CHESS Previews- Page 11

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 5:13pm

This was stunning. Bryce was funny and properly annoying, and Nicholas Christoper is an absolute star and Aaron has never sounded better. Lea had much more sexual chemistry with Aaron, but that's my only criticism. Great energy in the audience as well and I loved the RFK Jr joke. The score remains one of my favorites and they sounded incredible on Wednesday. Loved.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 5:39pm

Updated On: 11/3/25 at 05:39 PM

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 6:44pm

Saw CHESS this past Tuesday night.

Loved the new take on the material. Bryce Pinkham walks away with the whole thing. Never thought I'd ever see a production of CHESS that worked (albeit arguably - I think there is a division on what this show is "supposed" to be, which is funny considering so few people have actually seen a production) so kudos to Michael Mayer and the whole team for finding a take that is entertaining.

Lea was good, Hannah was impressive, Bradley & Sean were very good, Aaron was great, Nick exceptional, and Bryce simply astounding. Ensemble is tight, sounds gorgeous, dances with precision, and is easy on the eyes.

I'd return and pay full price. Now can we get a revival of JEKYLL & HYDE?

Updated On: 10/31/25 at 06:44 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 6:45pm

I’m guessing because “oriental” is no longer a favorable term? 

Which, again, if it’s beaten into us by the Arbiter that the show starts is 1979 and was written in 1984, then it’s like when they revised “Shipoopi” for The Music Man to those new eye wateringly bad lyrics.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 6:46pm

inlovewithjerryherman said: "I'd return and pay full price. Now can we get a revival of JEKYLL & HYDE?"

 

No.

[MysteriousLady]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 6:52pm

quizking101 said: "I’m guessing because “oriental” is no longer a favorable term?

Which, again, if it’s beaten into us by the Arbiter that the show starts is 1979 and was written in 1984, then it’s like when they revised “Shipoopi” for The Music Man to those new eye wateringly bad lyrics."

I looked into this a couple years ago. "Oriental " to describe a rug or setting (in this case) is perfectly correct, but it's offensive to refer to a person that way. I'm sure this production decided it was best not to take any chances because the word has a stigma regardless of how it is used. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 7:00pm

Inlovewithjerryherman said: "I'd return and pay full price. Now can we get a revival of JEKYLL & HYDE?"





 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 10:49pm

Went again tonight and the show is exactly 2 hours 45 min, so they've done some nice trimming in the past few weeks. Even though the show flows better without the glorious almost nude dance number at the end, it's still very very much missed.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 10:58pm

Jordan, did you see that guy on the floor at the lip of the stage in the house left aisle during act one??

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 11:19pm

I caught this tonight and found it to be a pretty messy evening. The production has one thing going for it, though… the performances are truly top notch.

The vocals are absolutely flawless, and the score sounds magnificent. It’s a treat to hear this score performed so well. Michele, Christopher, and Tveit all knock their songs right out of the park. Zero complaints there.

Unfortunately, that’s where my praise ends. The direction is absolutely abysmal and just plain sloppy. The set is cheap and hideous, and the lighting is garish. I also found the ensemble choreography to be distracting and oftentimes just plain unnecessary.

The book remains a messy conundrum. I lost track of the plot about halfway through the second act. HATED the smarmy, tongue-in-cheek humor and anachronistic jokes.

While I would hardly call this a “successful” production of Chess, I will not deny it was a pleasure to just sit back and bask in the overall sound of the score being performed at this caliber.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 11:21pm

I don’t think so? 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 11:21pm

TotallyEffed said: "Jordan, did you see that guy on the floor at the lip of the stage in the house left aisleduring act one??"

I saw this from my seat in the mezzanine and wondered what was going on…

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/31/25 at 11:24pm

I was sitting behind two tall dudes so maybe it was blocked?? What did I miss? lol

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 2:22am

bwayphreak234 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Jordan, did you see that guy on the floor at the lip of the stage in the house left aisleduring act one??"

