Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Ann Raining, an actor, dancer and choreographer, has died in Washington on Saturday night, his brother-in-law Dahrla King has said. Variety. She is 71 years old.
“The world and our family have lost a vibrant, wonderful talent and beautiful soul. Ann was the heart of our family and the life of the party,” his family said in a statement Monday. We will miss her more than we say. Heaven now has the best choreographer. I hope they play a storm there! Annie, we will always love you and miss you !!! ”
News of the actor’s death was first announced on Facebook on Monday by dancer and choreographer Christopher Dean, who teaches Reinking’s daughter – in – law.
“The lights on Broadway are always dim this morning, and there is a low star in the sky,” he wrote. “The good news is that heaven now has the best choreographer on earth.”
The star made her acting debut in the 1965 Seattle Opera House production “Bye Bye Birdie”. He soon entered the Broadway stage when he starred in the 1969 production of “Corporate”.
He is best known for replacing Gwen Verdon with Roxy Hart in 1977’s “Chicago”. When he returned for the 1996 revival of the famous production he reconsidered that part.
“In rediscovering Chicago, hopefully the audience will rediscover what theater is,” Rainking told the New York Times during the show’s revival. “It was sophisticated, sophisticated, mature.”
Other Broadway characters on Raining include “Sweet Charity,” “Over Here!” And “Good Time Charlie.”
In Bob Foss’s 1979 autobiographical film “All That Jazz”, Raining played a fictional version of himself, the main character’s girlfriend and one of his music. Raining, who has been with Foss for many years, starred Margaret Qualli in FX’s 2019 limited series “Foss / Verdon”.
The actor also danced to the theater. His work on the latter “Chicago” eventually won the Tony Award for Best Dance.
One of the music to show Foss’s dance scene is the co-producer, co-director and co-choreographer of “Foss”. He co-founded the project with Richard Maldby Jr. and Chad Walker. Since joining the band in 2001 as an alternate band member, this music has been on Raining’s Final Broadway.
She is survived by her husband, Peter Dolbert, and her son, Chris.