Broadway legend Chita Rivera will appear in concert at Steppenwolf Theatre Company on December 11. The 84-year-old actress, whose decades-spanning career includes the original productions of West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman, will perform with Broadway gadfly Seth Rudetsky.
As with Audra McDonald’s Steppenwolf concert with Rudetsky last spring, the show will mix songs and storytelling, with Rudetsky serving as host, interviewer and accompanist. Rivera, whose honors include two Tony Awards (out of 10 nominations, tied for the record with Julie Harris), the Kennedy Center Honors (where she was the first Latina recipient) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her last major appearance in Chicago was in the Goodman Theatre’s premiere of the Kander and Ebb musical The Visit in 2001.
The concert is set for 6:30pm on December 11 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre; tickets go on sale to Steppenwolf members November 1 at 11am and to the public November 3 at 11am. Don’t be surprised if a late show is added, as was the case with McDonald.
Rivera’s appearance was announced this morning as part of Steppenwolf’s next batch of LookOut programming, most of which takes place in its intimate 1700 Theatre. Other highlights of the winter LookOut slate includes The Accidental Curator, a solo show written and performed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Molly Regan (January 12–14), a Valentine’s edition of popular storytelling show You’re Being Ridiculous (February 2–10), and We Three: Loud Her, Fast Her, Funny Her (February 26 and 27), a revue reuniting musical-theater powerhouses Meghan Murphy, Danni Smith and Cassie Slater (the trio first joined forces as the leads of Marriott Theatre’s Mamma Mia! earlier this year). Visit steppenwolf.org/lookout for the full lineup.