Actor, dancer, and choreographer Ann Reinking has passed away. According to The New York Times, she passed away in her sleep on Dec. 12, 2020. She was 71-years-old.
Reinking was staying in a hotel located in Seattle, Washington visiting her older brother and sister-in-law. Her cause of death is currently unknown. Lee Gross, her manager, confirmed the sad news on December 13.
She is best known for her role as Roxie Hart in the musical “Chicago” in which she starred in 1977. Reinking was only 26-years-old at that time.
The dancer was born on Nov. 10, 1949, in Seattle. She has danced into the hearts of many fans during the various Broadway shows.
In 1978, she made her big-screen debut in “Movie Movie.” The following year she starred opposite Jessica Lange and Roy Scheider in the Bob Fosse biopic “All That Jazz.”
Reinking played Grace Farrel — Daddy Warbucks’s secretary — in JohnHuston’s “Annie” in 1982. In the movie, she sang “I think I’m Gonna Like It Here,” “We Got Annie,” and “Let’s Go To The Movies. The last film she ever acted in was Balke Edwards’ “Micki + Maude” in 1984. For several years afterward, she only appeared on TV.
Reinking returned to the limelight in the 1990s with Broadway’s “Chicago.” She worked beside John Travolta and The Andrews Sisters in “Over Here.”
In 1997, she won Broadway’s Tony Award for Best Choreographer for a revival of “Chicago.” In the year 2000, she choreographed “Fosse” which was performed at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The following year she was nominated — and won — for Best Musical at the 2001 Laurence Oliver Theatre Awards.
She was the founder of the Broadway Theater Project in Tampa, Florida. Reinking wanted to have an international program that connects students with real-life professionals. These professionals would teach the students the ins and outs of theater life — both on and off the stage.
She is survived by her husband Peter Talbert, her son Christopher Reinking Stewart, and her siblings. Her friends and fans will also greatly miss her.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
IMDb: Ann Reinking
The New York Times: Ann Reinking, Dancer, Actor, Choreographer and Fosse Muse, Dies at 71
CNN: Ann Reinking, Broadway star who played Roxie Hart in ‘Chicago,’ dies at 71; by Hollie Silverman
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