"I laughed, I cried, and I left in awe of the sheer talent I had the privilege to experience!
I don't know how Lea Michele and the show itself weren't nominated for a Tony!!
Speechless!"
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Broadway.com Customer on May 31, 2026
Fantastic!
"I loved it from start to finish! The music was amazing and the performances from the entire cast were phenomenal. I’m sad it’s closing so soon or I would see it again. "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 31, 2026
41 years
"Since falling in love with the London cast album in 1985, I have been waiting for this and it did not disappoint! Did I miss some of the songs that were cut? Yes, but not enough to lower my rating. Did I like the new songs they wrote for it? Yes! They fit right in. A Gen X musical for anyone who remembers the Cold War or wants to enjoy a story set there. Loved it! "
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Elizabeth W from Germantown on May 30, 2026
Chess by Tim Rice, Music be ABBA
"I am a musician, I played in Chess in Texas in the 90’s.
This 2026 Broadway performance was exquisite, perfect and a staple of Excellence. You will likely admire the cast, especially Florence, Svetlana, Freddie, and Anatoli, as well as the Arbiter and the mean CIA agent.
Thanks "
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Sergio N from Phoenix on May 29, 2026
More than I could have expected
"This was my first Broadway show and I did not know the topic until a few minutes before I arrived. I was excited that I knew Lea Michelle and figured anything would be worth seeing her perform.
First of all, the assistance entering, finding my seat, use of restrooms was above and beyond good. I was very impressed and pleased.
Second of all, I was blown away with the performance of every person on the stage. I cried because I had waited so long in life to attend Broadway and this performance was mind blowing. The musicians on stage only added to the experience. The ensemble was fantastic, I could watch it again and the lead characters were phenomenal. I did not know a performance could be so good, understandable, moving and entertaining. I was very intrigued in the portrayal of history that seemed so unknown , yet clearly depicted in this play. The added humor was fantastic, unexpected and never failed to make me chuckle. I understood everything which I did not expect and wish we could have extended the standing ovation. How do you show such extraordinary performers that it was more than you could ever imagine and I left the theater wondering how I had stumbled into something this incredible. It moved me, how all the work and effort prior to my attendance came to such a well orchestrated performance. I highly recommend it, I will remember my eyes roaming the stage to not miss anything and leaving a better person for having seen the performance. "
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Natalie S from LAWRENCEVILLE on May 27, 2026
Stunning Vocals and an Amazing Show
"I absolutely loved Chess the Musical! I mainly went for Lea Michele, and she was incredible, but honestly the entire cast completely amazed me. The vocals were stunning and every performer brought so much emotion and talent to the stage. The songs were beautiful and so much fun to listen to.
The theater itself was also gorgeous and gave the whole experience such a classic Broadway feeling. Even my boyfriend, who normally isn’t a huge musical fan, thought it was an amazing experience and really enjoyed the show. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip!"
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Joy V from 's-Hertogenbosch on May 25, 2026
An anniversary to remember
"When you think of a broadway musical, taking place in the late 70’s-early 80’s, I automatically think Sondheim. A little something familiar, and pleasant that take me away from the day-to-day struggles of everyday living. Where the entire cast has more going on in a 90-120 min performance than I do in a 24 hour day.
Knowing nothing about Chess, I was completely taken aback by the story line and the brilliant casting for this fast-paced electric musical ( dare I say ) comedy.
Aaron Tviet portrays Freddy Trumper with such ease and grace that watching him perform is almost like he doesn’t need to try at all. He is a phenomenal performer, and genuine talent that most generations will never see.
Both Leah and Nicolas were not performing, which at first was disappointing. This quickly changed when their understudies became the stars. It’s no secret that stars need a break, but when the understudies have to perform 8 days a week and then have to be on standby mode at all times in these situations; you need to give an award to Samatha Pollino and Sean Maclaughlin for how they CARRIED the show.
But the true talent who took me by surprise, was the quick witted and charismatic Bryce Pinkham. His performance kept me laughing, engaged, and wanting more.
