Chess
Playing at Imperial Theatre
Musical or play? Musical
Lottery or Rush Tickets? $49.00 In-Person Rush and $49.00 Digital Lottery on Telecharge
What I Paid: $99.00
My Rating: ★★★★
Official Website: https://chessbroadway.com/
Tony Award® winner Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge!), Emmy® Award nominee Lea Michele (Funny Girl, Glee), and breakout powerhouse Nicholas Christopher (Sweeney Todd, Hamilton) star on Broadway in Chess – the iconic musical where power and passion collide, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
It’s America versus Russia at the World Chess Championship, where the espionage and romance are as complicated and exhilarating as the game itself. For the two players and the woman torn between them, everything—personal, professional, and political—is at risk… and nobody’s rules are the same.
With a legendary score by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Emmy, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony winner Tim Rice (Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar), a new book by Emmy winner Danny Strong (Dopesick, The Butler), and direction by Tony winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Chess is the must-see Broadway event of the season.
REVIEW
Despite knowing very little about the musical Chess, seeing it was a priority of mine on my recent trip to New York City. The cast of this Broadway revival is absolutely stacked, with the main trio of Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher being more than enough to bring me to the box office. I purchased my ticket in person the day before the show and got a $99.00 full view seat in Orchestra Left, Row H. I entered the theatre excited to be present for the powerhouse vocals, and I left with multiple songs from the score stuck in my head on repeat. As a newcomer to all things Chess, I absolutely loved this revival, including the controversial book that I have come to learn was rewritten for this production.
The story of Chess is narrated by The Arbiter (Bryce Pinkham), who informs the audience from the start that we are about to watch “a Cold War musical.” What follows is a chess face-off between American Freddie Trumper (Aaron Tveit) and Soviet Anatoly Sergievsky (Nicholas Christopher) that becomes entwined with each country’s political position in their international conflict. As it turns out, our characters are merely pawns in their governments’ games, with their personal lives being controlled and threatened by the powers that be. As someone who loves (and has a degree in) politics, I found this show’s concept so fascinating. While the chess rivalry in the musical is used as an allegory, I think it illustrates how much deception goes on behind the scenes in many governments worldwide, especially when it comes to wars and competitions. Additionally, the political story is enmeshed with the personal struggles of our characters, adding an emotional depth that raises the stakes of the chess match itself.
Whether or not the book of Chess resonates with the audience, which is an understandable challenge given its niche political theming, the cast itself is a reason to go to the theatre. Tveit, Michele, and Christopher make up a unique love triangle, with each character dealing with their individual crises in the public spotlight. For me, Tveit’s portrayal of the tortured Trumper is captivating and heartbreaking. I am quite surprised that Tveit did not receive a Tony nomination for this complex role that he delivers beautifully. In contrast, Christopher’s depiction of Sergievsky felt a bit stiff. Don’t get me wrong. Christopher’s voice is absolutely incredible, literally stunning the crowd so much that a fellow audience member audibly remarked “Wow” after his performance in “Endgame.” Yet his Russian accent left something to be desired. Michele, on the other hand, delivers impeccable vocals as Florence Vassy, Trumper’s second and lover who, we come to find, may actually have feelings for Sergievsky. Michele is such a captivating performer, embodying the role of Vassy seamlessly.
In addition to the three main stars, the cast is replete with even more talent. A standout for me is Pinkham as The Arbiter. Not only does he keep the show moving with his narration that is the perfect balance of comedic and serious, but his performance in “The Arbiter” is arguably the best moment in the show. I love whenever an actor holds the audience in the palm of his hand with a big dance number that is goofy in the best way possible. Similarly, although Hannah Cruz barely graces the audience with her presence in her role as Sergievsky’s estranged wife Svetlana, she instantly dominates the stage upon her Act Two entrance. Cruz has a sophisticated presence that is emotionally fueled. It is unfortunate that her character has such a limited role in this production.
Moreover, Chess is set on a minimal and modern looking stage with two levels. The show utilizes some limited live camera work, similar to what was seen in Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Blvd. last Broadway season. While it does feel like screens are becoming overused in musical theatre, I like how they are incorporated in Chess to allow the audience an up-close look at the actors’ emotional anguish. That being said, the show seems to be leaning into both the sharp, clean lines of a chessboard as well as its neutral color scheme when it comes to the set and the costumes. I did love the gray suits donned by the ensemble for most of the show, but the costumes are otherwise quite basic. The stripped back nature of the production has an elegance to it, but also seems to be an area where producers cut corners, or at least decided to guide the audience away from the dressing to focus on the cast itself.
As I mentioned above, I left the Imperial Theatre with songs from Chess already stuck in my head, specifically “The Arbiter” and “Nobody’s Side.” I have since listened to this revival’s cast recording several times. From the nearly three-minute long “Overture” to the final note of the “Epilogue,” this score, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA, is banger after banger. I love the pop music style backed by an orchestra. And while “One Night in Bangkok” may feel a bit out of place in the show itself, I love Tveit’s performance of it so much that I’m willing to let that go. In fact, I have a feeling that many songs from this score are going to end up on my Spotify Wrapped this year. Thus, despite what people may think of a Cold War musical storyline, I’ve become such a huge fan of the music alone that I fully understand why Chess has such a dedicated fandom.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Chess and am so glad I got the opportunity to see its full cast before the show closes on June 21, 2026. Not only did this revival give me the opportunity to witness the incredible performances by Broadway royalty and up-and-comers alike, but it introduced me to a cast recording that will certainly be on rotation for me going forward. I know Chess has a complicated production history, but perhaps it is because I carried no preconceived notions with me to the theatre that lead me to having such a positive reaction. I highly recommend seeing this show if you get the chance before it closes, and as I wish I had the opportunity to go back myself.