Chess 1988 - Articles Page 2

Opened: April 28, 1988
Closing: June 25, 1988

Chess - 1988 - Broadway History , Info & More

Imperial Theatre (Broadway)
249 West 45th St. New York, NY

A superb cast of West End stars including James Fox (Fame Academy, Jesus Christ Superstar), Shona White (Wicked), Tam Mutu (Love Never Dies), Rebecca Lock (The Phantom of the Opera, Avenue Q), James Graeme (The Phantom of the Opera), David Erik (Dirty Dancing, The Phantom of the Opera) and Steve Varnom (The Woman in White) lead a cast of 30 actors and musicians in this unmissable production.



Written by Tim Rice and ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, CHESS has one of the greatest musical theatre scores of all time including One Night In Bangkok, Pity The Child, Anthem, You And I and, of course, I Know Him So Well.



Two of the world's greatest chess masters battle it out at the world chess championships but their greatest contest is for the love of one woman. Amidst political intrigue and international conspiracies, the American and the Russian fight to win the heart of Florence Vassy in a romantic triangle that mirrors the heightened passions of the Cold War all set to an explosive score by the composers of Mamma Mia and the lyricist of Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.



Make your move now and book for the must-see musical event of the year!

Chess - 1988 - Broadway Cast

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Chess - 1988 - Broadway Articles Page 2

BrightSide Theatre to Preset MAMMA MIA!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 18, 2022


Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak will present the final show of BrightSide Theatre’s 10th Anniversary Season – BrightSide is Back! The twice postponed production closes out the season with the music of ABBA in the musical that has entertained over 60 million people around the globe -  Mamma Mia!  

Broadway Actors in THE GILDED AGE & How You Know Them
by Michael Major - Jan 30, 2022


Meet all of the Broadway actors in THE GILDED AGE! The new series features appearances by Audra McDonald, Denée Benton, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Kelli O'Hara, Carrie Coon, Claybourne Elder, Donna Murphy, Katie Finneran, Debra Monk, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Patrick Page, Michael Cerveris, and more.

Justin Courtney Pierre Announces 'The Price of Salt' EP
by Sarah Jae Leiber - May 24, 2021


The Price of Salt follows An Anthropologist on Mars (released in March) which New Noise Magazine called “the best batch of songs Justin Courtney Pierre has ever released.”

Illinois Wesleyan University's Virtual Production of CHESS Premieres This Weekend
by Taylor Brethauer-Hamling - Nov 20, 2020


Illinois Wesleyan University's virtual production of Chess begins streaming this weekend on Friday, November 20 at 7:30pm and continues throughout the weekend on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 at 2pm and 7:30pm.

BWW Book Club: Read an Excerpt From Michael Riedel's RAZZLE DAZZLE - Chapters 25, 26 & Epilogue
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 3, 2020


BroadwayWorld Book Club is officially off and running! Or should we say, reading! The first BroadwayWorld Book Club selection is Jennifer Ashley Tepper's The Untold Stories of Broadway Volume 1. Tepper has just released the first volume of the book for free on Kindle!

BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST MOVIE SCENES of All Time - from CITIZEN KANE to PINK FLAMINGOS, from THE SOUND OF MUSIC to PARASITE
by Peter Nason - May 26, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!

Flashback Video: 'Anthem' and 'Nobody's Side' From Signature Theater's CHESS
by Stephi Wild - May 8, 2020


Signature Theatre has released a new flashback video, as part of its Signature Strong series!

BWW Exclusive: The 101 GREATEST PLAYS of the Past 100 Years (1920-2020)
by Peter Nason - Apr 7, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the greatest theatrical works (non-musical) from 1920-2020; see if your favorites made the list!

VIDEO: Watch Clips of Samantha Barks, Ramin Karimloo, and More in CHESS in Japan
by Stephi Wild - Jan 25, 2020


As BroadwayWorld previously announced, a production of Chess is headed to Osaka's Umeda Arts Theater, starring Ramin Karimloo and Samantha Barks! Directed by Nick Winston, the production will run on January 27, 2020. The cast also features Luke Walsh, and Takanori Sato. Get a first look at the production in the new footage, featuring Karimloo, Barks, and the cast!

VIDEO: Ramin Karimloo, Samantha Barks, and More Rehearse For CHESS in Japan
by Stephi Wild - Jan 16, 2020


Ramin Karimloo, Samantha Barks, Luke Walsh, and Takanori Sato will lead a production of Chess at Osaka's Umeda Arts Theater this month! Directed by Nick Winston, the production will run on January 27, 2020.

Ramin Karimloo, Samantha Barks & More Will Lead CHESS in Japan
by Nicole Rosky - Oct 23, 2019


BroadwayWorld has just learned that Ramin Karimloo (Anastasia, Les Miserables), Samantha Barks (Pretty Woman), Luke Walsh, and Takanori Sato will lead a production of Chess at Osaka's Umeda Arts Theater. Directed by Nick Winston, the production will run on January 27, 2020. Click here for tickets.

Photo Flash: Pioneer Theatre Company Presents DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS In Concert
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 18, 2019


Pioneer Theatre Company presents a Concert Production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, based on the wildly popular 1988 MGM comedy that was a hit film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. The principal cast includes Broadway actors BRENT BARRETT as Lawrence Jameson, MATTHEW HYDZIK as Freddy Benson; and KATE FAHRNER as Christine Colgate.

Pioneer Theater Company Announces Full Cast For DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 4, 2019


The complete cast, including visiting cast with Broadway credentials and returning local actors, has been announced for Pioneer Theatre Company's Concert Production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is based on the wildly popular 1988 MGM comedy that was a hit film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. The concert-style production runs just three performances, over October 18 & 19, 2019, and is an add-on to PTC's 2019-2020 season.

