Broadway icon Chita Rivera dies at age 91

Legendary Broadway performer Chita Rivera, star of “West Side Story,” “Chicago,” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” has died at 91, according to her representative.

Legendary Broadway performer Chita Rivera, star of “West Side Story,” “Chicago” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” has died, according to her representative, Merle Frimark. She was 91.

In a career defined both by longevity and excellence, she created and performed iconic roles on stage — thrilling audiences, wowing critics and inspiring generations of Latino performers.  

Rivera's daughter, Lisa Mordente, said in a statement that her mother died Tuesday in New York "after a brief illness."

“She was one of the few performers who put their stamp on Broadway in virtually every decade,” said performance historian Brian Herrera of Princeton University. “She was a treasure of the American theater.”

Unlike some theater stars who leave Broadway for television and film, or dancers who transition into choreographers, Rivera never lost her love of being on stage. “She was a performer, through and through,” Herrera said. “She was remarkable, not only for her achievements, but because she was extraordinarily beloved.”  

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/chita-rivera-dies-91-broadway-icon-latina-rcna136431

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