The ensemble, pit, stage crew, and all those who worked on this show gave 100%, and it’s no wonder it has received the attention and recognition it deserves. 10/10 from two theatre kids who celebrated their 15 year anniversary.
Chess is an absolute triumph. "
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Matthew C from Easton on May 25, 2026
Great revival!
"Thought this was a worthy revival of the Cold War epic. Wasn’t sure it would translate, but it’s actually more relevant today than I thought. Although no cast can touch the original West End cast, this one came close…looking forward to the Tonys to see if the nominees from this cast can pull it out. Definitely catch Lea Michelle while you can!"
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Gerald P from Whitinsville on May 24, 2026
Seamless interweaving
"I loved the seamless interweaving of political turmoil with human emotions and the beliefs of the chess players. Also, felt like we could relate quite a bit of chaos going on now.
Most of all I just loved the range of singing voices of both Lea Michelle and Nicholas Christopher.
In all, every single member of the entire musical crew did a fantastic job 🥰🥰🥰"
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Broadway.com Customer on May 24, 2026
Remarkable show
"This show was magic. Such a wonderful story filled with laughter and tears. It hits on everything you want out of a broadway musical - great songs, witty humor, and true emotion from each and every actor. I came in knowing nothing about the plot and left with tears streaming and an enormous smile on my face. Run, don’t walk, to see the revival of Chess. "
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Emily B from New York on May 23, 2026
Wow, it was truly amazing
"Travelled from Sweden to do a trip on my own and decided to book Chess on my last night in New York. Though I’m a huge fan of both Björn & Benny, Tim Rice and Lea Michele (since Glee) I had high hopes, and they did not disappoint. So impressed by the whole ensemble. Wow! I left the Imperial in tears. Happy tears! Go see it!!"
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Pearl Ă… from Bromma on May 23, 2026
Must see show!
"Absolutely stunning dancing, singing was incredible. Great story!"
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Broadway.com Customer on May 23, 2026
Can you hold a note for 25 seconds?
"What an amazing show! I saw the original version in the 1990s, and this updated version was incredible. The jokes, the story, the actors were all great! No wonder they were nominated for 5 Tony Awards. "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 22, 2026
Fantastic Show & Talent
"It was everything I hoped it would be. I am a big Aaron Tveit fan, but now have added Nicholas Christopher to the list. Lea was also phenomenal and should have been nominated for a Tony. Bryce Pinkham was awesome, too! I loved the humor he brought to the otherwise serious topic of the Cold War."
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Broadway.com Customer on May 22, 2026
CHESS , a cold war musical
"I had the opportunity last night to see the new revival in Broadway of CHESS, the musical.
When this ABBA musical (written by the 2 men of the group) was first performed in NY, it did not do well. The music is awesome, but the book had its critics.
Well this time, it is still the same story, but the narrator/referee (a quirky Bruce Pinkham), has some great new lines to make this production much more current, although it plays out during the cold war period of the '80s! đź‘Ź Bruce absolutely deserves his Tony nomination!
The orchestration and band is also amazing! Well done to Tony nominated, Brian Usifer. Stay till the very end for a brilliant guitar solo!!
The lighting by Kevin Adams is also spectacular, a category that also received a Tony nomination.
The lead actor, Nicholas Christopher, steals the show and gives an emotional, brilliant performance of the Russian, Anatoli, and he absolutely deserves his Tony nomination and should probably win it by a mile and more!! đź‘Ź
Hannah Cruz as the astranged Russian wife delivers in only 23 minutes in tour de fource that gave her a Tony nomination as featured actress as well.
Aaron Tveit is the arrogant US Chess player and gives his all in the performance. Lea Michelle also excells as Florence, but unfortunately no Tony nomination yet again. Why?
The biggest controversy however is that Chess did not get a nomination for Best Musical Revival. There were not enough revivals this year and only 3 were allowed to be nominated. This is a travesty.
