Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
It sounds like they recorded this as a pop single, like it feels ready to play on the radio. I assume in the theater it will be more organic to the character/moment when they do it so we'll see.
Stand-by Joined: 10/1/22
binau said: "I've kind of loved all the clips released so far. The quality always gets better either in the show or eventual cast recording (e.g. Look at the Maybe Happy Ending demo tracks or years ago the Bridges of Madison County clips released vs cast recording). But they show that this 'Chess' is going to be very easy on the ears. I have a feeling it might end up being the definitive aural record of the show."
You make a good point and it does bear repeating. These are just demo tracks for promo done a few weeks before they started rehearsals proper last week. These are not definitive recordings of how they will sound in the show or in the cast recording if they do one. I too have enjoyed what we have heard so far. I think it can be hard sometimes when you have certain recordings stuck in your mind for years to put that aside and give new versions a chance. eg. When it comes to I Know Him So Well I've had Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson in my head since I was a teenager. Even as someone who is excited to hear Lea and Hannah's take on it, that bias will likely be in my head for the first listen.
BorisTomashevsky said: "It's a bit fast at the start for me. And that extra measure after "ask me twice" is a mess. Who approved that?"
She also doesn't really seem to understand the melody, in "Would he listen", the "would" and "he" can never be the same note, which is what she does.
Personally, these are 2 of my favorite versions of the song:
Updated On: 9/10/25 at 07:22 PM
Yes indeed Seb, there are wrong notes in Where I Want To Be as well. Doesn’t surprise me that she’s got some wrong ones as well.
darquegk said: "If you're wondering how long the show is in its various incarnations, the Danish Complete recording (an English-language reconstruction of the original London production plus Someone Else's Story) runs about two hours and ten."
I wish I knew an approximate run time for this revival, as I have tickets for a Sunday 3pm performance and I'm trying to schedule something else after.
Stand-by Joined: 10/1/22
Lot666 said: "darquegk said: "If you're wondering how long the show is in its various incarnations, the Danish Complete recording (an English-language reconstruction of the original London production plus Someone Else's Story) runs about two hours and ten."
I wish I knew an approximate run time for this revival, as I have tickets for a Sunday 3pm performance and I'm trying to schedule something else after.
"
on the Chess website it says 2 hours 40 minutes currently.
GirlFromOz68 said: "Lot666 said: "darquegk said: "If you're wondering how long the show is in its various incarnations, the Danish Complete recording (an English-language reconstruction of the original London production plus Someone Else's Story) runs about two hours and ten."
I wish I knew an approximate run time for this revival, as I have tickets for a Sunday 3pm performance and I'm trying to schedule something else after."
on the Chess website it says 2 hours 40 minutes currently."
Thank you for that information. I had looked at every page of the Chess show website and found no indication of a runtime anywhere, but I just found it on Telecharge; is that the site you meant?
Stand-by Joined: 10/1/22
Lot666 said: "GirlFromOz68 said: "Lot666 said: "darquegk said: "If you're wondering how long the show is in its various incarnations, the Danish Complete recording (an English-language reconstruction of the original London production plus Someone Else's Story) runs about two hours and ten."
I wish I knew an approximate run time for this revival, as I have tickets for a Sunday 3pm performance and I'm trying to schedule something else after."
on the Chess website it says 2 hours 40 minutes currently."
Thank you for that information. I had looked at every page of the Chess show website and found no indication of a runtime anywhere, but I just found it on Telecharge; is that the site you meant?
"
yes sorry, that's where I saw it.
It’s interesting Lea’s version times slower as mentioned previously here- it feels like a slog. There’s a thrilling version of this on the Chess in Concert album sung by Kerry Ellis. I imagine in the theatre it will be more dynamic.
Understudy Joined: 1/16/23
Phillytheatreguy10 said: "It’s interesting Lea’s version times slower as mentioned previously here- it feels like a slog. There’s a thrilling version of this on the Chess in Concert album sung by Kerry Ellis. I imagine in the theatre it will be more dynamic."
