Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
#1Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:01am
Just read this on today's Riedel's colum on the Post. It really is tragic that Bennett never got around to doing work on this show, the score isn't half bad (I know it has some big fans on this board, from what I have heard from it, I like some of it, and dislike some of it) but if someone could pull a show together it was Michael Bennett.
I do hope I get to see the Carnegie Hall concert if Rice does get the chance to do it in New York. Wonder if Menzel will play Florence here as well:
"It's just an excuse, really, for me to have the show done by the best possible people, the way I want it performed," says Rice, who's putting up the entire $250,000 production cost himself. (His monthly royalty check from "The Lion King" should cover that.)
"I'm not doing it to make money," he says, "just to satisfy myself and to remind people how good the show is."
If all goes well, he'd like to bring the concert to Carnegie Hall later this year, and he hopes it might lead to a West End or Broadway revival.
Rice's CHESS Strategy
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#2re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:22am
i think Bennett would have done wonderfull things with this show and while having seen a couple of productions ( Sydney Australia, i think i must have been the only person to love this production. Set inside a Bangkok hotel. the show worked perfectly. Would love to find the soundboard recording. )
I am not sure that the cast they have is right the cast for this show, but as long as Rice goes back and tires to fix some of the issues with the show, all i can say is welcome back.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
sanda
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/10/04
#2re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 8:41am
"If all goes well, he'd like to bring the concert to Carnegie Hall later this year, and he hopes it might lead to a West End or Broadway revival."
I heart you, Mr.Rice. I soooooo want to fly to London to see this.
If they can make a revival on Broadway based on London's script and started with Anthony Warlow as Anatoly, I am in heaven.
TheatreBuzz2
Featured Actor Joined: 8/24/07
#3re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:59amLove to see this back. I just hope this stick what works best with the show and leave it as that. They messed around with it far too much previously which damaged it greatly, esp on Broadway.
#4re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:07am
Broadway revival, please! There's no show that I'd rather see revived. I think the show has so much unrealized potential.
The Bennett aspects of the OLC production were really stunning, and I can only imagine how much better the show would have been if he'd been able to follow through with his staging. Nunn's staging of the numbers was completely at odds with the set and feel of the show (don't even get me started on Broadway).
#5re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:24am
From what I have heard of Chess the music is amazing. Does anyone have any information on why the show was not successful? Was it a bad book, bad direction?
Thanks.
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Reviews and the like
#6re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:30am
"But the score lived on, with the gorgeous ballads "I Know Him So Well" and "You and I" becoming contemporary standards. "
Is "You and I" being performed or recorded? I didn't realize it had a life outside of the show.
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
sanda
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/10/04
#7re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:43am
Is "You and I" being performed or recorded? I didn't realize it had a life outside of the show.
Yes, it is. You can find it in Danmark Cast recording. And it's performed in the second act twice.
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#8re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:51amI agree with Tim Rice's sentiments about the Broadway version of Chess. Trying to turn it into a book musical was a mistake. It is so much more engrossing sung through.
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
#9re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:57am
There was also a rumour that the recent Sweden incarnation would be the one used if it ever comes back to broadway.
I hope not, although it had 2 new and somewhat interesting songs, I could not follow the story, they made the arbiter into a bafoon and the set was rather boreing.
I love the version on the Danish CD (which is basically the London version with a few extra bits)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
sweeedboy
Stand-by Joined: 10/31/03
#10re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 11:07amThis is definitely exciting! I think going back to a sung through show is essential. Listening to all the millions of versions that exist, it was really the original London show that had the most energy and quickest action. Also "The Endgame" from the original is just simply astonishing.
Stand-by Joined: 12/31/69
#11re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 11:45amThere are some wonderful clips of the Swedish production on the "nameless site!"
#12re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:35pmidina and Adam should be in it, they were both in chess before weren't they
#13re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:37pmI hope "Merano" is reinstated...
Broadway Star Joined: 12/31/69
#14re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:11pmMusical Master, Idina is doing the two London concerts and Adam did the Actor's Fund concert as Freddie.
#15re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:29pmsanda - I don't believe that is what mikem meant. I think it was in reference to You and I being a "contemporary standard", which it isn't. I Know Him So Well has been recorded several times as well as Heaven Help My Heart and Anthem. But I don't believe I've seen much of You and I outside of a cast recording of the show.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
sanda
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/10/04
#16re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:48pmMr.Matt, you are right. I misunderstood the meaning. The only time I heard the song performed out of the show was when Anthony Warlow did it during one of his concert.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#17re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 6:14pm
I never got a chance to see it the first go around so hopefully it will come back to broadway
One imagines how it originally would have turned out had Bennett not taken ill.
Poster Emeritus
#18re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 6:24pmIf this happens I'd love to see Josh Groban as Anatoly. His concert version of the character sounded fantastic, and I hope the concert with Ms.Menzel will show this.
Your aspirations are your possibilities-Samuel Johnson (and a little help from nomdeplume)
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#19re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 7:21pm
This is my absolute favorite musical, so I would LOVE to see a Broadway revival.
I'm not crazy about Groban's acting, so I would rather see someone else as Anatoly. But I'm not picky; I'd just love to see it back on Broadway.
#20re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:03pm
I'll definetly agree that his acting abilities are not quite up to par; but I would personally love to a have a legit cast album instead of a boot 
Your aspirations are your possibilities-Samuel Johnson (and a little help from nomdeplume)
#21re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:05pmIf they bring this back to Broadway and Julia Murney does not get to play Florence, then things will not be okay.
MiniMenzel08
Understudy Joined: 1/16/08
#22re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:07pmI want it to be revived!!!
#23re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:14pmConsidering Idina's CD is not being very well received by critics, I hope she would continue to a full scale production.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
#24re: Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival
Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:18pmThere's been like what? One review of her CD so far? I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet.
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