Theater icon Chita Rivera will celebrate her 80th birthday with a benefit performance produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on Monday, October 7th. At the celebration Rivera will be joined onstage by nine-time Tony winner Tommy Tune, the iconic choreographer/director/performer, and showman Ben Vereen, a Tony winner for the original "Pippin". Joining Rivera will be several of her dancers from "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "The Dancer's life". "Chita: A Legendary Celebration" is directed by Graciela Daniele and written by Terrence McNally, with musical direction by Michael Croiter.

Rivera, a quintessential triple threat with two Best Actress Tony Awards for her roles in the musicals "The Rink" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman", is the only Latino American to have received a Kennedy Center Honors Award; she was also honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.  Rivera started her Broadway career in 1951 when she accompanied a friend to an audition for the touring company production of "Call Me Madam"; after booking the role herself she went on to land roles in other Broadway productions such as "Guys and Dolls" and "Can-Can".  In 1957, she landed the role of Anita in "West Side Story" and in 1961 the film version solidified her icon status that brought upon her stardom.

In a statement, Rivera said: "A girl only turns 80 once in her life, thank God, and I want everyone there as proof. Let's have a party and raise some money for a cause that's extremely dear to me."