Checkmate: Lea Michele Sets Final Performance Date in Chess on Broadway
Michele's final performance as Florence Vassey is set for June 21, as the hit revival continues its extended run
(Photo: Matthew Murphy)
What to Know
- Lea Michele will play her final performance as Florence Vassy in Chess on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on June 21, 2026; a replacement has not yet been announced
- The Chess revival, featuring music by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and lyrics by Tim Rice, began previews October 15 and opened November 16, 2025, and has since been extended twice
- The production also stars Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher and follows a high-stakes Cold War–era chess championship involving romance, politics and espionage
Soon, it will be someone else's story. Lea Michele will play her final performance as Florence Vassy in Chess at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on June 21, 2026. Her replacement will be announced at a later date. The twice-extended production began performances on October 15 and opened on November 16, 2025.
Featuring a new book by Danny Strong, with music and lyrics by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner Tim Rice, based on an idea by Rice, this new production is directed by Tony winner Michael Mayer and choreographed by Lorin Latarro with original orchestrations by Anders Eljas, orchestrations by Eljas and Brian Usifer and music supervision by Usifer.
The Broadway revival stars Michele, Tony winner Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher, with Hannah Cruz, Tony nominee Bryce Pinkham, Bradley Dean, Tony nominee Sean Allan Krill and an ensemble that includes Kyla Bartholomeusz, Daniel Beeman, Shavey Brown, Emma Degerstedt, Casey Garvin, Adam Halpin, David Paul Kidder, Sarah Michele Lindsey, Michael Milkanin, Aleksandr Ivan Pevec, Aliah James, Sydney Jones, Sean MacLaughlin, Sarah Meahl, Ramone Nelson, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, Michael Olaribigbe, Katerina Papacostas, Samantha Pollino, Adam Roberts, Regine Sophia and Katie Webber.
Chess features scenic design by Tony winner David Rockwell, costume design by Tom Broecker, lighting design by four-time Tony winner Kevin Adams, sound design by John Shivers and video design by Peter Nigrini. Johanna McKeon serves as associate director and Travis Waldschmidt as associate choreographer. Music direction is by Ian Weinberger.
In Chess, power and passion collide and the stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s America versus Russia at the World Chess Championship, where the espionage and romance are as complicated and exhilarating as the game itself. For the two players and the woman torn between them, everything—personal, professional and political—is at risk... and nobody’s rules are the same.
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