Initial Cast Announced for PTC's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
by Julie Musbach - Sep 24, 2019


A partial cast list has been revealed for Pioneer Theatre Company's Concert Production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, based on the wildly popular 1988 MGM comedy that was a hit film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. The principal cast includes Broadway actors BRENT BARRETT as Lawrence Jameson, MATTHEW HYDZIK as Freddy Benson; and KATE FAHRNER as Christine Colgate.

Meet the Current Cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway!
by Nicole Rosky - Aug 10, 2019


Earlier this year, on April 22, The Phantom of the Opera, reached a milestone that no other Broadway show has even come near. Phantom, the longest-running show in Broadway history, became the first Broadway show EVER to reach #13,000 performances. This is just one of many incredible achievements made by the show since it opened on Broadway over three decades ago.

BWW Review: Nicely Conceived CHESS Production Enhances A Weak Script at Near West Theatre
by Roy Berko - Jul 22, 2019


Most musicals follow the tried and true pattern of being written in a format that it is expected to be examined and redone through a series of readings, rewrites, staged readings, rewrites, previews, more rewrites, and, if lucky, a full-staged production. As the process continues the script and score are improved to attempt to ensure that they are well-integrated.

Throwing Out My CDs by Ben Rimalower: CHESS
by Ben Rimalower - Mar 22, 2019


Well, the next step in my decluttering/digitizing journey is throwing out my Chess CDs, not that they take up much space. I only have the Original Concept Recording and the Broadway cast. I'm going to download the freaking 2008 Royal Albert Hall concert version (with Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Adam Pascal) to try to keep this column hip. But let's all just remember two things: 1.) I am not hip; and, 2.) I'm just downloading the concert for this column, so it doesn't really count as part of my digitizing.

CHESS Comes To CV Rep Theater Today
by BWW News Desk - Mar 13, 2019


After months of preparation and great anticipation, The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will open their newly renovated, 209 seat, Cathedral City playhouse with the dynamic, musical, CHESS - Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the Rock Group ABBA Lyrics by Time Rice and Book by Richard Nelson.

CHESS Comes To CV Rep Theater 3/13
by Kay Kudukis - Mar 1, 2019


After months of preparation and great anticipation, The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will open their newly renovated, 209 seat, Cathedral City playhouse with the dynamic, musical, CHESS - Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the Rock Group ABBA Lyrics by Time Rice and Book by Richard Nelson.

CVRep Playhouse to Open in Cathedral City with the Musical CHESS!
by Kay Kudukis - Feb 8, 2019


After months of preparation and great anticipation,The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will open their newly renovated, 208 seat, Cathedral City playhouse with the dynamic musical, CHESS - Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the Rock Group ABBA Lyrics by Time Rice and Book by Richard Nelson.

CVREP Debuts Their New And Newly Renovated Playhouse With The Dynamic Musical CHESS
by David Green - Feb 7, 2019


After months of preparation and great anticipation, The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will open their newly renovated, 208 seat, Cathedral City playhouse with the dynamic musical, CHESS - Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the Rock Group ABBA Lyrics by Time Rice and Book by Richard Nelson. 

Mira Nair Joins MasterClass to Teach Independent Filmmaking
by Kaitlin Milligan - Nov 27, 2018


 MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair will offer her first ever online class exclusively through its platform. In her new class on independent filmmaking, Nair will share her methods for directing powerful performances, maximizing budgets, and bringing authentic stories to life. Nair's class is now available at www.masterclass.com/mn. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.

BILLBOARD BY THE YEAR: 1988 Debuts On October 5th At 54 Below
by Julie Musbach - Oct 1, 2018


Robert W. Schneider, one of Feinstein's/54 Below original programming producers, will be launching the new BILLBOARD BY THE YEAR series at Feinstein's/54 Below on Friday, October 5th, at 9:30 pm.

Performance Space New York Presents First Mondays: Readings Of New Works In Progress
by Stephi Wild - Sep 21, 2018


Performance Space New York announces First Mondays: Readings of New Works in Progress, organized by author Sarah Schulman (Maggie Terry, 2018; Conflict is not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility and the Duty of Repair, 2016). On the first Monday of most months between October 2018 and May 2019, the series will present audiences with an opportunity to gather and hear in-progress works from writers leading the literary avant-garde. First Mondays exemplifies the artistic community-building power in Performance Space New York's appointment of five Associate Artists. Today, the organization announces Sarah Schulman, Emily Johnson, Gillian Walsh, Sarah Ortmeyer, and Angela Dimayuga as the Associate Artists who will actively contribute to programming and administrative decision making in the years to come-honoring Performance Space New York's roots as a space run by the very people experimenting within it.

Chess FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What productions of Chess have there been?
Chess has had 14 productions including London Fringe which opened in 1984, West End which opened in 1986, Broadway which opened in 1988, Broadway which opened in 1988, Off-Broadway which opened in 1992, Milburn, NJ (Regional) which opened in 1992, Australia which opened in 1997, New York which opened in 1998, which opened in 2001, Broadway which opened in 2003, Broadway which opened in 2003, Washington, DC (Regional) which opened in 2018, West End which opened in 2018 and Broadway which opened in 2030.
What awards has Chess been nominated for?
Chess has been nominated for several awards. These include Outstanding Lighting Design at the Drama Desk Awards for David Hersey, Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Performance at the Theatre World Awards for Philip Casnoff.
What awards has Chess won?
Chess has won several awards for its outstanding contributions in various categories. These include the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design, which was awarded to David Hersey. The Drama Desk Awards also recognized Chess for Outstanding Music, with awards going to both Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Additionally, Philip Casnoff received a Performance award from the Theatre World Awards for his exceptional work in Chess. These accolades highlight the exceptional talent and creativity that went into the production of Chess.

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