BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, in collaboration with the Palm Beach Book Festival, presents “An Evening with Chita Rivera” on Tuesday, Nov,. 14 at 5 p.m. in the University Theatre on FAU’s Boca Raton campus at 777 Glades Road. Tickets include a copy of Rivera’s book “Chita: A Memoir.” There will also be a VIP opportunity at 4 p.m. These tickets include a signed copy of the book and a photo with Rivera. Rivera will not be signing books at the event. Tickets are available at fauevents.com or by calling 561-297-6124.
A theatrical icon and one of Broadway’s greatest triple-threat talents, Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations, won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A versatile actress/singer/dancer, 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 19) 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 many Broadway shows.
Rivera 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 album is titled “And Now I Swing.”
The event will be moderated by Seth Rudetsky. Rudetsky is an American musician, actor, writer and radio host. He currently is the host of “Seth’s Big Fat Broadway” and “Seth Speaks” on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio‘s On Broadway.
Rivera will be honored at the event with FAU’s Making Waves Award. This award recognizes people with extraordinary talents who are making a difference in their profession and in the world. Former awardees have included, among others, Melissa Manchester, Hal Linden, Elisabeth von Trapp, André De Shields, and Charles Strouse.
Rivera’s appearance at FAU coincides with the debut of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s Musical Theatre Program, which kicks off publicly with “9 to 5,” running Friday, Nov,. 10 through Sunday, Nov. 19. Tickets are available at fauevents.com or 954-297-6124.
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About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of three signature themes – marine and coastal issues, biotechnology and contemporary societal challenges – which provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
