Weekly Poll Results: Chita Rivera is your favorite Broadway dancer!

Chita Rivera scored the top spot in this week's poll with 40% of the vote, which is arguably the strongest majority we've had so far. Broadway vet and Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth scored 33% and Tony winner Donna McKechnie, known for her portrayal of Cassie in A Chorus Line. Charlotte D'Amboise received 6% and Gwen Verdon and Ann Reinking, notably the first actresses to play Roxie Hart in the original production and Broadway revival of Chicago respectively, received zero votes. It is interesting to note that Rivera and Neuwirth originated the role of Velma Kelley in the original and revival casts of Chicago, and were the two top vote-getters. Chita Rivera, oddly enough, has never won a Tony award, but nonetheless is revered as one of the greatest dancers of all time, even starring in her own Broadway show entitled Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life. Other major theatre credits include originating the roles of Anita in West Side Story, Velma in Chicago, Rosie in Bye, Bye, Birdie and Charity in Sweet Charity. Beating out several Tony winners, I guess Chita Rivera is a prime example of the mantra that when you are a dancer, it is about the work, not the awards.

Fun Fact of the Day: Stage-dooring

While stage-dooring may be a common practice for many avid theatregoers, to others, it is a foreign concept.

stage-dooring: visiting the stage door of a theatre after the show in hopes of meeting the performers

My first stage door experience in New York was at RENT and I was absolutely thrilled to meet the actors, take photos with them, and have my playbill signed. I almost always visit the stage-door these days and I have accumulated quite a collection of signed playbills and posters. Stage-dooring is most common at shows that are popular with the teenage crowd like Wicked or Spring Awakening and shows that feature celebrities on stage, such as the current revival of Promises, Promises. Most actors are happy to sign playbills and other items from the show, although occasionally performers will leave without signing or even duck out an alternate exit. Some are even happy to take photos with fans. While I have waited in some long lines and fought a lot of crowds, I cherish my stage-door memories and have even gotten the chance to have genuine conversations with some of my Broadway idols from Stephanie J Block and Alice Ripley to the original Broadway revival cast of Hair.

**BackStage Barbie's stage-dooring tip: if you want to get a prime stage-door spot for celebrities like Kristin Chenoweth & Sean Hayes at Promises, Promises or Bebe Neuwirth & Nathan Lane at The Adams Family, make your way out of the theatre during the curtain call to avoid the post-show rush**

Barbie's Showtune(s) of the Day #4: A Chicago Medley

In keeping with the dance theme this week, I chose a medley of my two favorite pieces from Chicago: All That Jazz and The Hot Honey Rag. This video is a performance at the 1997 TONY awards by Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking.


 

Fun Fact of the Day: A Chorus Line and Chicago

In keeping with the dance theme today, especially since I was moving on Saturday and missed the National Dance Day festivities, I decided to post about some of the similarities between A Chorus Line and Chicago, arguably two of the most significant Broadway shows in terms of dance. There are definitely some interesting comparisons between the two, specifically in regards to TONY wins and lengths of their runs. For example, the original production of A Chorus Line and the revival of Chicago won numerous TONYs and enjoyed wildly successful runs, among the top six in Broadway history, while the revival of A Chorus Line and the original production of Chicago failed to win a single TONY award  and could not seem to find an audience for long runs. 1975, when both of these shows premiered, was clearly an incredible year for dance on Broadway, showcasing the finest works of choreographers and directors Michael Bennett and Bob Fosse. It is also important to not the Broadway dancers Charlotte D'Amboise, Bebe Neuwirth, and Ann Reinking, among others, have appeared in both A Chorus Line and Chicago.

A CHORUS LINE

Original Broadway Production: 

• opened July 25, 1975
• nominated for 12 TONY awards, winning 9 including Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress (Donna McKechnie)
• won 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• ran for 6137 performances

2006 Broadway Revival:

• opened October 5th, 2006
• nominated for 2 TONY awards for Best Revival and Best Featured Actress (Charlote D'Amboise), but lost both
• ran for 759 performances

CHICAGO

 Original Broadway Production:

• opened June 3, 1975
• nominated for 11 TONY awards, won zero, lost a majority to A Chorus Line which opened the same year
• ran for 936 performances

1996 Broadway Revival: 

• opened November 14, 1996
• nominated for eight TONY awards, won six including Best Revival, Best Direction, Best Choreography, and Best Actress (Bebe Neuwirth)
• still currently running after over 5500 performances