CHESS Previews- Page 15

[suzcap]

Posted: 11/11/25 at 7:38pm

Lea sang Rachel differently then herself since she was a teen and matured over the seasons.She doesn't get enough credit for that since people like to dismiss her acting as it just being herself which is nonsense. 

And Poker-face actually made sense if you look at  what poke-face actually means hiding what you have or in this case hiding how you feel. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/11/25 at 9:29pm

"Well, the book being a bit misogynist matches the score also being so. Not a single female song passes the Bechdel test."

I raised this very issue at the start of previews and was shouted down that the show doesn't need a "woke" fix. As if giving a female character any agency beyond romantic entanglements is "woke."

Strong had an opportunity to remint Florence, to give her a new impetus in the second act, one driven by her own thwarted goals rather than further codependency to two high maintenance men. It could be handled in the book scenes, the movement of Florence into her own realm in global chess tourneys. It still shocks me that a seasoned serial writer like Strong didn't aim higher, deeper, more a reflection of reality (and at least: The Queen's Gambit). But she's still a long-suffering woman behind the men with a missing Daddy. Her kvetching over the fellas defines every song she sings. It feels more midcentury than even the 1980s, but it condemns the storytelling to a tired, hoary construct. 

Updated On: 11/11/25 at 09:29 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 7:16am

The Stars of ‘Chess’ Know the Score

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/theater/chess-broadway-lea-michele-tveit-christopher.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0k8.FVlB.xnBQflEWNEks&smid=nytcore-android-share

[Ensemble175694987321]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:19pm

A small note on an otherwise extraordinary production.

I’ve seen the show twice in the last couple of weeks, and I honestly think it’s among the very best musical productions I’ve ever seen.

The orchestra and ensemble sound phenomenal, and all five principal/supporting roles are knockout performances — they absolutely blow the roof off the place. Big, showstopper moments!

That’s why these two moments bother me so much: both of them pull the audience out of the world of the musical and drop us back into the world we thought we’d left behind when we walked into the theater.

The RFK Jr./brain worm joke lands like a lead balloon — it’s met with complete silence (at least when I saw it). The same thing happens with the Joe Biden quip. After we’ve been so beautifully transported by this production, those contemporary political references feel jarringly out of place. The Reagan line, while pretty lame, at least lives in the era of the story; the RFK Jr. and Biden bits don’t. (The Freddy Trumper character name clarification at the top serves its purpose.)

What makes it especially frustrating is how brilliantly the Arbiter has been reframed — more narrator or instigator than referee. It’s an inspired choice that deepens the world of the show and our connection to it. There’s just no need to snap us back to more current American politics in the middle of that.

In a production this strong — one of the best I’ve seen in 30+ years of theatergoing — these topical jokes feel like unnecessary speed bumps. Cutting them would keep the audience fully immersed in the extraordinary world you’ve created onstage.

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 03:19 PM

[BJR]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:02pm

I think the Joe comment is a bit shocking (and triggering)

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:14pm

BJR said: "I think the Joe comment is a bit shocking (and triggering)"

Agreed. But I think it was meant to be.

 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:33pm

Ensemble175694987321 said: "The RFK Jr./brain worm joke lands like a lead balloon — it’s met with complete silence (at least when I saw it). The same thing happens with the Joe Biden quip. After we’ve been so beautifully transported by this production, those contemporary political references feel jarringly out of place. The Reagan line, while pretty lame, at least lives in the era of the story; the RFK Jr. and Biden bits don’t. (The Freddy Trumper character name clarification at the top serves its purpose.)."

I agree with the whole post, except that the night I saw it, the RFK Jr. comment got wild laughter from the audience, and the Biden joke got a mix of laughs and groans.  Yes, both cause a jump out of the show, and I wish they’d get axed, but are probably still in due to the audience response. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:54pm

the RFK Jr. comment got wild laughter from the audience, and the Biden joke got a mix of laughs and groans.

Same with the audience when I saw it. They both work and I'm sure they'll be kept in. Hard to believe no one laughed at all during the RJK joke during Ensemble84943089203202 performance tho. 

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 04:54 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:55pm

The night I saw it the RFK Jr. comment got laughter also and a few screams. I am sure it depends on the audience demographic for each show. 

[Ensemble175694987321]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 5:07pm

Sutton Ross said: "the RFK Jr. comment got wild laughter from the audience, and the Biden joke got a mix of laughs and groans.

Same with the audience when I saw it. They both work and I'm sure they'll be kept in. Hard to believe no one laughed at all during the RJK joke during Ensemble84943089203202 performance tho."

To be fair, it was a matinee, so...

Joke quality really wasn't my point, it was being taken out of the show's world and back into the real world that I took issue with.

A minor preference for what I hope (and believe) is going to be a major success!