If you are in New York and want to see a brilliant performance, go and see this new revival of Chess! You will not be disappointed! 👏🔥🥇"
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Roswill M from Carlisle on May 21, 2026
Terrific show!
"We were so happy to see this show, since I have wanted to see a full production for about 30 years, and it exceeded expectations!
The three leads were excellent, especially Nicholas Christopher. Ensemble was terrific, dancing was energetic, and of course, the score was fabulous. Highly recommend!"
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STEWART M from GREENSBORO on May 21, 2026
We loved this show!
"My wife travels to New York quarterly for work; we see a play each time we come. This was the top we've attended! The performances were amazing -- across the board. It was quite a treat to watch the orchestra in action, arrayed above the stage. The story was propulsive. The narrator type role was very funny. The songs were full throated. The only downsides - some needless profanity, and some of the song lyrics were hard to follow. But mere quibbles - we highly recommend this wonderful show! "
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dean p from falls church on May 20, 2026
Witty and satirical musical
"It integrates international intrigue with chess and love. Also adds some very timely asides that apply today. "
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AGUSTIN L from BOYNTON BEACH on May 20, 2026
Incredible performances
"I have been obsessed with the music from this show since I was little but had never seen the whole play before. I was not disappointed. The cast is so talented, the singing is absolutely stunning and the acting was excellent too. I especially enjoyed the Narrator, even though this character was not in the original. The staging and dancing worked for me, and I didn’t mind the changes that were made to update and clarify the story. The only negatives for me were that there wasn’t much chemistry between Florence and Anatoly so I wasn’t as invested in that relationship, and the downplaying of his marriage took all the tension out of the love triangle. I was thrown by the change in the ending as well, but none of this took away from my enjoyment. It’s a beautiful production with a hugely talented cast, compelling story, and great music. I would definitely see it again."
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Broadway.com Customer on May 17, 2026
Best show ever.
"Saw this show first London in 1987. Loved it ever since. "
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Andrew L from Royersford on May 17, 2026
Life changing
"The show was absolutely perfection. From the first notes to the last notes, the level of talent was incredible. The narrator was an absolute highlight of the show alongside the astounding vocals from the stars. I would absolutely go see this as many times as possible if I could. "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 17, 2026
42 years in the making
"42 years ago when I was 10, my dad bought the soundtrack after listening to One Night In Bangkok on the radio. I became OBSESSED with the music. The show was only in London back then. In high school I turned my best friend into the music. We know every single word by heart! I finally got to see this yesterday WITH my best friend AND my two adult daughters. Nicholas Christopher absolutely STOLE the show with his amazing voice. I sobbed at the second to last number. This was such an incredible show and I am so grateful to everyone that made this happen so we could see this!"
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Jessica C from Mashpee on May 17, 2026
Incredible - a total “Checkmate”
"Vocals were perfection. Orchestration brought me to tears. Quite honestly exceeded every expectation I had, as a 35 year devotee of this show!!! Run, don’t walk - it is leaving soon!!"
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Julie B from Marietta on May 17, 2026
A Wonderful Period Piece
"Those of us of a certain age remember nonviolent "Cold War" competitive activities between the US and the USSR, of which the game of chess was a prominent example. This musical brings these to light. The plot is pretty straightforward in many ways, but it's backed up by varied songs and production numbers which still feel very fresh after all these years, and by killer performances. We had the understudy for Ms. Michele's role, but she delivered just fine--I've learned over the years never to balk at understudies, as there are many more good actor/singers than there are roles! And overall, I liked the updates as provided by the narrator, especially given the unfortunately coincidental name of one of the characters! "
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Stanley S from Miami on May 16, 2026
SO happy I made the trip to NYC for this!
"I have not been to New York for over 25 years, but knew I would do anything to get to see Chess. I made the plans and got to see the show, and it was truly one of the best shows I have seen. The talent was extraordinary, story was fun and interesting, set was amazing. Nothing about this was a disappointment and I could not be more thrilled I got to see it. Wish I could see it again and again! "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 15, 2026
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About
Chess
Chess is the iconic musical where 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.
