Chita Rivera, Tony Award-winning actress and singer, passes away

Chita Rivera, an iconic performer of stage and screen with credits including "Chicago," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Sweet Charity," has died. She was 91.

Rivera's longtime publicist Merle Frimark confirmed the news to CNN on Tuesday, saying Rivera died "peacefully" on Tuesday "in New York after a brief illness."

The recipient of a record 10 Tony Award nominations, and winner of two for "The Rink" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman," Rivera's unparalleled Broadway career spanned decades, from playing Anita in "West Side Story" and opposite Dick Van Dyke in "Bye Bye Birdie" to signature Bob Fosse musicals like "Chicago" and "All That Jazz."

Chita Rivera at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Although she maintained a dizzying stage schedule, Rivera appeared in a number of movies and TV shows as well, including screen adaptations of "Sweet Charity" and "Chicago" as well as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Her most recent screen credit was in Netflix's 2021 movie "Tick, Tick… Boom!" in which she appeared in a sequence among other stage musical luminaries.

Born in Washington, DC, in 1933, Rivera began training as a ballerina at age 9 before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary choreographer George Balanchine, an obituary from Frimark detailed.

Rivera, whose father was Puerto Rican, soon became one of Broadway's most notable triple-threats (actor-singer-dancer), paving the way for Latinx artists to follow. She originated the timeless role of Anita in the original Broadway premiere of "West Side Story" in 1957.

Her stage career highlights include starring roles in "Bye Bye Birdie," "The Rink" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman," along with the original Broadway casts of "Guys and Dolls" and "Mr. Wonderful."

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The honours Rivera amassed included being a Kennedy Center honoree in 2002 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented to her by President Barack Obama in 2009. She was also awarded the 2018 Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre.

Rivera also wrote a book, "Chita: A Memoir", which was published last year.