Broadway’s “Chess” Makes a Comeback

It’s all about the long haul!

The cult classic musical “Chess,” which boasts a popular soundtrack featuring two members of ABBA, had a short run on Broadway with only 68 performances before closing in 1988. Now, nearly 40 years later, it is back in the spotlight.

The revival’s box office opened this past Monday, drawing fans to the Imperial Theater as early as 3 AM to grab tickets and limited edition posters signed by stars like Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher.

(Only the first 50 buyers received those exclusive posters, resulting in a line stretching along West 45th Avenue before dawn.)

I heard about one dedicated fan who even slept in their car!

An insider mentioned, “There was a group of women who had already secured tickets online but came back for more,” and one fan even brought the original Broadway program.

In a fitting twist of nostalgia, Michele made her Broadway debut 30 years ago in “Les Misérables” at the same theater.

The show depicts a tense Cold War chess tournament between two grandmasters, featuring music and lyrics by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tony Award winner Tim Rice.

The original soundtrack had the hit “Bangkok, One Night,” which peaked at number three in 1985, right before the show’s West End run.

This revival includes a fresh script by notable screenwriter Danny Strong, whose credits include “Dope Sick,” “The Empire,” and “Game Change,” with Michael Mayer directing the new production.

It seems the buzz around Broadway is back, with stars like Michele, James Corden, Neil Patrick Harris, Bobby Cannavale, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, and Kristin Chenoweth all involved this season.