The Broadway revival of Chess will close June 21 after over 250 performances
NEED TO KNOW
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Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher star in the production, which received five 2026 Tony Award nominations
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JoJo Levesque was set to join the cast but will no longer debut due to the show’s early closing date
The celebrated revival ofChessis heading toward checkmate.
Producers announced Tuesday that the buzzy Broadway revival will play its final performance June 21 at the Imperial Theatre after more than 250 shows.
The production — which starsAaron Tveit,Lea MicheleandNicholas Christopher— earned five Tony Award nominations earlier this month, thoughnotably missed out on a nod for Best Revival of a Musical.
Michele was also shockingly absent from the Best Leading Actress in a Musical category despite strong reviews and audience praise for her performance.
The closing announcement also comesjust weeks after PEOPLE revealedthatJoanna “JoJo” Levesquewould succeed Michele in the production beginning June 23. But with the musical now set to close June 21, the multi-hyphenate talent — known for her 2004 hit “Leave (Get Out)” — will no longer join the cast.
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This marked the first timeChesshas been revived on Broadway. Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), the new take on the fan-favorite musical — with a score from EGOT-winning lyricist Tim Rice and songwritersBenny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA fame)— features a book byDopesickcreator Danny Strong.
It's also marked the first time Michele has been back on the boards sinceher celebrated run in the 2022 revival ofFunny Girl.Tveit, a Tony winner forMoulin Rouge! The Musical, and Christopher, who has starred inHamiltonandMiss Saigon, were both last seen on Broadway in the 2023 revival ofSweeney Todd.
The production began previews on Oct. 15, 2025 and officially opened on Nov. 16 to strong box office numbers. It quickly became one of the season’s most buzzed-about revivals, and holds the distinction of being the final Broadway performance broadcast onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Among its Tony nominations were honors for Christopher's leading performance and the featured performances by Bryce Pinkham and Hannah Cruz.
That's a victory for a show that has long been one of Broadway’s most beloved underdogs.
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Set during a tense Cold War-era chess tournament between American grandmaster Freddie Trumper and his Soviet rival Anatoly Sergievsky,Chessfollows the romantic and political fallout when the tournament’s Hungarian-born arbiter, Florence Vassy, becomes entangled in a love triangle that threatens both the game and her past.
The show first debuted as a 1984 concept album featuring songs like “One Night in Bangkok,” “Anthem” and “I Know Him So Well,” before transferring to London’s West End in 1986 under the direction of Trevor Nunn.
While the production became a hit overseas,Chessstruggled on Broadway after arriving in 1988 with a heavily revised book by Richard Nelson. The musical closed after just two months, plagued by mixed reviews and behind-the-scenes creative clashes.
Despite its short-lived Broadway run,Chessgained a loyal following and has been regularly revived around the world in concert stagings, regional productions and high-profile benefits.
The 2026 revival was preserved in a recently released cast recording, now available in digital and streaming formats. The recording will be released on CD and vinyl later this year.
Chessalso stars Bradley Dean, Tony Award nominee Sean Allan Krill and an ensemble that includes Kyla Bartholomeusz, Daniel Beeman, Shavey Brown, Emma Degerstedt, Adam Halpin, Aliah James, Sydney Jones, David Paul Kidder, Sarah Michele Lindsey, Sean MacLaughlin, Robin Masella, Sarah Meahl, Michael Milkanin, Ramone Nelson, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, Michael Olaribigbe, Katerina Papacostas, Aleksandr Ivan Pevec, Samantha Pollino, Adam Roberts, Regine Sophia and Katie Webber.
In a statement, producers Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens and The Shubert Organization reflected on the production’s run, calling it “an enormous privilege” to bring the musical back to Broadway for the first time in nearly 40 years.
“We are immensely proud of the extraordinary work this cast and creative team have done in reimaginingChessfor a new generation of theatergoers while honoring the passionate fans who have championed this musical for nearly four decades,” the producers said.
"To see longtime fans and first-time audiences alike embrace this production so wholeheartedly has been incredibly rewarding for everyone involved and a powerful reminder of whyChesshas endured for so many years," they continued. "The opportunity to witness Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher perform this legendary score by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice alongside a company filled with some of Broadway’s most remarkable talent is something that will stay with audiences long after they depart the Imperial Theatre."
"We are extremely proud of everything this production accomplished during its historic Broadway run," they added.
Tickets for the final performances ofChessare on sale now.
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The Broadway revival of Chess will close June 21 after over 250 performances NEED TO KNOW Lea Michele, Aaron Tvei...
