Skip to main content
My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!
Home For You Chat My Shows Register/Login Games Grosses

Any CHESS Fans?

New Post Search Report Abuse Rules

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

#1

Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 6:45am

Well, a friend of mine told me about CHESS, it's really terrific, Judy Kuhn is perfection (as usual) on the recording. Fantastic!!! Who would have known that the guys from Mamma Mia were so talented?!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-
#2

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 6:59am

Are you for real?

But the recording you need is the one with:

Rosie O'Donnell as Svetlana
Harvey Fierstein as Anatoly

Perfect in everyway.
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
#3

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 7:02am

Yes! I saw the London production maybe 10 or more times with different friends in the cast etc. I also saw the terrible UK touring production- absolutely dire! I love the Broadway CD and play it often. Shame its just a single CD. Judy Khun is great, ive liked her since first seeing her in Metroplolis in the West End in 89. If you like her you should get the CD of the show. Amazon $40
A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
#4

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 7:43am

I saw Miss Paige (re: Any CHESS Fans?) in chess and WB" i also saw 'that' UK tour..... *shudders*
**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**
#5

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 7:52am

If i remember corrctly 'that' tour was taken off after a few weeks.
A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
#6

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 8:08am

I was an ABBA junkie so I was immediately drawn to the members' side projects and I've always loved the music. The show itself in the forms I've seen it in, less so.

I saw the Broadway incarnation and though the first act was excellent, but the second act was so top-heavy that it was pretty understandable that it closed so quickly. I did think David Carroll as Anatoly was absolutely amazing--broke my heart when he died.

Also saw a touring version two years later with Carolee Carmello as Florence. Some story changes but still dramatically lumpy.

In other words, a great score still in search of a cogent book.

I'd also kill to hear Josh Groban's take on "Anthem."
#8

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 8:29am

I love the music for Chess, but the story is a little off for me.
I'm not a gay stereotype. I'm a coincidence.
#9

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:13am

I saw it at the John Houseman Theater on 42nd Street in 1998.
Alice Ripley was cast as Svetlana, Christiane Noll as Florence, Brian d'Arcy James as Freddie, Michael Cerveris as the narrator, Ray McLeod as Molokov and Danny Zolli, the Arbiter.
Rob Evan was co-producer and a very strong Anatoly. His "Anthem" is one of his best pieces to date. I also saw it a second time in Nyack, at the former Helen Hayes Theater sometime after that date with practically the same cast. They were excellent productions.
#10

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:30am

I like Chess very much and have the studio recording and 1994 concert album. Tim Rice spoke about a possible London revival, so let's hope it will happen.
#11

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:33am

CHESS is amazing!!!

so um... 2003 Benefit concert anyone... the best cast I've ever heard!
#12

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:37am

The benefit concert of 2003 = PERFECTION!
Your aspirations are your possibilities-Samuel Johnson (and a little help from nomdeplume)
#13

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:46am

It's a damn shame that the Actor's Fund cast wasn't recorded.
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."
#14

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:47am

It definitely was recorded (for archive purposes and such), but it's a damn shame it was never released...legally...

Updated On: 8/16/07 at 09:47 AM

#15

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:48am

I'm so glad you love CHESS, muscle23ftl! I was listening to it again last night and on the subway this morning...what an incredible score. I wish I could have seen it on Broadway.
#16

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:05am

Would anyone give me a short synopsis?
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-
#18

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:21am

Muscle, I am really amazed that you don't know about this show before now. I would have thought with your love of AWL you would have looked at Tim Rice's other work.



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
#19

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:23am

I've loved this show since the late 80s when I first heard it. Excellent music weighed down by a problematic book... I'm hoping the most recent Swedish version is brought to the US. I'm a fan of the Original Concept Album, it's near perfection for me. The only song I miss is "Someone Else's Story."

I'm getting to direct it next spring... very excited about it.
Celebrate Life

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch

#20

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:24am

There are many recordings- get your hands on ALL of them (even the Swedish ones)
#21

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:26am

"Muscle, I am really amazed that you don't know about this show before now. I would have thought with your love of AWL you would have looked at Tim Rice's other work"

It's ALW, hehe, Im not familiar with all his work. This is way before my time!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-
#22

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:27am

There are also some great performances on "the site."
Celebrate Life

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch

#23

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:39am

I love Chess! I have only heard the original concept album--(so I don't know if I would like the Broadway recording or not)I love it! It's one of my favorite Elaine Paige recordings. I'll admit because I haven't seen the show the plot seems kind of confusing? But I love the music!!
Bill's thirty-two. He looks thirty-two. He looked it five years ago, he'll look it twenty years from now. I hate men. --Margo Channing
#24

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 12:33pm

I love Chess, but the only production I have seen is the 2003 benefit concert. But it was absolutely amazing.
(formerly bronte604) "You really just love money and power and capitalism? You know they're never going to love you back." "Things happen for the best...I don't even believe that myself."
#25

re: Any CHESS Fans?

Posted: 8/16/07 at 12:49pm

Chess was my second show in the community theater world, at 14. I loved the music and would love to see a revival or at least a good regional production. I have seen the show 3 times, but they were all really bad (including the one I was in).
9/10 - Next To Normal, Ensemble Theatre
9/18 - Brian Stokes Mitchell, Cincy Pop's
9/28 - Death Of A Salesman, Wright State

← Back to Message Board

BroadwayWorld TV

View all Videos

Ticket Central
Ticket Central
Ticket Central
Hot Show
Tickets From $59
Hot Show
Tickets From $71
Hot Show
Tickets From $71
Hot Show
Tickets From $95
More Hot Shows Discounts
Recommended For You