Chess In Concert!

[Seany]

Chess In Concert!#0

Posted: 9/1/03 at 9:14pm

Is anybody going to this one-night-only-this-is-going-to-be-an-absolutely-amazing event? Any production with Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, and Raul Esparza has GOT to be nothing short of incredible! I really hope they record this event somehow. That would make my life.

There's a light in the darkness of everybody's life.

[alterego]

re: Chess In Concert!#1

Posted: 9/1/03 at 11:44pm

Is there any interest in Chess? The cold war thing was out of date when the show originally happened. Sure, there are a few good songs but as a show,....why bother? Dull dull dull.

[JohnPopa]

re: re: Chess In Concert!#2

Posted: 9/2/03 at 12:01am

The fact that this is a concert would seem to minimize the worries about whether or not the entire show works. A lot of people enjoy the score and this looks like a solid group to pull it off.

[jo]

re: re: re: Chess In Concert!#3

Posted: 9/2/03 at 1:22am

Yes, the theme is very dated -- I wonder how they will present the concert. Still following the storyline of the musical( as in the Les Mis or Sweeney Todd concerts)? Unfortunately, while Les Mis and Sweeney Todd can qualify as period musicals ( and where the theme does not age), the cold war era for CHESS is too recent in the past to be considered as a period settting.

But there are quite a number of good songs in the show - Anthem, You and I, I Know Him So Well, Pity the Child, One Night in Bangkok, etc.).

[Cadriel]

re: re: re: re: Chess In Concert!#4

Posted: 9/2/03 at 6:23am

Chess is, of late, being considered a valid period piece. One of the problems it was plagued with during its major life (roughly 1986-1992) was that the material was too contemporary for its own good; the show was updated for Glasnost and having a Cold War musical didn't make too much sense in 1990, when everyone and their cat started to put the show on.

It CAN be a good show, given a lot of work and an excellent cast. However, the Richard Nelson book is rightly feared in America, and most major productions are either concerts or get away with changes to the book. To this date, no production has ever managed to get it perfect, but many have done an excellent job.

I'm not excited about the concert, specifically because - as a Chess fan - I'm interested in the dramatic story of the show. Concerts have been a popular way of presenting the material since 1985, but I find that they wind up missing half the point. I'm especially unenthusiastic given that I don't feel any of the announced cast are right for their parts.

-Wayne

[BrdwyThtr]

re: re: re: re: re: Chess In Concert!#5

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:36pm

I would love for them to record this! Was a recording made of Funny Girl? I think it would sell quite well.

[Unknown User]

re: re: re: re: re: re: Chess In Concert!#6

Posted: 9/2/03 at 6:16pm

I emailed the Actor's Fund that is putting on CHESS and they never responded to me. I asked if there was plans to record CHESS like they had with Dreamgirls and Angels Punks and Raging Queens. And I have yet to hear from them. I think a simple we are busy we will get back to you would even be nice but to totally ignore my email. Maybe it is just me but I thought that is kind of stinky of them.

[JohnPopa]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Chess In Concert!#7

Posted: 9/3/03 at 10:23am

Seth Rudetsky (who runs these benefits) said they were still discussing the possibility of recording this. There are extra issues when you're using folks with recording contracts that may make it more difficult than usual to firm up a recording. (I added that last part about contracts, Seth didn't mention that at all, just so it doesn't sound like I'm speaking for him out of line.)