jacobsnchz14
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/06
#1CHESS Benefit Concert & Fall 2023 Broadway Revival?
Posted: 11/18/22 at 11:39am
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, will present a one-night-only benefit concert of the legendary musical Chess. The concert will be held on Monday, December 12 at 7:30 pm ET at the Broadhurst Theatre and will star Darren Criss as "Freddie Trumper", Lena Hall as "Florence Vassey", Ramin Karimloo as "Anatoly Sergievsky" and Solea Pfeiffer as "Svetlana Sergievsky". The evening, a benefit for the Entertainment Community Fund, will be presented in association with Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman whose award-winning Broadway credits include Ain't Too Proud, Green Day's American Idiot and Spring Awakening.
The concert celebrates the gorgeous score by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Bjrn Ulvaeus and celebrated EGOT winner Sir Tim Rice, and features a new book by Emmy Award winner Danny Strong. Tony Award Winner Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spring Awakening) directs.
Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
Chess was originally produced on Broadway by The Shubert Organization, 3 Knights Ltd. and Robert Fox Ltd.
For tickets (starting at $75) visit entertainmentcommunity.org/Chess or call 212.221.7300 ext. 133. For Sponsorship opportunities, contact Douglas Ramirez at 917.281.5921 or dramirez@entertainmentcommunity.org.
kwoc91
Featured Actor Joined: 9/2/21
#2Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:09pm
I am soooooo excited for this!
Was able to quickly snag one of the partial view orchestra seats for $75. They offered SRO for $40 but looks like those are all sold.
#3Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:09pm
Anyone else having error messages when checking out? I've tried it a bunch of different ways and always get the error message even with tix in my cart
#4Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:14pm
Same here. I've been trying to check out for 30 minutes, but I keep getting an "unexpected failure."
Updated On: 11/18/22 at 12:14 PM
#5Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:16pm
Yeah I keep getting the same message and I called, but was transferred to "Special Events" who didn't answer. The woman who transferred me did not seem happy with my mention of the concert and I assume they may be getting a lot of these calls today.
SeanD2
Stand-by Joined: 5/2/17
#6Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:16pm
Well now I know how all the Taylor Swift fans felt this week
barcelona20
Broadway Star Joined: 1/19/08
#7Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:26pm
Very skeptical about Criss in this.
RestingOtter
Chorus Member Joined: 12/3/16
#8Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:27pm
Their credit card machine is down. I left a message, got a call back, and was able to reserve a seat that they will charge later.
SeanD2
Stand-by Joined: 5/2/17
#9Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:48pm
RestingOtter said: "Their credit card machine is down. I left a message, got a call back, and was able to reserve a seat that they will charge later."
How long did it take for them to call you back?
RestingOtter
Chorus Member Joined: 12/3/16
#10Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:53pm
About 20 minutes, but I first called around 11 50 before I think too many people started calling. I kept adding my seat to the cart and released it when he called me back to keep the spot.
SeanD2
Stand-by Joined: 5/2/17
#11Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:55pm
RestingOtter said: "About 20 minutes, but I first called around 11 50 before I think too many people started calling. I kept adding my seat to the cart and released it when he called me back to keep the spot."
Ok. I called at 11:59 and I'm still waiting. But I'm taking the same approach as you.
#12Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 12:56pm
I left a message an hour ago and haven't gotten a call back. Also that reasoning makes no sense. It's a ticketing service, not some guy running credit cards???
SeanD2
Stand-by Joined: 5/2/17
#13Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 1:06pm
I imagine they use Tessitura which is a combined CRM & ticketing platform used by a lot of regional theaters. As such it doesn't have the same level of backend support so if their virtual terminal goes down it could cause this result.
#14Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 1:26pm
Finally working now.
pmensky
Broadway Star Joined: 7/18/11
#15Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 1:39pm
barcelona20 said: "Very skeptical about Criss in this."
Me too. Especially opposite Ramin.
BoringBoredBoard40
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/27/21
#16Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 3:08pm
interesting that this concert is using a new book by Danny Strong
#17Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 3:19pm
His book has been circulating for years. It was used in the KenCen semi-staged production.
#18Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 3:21pm
barcelona20 said: "Very skeptical about Criss in this."
he seems like he may be a good fit for the character possibly but those high keys of Freddie’s are done for
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
#19Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 4:27pm
Does Criss even have half the voice needed for this role? I’ve liked him in a lot of things in the past. I think he’s a great actor and musician and has a lot of charisma, but his instrument is quite limited.
#20Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 9:07pm
NOWaWarning said: "Does Criss even have half the voice needed for this role? I’ve liked him in a lot of things in the past. I think he’s a great actor and musician and has a lot of charisma, but his instrument is quite limited."
Nope. Poor casting here. Wonder if this could finally be the sneak peak at a potential Broadway revival?
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#21Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 9:17pm
NOWaWarning said: "Does Criss even have half the voice needed for this role? I’ve liked him in a lot of things in the past. I think he’s a great actor and musician and has a lot of charisma, but his instrument is quite limited."
Agree, Darren does not vocally have the voice for this role - score.
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
CoffeeBreak
Broadway Star Joined: 3/30/17
#22Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 10:02pmUpdated On: 11/30/22 at 10:02 PM
#23Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/18/22 at 11:14pm
barcelona20 said: "Very skeptical about Criss in this."
Pity the Child sung down the octave, maybe?
Owen22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#24Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/19/22 at 4:45am
That Danny Strong book is so convoluted! Trying to reimagine Anatoly and Freddy's match somehow impacting the Salt II talks? When will people realize that the best version of Chess, though not perfect, was and will always be the original Broadway version?
#25Criss, Hall, Karimloo, and Pfeiffer to star in CHESS Benefit Concert
Posted: 11/19/22 at 7:30am
Yes, this is the Danny Strong book because that version has been circling coming in since the Kennedy Center run directed by Michael Mayer.
I heard rumors they were likely coming in this season or next. So, it would seem this concert is to generate some excitement and try out this new cast.
