Broadway icon Ann Reinking has passed away at 71
Broadway legend, Tony Award winner, and dance icon Ann Reinking has passed away according to her family who spoke to Variety. She was 71.
Ms. Reinking was known as one of the most respected choreographers in the musical theatre industry. One of the favorite dancers of choreographer Bob Fosse, she performed in the original productions of Cabaret, Coco, Pippin, Dancin’, and Goodtime Charley, as well as replacing in some of the most celebrated dance roles in the musical theatre - Charity in Sweet Charity, Cassie in A Chorus Line, and Roxie in Chicago. She then starred as Roxie in the 1996 revival, which she also choreographed. The production has gone on to be the longest-running American musical in Broadway history.
Born and raised outside of Seattle Washington, she made her professional debut at the age of 12 with the English Royal Ballet and later moved to New York to dance in the corps de ballet of the Radio City Music Hall. She performed in the ensemble of the second national tour of Fiddler on the Roof before making her Broadway debut in Cabaret at just 19.
Three years later, she caught the attention of choreographer Bob Fosse during Pippin. She became one of his favorite dancers, and for a time his mistress. She appeared as a facsimile of herself in Fosse’s film All That Jazz and was portrayed in the Fosse/Verdon television series by Margaret Qualley.
Ms. Reinking founded the Broadway Theatre Project, which connects theatre students with professionals, in 1994, and served as a judge of annual public school dance competitions in New York City. She served as an advising member of the American Theatre Wing and received an honorary doctorate from Florida State University for her contributions to the arts. In 2019, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
In celebration of Ms. Reinking’s career, we recommend watching the 1982 film of Annie, where she starred as Grace Farrell, the secretary and love interest of Oliver Warbucks. It is available for streaming on Hulu now.
She is survived by her husband, Peter Talbert, and her son Chris.