Cathy Bush is a successful playwright, and her work has been produced across the country for decades. But before her career took that turn, she had dreams of becoming an actress. She left Lexington where she grew up and headed to the Big Apple to hone her craft at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Bush was cast in a play and needed a costume.
“And I went to the local thrift store because you know, I’m in New York and I’m broke. And there was this dress and it fit. And it was five bucks.”
Bush bought the dress and headed to rehearsal. A classmate recognized it immediately.
“He said that is a dress Chita Rivera wore in ‘The Rink.’ In the back about the waistline, was the label Barbara Matera Limited and typed in on the label was ‘Miss Rivera’.”
Rivera starred in the Broadway musical opposite Liza Minelli in 1984 and won the Tony for Best Actress.
“She was Chita Rivera. She was the first Anita. She was the first Velma. Those two alone make her a legend. And I think the first Latina to make it big on Broadway, what a groundbreaker.”
After her performance, Bush packed the dress away.
“And I thought this is probably the closest I’ll ever come to theatre royalty and as it turns out, I was right.”
More than 25 years later, Bush was going through a box and came across the famous dress. Her partner convinced her to reach out and see if Rivera would like it back. She did.
“I sent it to Chita Rivera, and I received a thank you note from her.”
Rivera passed away earlier this week. She was 91.
“What a loss to theatre but also what a legacy she left. And I’m so grateful to have even at one point worn the same dress that Chita Rivera wore.”
Cathy Bush is currently the Playwright-in-Residence at Barter Theatre in Abingdon Virginia.
