Potential CHESS Replacements

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:01pm

Obviously I know the show has just started previews and we have yet to see if it has enough legs to run where replacements would be considered - so this thread is more likely one of just wishful thinking. But based on this production, who might you think would be a sufficient replacement for the three leads?

Mine would be:

Freddie: Orville Peck or Ali Louis Bourzgui (depending on how young they want to cast)

Florence: Lena Hall or Amber Gray

Anatoly: Cameron Loyal

Updated On: 10/23/25 at 06:01 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:12pm

Total dream-casting, no expectation of reality.

Florence: Cynthia Erivo, Eva Noblezada, Lauren Patten

Freddie: Colton Ryan, Jordan Fisher

Anatoly: Alex Grayson, John Cardoza

Svetlana: Lorna Courtney, Kathryn Gallagher

[getatme]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:18pm

AC126748 said: "Total dream-casting, no expectation of reality.

Florence: Cynthia Erivo, Eva Noblezada, Lauren Patten

Freddie: Colton Ryan, Jordan Fisher

Anatoly: Alex Grayson, John Cardoza

Svetlana: Lorna Courtney, Kathryn Gallagher"

I'd move John Cardoza up to Freddie, but otherwise I'd be interested in all of these.

Sara Bareilles as Florence.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:39pm

I second for Sara Bareilles as Florence.  

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:44pm

Melissa25 said: "I second forSara Bareilles as Florence. "

I’m intrigued by this, but other than “Brave”, I can’t think of any songs of hers that indicate she has some rock in her voice. I always think of her as a very easy listening type. I’m happy to be proven wrong though.

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 6:57pm

Another dream Florence for me would be Philippa Soo. 

[JT2030]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 7:19pm

100% on board with Lena Hall as Florence + would go bankrupt hearing Rebecca Jones sing the role, too.

Other fun dream casting:

Anatoly: Leslie Odom Jr.

Freddie: Drew Sarich, Tony Vincent, Lena Hall here too (honestly, she'd rip 'Pity the Child')

Arbiter: Daniel Breaker, Wayne Brady, Christian Borle, Stephen Colbert

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 10:16pm

Colbert would also be perfect for Walter as well

[getatme]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 10:32pm

Phillipa seems better suited for Svetlana (and I believe played her in one of the readings)

[pmensky]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 11:40am

Andrew Durand, Phillipa Soo, Stephen Pasquale.

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 1:59pm

Oooh. Andrew Durand is an inspired choice for Freddie.

[rg7759]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 4:37pm

Call me crazy, they all seem available and willing, there's no reason why groban menzel and Pascal couldn't still do this

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 6:59pm

rg7759 said: "Call me crazy, they all seem available and willing, there's no reason why groban menzel and Pascal couldn't still do this"

That’s a LOT of salary right there. Not to say Tveit, Michele, and Christopher aren’t getting a good salary, but landing these three would probably be at least $250K per week plus any back end points.

Groban is intermittently touring a new album and is also at the VERY high end of what’s credible for his character’s age. Menzel and Pascal are both in their mid 50s and are far too old. Additionally, Menzel has shown she isn’t the draw she once was after REDWOOD went timber, and her voice has also aged  quite a bit to be singing this 8 times per week

[rg7759]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 5:58am

Crazy right

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 8:36am

Samantha Barks sang the hell out of Florence in the 2022 concert in London... I know she's booked with Greatest Showman now, but I've always loved her, and it would be great to have her back on Broadway again at some point. Hard to believe her only Broadway credit to date is Pretty Woman!

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 8:54am

In one of the most ironic and unexpected casting choices ever made in the history of Broadway, it's gonna be ...

 

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Beanie

Just trying to get ahead of the curve for April Fool's.