I saw this from my seat in the mezzanine and wondered what was going on…"

I saw this too from the mezzanine.  The person was sitting on the floor - their back to stage.  Looked to be in white - with maybe some form of a light on them or attached to them?  It was weird. I wondered if it was part of the show initially somehow but no.  Or an interpreter?  But then they are gone eventually.  weird.

[binau]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 4:36am

"While I would hardly call this a “successful” production of Chess"

I'm not convinced right now that this is even theoretically possible. The book just doesn't work and has never worked in any iteration in my opinion. I find it so convoluted, complex and yet empty at the same time (I've 'heard' this production and the problems remain, although I at least find the tongue-in-cheek humour has a 'hang a lantern' effect to excuse it). 

I thought there was a chance this revival could be the next MERRILY or SUNSET but it doesn't feel that way to me. 

It seems very well cast and sung at least. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 9:07am

"The book remains a messy conundrum. I lost track of the plot about halfway through the second act. HATED the smarmy, tongue-in-cheek humor and anachronistic jokes."

This has felt like the consensus in the past week, and the show's text seems frozen. Does anyone know if the Strong libretto has undergone significant revision since the first preview? Strong is not a theater writer, and has at best limited experience in the crucible of adjustments in front of audiences, a different animal than receiving network notes on a television series or pre-shoot screenplay rewrite. I take nothing from his experience of real time on-set, but again, working on a show with audience response baked into the process is relatively new to him.

As others on this board have opined for decades, it can be hard to adjust a "revisal" like this one in previews because the first houses are packed with the cognoscenti, here not so much insiders as rabid fans. The rapturous reception afforded the material in early days may be misleading with this piece, because a preponderance of the audience is simply thrilled to hear a beloved 40-year-old score well served. The irony with Chess: the score has always landed; the challenge of this production - voiced by the creatives in all interviews with a nervy if arguably unearned confidence - is its achievement of a cohesive and coherent piece of musical theater.  Still an open question, though anecdotal evidence of this thread suggests a mixed reception for the Strong-Mayer imprint. Thoughts on this from those who have seen previews?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 10:15am

That’s crazy about the person on the floor. That’s not something we would have seen from where we sat in the orchestra. 


Also, what happened to Lea’s new blonde wig?? Gone already!

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 10:17am

I’m going tonight and I’ll see if I can spot any comparisons from when I went last week. I’d be shocked if the show text was fully frozen since they still have two weeks of previews and that seems to be the one aspect of the production every critic is going to laser focus on. 

it doesn’t sound like they cut down the smart-assy asides by the Arbiter, which miffs me a bit

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 10:18am

Also (and gonna put it in the spoiler box even though it’s been discussed already)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Who plays Florence’s Father at the end?

 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 10:39am

Jordan Catalano said: "Also (and gonna put it in the spoiler box even though it’s been discussed already)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Who plays Florence’s Father at the end?

"


That moment was Diana level camp.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 11:43am

Jordan Catalano said: "Also (and gonna put it in the spoiler box even though it’s been discussed already)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Who plays Florence’s Father at the end?

"

Earlier in the thread someone said 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Mark Jacoby

Reddit concurs.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 11:55am

That’s what i thought! But how is he not credited anywhere? 

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 11:55am

Sutton Ross said: "Inlovewithjerryherman said: "I'd return and pay full price. Now can we get a revival of JEKYLL & HYDE?"





"

Incorrect! Why do you feel the need to speak for everybody? I wouldn't mind seeing a reimagined production of this.

[Lot666]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 11:58am

Sutton Ross said: "Inlovewithjerryherman said: "I'd return and pay full price. Now can we get a revival of JEKYLL & HYDE?"

"

What is the point of posts like this? Clearly, at least nlovewithjerryherman wants this, so you're simply wrong.

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/1/25 at 11:59am

Jordan Catalano said: "Went again tonight and the show is exactly 2 hours 45 min, so they've done some nice trimming in the past few weeks. Even though the show flows better without the glorious almost nude dance number at the end, it's still very very much missed."

Probably still cutting it too close to make it do Sat Mat of Oh Mary. I have been holding off hoping the show would make it down a little more than 2:45.