Still swept off our feet

Tony Award winner Chita Rivera stars in Terrence McNally’s musical “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” celebrating the actress-singer-dancer’s 50-year career, which took off with a bang when, as a 17-year-old ballerina, Rivera auditioned for the chorus in the touring company of “Call Me Madam” and was singled out by Jerome Robbins and cast as principal dancer instead. Directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, the show features excerpts from Rivera’s signature roles in “West Side Story,” “Chicago,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and more, plus new music by the songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

“Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” Segerstrom Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Opens 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. $15 to $65. (714) 556-2787. www.ocpac.org.

* Runs 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays; ends March 25.