Amanda Peterson

Peterson's father is a doctor who specializes in otolaryngology. Bush, recognizing her contributions to American (U.S.) culture. She has acted in about 16 different movies and television shows. In 2002 Chita Rivera became the first female Hispanic to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors award presented by President George W. Peterson went on to make other movies, none of which have achieved the box-office success of Can't Buy me Love. She received her first Tony in 1984 for her role in The Rink and her second for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 1993 for her role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey subsequently appeared on covers of teen magazines such as Tiger Beat, Teen Beat and many others for a considerable amount of time. Rivera received two Tony Awards and six additional nominations.

Prior to that, Peterson had a starring role in The Explorers, and she also acted with Robert De Niro. [Quoted at http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/9942/inthe1226.html]. Peterson and co-star Patrick Dempsey obtained teen idol status after the release of the 1987 movie. You have long been considered a Broadway legend."" Rivera replied "Oh, God!" and laughed. Amanda Peterson (born July 8, 1971 in Greeley, Colorado) is an actress who gained much fame during the late 1980s, when she portrayed Cindy Mancini, a Tucson, Arizona high-school student, in the movie Can't Buy me Love. Indeed "In Theatre" magazine has suggested in an interview by Goerge Horsfall: " You must be tired of the term "legend", but let's get it out of the way. Rivera is widely regarded by theatre aficiandos as a "living legend".

Rivera is planning on appearing in three plays in 2004: Nine with Antonio Banderas, The Visit and Ballroom. She played the role of Nicky in the movie version of Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine. She went on a national tour with Can-Can. Chita also starred in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, The Rink, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Zorba.

Her performance was so important for the success of the show that the London production was posponed until after Chita gave birth to the couple's daughter, Lisa. On December 1, 1957, Rivera married dancer Tony Mordente. She was cast as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story. Years later the role of Anita was to bring fame and an Oscar to another Puerto Rican, Rita Moreno in the film version. In 1957, Chita was cast in the role which was destined to make her a Broadway star.

Besides her ballet instructors, Chita considers that she learned a lot from Leonard Bernstein and especially from Gwen Verdon, with whom she participated in the Broadway production of Chicago. Wonderful with Sammy Davis Jr. In 1952, when Chita was 17 years old, she accompanied a friend to the audition for a Broadway production of Call Me Madam and ended up with the role. She followed this by landing roles in other Broadway productions, such as Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Among her teachers were Edward Villella, Allegra Kent and Maria Tallchief.