Lea was much faster than Beanie on Funny Girl. Some people checked, and IIRC the whole show became 10-20 minutes shorter once Lea was on. Considering that there were other people involved as well, that's an extreme speedup of her parts.
For this promo track she had to adapt to a pre-recorded accompaniment. Which was a very low-effort job, btw. Even I could have made that on my phone without any sample libraries. Would take me a while because I haven't done that in ages, but a professional arranger with proper equipment should be able to make something better in a couple of hours.
Understudy Joined: 1/16/23
Seb28 said: "
She also doesn't really seem to understand the melody, in "Would he listen", the "would" and "he" can never be the same note, which is what she does."
Congrats, highly effective trolling. I figured that simply stating that I'm hearing a difference would lead to nothing. So I went as far as using Praat to make an autocorrelogram of the part in question.
Unfortunately the "he" is too short to settle on a specific pitch. What I can say though is that the "he" is at least 2 semitones higher than the "would". And that's what I'm hearing as well.
If someone can point me to place where I can upload a video or gif without much hassle I should be able to provide receipts. Alternatively, just use your ears.
Any discount codes for CHESS?
Mary_Poppins said: "Seb28 said: "
She also doesn't really seem to understand the melody, in "Would he listen", the "would" and "he" can never be the same note, which is what she does."
Congrats, highly effective trolling. I figured that simply stating that I'm hearing a difference would lead to nothing. So I went as far as using Praat to make an autocorrelogram of the part in question.
Unfortunately the "he" is too short to settle on a specific pitch. What I can say though is that the "he" is at least 2 semitones higher than the "would". And that's what I'm hearing as well.
If someone can point me to place where I can upload a video or gif without much hassle I should be able to provide receipts. Alternatively, just use your ears."
Try http://Imgur.com
It may well be higher but still flat in the scheme of things.
The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher.
EDSOSLO858 said: "The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher."
Do we dare guess what those will go for during the Red Bucket collecting?
The Chess mailer arrived today without any discount code. Sigh.
I got mine yesterday and was completely surprised. It's selling better than QoV but still, didn't they learn from this past Spring?
Updated On: 9/17/25 at 04:59 PM
aces25 said: "Any discount codes for CHESS?
I received a mailer today for the show, but it didn't include a discount code. I'm guessing there are no discounts until after the new year. I don't know if anyone knows differently.
"
inception said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher."
Do we dare guess what those will go for during the Red Bucket collecting?"
Shows in previews don’t do Red Bucket.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
quizking101 said: "inception said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher."
Do we dare guess what those will go for during the Red Bucket collecting?"
Shows in previews don’t do Red Bucket."
The Red Bucket Follies are traditionally in November/December, right? Surely CHESS will be out of previews by then!
JSquared2 said: "quizking101 said: "inception said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher."
Do we dare guess what those will go for during the Red Bucket collecting?"
Shows in previews don’t do Red Bucket
The Red Bucket Follies are traditionally in November/December, right? Surely CHESS will be out of previews by then!
"
The shows official opening night is November 16th.
EDSOSLO858 said: "The Imperial Theatre box office opens this coming Monday, September 22 at 10 AM; the first 50 people to buy CHESS tickets will receive a window card signed by Michele, Tveit, and Christopher."
It’s a pity I’m on the other side of the world, I kinda want a signed poster!
Swing Joined: 2/10/18
Variety today announced the lineup for its annual Business of Broadway Breakfast presented by City National Bank on Oct. 6 in New York. The breakfast will celebrate the fall season of Broadway and features exclusive conversations with its actors, directors, composers, and more. Ethan Slater of “Marcel on the Train” will host.
Stars Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher will discuss “Chess” with senior film reporter Rebecca Rubin, who is moderating the panel.
source
Mailer arrived today with zero discounts.
Auggie27 said: "Mailer arrived today with zero discounts."
I got excited until I unfolded it. Tease!
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