The Chita Rivera Awards were held May 18 at NYU Skirball, and Schmigadoon! ended the night as the most recognized production of the season. The awards, which honor the best in dancing excellence on stage and screen, included wins for the show’s choreography (by Christopher Gattelli) and for actors Max Clayton and Isabelle McCalla, along with the ensemble as a whole.
Also picking up a win in the honors’ Broadway categories was Cats: The Jellicle Ball’s Robert “Silk” Mason.
As previously announced, the evening also saw Ann-Margret honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award bestowed on Off-Broadway’s choreography retrospective Gotta Dance!
See the full list of winners below:
Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show
WINNER – Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Lorin Latarro, Chess
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Ellenore Scott, Titaníque
Ani Taj, The Rocky Horror Show
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show
Jonathan Burke, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Baby Byrne, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER – Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
Zachary Downer, Schmigadoon!
Sydney James Harcourt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Dava Huesca, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER – Robert “Silk” Mason, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER – Isabelle McCalla, Schmigadoon!
Sarah Meahl, Chess
Constantine Rousouli, Titaníque
Layton Williams, Titaníque
Lyrica Woodruff, Schmigadoon!
Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Chess
Ragtime
WINNER – Schmigadoon!
The Rocky Horror Show
Titaníque
Outstanding Choreography in a Feature Film
Sergio Trujillo and Christopher Scott, Kiss of the Spider Woman
Anthony Talauega and Richmond Talauega, Michael
WINNER – Aakomon Jones, Sinners
Celia Rowlson-Hall, The Testament of Ann Lee
Christopher Scott, Wicked, For Good
Outstanding Direction of a Dance Documentary
WINNER – Steve Boettcher, Dick Van Dyke, 100th Celebration
Peter Schnall and Cyndee Readdean, Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time
Cody Williams, Playing The Palace
Linus O’Brien, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
Dr. Monika Krajewska, Tango My Passion
The event was produced by Joe Lanteri, founder and executive director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation, in association with Patricia Watt. It benefits the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation College Scholarship Program and The Chita Rivera Training Grant.
This year’s awarding committee was chaired by Sylviane Gold, and also included Gary Chryst, Peter Filichia, Robert LaFosse, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, and Lee Roy Reams.
Broadway and film categories have a separate nominating committee that oversees the nominations. This year’s Broadway nominating committee included Caitlin Carter, Gary Chryst, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Peter Filichia, Dr. Louis Galli, Sylviane Gold, Jonathan Herzog, Robert La Fosse, Joe Lanteri, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O’Connor, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, Lee Roy Reams, Andy Sandberg, and Randy Skinner. The Film nominating committee, chaired by Jonathan C. Herzog, comprised Steven Caras, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mary Beth O’Connor, and Andy Sandberg.