Musical theatre luminary Rita McKenzie—celebrated for her brassy performances in “Ethel Merman’s Broadway,” one of the longest-running one-woman shows in theatrical history—passed away at age 76 after succumbing to a long-term illness on Feb. 17, her husband Scott Stander announced. She died peacefully, surrounded by her family in Los Angeles.
Ms. McKenzie sauntered onto the stage in 1988 with her powerful impersonation of the late singer Ethel Merman—who passed away on Feb. 15, 1984, at the age of 76 after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Paying tribute to the Broadway icon, Ms. McKenzie launched her critically acclaimed solo show off-Broadway at New York’s John Houseman Theater, according to The Stander Group.
