Chita Rivera

Chita Rivera, born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson on January 23, 1933 in Washington, D.C., is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals, including Anita in West Side Story, Velma Kelly in Chicago, and the title role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. With ten Tony Award nominations and three wins, including one for Lifetime Achievement, Rivera has made a significant impact on the theater industry. She is also the first Latina and Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor and has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rivera's autobiography, Chita: A Memoir, was published in 2023. She was born to a Puerto Rican father, a clarinetist and saxophonist, and a mother of Scottish, Irish, and African-American descent.