Chita Rivera personifies all that is great about the Broadway musical. A triple threat who has appeared in a major Broadway musical for ever decade since the 1950s, she pales all others by comparison where career longevity, professionalism, and versatility are concerned. When I was in college (1993), I was writing a paper for my musical theatre history class on the musicals of Kander and Ebb. Not so coincidentally, Ms. Rivera was starring in the Kander and Ebb musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. Since my paper required that I interview someone, I thought "Who better than the amazing Ms. Rivera to weigh in on the musical world of this composing duo, having starred in Chicago, The Rink and the then-running Spider Woman. I wrote her a letter c/o the Broadhurst Theatre which included a list of questions and a gentle plea for her to answer them. It was a shot in the dark, but worth a try. Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly), Ms. Rivera took the time to hand write all the answers to my questions. She affectionately recalled her experiences, recounted the importance of the process, and celebrated her co-stars as an opportunity to grow as a performer (perform with the best, you learn from the best). The fact that she took such interest in a young man's questions showed me that Chita was a class act. I have adored her ever since.