Dancing with Chita Rivera
The night my 11-year-old son busted a move with a Broadway legend
It was late on May 3, 2009, two hours before Sunday turned into Monday. All I wanted to do was go home and catch some sleep before another long week of work and Stage Dad schlepping began.
My then 11-year-old son, Ben, had other plans. All he wanted to do was dance, and he had an opportunity to do so, fifth grade homework be damned.
The cast of “Ragtime,” then halfway through its sold out pre-Broadway run at The Kennedy Center, had been invited to cocktails and a dancing party following the center’s spring gala, which focused on “Women in the Arts.” Ben, the Little Boy understudy, had become close to many in the cast, and he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be part of the tribe.
Begrudingly, I agreed that we could go, at least for a little while. Ben sprinted to the River Terrace restaurant with two other kids in the cast and their guardian, Laurie. I followed along with another parent and looked for the bar, not exactly knowing what we were getting into and grateful that I had at least worn khakis and a button-down shirt.
As I’m waiting for a drink, someone taps me on the shoulder and says, “Your son is dancing with Chita Rivera.”
I stepped on my tiptoes and looked above the crowd that had gathered. Sure enough, Ben and his castmate Sarah Rosenthal were out on the floor along with the 76-year-old Broadway legend and another gentleman, boogieing the night away as the live band played. Before the next song ended, the kid and the two-time Tony Award winner were facing off on the floor as the crowd took pictures.
When my sweaty son came off the dance floor, I asked him if he knew who Rivera was.
“No,” he said, “but that lady sure can dance.”
“Yes, son. Yes, she can.”
I explained briefly and then asked if he wanted to get a picture with her. He agreed and walked over. Rivera wrapped him in a warm hug and I snapped a couple of photos. She asked his name and told him to call her “Chita.”
Several months later, Ben and I were at the Broadway Flea Market with other members of the “Ragtime” cast. The show was in rehearsals and would open in previews a couple of weeks later. Described as “Broadway’s Happy Place,” the flea market had been moved due to rain into the late, great (but dumpy in the best New York way) Roseland Ballroom on West 52nd Street.
It was our first time at the market and I was trying to get my bearings, not knowing what to expect. Someone announced that Rivera soon would be signing autographs at one of the tables and Ben darted into the crowd, saying, “I’m going to say hi to Chita.”
He did. And she remembered him from the night at the Kennedy Center. She patted him on the head and said he was a good dancer.
Today, Rivera died at age 91. Tonight, Ben and his “Illinoise” castmates are in Chicago, still dancing following another opening of another show.
What’s Going On? A Lot…
I recognize that I’ve been writing and posting to this page quite a bit recently, and chances are you might have missed an essay in the flurry of activity (it will calm down soon, I promise). Here’s a recap and a preview of things to check out:
• The fourth edition of “52 Weeks,” my series of seven random photos, was published on Saturday. You can see it by clicking on the link below or take a look at the entire series by clicking here.
• My conversation with civil rights photographer Cecil Williams, the next-to-last installment in the Brown v. Board of Education series, was published on Monday. The final installment — a recap of what has appeared and a look forward at new developments — will appear on Monday, Feb. 4.
• Coming tomorrow: The third piece in my oral history of National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage. This edition looks at the day R.E.M., then the biggest band on the planet, played on the show.
• Finally, I photographed my first concert of 2024 on Saturday when Grace Potter and Brittney Spencer played at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. An essay on concert photography and the show have been posted to “The Music Diaries” section. I’m quite proud of the photos I managed to get.
Thank you for your support of “Our Reality Show.” As always, likes, thoughts, and comments are welcome and appreciated!
What a special story! Love hearing it, love even more that you captured it!