"This show has been near and dear to my heart since the concept album came out in the 80s. I’ve never seen it live and was very excited. There are terrific performances. A terrific band. And some good fixes to the book. However. It’s very stripped down and really nothing more than an off book concert version of the show. The new songs weren’t necessary. And the ending is a let down. But an incredible score that deserves to be heard. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Dec 18, 2025
The 3 Main Characters are great
"The voices are amazing. The songs only so so. The orchestra was so loud that few words could be understood. More background on the characters would have been helpful. Choppy plot. The dancers were fantastic but seemed to really be overplaying their role."
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Broadway.com Customer on Dec 10, 2025
Opera??
"I really wanted to love this show, and I would have if I could have understood the lyrics to the songs. Unfortunately, the range was “operatic” — performed in a very high range — which made it EXTREMELY difficult to understand the lyrics and keep up with the story. The VERY BEST part of the whole show was the Opening Number of the Second Half — ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK! It was TERRIFIC!!! "
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Broadway.com Customer on Nov 7, 2025
Check out
"I liked the storyline; staging; choreography and some of the softer music.
Didn’t like the musical numbers that much. Too much music that sounded screechy and piercing. More dialogue would improve the production and less musical numbers."
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Andrea K from New York on Nov 6, 2025
The show is too long
"The actors are amazing with fabulous voices. The show was not captivating for me. I did like seeing the orchestra on upper stage. Lots of beautiful duets. I judge a show by would I want to see it again. No. Many Broadway shows, I’ve seen multiple times. I saw Hell’s Kitchen at the matinee same day. I would love to see it again and again. Not Chess, but it is an interesting historical and metaphorical lesson. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Oct 26, 2025
Great cast and way too long.
"It was too long. First act was good. Second act had too many ballads and the show dragged on. Voices were strong choreography was great. Just too long. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 18, 2026
A lot of noise and a depressing storyline
"Great voices throughout the ast and ensemble, but absent of heart. Felt very “stagey” and overblown. I grew up during the Cold War, but felt a strong disconnect between the storyline and world events of the time. The only compassionate character was Anatoly's wife Svetlana. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 4, 2026
Not worth it
"Nothing memorable, story is weak, can’t understand the chorus"
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Broadway.com Customer on Dec 28, 2025
Great singing. Terrible revision
"The singing was great. The revision of the story was a mess. They tried to make it a bit “camp” but also a new storyline. It didn’t work. And nobody cared about the character. Glad they could sing. And even worse. Not even 1980s dance moves. As if they couldn’t take the time to look back at earlier productions or the times. Just. Painful. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 14, 2026
Sadly disappointed!
"Four of us went with great expectations. We didn't enjoy the score although Nicholas Christopher's performance was spectacular while Lea Michele's voice left us expecting goosebumps but feeling blah. The arbiter's attempt to update the story was flat and unnecessary. While others may have different views, it's certainly not a show that we will recommend to friends and family."
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Broadway.com Customer on Nov 21, 2025
Wish I had brought earplugs.
"I wanna begin by paying due respect to the entire cast, the band, and the production team… My critique of this performance should not be viewed as a commentary on their hard work and talent.
BUT…the music, to me, was boring and drab. I want to leave a Broadway musical trying to mediate the fight that the ear worms in my head are having as they are all trying to hum their favorite song….but I couldn’t remember one good song even two minutes after the show ended. (“Bangkok” doesn’t count as we’ve all been listening to that song for 30+ years.)
Just because it’s a musical, the producers and director shouldn’t feel the need to stuff 25 songs down our throats…. Ummm, ahem…ears! Truly, some of the songs were so fabricated it hurt to pay attention.
Final critique…it’s ok to send me home after 2 performance hours…. Stop insulting the audience with repeated plot themes and story-line conflicts. More is not more! The show was insufferably long.
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michael h from Katonah on Nov 17, 2025
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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.
