Chess 2025- Page 8

[binau]

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

In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup. 

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 6:28pm

following up from the discussion in the Redwood thread where it was said the cast is set and the key art was recently shot and announcement coming in the next few weeks , i assume after whatever a closing notice is posted for the show in the theatre they want ( thinking likely Broadhurst).

I was wondering what those who know more about these things than I do think they will do with their key art. I was looking at the original Broadway and original west end key art and they were quite different,  the Broadway emphasised USSR vs Anerica but West end focused on the Chessboard. 

Given the show ran on Broadway for 88 performances and three years in the West End, how much difference does the choice of key art make in the mix of why a show succeeds or fails?  obviously they made big changes to the book etc, I've heard people say the timing on coming to Broadway vs West end ( closer to the end of the cold war therefore lack of interest) but they had a great cast. Does key art play any role at all?

Updated On: 5/3/25 at 06:28 PM

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 6:44pm

I think not using the London art for NYC was a costly mistake. I have no idea why it was changed (and Dewynters was the agency both times). The east vs west thing on an all white background almost looks like clipart on a computer. So bad it’s good! 

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 7:29pm

Has anyone heard that not from Shouty ? 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:07pm

binau said: "In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup."

Ramin has told fans at the Penzance stage door that he is not doing it.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:09pm

binau said: "In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup."

Who's the other female lead? 

 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:32pm

I can confirm Ramin is not attached, but Michele and Tveit are.
I do not know whether casting beyond the main trio is complete. It may very well not be, considering this won't be opening until the fall. 

Updated On: 5/3/25 at 09:32 PM

[mshalo18]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:49pm

Robbie2 said: "binau said: "In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup."

Who's the other female lead?

"Supposedly Solea.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:54pm

Kad said: "I can confirm Ramin is not attached, but Michele and Tveit are.
I do not know whether casting beyond the main trio is complete. It may very well not be, considering this won't be opening until the fall."

Wanna drop us an Anatoly hint?

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 10:01pm

Maybe they’re still working out money for Ramin? Surely they’d want him for it, and he’d want to do it, no? He’s so familiar with the part, he could do it in his sleep. 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 10:02pm

He's not a "name" like his co-stars and has never opened a show as a lead, but this will not be the first time he's been in a show with Tveit.

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 10:15pm

Kad said: "I can confirm Ramin is not attached, but Michele and Tveit are.
I do not know whether casting beyond the main trio is complete. It may very well not be, considering this won't be opening until the fall."

That is so disappointing as he and Lea are magic together. I can't see another actor matching what he could have done with Lea on Mountain Duet and You and I.

I had been wondering though if he was going to be willing to sign up to another long broadway run after FG given comments he had made in his podcasts about being away from his home in London affecting his marriage, and the longest he has signed up to anything since FG is the current Pirates contract which is only a few months.  He's mainly done very short contracts.

There's also the fact he said to Seth Rudetsky in a concert appearance a couple of years ago he wasn't sure he wanted to do it again even though he loved the show as he'd done it in concert in DC Tokyo and the the NYC concert.

So I was always trying not to get my hopes too high but I'm very sad he won't be doing it.

 

 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 10:17pm

Editing after thinking this over more: It could only be Nicholas Christopher.

Different melodies obviously, but replace “and I’m full of joy” with “lie around my heart” and you can imagine how great he’s going to be: https://youtu.be/ZMlXDEdAoLE?si=Y54TXTq8e9Rkuz_r

Updated On: 5/3/25 at 10:17 PM

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 11:29pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "Editing after thinking this over more: It could only be Nicholas Christopher.

Different melodies obviously, but replace “and I’m full of joy” with “lie around my heart” and you can imagine how great he’s going to be:https://youtu.be/ZMlXDEdAoLE?si=Y54TXTq8e9Rkuz_r"

also makes sense when you consider the Michael Mayer connection, given Michael directed Little Shop of Horrors off Broadway and according to an interview I watched a little while ago he's still involved with it and Nicholas only recently finished playing Seymour. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 9:47am

mshalo18 said: "Robbie2 said: "binau said: "In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup."

Who's the other female lead?

"Supposedly Solea.

"

Hmmmm. Solea has a beautiful chest voice but there is still something about hearing her screlt that always feels wrong to me. But I guess every classical show she could be in has already had a recent revival.

[getatme]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 10:23am

Solea is not attached. They do not have a Svetlana yet.

[singer234]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 11:38am

I'd love to see Jenn Damiano return to Bway as Svetlana but A. I assume they'd want some bigger and B. If the rest of the rumored cast is true, I can't imagine they'll cast a white actress in that role without there being major social media uproar. Even though Ramin is not white, I doubt that'd do much to quell TikTok's concerns. Solea seems like a likely choice but who knows.

*edit because I see now Nick Christopher is rumored. An amazing choice if so.

Updated On: 5/4/25 at 11:38 AM

[always bway]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 1:15pm

If these rumors are true then I will be running to the box office! The most thrilling score ever!

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 11:07pm

mshalo18 said: "Robbie2 said: "binau said: "In another thread the claim is that it's Lea Michelle, Ramin and Aaron Tveit? Seems like a great lineup."

Who's the other female lead?

"Supposedly Solea.

"

Nope, asked my agent friend and he said the Russians are not set yet!

[Kad]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 11:10pm

Anatoly is definitely set. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 11:30pm

Kad said: "Anatoly is definitely set."

 

 

hmmmn not sure why he said that will check with himm tomorrow

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 12:19am

Kad said: "Anatoly is definitely set."

It's russian (singular) as in the female he said not set yet

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 5/22/25 at 11:38pm

I am wondering if Tony week we will get official announcement. Lea Michele was on Kelly Clarkson this week and mentioned of a new project that would be announced very soon. 

Apparently it is Lea Michele, Aaron Tviet (The American)... now the Ramin situation is very strange because, while he's denied it at the stage door to people. And he has said that he's "done that". I heard to someone who had personally spent sometime with him this week and they stated that in the conversation with him, the comment was directly made to him, he made some vague comments, and then a little while later he brought up the topic with the person and asked why they had heard about the show. When they divulged what they had heard, he seemed to give more information on the project, yet not confirm his participation in it. He confirmed that Aaron Tviet would be the American, and that Lea Michele (Florence) was in fact seemingly more knowledgeable about the production than he had initially led to believe, making the individual wonder if he was in fact still attached or if he had at one point been attached to this revival.  It sounded like it would in fact be an end of November/early December opening. Apparently in the lead up to 2020 Funny Girl, Pirates! and Chess were all projects he was attached to bring to Broadway and then scheduling became a mess in the reopening so who knows. I hope he's attached. 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 5/22/25 at 11:47pm

Well looks like that got confirmed quick - I would say that a Michael Mayer revival would almost confirm Lea Michele's involvement on this type of show, and it really seems to leave me to believe that rounding out the four are Aaron Tviet, Ramin Karimloo, and Solea Pffiefer. 

[getatme]

Posted: 5/22/25 at 11:50pm

As Kad said, Ramin is not attached. Someone else will be playing anatoly.