Lea Michele Returning to Broadway in First-Ever “Chess” Revival Alongside Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher

Lea Michele is making her adjacent large move, and it's backmost to Broadway!

The 38-year-old character is headlining a caller accumulation of Chess, the cult-favorite philharmonic from EGOT-winning lyricist Tim Rice and songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA fame).

Performances will statesman successful Fall 2025 astatine a Shubert Theater to beryllium announced.

It'll beryllium nan first clip Chess has ever been revived and nan first clip Michele has been backmost connected nan boards since her celebrated tally successful nan 2002 revival of Funny Girl.

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Prior to becoming a family sanction successful 2009 pinch her domiciled successful Fox's deed philharmonic bid Glee, Michele was a staple connected stage. She made her debut successful 1995 arsenic Young Cosette successful Les Misérables, and went connected to prima successful Ragtime (1998) and nan 2004 revival of Fiddler connected nan Roof. Her breakout portion successful nan original Broadway formed of 2006's Spring Awakening — alongside Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher, Jr. and Skylar Astin — moreover earned her a Drama Desk nomination.

Michele will reunite pinch Spring Awakening's Tony-winning head Michael Mayer for Chess, who will helm nan production. Lorin Latarro (Waitress) will choreograph.

Two theatre veterans will subordinate her connected stage: Tony victor Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Catch Me If You Can) and Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton, Miss Saigon]. They were some past seen connected Broadway successful nan 2023 revival of Sweeney Todd.

Chess has agelong been 1 of Broadway’s astir beloved underdogs — a fan-favorite philharmonic pinch a soaring popular score, a famously tangled crippled and a melodramatic history arsenic analyzable arsenic nan crippled of chess itself.

Set during a tense Cold War-era chess tourney betwixt American grandmaster Freddie Trumper and his Soviet rival Anatoly Sergievsky, Chess follows nan romanticist and governmental fallout erstwhile nan tournament’s Hungarian-born arbiter, Florence Vassy, becomes entangled successful a emotion triangle that threatens some nan crippled and her past.

For nan revival, Tveit will play Freddie Trumper, while Christopher will measurement into nan domiciled of Anatoly Sergievsky. Michele will prima arsenic Florence Vassey.

The show first took style successful nan early 1980s arsenic a conception album. Released successful 1984, nan LP — featuring hits for illustration “One Night successful Bangkok,” "Anthem" and “I Know Him So Well” — was a commercialized success, building anticipation for a afloat shape production.

“One Night successful Bangkok” moreover reached No. 3 connected nan U.S. Billboard Hot 100 successful 1985.

By 1986, Chess had made it to nan stage, successful a accumulation directed by Trevor Nunn that debuted successful London’s West End. That type was a hit, moving for 3 years and earning praise for its eager people and sleek staging.

But erstwhile nan show crossed nan Atlantic successful 1988, it faced a rockier path. The Broadway accumulation — heavy revised pinch a caller book by Richard Nelson — opened astatine nan Imperial Theatre but closed aft conscionable 2 months, plagued by mixed reviews and behind-the-scenes imaginative clashes.

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Despite its short-lived Broadway run, Chess gained a loyal pursuing and has been regularly revived astir nan world successful performance stagings, location productions and high-profile benefits. Among nan astir notable was a 2008 televised performance staged from London’s Royal Albert Hall that starred Adam Pascal, Josh Groban and Idina Menzel.

A 2018 Kennedy Center accumulation — pinch Raúl Esparza, Ramin Karimloo and Karen Olivo — was antecedently believed to beryllium Broadway-bound, though ne'er materialized.

Emmy Award victor Danny Strong (“Dopesick”) will pen a caller book for this Chess revival. Further members of nan imaginative team, arsenic good arsenic casting and tally dates, will beryllium announced shortly.

"Let nan games begin," a promo video for nan philharmonic released connected Wednesday, May 28 teased.

For much information, and to motion up for first entree tickets sojourn www.ChessBroadway.com.