man if she just turns enough tricks. The Cy Coleman score is a solid one; the film is at its best when Fosse lets his cast of singer-dancers (which includes Chita Rivera, Paula Kelly, and Sammy Davis Jr.) unleash his leggy brand of choreography. While the film suffers from stylistic excesses of the period, you can see the seeds being planted for Fosse's future musical film forays in Cabaret and All That Jazz. --Marshall Fine

Why do over 1,000 New York City schoolchildren audition for a modern dance program that requires them to sacrifice free time and involvement in sports and music? For a chance to study with the charismatic Jacques d'Amboise at the National Dance Institute. Jacques d'Amboise is an inspired teacher with a knack for nurturing creativity and ambition. His philosophy--that creativity exists within everyone and that trying one's best ensures success--forms the foundation of a unique dance program. This 48-minute documentary from 1983 chronicles one school-year-long program including initial auditions, rehearsals, and the creation of an exclusive "SWAT" team, and culminates in an amazing, year-end performance at New York's Felt Forum. Program participants describe the work and fun involved in the program, praise d'Amboise's teaching methods, and compare the discipline required to that of organized sports. D'Amboise's enthusiasm is infectious--children, parents, teachers, professional dancers and musicians, and even local law enforcement officers find themselves involved in his productions. This Academy Award-winning documentary details the inspiring story of how one talented dancer's vision flourished into a coveted New York City dance program. For an in-depth look at how studying the arts as a child enriches and shapes one's adult life, check out Who's Dancin' Now?, a follow-up documentary that interviews several of these same child participants 16 years later. --Tami Horiuchi

Here's a Broadway musical about a young man who sets out to discover true meaning in his life, dabbling in war, sex, and politics before finding love. That may sound conventional, but it isn't. The title character of Pippin is the son of Charlemagne, the 9th-century emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and when Bob Fosse directed the original Broadway production in 1972, he transformed what had begun as a fairly innocent college project for composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz into a burlesque filled with broad comedy, bawdy characters, and magical but dark situations. Pippin (played by William Katt, of TV's The Greatest American Hero) embarks on his quest, all the way coaxed and goaded by a narrator figure known as the Leading Player (Ben Vereen) while his stepmother (Chita Rivera) schemes. Schwartz's pop-rock score may not be as recognizable as his work for Godspell and various animated films (The Prince of Egypt, Disney's Pocahontas), but it does include the soul-driven opener "Magic to Do" (showing off Fosse's signature white gloves), the soaring "Corner of the Sky," the lovely ballad "With You" (indelicately presented in a brothel), and the romping "No Time at All" (by Martha Raye as Pippin's grandmother). Not as technically polished as newer shows preserved on video (Into the Woods, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), this live 1981 performance of Pippin is probably of greatest interest to Fosse fans as a record of his striking vision. (The original show won five Tony Awards, including for Fosse's direction and choreography and Vereen's performance.) Note, however, that this Canadian television production was supervised, not directed, by Fosse, and is missing some numbers from the original show. --David Horiuchi

Bob Fosse's Tony-winning musical is captured in a rousing stage performance. Join young Pippin, the son of King Charlemagne, as he searches for truth and meaning in life in Medieval Europe. William Katt, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, and Martha Raye star. 120 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; interview; biographies.

After several years as the hottest musical director on Broadway, Bob Fosse made his film directorial debut with this movie version of his Broadway hit, which was based on Fellini's Nights of Cabiria. Shirley MacLaine is terrific as the proverbial hooker with the heart of gold, one who is convinced that she will find the right man if she just turns enough tricks. The Cy Coleman score is a solid one; the film is at its best when Fosse lets his cast of singer-dancers (which includes Chita Rivera, Paula Kelly, and Sammy Davis Jr.) unleash his leggy brand of choreography. While the film suffers from stylistic excesses of the period, you can see the seeds being planted for Fosse's future musical film forays in Cabaret and All That Jazz. --Marshall Fine

Shirley MacLaine stars as a lovelorn New York City prostitute who finds romance with a naive man who knows nothing about her line of work. Songs include "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now"; co-stars Chita Rivera and Sammy Davis, Jr.; Bob Fosse's directorial debut. 153 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 4.0; Subtitles: Spanish, French; alternate ending; featurettes; theatrical trailer.

Broadway's Lost Treasures delivers what the title promises: 21 historic performances of great moments in American musical theater televised on the Tony Awards between 1967 and 1986. (Five were not included when the program was broadcast on PBS in 2003.) Unlike some other arts, theater has rarely been well-documented, so it's a treat to see these numbers performed by the original artists rather than experience them through audio recordings or tepid movie adaptations. Sure, sound and picture quality are only adequate, some of the numbers are minimally staged and some appear to be lip-synched, and some of the performances that do have excellent film counterparts (Yul Brynner in The King and I, Robert Preston in The Music Man, Joel Grey in Cabaret) seem rather lackluster here. But those are minor drawbacks compared to the chance to see Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera perform "All That Jazz" and "Nowadays" from Chicago, or John Raitt, a stage legend who's woefully underrepresented on film, singing The Pajama Game's "Hey There." The most electrifying excerpt is from Evita, anchored by the powerhouse trio of Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, and Bob Gunton, the most surprising is Julie Andrews singing "Send in the Clowns" (she wasn't in the cast of A Little Night Music), and the most touching is a 12-year-old Andrea McArdle breaking hearts in Annie's "Tomorrow." An indispensable record of a quintessential American art form. --David Horiuchi

A history of the American musical theater with compilation of archival material featuring performanaces by original cast members.Genre: MusicalsRating: NRRelease Date: 28-OCT-2003Media Type: DVD

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What is there left to say about this musical, deservedly one of the most famous in the canon? Created by what lyricist Stephen Sondheim described as "a unique concatenation of people" (Leonard Bernstein, Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins), the show remains as explosively vibrant, daring, and modern as it was decades ago. Bernstein integrated Latin percussion and jazz into his electrifying score, dazzlingly translating New York's unique vitality into a musical idiom. West Side Story has been adapted for jazz and interpreted by pop and opera singers, but you owe it to yourself to check out the original version to see what the fuss was all about. This new reissue adds over 20 minutes of "symphonic dances" as well as liner notes and production photos. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

No Description Available.Genre: Original Cast RecordingsMedia Format: Compact DiskRating: Release Date: 15-SEP-1998

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Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Get a glimpse at the life of actress, dancer, and singer, Chita Rivera. Read about her humble debut and the roles that propelled her to stardom such as Once Upon a Brothers Grimm, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Will & Grace, and Guys and Dolls. Whether you are a true fan or just want to know more about the star, you will find this book comprehensive and perfect for your needs. Project Webster represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Project Webster continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge.

This digital document is an article from Dance Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2007. The length of the article is 627 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation DetailsTitle: Chita Rivera.(QUICK Q&A)(Interview)Author: Wendy PerronPublication: Dance Magazine (Magazine/Journal)Date: April 1, 2007Publisher: Thomson GaleVolume: 81 Issue: 4 Page: 16(1)Article Type: InterviewDistributed by Thomson Gale