Chita Rivera-A Dancers Life

[Albin]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 6:53am

Amazing. This word gets thrown around alot but it's the only one I can think of to describe the force of nature that is Chita Rivera.

I saw the show at Shea's in Buffalo last night and had to remind myself that I was watching a 74 year old women with 16 screws in her left leg.

A local paper described her as a "Broadway goddess." A very apt description. When she sang "a boy like that who killed your brother" I had goosebumps. I was watching a Broadway legend.
Updated On: 5/31/07 at 06:53 AM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:31am

I am not sure if the reception she recieves is the same in every city, but Chita has gotten a ton of press in Buffalo, a cover story in a local arts paper, the whole front page of the Sunday Arts section, and some local TV interviews. She is having alot of love thrown her way in Buffalo and she deserves every ounce of it. :)I cant wait to see her on Saturday.

She is my role model. I know people half her age who cant do what she does. I am one of them. I get winded just watching her.
Chita ROCKS!

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 11:19am

I have to throw another word around....

Underwhelming.

I can recognize and appreciate Chita's talent for what it is/was, but this show, from a productiuon standpoint, was just bad. I saw it last night and was a little embarrassed that so many people left the theater at intermission.

Let's face it...we were all there just to see Chita. After leaving the show, I was left wondering if it wouldn't have been better to skip the show and just see Her at the Stage Door instead???

I found the whole production as slow moving as Chita is now, and, aside from a couple creative staging moments, Chita only seemed to connect with the audience while sitting down and telling a few humorous stage stories.

She looked and moved like the old woman She is, and I'm not criticizing that. Watching an old pro go through at least most of the motions can be fun to watch. But Her voice is gone too. It was almost uncomfortable at times to watch her straining to dance and sing. I found it strange that, not only did She try to sing a bunch of Her classic tunes, but they wrote a bunch of new material for Her to perform too.

We thought the show would have been better if Chita would have just told the memoirs/stories and introduced the scenes, while others sang and danced around her, recreating the moments of the past.

Highlights for me were the "Choreographers" segment, and the "West Side Story" medly. Her supporintg cast of dancers were very good, but they were not singers and did little to support Chita vocally when called upon. A group of background singers would have been very helpful here.

I am always glad to see a "living legend" whenever possible, and make a point of doing so when I can. I would have much preferred to see Chita behind a podium in a lecture hall, as She is engaging, likable, and easy to listen to. When She sang and danced, it seemed almost more of a distraction from her fun stories, which I could have listened to all night!

Kudos to the Marketing Department for this tour who are selling it as a "dance spectacular", when it really is more a Celebration of an Outstanding Career.

How lucky Chita is to be able to celebrate her life on stage every night.

CHEERS to the Woman!
JEERS to the Show!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 12:20pm

Dancin, I respect your opinion and am glad you posted a different viewpoint.

I think your observation about her looking and moving like an old woman is both true and untrue. I think part of the beauty of the piece (I saw the show on Broadway) is that you are seeing the contrast between the then and now-the aging process, the body's limitations and new obstacles-which she addresses. Yet Chita still chooses to move her body, to dance, to celebrate rather than have "others stand behind her and re-create things" or "stand behind a podium" as you would like her to do.

When I contrast Chita with other women I know who are in their 60s and 70s, you realize what a MARVEL she is. I could never imagine my mother, who is in her mid-sixties jumping, dancing, tango-ing,being lifted and twirled or even doing kicks. Chita is a force of nature for her age, regardless that she doesn't kick as high.

I think people who watch older entertainers and "feel uncomfortable" for them struggle with some form of age-ism or projecting their own fears of aging/losing freedom. I would never want to see Chita behind a podium-to me that is ageist and sexist-trying to restrain a mature woman, a legend, who wants to "tear it up" in the best way she knows how, to the best of her current ability.

I think the beauty of this rare, sweet show is lost on many who want over the top spectacles over pure raw humanity, character, and talent. This is the last of a breed. Take my word-there will never be a "Kristin Chenowith-The Dancers Life" or "Idina Menzel-The Dancers Life". That makes me sad on some level for the current state of things, but also all the more proud I am able to see Chita and be witness to that life force again.

That being said, I think your opinion is valid and I appreciate your candor and honesty.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:16pm

Hey BETTYBOY!

Despite the fact that I think you just called me both "ageist and sexist", which is certainly not true, I hope you come back to talk about the BUFFALO show after you've seen it again. I'm curious to know if it changed at all!

For everyone else, here is the link to the Buffalo News Review. They gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 4!

Just because I didn't like the SHOW itself, does not mean I don't understand and appreciate the marvel that is CHITA or that anybody else should not go see it! I just feel it should have been an EXCELLENT night instead of just an OK one.

ENJOY!

http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/arttheater/story/87198.html

[raphael06]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:20pm

"I think people who watch older entertainers and "feel uncomfortable" for them struggle with some form of age-ism or projecting their own fears of aging/losing freedom."

Now that is overanalyzing a bit much!

Dancin Thru Life I understand what you are saying. From a production standpoint, it really is not that great if you look at its "show" qualities. However, I definitely appreciate Chita, her talent, and found her stories fascinating and fun to listen too.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:45pm

Dancin, I was generalizing, I wasn't referring to you. Your thoughts are well articulated and educated. :)

I stand by what I say Raphael, I think people in this society fear aging/looking old, now more than ever and many have huge reactions to older individuals who express themselves in ways that are not consistent with the expectation that older people should just fade away. Our society does not value or celebrate age.

[Chita1933]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 5:41pm

Betty, I think what you said is on the money. I shouldn't feel embarassed when I see an older performer not quite as forceful as when he was younger, but I am. Just a little bit. Much like my racism and sexism, ageism has been carefully and quitely taught in our society.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 6:41pm

I saw the Chita show in Boston, and I loved it! I had no knowledge of Chita beforehand expect that she was the original Velma, and I totally fell in love with her personality and charisma. My eyes didn't leave the stage the entire show. I encourage anyone to see this show if it comes near their area. Ends June 10!

[OOTI2004]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 8:30pm

I was amazed watching Chita, I loved every minute. (saw it last night as well).
Anyway, I do agree with you that she is showing that she has aged, but if you think about it, she could dance better than most 50 year olds and she is 74! I found her to be captivating and still thought she danced amazingly well.

Also, I think her voice sounded great actually better than on some of the cast recordings. Her All That Jazz sounded great and better than the version the girl I had seen in the Chicago revival had (her name escapes me)

[jv92]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 8:34pm

I saw Chita in A Dancer's Life on Broadway and what can I say? The old girl's still got it! It brought back so many happy memories of theatregoing and was a damned entertaining show. Yes, the book could have been better, but she was great.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:30pm

"Kristin Chenowith-The Dancers Life" or "Idina Menzel-The Dancers Life".

Well, to be fair, they're not known for their dancing, are they?

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:42pm

I saw the show in Cincinnati, which I think was the first stop. I loved it! Yes she is older, but I still was in awe the whole time. It might of helped to be 2 rows back, I could see her sweat. She is a legend.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:54pm

I saw the show last night also in Buffalo and was BLOWN away. Me and my friend were the only two at the stage door, and she took us inside and spoke with us for about 5 min.

She signed programs, and was in no way a diva, it was a refreshing feeling. Her show was amazing, and I rather enjoyed the two new songs written for the show: "Dancing on the Kitchen Table" and "A Women The World Has Never Seen Before".

[Albin]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 10:50am

Thank God someone else enjoyed the show as much as I did. I was beginning to think I exsisted in some alternate reality where fabulous entertainers and shows weren't appreciated!