Ann Reinking

Ann Reinking was an American choreographer, dancer, and actress.

Reinking made her Broadway debut in the original 1960s run of Cabaret. She would go on to appear in other shows, including the original 1972 production of Pippin, before landing Tony nominations for Goodtime Charley (1975), and Dancin’ (1978)

Reinking became a star when she took over for Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart in the original Broadway production of Chicago in 1977. She played Roxie again in the 1996 revival, and won a Tony for choreographing the show.

After her Chicago run, Reinking returned to Broadway as the co-creator, co-director and co-choreographer of Fosse, a 1999 musical showcasing Bob Fosse’s choreography. The show landed her a Tony nomination for directing.

In films, Reinking co-starred in Fosse’s 1979 autobiographical film All That Jazz, playing a fictionalized version of herself, and played Grace in John Huston’s 1982 big-screen musical adaptation of Annie (with Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, and Tim Curry).

Her television credits include episodes of Ellery Queen and The Cosby Show. Reinking also produced In My Hands: A Story of Marfan Syndrome, a 2009 documentary about the genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue.

Reinking died December 12, 2020, in Seattle, Washington. She was 71.