When you're in a big theater, you want to reach the very top of the place. Up to the highest seat, so that each person feels like you're talking to them. There's really no difference when you're in a smaller place; you just don't overdo it. It becomes far more personal.

Chita Rivera

You Want Very

Beauty is not everything!

Chita Rivera

Very Thing Thin

Outside of my own home, England is my second home.

Chita Rivera

Home T Side

I was from Washington, D.C., and then I came to New York and got the scholarship for the ballet.

Chita Rivera

York Washington Washing

We're going to Puerto Rico, where we're gonna close. And we're so excited, we can't see straight.

Chita Rivera

Where Ted T

Somebody told me once I wasn't Latin enough, and that made me laugh.

Chita Rivera

Tin T Somebody

You can feel whether an audience is tightened up and pulled back. Of course the opposite is an audience like we've been having in LA, which is fabulous.

Chita Rivera

You Which Whether

I'm not comfortable with just me, me, me. That's boring.

Chita Rivera

Wit Us Table

I can tell you where my Tonys are. They're in a beautiful place in my living room, in a glass cabinet.

Chita Rivera

You Where Tony

Redheads have a lightness, a craziness, a kookiness. Think of Lucille Ball.

Chita Rivera

Think Thin T

You take a plug and put it in a socket, and that's what the theatre is-it lights up right away. You speak, and they respond immediately.

Chita Rivera

You Way Up

You really never know what the next day brings you.

Chita Rivera

You T Rings

I've always had a crazy sense of humor. So the ballet probably wouldn't have been enough for me. I had to clown around a little bit more.

Chita Rivera

Humor Would Ways

You really have to be in touch with your soul and spirit and your imagination - it keeps you in shape, and it makes you like yourself a bit more.

Chita Rivera

Imagination Yourself Yours

It's communication - that's what theatre is all about.

Chita Rivera

Communication UN Theatre

I'm an old-fashioned girl.

Chita Rivera

Old-Fashioned Old Hi

I'm very competitive. I do like to win.

Chita Rivera

Pet Win Very

I've never been bored in live theater.

Chita Rivera

Theater T Red

Jerome Robbins, to me, is the genius of a lifetime.

Chita Rivera

Time Life Us

I have a very young outlook.

Chita Rivera

Young You Very

My hairdresser and I found ourselves shopping at Bloomingdale's with nothing to do for days.

Chita Rivera

Wit UN Thing

You always want to please your choreographer, director. Dancers are just that way.

Chita Rivera

San Francisco has just blown us all away. I also understand Angels in America didn't do well there.

Chita Rivera

I have been very lucky, I have only had one bad experience.

Chita Rivera

After about 15 minutes, you feel that you're winning them over.

Chita Rivera

I have to make this love affair believable enough. It's very European.

Chita Rivera

I was busy welcoming a new experience. I had never done a movie before.

Chita Rivera

I'd like to get the word out there, the word has to be spread.

Chita Rivera

I've played American, Italian, Greek, French. I've been really lucky that way.

Chita Rivera

Southern California, they have been amazing. They're totally with us.

Chita Rivera

The show did go on, but came very close to not going on at all.

Chita Rivera

Theatre is immediate gratification.

Chita Rivera

You have to have the lows in your life so you can deal with them.

Chita Rivera

I think Lin-Manuel deserves absolutely everything that he's getting. He is an extremely gifted guy, a very fine human being, and loves the theater. Loves it.

Chita Rivera

The person who does that role better than anyone else is the person who should get that role, regardless of their background or heritage.

Chita Rivera

Cabaret is a much more up close and personal experience, which I enjoy very much. This is a tremendous difference to being in a large theatre, doing a book show, where there is more separation. But both have equal importance.

Chita Rivera

'Chicago' is all about precision.

Chita Rivera

Mother never said to me, 'Stay out of trouble.' She didn't have to!

Chita Rivera

Absolutely, I'll always be a dancer.

Chita Rivera

Why not travel, why not see the rest of the world, why not experience life? It's beautiful! Phenomenal!

Chita Rivera

I don't think you know how much you can do until you try.

Chita Rivera

I just broke up all the furniture in the house. My mother had to get rid of me. So she put me in dance class.

Chita Rivera

You have to be passionate about things in your life.

Chita Rivera

You get the best out of people by allowing them to do their best work.

Chita Rivera

When you're in a big theater, you want to reach the very top of the place. Up to the highest seat, so that each person feels like you're talking to them. There's really no difference when you're in a smaller place; you just don't overdo it. It becomes far more personal.

Chita Rivera

'Spiderwoman' was wonderful. I think that show is a very important piece of theatre.

Chita Rivera