Celebrity News December 14, 2020
Broadway Legend Ann Reinking Dead at 71
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Ann Reinking, the dancer and actress who won the Tony for choreographing the hit revival of "Chicago" on Broadway in 1996, died Saturday in Washington. She was 71.
Reinking's death was confirmed to Variety by her sister-in-law, Dahrla King.
In a statement released Monday, Reinking's family said, “The world and our family have lost a vibrant, amazing talent and beautiful soul. Ann was the heart of our family and the life of the party. She was visiting our brother in Washington state when she went to sleep and never woke up. We will miss her more than we can say. Heaven has the best choreographer available now. I’m sure they are dancing up a storm up there! Annie, we will love and miss you always!!!”
Born on November 10, 1949, in Seattle, she took ballet lessons as a child, dancing in a professional production of "Bye Bye Birdie" in 1965.
Reinking made her Broadway debut in 1969 in the long-running hit "Cabaret," and went on to appear in such shows as "Coco" (1969) and "Wild and Wonderful" (1971). She attracted the attention of legendary director and choreographer Bob Fosse when she appeared in 1972's "Pippin," and they became involved romantically and creatively, breaking up in 1978.
Their romance was covered in the 2019 miniseries "Fosse/Verdon," in which Reinking was played by Margaret Qualley.
Other Broadway work included "Over Here!" (1974), "Goodtime Charley" (1975), "A Chorus Line" (1976), "Dancin'" (1978), and "Sweet Charity" (1986).
Her work in the original "Chicago" (1977) on Broadway and her close association with show co-creator Fosse, who died in 1987, led to her coming out of retirement to dance in and choreograph the wildly successful 1996 revival of the show, a smash hit that is the longest-running musical on Broadway.
She made only a handful of films, among them playing a version of herself in Fosse's "All That Jazz" (1979) and taking a role in the first movie adaptation of the Broadway musical "Annie" (1982).
In later years, she remained active, choreographing 2012's "An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin" and teaching dance.
Married four times, she is survived by her husband Peter Talbert, and by her son Chris with third husband James Stuart.