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 05:07 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 5:13pm

Ensemble175694987321 said: "Sutton Ross said: "the RFK Jr. comment got wild laughter from the audience, and the Biden joke got a mix of laughs and groans.

Same with the audience when I saw it. They both work and I'm sure they'll be kept in. Hard to believe no one laughed at all during the RJK joke during Ensemble84943089203202 performance tho."

To be fair, it was a matinee, so...

Joke quality really wasn't my point, it was being taken out of the show's world and back into the real world that I took issue with.

A minor preference for what I hope (and believe)is going to be a major success!"

 

Gee...another new user with an Ensemble(insert random numbers) username -- I wonder who it could be?

I'm sure the answer will come to many in a FLASH.

 

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 05:13 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 5:33pm

Yeah, I went to a matinee too and it was really lively. And yes, it will be a huge success with the brilliant cast and honestly, it's just a great show.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 6:54pm

My apologies if this has already been answered, but does this version of the show end with Florence's reprise of Anthem?

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 6:57pm

When I play the Narrator at Rocky Horror every October, I always interject topical material in a very similar way, and you have almost no clue what the reaction is going to be until the joke is out. Some of it is audience demographics, but some of it is just right place, right time, right crowd energy.

This year, a reference to "the inexplicable six-seven phenomenon" killed, while a similar reference to Labubus didn't. And when I updated an old joke referencing the irony of "a queer kid eating at Chic Fil A" to "a queer kid visiting Harry Potter Land," it landed with huge laughs and gasps in the rehearsal room but fell absolutely flat two audiences in a row. I changed it back to the Chic Fil A joke and it worked perfectly again. 

I'm a bit surprised that, since Danny Strong's Chess has made "topical political humor" part of its identity, the jokes and references seem to be more or less frozen. You'd think in a role like the Arbiter, those jokes would shift a little week by week with the political climate, even if not simply with the energy in the room. Things are moving so fast these days that even the brain-worm joke feels dated.

[Ball of Buttah]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 7:37pm

CATSNYrevival said: "My apologies if this has already been answered, but does this version of the show end with Florence's reprise of Anthem?"

No 😢

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 8:57pm

CATSNYrevival said: "My apologies if this has already been answered, but does this version of the show end with Florence's reprise of Anthem?"

No - the reprise by Florence is not how this production ends.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:43pm

In a production this strong — one of the best I’ve seen in 30+ years of theatergoing — these topical jokes feel like unnecessary speed bumps. Cutting them would keep the audience fully immersed in the extraordinary world you’ve created onstage."

But isn't the goal to give some members of the audience an exit ramp if they're not engaged? I cannot fathom any other reason to interpolate current socioeconomic politics into this tale unless it's to sidestep why the show's organic storytelling isn't doing the job. (One could do an Our Town wherein the Stage Manager updates that corner of New Hampshire circa 2025, NH Senators Hassan and Shaheen voting to open the government; but Wilder made the two families' intersection so vivid we didn't need a contemporary frame.) If the verisimilitude is exacting and serves, and the show is fully engaging, why not confine the Arbiter's footnoting to the world-building? This need to comment feels like a lack of confidence in the revisited story, not a new command over the narrative.

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 09:43 PM

[shomeika]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 4:10am

Aaron Tveit has said twice now, on Jimmy Fallon, and on a Playbill interview, when explaining the plot, something to the effect that  "yeah the show sounds confusing" or something like that. (side note off the record, it is confusing or a difficult topic for a musical, but I digress),  But yeah --Aaron needs to stop saying that. I saw Lea kind of cringe each time.  (UPDATE:   some took issue with the previous comment, so I watched the clips again.  And it was actually ME who cringed lol.  Lea was not emoting it seems).  So yeah, just my two cents --- but I wished Aaron didn't say that in that fashion. I am defensive of this difficult book lol.  


Anyway --- the show is OT as confusing as it used to be.   I had seen it 3 times before this and had ZERO clue what was going on. I mean my ass fell asleep, I kept staring at my watch, and went to the lobby a few times - this was regional theater.  The narrator helps a lot - and for the first time I understood what was going on.  If the narrator would drop the meta RFK/Joe Biden/"damn that was hot" then the show would be as close to perfect - imo - as it could be.  I saw it Nov 1 and would love to see it again.

Updated On: 11/16/25 at 04:10 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 9:06am

I saw this again last night and the RFK line got a huge response, as it always does when I’ve been. The Biden line always gets a less enthusiastic response and more of a groan from the audience and that’s the line I wish was removed. It seems like an add on to “appease both sides”.

Nicholas Christopher in particular, knew damn well there were critics in the house because sweet Jesus, he blew the roof off in a way I hadn’t seen him do before. Really thrilling stuff. As for the real star of the show, Casey was perfect - as always. He alone makes up for all the plot holes and any other flaws the show might have. 

