Chess 2025- Page 5

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 3/1/25 at 5:37pm

Well as much as I wouldn’t care to see her in it was there also not talk that Rachel Zelger was attached to a musical as well as Romeo and Juliet.  

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 3/2/25 at 2:08am

Well as much as I wouldn’t care to see her in it was there also not talk that Rachel Zelger was attached to a musical as well as Romeo and Juliet.  

 

At 23, Rachel is way, way too young for Svetlana, given she and Anatoly (with a 46 year old Ramin due to play the role) have 2 children. I've also always taken from the show that Anatoly and Svetlana have been married for quite a long time, and grew apart over time. That's why, to me, Svetlana should at the very least be in her early 30s but, again for me, late 30s or older would be more realistic. 

 
 

Updated On: 3/2/25 at 02:08 AM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/2/25 at 2:17pm

GirlFromOz68 said: "Are we talking Broadway bigger like a Tony nominee/winner or someone who has a big profile outside of Broadway in a similar way that Lea has through her TV work?"

Last I heard, the latter, specifically someone of some renown in music.

 

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 3/2/25 at 2:55pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "GirlFromOz68 said: "Are we talking Broadway bigger like a Tony nominee/winner or someone who has a big profile outside of Broadway in a similar way that Lea has through her TV work?"

Last I heard, the latter, specifically someone of some renown in music.

Well the first person who comes to mind in that regard is Sara Bareilles. She's obviously got Broadway cred from Waitress and Into the Woods, has a career in music beyond Broadway plus she's done TV. She's also age appropriate as Anatoly's wife. Plus fun fact, Lea covered two of her songs on Glee: Love Song and Brave.

Plus a little searching found this little nugget from a 2022 interview in the New Yorker when asked what musicals she likes to sing in the shower she said Chess, that she'd never seen the musical but that the music is great and she loves ABBA.

 

Updated On: 3/2/25 at 02:55 PM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/2/25 at 9:49pm

It's a good guess, solid evidence too, but I can neither confirm nor deny. All I know is "Lea Michele as Florence, major music star as Svetlana, stacking the deck so it might print money even if the show is still a hot mess."

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 3/2/25 at 10:04pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "It's a good guess, solid evidence too, but I can neither confirm nor deny. All I know is "Lea Michele as Florence, major music star as Svetlana, stacking the deck so it might print money even if the show is still a hot mess.""

 

fair enough lol.

 

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 3/3/25 at 7:16am

If there is any truth to the rumor floated above…

A quick check of Moulin Rouge ticketing shows them on sale through the end of June.  
 

This may mean nothing, but could certainly indicate a load out at the Hirschfeld in time for another show to load in for the start of the new season. 

[CJRochester]

Posted: 3/3/25 at 11:16am

OuttaTowner said: "If there is any truth to the rumor floated above…

A quick check of Moulin Rouge ticketing shows them on sale through the end of June.


This may mean nothing, but could certainly indicate a load out at the Hirschfeld in time for another show to load in for the start of the new season."

I just checked SeatGeek and MR is currently selling tickets through November 30. 

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 3/3/25 at 1:17pm

CJRochester said: "OuttaTowner said: "If there is any truth to the rumor floated above…

A quick check of Moulin Rouge ticketing shows them on sale through the end of June.


This may mean nothing, but could certainly indicate a load out at the Hirschfeld in time for another show to load in for the start of the new season."

I just checked SeatGeek and MR is currently selling tickets through November 30."


Apologies. My source was Ticketmaster. 

[BJR]

Posted: 3/3/25 at 5:55pm

If it is Sara, they tried to get her for it a couple years ago when 2024 was still the plan.

[scripps]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 12:17am

I've been listening to the Chess concert on repeat (again) and Pascal's vocals will never not thrill me. I guess Lambert can try (and I say that as someone who voted for him on American Idol) but the bar has been set very, very high.

And can confirm, Bareilles was offered and passed. As good of a guess as any for this mystery female co-star.

Updated On: 3/4/25 at 12:17 AM

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 7:00am

Could be Jojo? She has expressed interest in more broadway endeavors in her future.

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 9:47am

[Penna2]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 4:28pm

Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner.

[CJRochester]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 4:58pm

Penna2 said: "Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner."

Would someone of her caliber take a secondary role like Svetlana? 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 5:17pm

CJRochester said: "Penna2 said: "Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner."

Would someone of her caliber take a secondary role like Svetlana?"

 

No. So many of these suggestions are untethered from reality.  

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 5:41pm

JSquared2 said: "CJRochester said: "Penna2 said: "Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner."

Would someone of her caliber take a secondary role like Svetlana?"



No. So many of these suggestions are untethered from reality."

Considering Jessie’s last role on Broadway was her standing in the background for 90 minutes, I can’t imagine this role is below her.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 5:47pm

CJRochester said: "Penna2 said: "Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner."

Would someone of her caliber take a secondary role like Svetlana?"

It is not like Jessie has been productive on Broadway in the past few years.  I looked her up on IMBD.com and did not find a lot of recent work there.  Better in a showy supporting role than between engagements???

[Penna2]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 7:55pm

Jarethan said: "CJRochester said: "Penna2 said: "Jessie Mueller would be a great Svetlana. She can do magic with her voice and a wonderful actress. She's also a Tony winner."

Would someone of her caliber take a secondary role like Svetlana?"

It is not like Jessie has been productive on Broadway in the past few years. I looked her up on IMBD.com and did not find a lot of recent work there. Better in a showy supporting role than between engagements???"

That was my thought. She hasn't done much recently and this would be a great way to make her way back to Broadway. She could do any role in that show IMO.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 8:07pm

I hate to be negative, but I also don't think that Jessie Mueller is the kind of "major music star" that will help a show "print money," as suggested earlier in the thread. Actually, I don't think that Sara Bareilles meets that threshold either.

N.B. I greatly look forward to seeing them both on Broadway soon! I just don't think either of them are the kind of name that helps guarantee a hit.

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 8:42pm

I'm sure it would never happen in a million years, but I can imagine Olivia Rodrigo singing the Svetlana material wonderfully. 

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 3/5/25 at 4:18am

Lea's posted on IG about some announcements in the next few weeks so hopefully we'll hear something by the end of the month.

 

Updated On: 3/5/25 at 04:18 AM

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 3/5/25 at 3:29pm

Any additional murmurings on the male leads?

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 3/5/25 at 4:09pm

OuttaTowner said: "Any additional murmurings on the male leads?"

Well as of a month ago Ramin for Anatoly which makes sense as he's been attached to the show since 2018. Bradley Dean was supposed to be Molokov but not sure if his injury on Redwood will change this as I saw someone say he could have 6-9 months of recovery ahead.  No clue for Freddie although I agree with those who say Adam Lambert is one of the few who could manage Pity the Child.

Updated On: 3/6/25 at 04:09 PM

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 12:55am

Wondering if Skylar Astin could sing Freddie?  He’s a tenor, and reads younger, though he and Lea are the same age (sort of a mini Spring Awakening reunion).