tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with chita rivera. she created the role of anita in "west side story." in chicago among her nine tony nominations and two wins she was the first latina to receive the honor. we are glad you joined us. a conversation with chita rivera coming up right now.

>> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. beenita rivera has performing for six decades, turning an outstanding performances in hit shows like west died story, chicago, sweet charity. she has earned nine -- west side story. she has earned nine nominations.

her 81st word they -- nobody --ieves it -- birthday nobody believes it. happy birthday. she is celebrating with a tour of a one-woman show called "chita: a legendary celebration." let's take a look. if you find you end up in jail ♪ ♪come on here ♪play with me ♪ nobody knows in america ♪ [applause] [laughter] tavis: let me start with the

obvious. the secret to staying in this good of shape? >> prayer. tavis: the raster be more than this. you must have a serious regimen. >> i have a blessed life. i have a great family. i have a great daughter. in the family. i love people. i love all the blessings god has given me. love --l work, and i the spirit of dance is an amazing thing. when the body and spirit meet it is a good aim. i want to cover as much ground as i can. take me all the way to the beginning. when did you know this was your

calling? was a tomboy, and i used to break up the furniture, and i was one of five, and my mother said, we have got to straighten this kid out, so she puts focus in my life. to doris joan,g who was my alley teacher. from doris jones, lewis johnson -- lewis was the first lack ballet dancer. jones was like my second mother. she was the best teacher in the world. she directed us to new york city and the new york city ballet. that is how it started.

, called andition asked what she thought about it. i went from ballet to the theater. i really appreciated so much of it, and i have been so busy. it's important that kids stay busy. it's important they have something to focus on and something they feel good about, so i really attempted to enjoy my own life but to be able to be , some sort ofuide examples of the kids know they can do it. of goodked up with lots stuff. good teachers. good friends. >> say a word to me if you will about what the challenges were or what the joys were of being

people of color doing this back then? your teacher is black. you are latina. what was it like in that moment? >> ms. jones went with me, and i will never forget her saying -- we are walking through the halls, and i am looking around and seeing all these beautiful tall, thin, blond, blue-eyed girls and saying to her, i feel funny. she looked right in my eyes and said, you do what you do. you don't look left. you don't look right. you look straight ahead, and you just be you. be the child i brought up. that's stuck to my mind. don't look this way or that way. it gave me some identity.

felt anynever tremendous aggravation or separation. ijust went on with my work. didn't put anything else in my head. i remember people saying, i thought you would have an accent -- stuff like that. ms.where along the line jones had told me to just stick i do.t i am and what >> it seems to me back then it was easier to accomplish what you had done if there is somebody to look up to, if there is some role model, but in so many ways you are the pioneer here. it is a fact. i am trying to figure out how you managed to do that without having a lot of people around who did look like you to give you some sense. -- >> my neighborhood was

my neighborhood was a great neighborhood. it was filled with ethnic groups and things. i grew up thinking i was a human being. did this at home, and we ate our rice and beans. it wasn't until later that i went to puerto rico and saw this island filled with us. i was a part of the world. ms. jones taught me i was part of the world. that's about it. i sound very naïve sometimes, but i do believe that separation -- can be a bit damaging at times. be happy about your self and your culture and all of that is

necessary and fulfilling, but the whole tapestry is what is important. tavis: i am fascinated about that. i think part of what troubles me about the world we live in today is that a message as basic and rudimentary and fundamental as you are a human being and behing in the world ought to forbidden to you -- that message does not resonate to poor black children. >> like i said before, they have to have someone to look up to. they have got to have their time filled. they have to have the opportunity. ms. jones't been for i don't know what would have appened to me in d.c. so world was opened up to me.

that is why i feel very responsible. do myl go around and show. i am talking not just cultures that age. i think what is the number? a number is only a number. it's how you feel and what you still want to translate. it's all about communication. i know i sound naïve. tavis: not to me you don't. .> i am young in my energy i really still believe that we and we canho we are wipe off on each other. see this huge tapestry where , and your life is

your painting by the end of it, and mine is all colored. mine is everything. i cannoted because speak every language there is, but i feel i can when i am with somebody and i can't do with them -- dip for them. death is stylized. you know what i mean? on theto make sense tavis smiley show. i seriously want to. i am guilty sometimes of not making sense of my own show. i love that, the dance is a way to communicate beyond language barriers. >> way beyond it. tavis: has there ever been a moment in this long-running career, these 60 years, where you thought of doing something else?

there are a lot of ups, but there are dry spells. did you ever think of doing anything? >> not really. i thought about kids. i only have one. basically, no. basically never anything be on the theater. i love life. i love theater. tavis: with all the talent and all the gifts in this body of this extreme love of theater, so much that you haven't even tried to branch out beyond it? believe you have got to work hard at one thing first. if it takes you other places, then you work hard. theater because the theater is alive. the audience is right there. you can feel them. you can hear them.

