Chita Rivera will bring the West Side to the world…
This year’s A Capitol Fourth, the annual televised Independence Day concert, will feature a celebration of West Side Story‘s 65th anniversary, headlined by the 89-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress, singer, dancer and Broadway star.
Rivera, who played Anita in the original Broadway production of West Side Story, will lead the anniversary celebration, as the National Symphony Orchestra performs a musical tribute.
The event, to be broadcast on PBS, will be hosted by Mickey Guyton, with performances by Darren Criss, Yolanda Adams, Gloria Gaynor, Keb’ Mo’, Emily Bear, Andy Grammer and Loren Allred with the National Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Jack Everly.
Rachel Platten will do a special tribute to military heroes and their families, as she performs her song Stand By You.
The event, on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, will be open to the public, after two years of virtual celebrations due to COVID-19.
The evening will conclude with the Capital fireworks display, including a performance featuring The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” also marking its 100th anniversary.
The event will air from 8:00 pm ET to 9:30 pm ET on PBS. It also will be aired on Armed Forces Network and aired on NPR member stations. It will be streamed on YouTube and PBS.org from July 4 to July 18.