[Ball of Buttah]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 9:30am

shomeika said: "Aaron Tveit has said twice now, on Jimmy Fallon, and on a Playbill interview, when explaining the plot, something to the effect that "yeah the show sounds confusing" or something like that. (side note off the record, it is confusing or a difficult topic for a musical, but I digress), But yeah --Aaron needs to stop saying that. I saw Lea kind of cringe each time."

Well, she keeps letting him answer those "what this show is about" questions and she's the one who recruited him to be Freddy. In the Playbill, she's listed on top as a producer. So, Lea should be probably start answering those questions if she "cringes" at Aaron's answer.

Anyway, the book and jokes really don't matter. They have THE songs, Lea for outside Broadway commercial appeal, Nick for break-out stardom/critical acclaim storyline, and Aaron for general Broadway appeal. They also have the Florence understudies and the rest of cast/ensemble for Lea-haters. Can't wait to see it again in the Spring. 

 

Updated On: 11/14/25 at 09:30 AM

[ifonlyilivedinNY]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 12:02pm

Saw the show twice this week. Always loved the music but had never seen a production besides what is out on YouTube. I thought the level of talent in everyone on stage was incredible. Sadly not a fan of most of the accents, but the vocal talent wins this production for me- so much that I rushed yesterday to see it again. I didn’t mind the political jokes although I don’t think they are necessary. The ending is the the weakest element of the show. The main cast was definitely laying everything out there at both shows I saw, all are in top form.  

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 12:52pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I saw this again last night and the RFK line got a huge response, as it always does when I’ve been. The Biden line always gets a less enthusiastic response and more of a groan from the audience and that’s the line I wish was removed. It seems like an add on to “appease both sides”.

Nicholas Christopher in particular, knew damn well there were critics in the house because sweet Jesus, he blew the roof off in a way I hadn’t seen him do before. Really thrilling stuff. As for the real star of the show, Casey was perfect - as always. He alone makes up for all the plot holes and any other flaws the show might have."

I was also there last night and can Christoper and Scherzinger have a battle of who can hold a note longer please.

The RFK joke took me a second as I was thinking JFK with the Cold War. I could not make out what was said about Biden.

Also I felt sorry for the people in the first row as I think only one persons head was higher than the stage. Almost as bad as Sweeney.

Updated On: 11/14/25 at 12:52 PM

[CJRochester]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 3:24pm

Huss417 said: "I was also there last night and can Christoper and Scherzinger have a battle of who can hold a note longer please." 

After seeing Ragtime last night, add Josh Henry to that list. 

 

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 3:50pm

Ball of Buttah said: "shomeika said: "Aaron Tveit has said twice now, on Jimmy Fallon, and on a Playbill interview, when explaining the plot, something to the effect that "yeah the show sounds confusing" or something like that. (side note off the record, it is confusing or a difficult topic for a musical, but I digress), But yeah --Aaron needs to stop saying that. I saw Lea kind of cringe each time."

Well, she keeps letting him answer those"what this show is about" questions and she's the one who recruited him to be Freddy. In the Playbill, she's listed on top as a producer. So, Lea should be probably start answering those questions if she "cringes" at Aaron's answer.

Anyway, the book and jokes really don't matter. They have THE songs, Lea for outside Broadway commercial appeal, Nick for break-out stardom/critical acclaim storyline, and Aaron for general Broadway appeal. They also have the Florence understudies and the rest of cast/ensemble for Lea-haters. Can't wait to see it again in the Spring.

"

Re the answering of questions Lea does that so everyone gets their moment.

I noticed during FG when she was doing interviews with Ramin if it was a question that wasn't particularly about her but more generally about the show or something they could both answer she would defer to Ramin and I've seen her doing this again with Nik and Aaron as so often as the more famous of the group the reporter zones in on her so I suspect that is why she has handballed those questions to him.

I had no idea Lea was a producer on this.

Updated On: 11/14/25 at 03:50 PM

[shomeika]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 5:51pm

Ball of Buttah said: "shomeika said: "Aaron Tveit has said twice now, on Jimmy Fallon, and on a Playbill interview, when explaining the plot, something to the effect that "yeah the show sounds confusing" or something like that. (side note off the record, it is confusing or a difficult topic for a musical, but I digress), But yeah --Aaron needs to stop saying that. I saw Lea kind of cringe each time."
Well, she keeps letting him answer those"what this show is about" questions and she's the one who recruited him to be Freddy. In the Playbill, she's listed on top as a producer. So, Lea should be probably start answering those questions if she "cringes" at Aaron's answer."

This must all be a lot of pressure for her. She is joined by fellow producers Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens, Shubert Organization, and Creative Partners Productions.

Updated On: 11/16/25 at 05:51 PM