they respond immediately. it changes. some people say, how can you be in the theater and stay in the show for a year when it is the same thing, the same words? it is not. the audience is different. you feel different. it is a different breath every day. is a different thing. i like that challenge. it is enough for me. tavis: we live in a world where everyone is encouraged to multitask, to do as many things as you can no matter how on you do them. that's exactly right. i can't believe i am looking at you, because i so much respect show all the the time. i learned so much from the show

and your other guests, and i don't want to waste this time. i want to be with tavis and really am enjoying the conversation with you. it is seriously a blessing that i am sitting here. it's a very serious thing. tavis: i receive that in what you offer, and i feel the same. i love learning from legends. i hate to use -- i think we use the word icon too loosely. i love to talk to people who face the odds. you said you feel blessed to sit here. is -- i am nots trying to get to to proselytize, but how much of this beyond your ard work is a blessing. >> i think all of it is. i think absolutely all of it.

without thedo it help of the universe, without the help of god, my believes. i never feel as though i am ever alone. i sometimes don't even think it's me. when i am looking at president obama like, what am i doing? how did this happen? somebody got me here. i just want to be ready all the time. i just want to be ready so someone calls me, i am here. exampleou are a perfect of if you stay ready you ain't got to get ready. >> hello. to come out ofg my mouth all the time. you mentioned president

obama. that is a gorgeous piece of jewelry. >> i am so proud of this. it's the medal of freedom. i don't know how it happened. i did my thing. like youry grandfather said, and then i get the call, and i go, what? me? then when i met him -- both of them -- it just blew me away. i must say i did laugh egos i -- i did laugh because i said to him at the inaugural dance and she looked so beautiful and he was dancing -- he was dancing like the guys

did in high school. . remember that hand down here oh. dunbar's, so i told him. about it, andaugh michelle leaned over and said, that's the only step you've done. [laughter] which i do not believe. if you don't know but one thing, just do your thing. >> that's true. , andi was sitting there sidney paktia was there, and i have known him for so many years, and i adore him, and i to makever, and i try myself feel comfortable with him. i really just feel like just a

gal who loves to dance and can make the joke of the marine over there, and i said, don't let him look over and see me. reli e a mistake. tavis: there's no mistake. >> when he said one. when he put the big one around my neck, he said the entire group of people were chosen because they had given their dedicatedtheir energy to being an example, working very hard, wanting nothing else and toto be an example do the best they can.

i suddenly thought, i had that. -- i fit that. i will take it. i felt more comfortable when it was defined to me. i still had my little angels pushing me. when you look back at these various characters you first lay, what do you make of it? any one of those. >> that's true. i am beginning to be a bit mor comfortable because i am really it is a lot of them. i did come along at a great time. they call it the golden age where every single theater is filled with hits. i came along. i am paying for it now. i give a lot of the credit to

i did come along sondheimime when the and all these amazing people created all of these, and as your grandfather said, i was ready, and i was chosen. myselfhosen, so i give credit for continuing and doing to the best of my ability to help make these shows hit, but they created them. they made them happen, and i was here to receive it. it's a mixture of all of them. life is a mixture of all of them. tavis: i am glad you chose the theater and you blessed us with this genius ofours, and yet the flipside of that is, and any

artist watching will say amen -- you don't get rich by staying in the theater. i just had angela lance perry on here, and she was clear -- the primary reason she took murder she wrote is she needed to make some money. . >> i love had that your devotion to the theater. that is a lot of money to leave on the table. >> it is, but what you don't have you don't miss. what you have got you cherish. your very best. you have responsibility to yourself. when youto feel good go to bed at night. when some kid walks up to you and says, i want to dance because i love the way you dance

or i have become a dancer because of you come a that makes you feel good. every single person is valuable. 12 people in the theater are as important as a full house. tavis: tell us about this one- woman show. from my shows.s they are wonderful stories because they involve wonderful people. people whoy creative have gotten me where i am. it is a lot of fun. i love to laugh. i love the joy of life. i never liked the way i look. i don't. tavis: you look good to me. >> you said you liked my shoes. i love your shoes.

i am just impressed you do that in heels at 81. >> you keep saying that. >> i am looking at you, and i just don't leave it. me you arerdie told going to reprise something this summer. is that true? >> absolutely. musical.a wonderful it is a play. it was that many years ago. was one of their last pieces they rode together before freddie died. it is an extraordinary piece. it is very european. i love mary poppins, but it is not. love story.ous some people think it is about revenge. i think it's about love and

passion. we are going to do it in massachusetts. time.l be our third i pray it is third time lucky, but it is an extraordinary piece of theater. the wayoes theater americans do theater, and i think we need it today. >> massachusetts, i think that was a shout out to you tonight. chita rivera is coming to town, so get your tickets as fast as you can. if you go to our website, you caget the scoop on when you might see chita rivera for the dates that remain and maybe even some information about this reprisal coming this summer. can i say this has been one of the great joys of my life? >> i told you. for chitaother thing

to sit here with you. you just stay well and stay who you are, because we need you. when i get to be your age i hope i have half the smarts you have. on then? love to be >> yes. has just made the wall in the hallway. get the picture ready. that's our show for tonight. thanks for watching. as always, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with teller one half of the duo, penn & teller

for his acclaimed documentary. that's next time. we will see you then. ♪ >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. you. thank you. r:

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