Chess is a Few Moves Ahead of its Time

Chess is just one of those shows in the theatre community. Everyone has an opinion on it, but not many people have actually seen it. It has this reputation for having a fabulous score and a crazy mixed up mess of a story line. I've learned the writers have basically been tweaking the story line for the last 20 years, and are still no closer to cracking it than they were when it was first written. As you can imagine, based on these issues, it's not revived very often. But for this same reason, it's the perfect inaugural show for the Broadway CenterStage series - Kennedy Center's answer to New York's City Center Series. Their plan is to revive shows that aren't revived often and give them a concert staging for one short week. It's a win-win for us here in the DMV - Broadway caliber talent, without having to make the trek to NYC (not that I mind doing that at all...)

So how exactly was Chess then? I absolutely loved it, even though I'm not entirely sure what I was seeing. I haven't been able to get the songs out of my head all week, but still what story are they trying to tell? My feelings are complicated, much like the plot of the show...

The staging was supposed to be more of a concert with stand-up microphones and playbooks at the ready, but as it is with City Center, there was enough choreography to satisfy anyone who was expecting a full production. The actors still held tight to their scripts - after all, they had only 2 weeks to prepare - but for some of the bigger numbers, they dropped the scripts and jumped into the action. Some of these numbers worked. "One Night in Bangkok" for instance was a perfect antithesis for the rest of show. It was loud and fun and surprising to say the least. I think my first thought was "What's happening? And my second was, "This is awesome!"  While other numbers, like the interpretive dance number towards the end of the evening which I believe was supposed to implicate the game of chess, were a little less useful to the plot.

Chess Production Photo - Kennedy Center

However, the producer's choice of trained dancers in the ensemble was a perfect addition to this stunning cast. The choreography was definitely a highlight. Then there was the main cast. And oh what a main cast there was! It was full of Broadway powerhouses. I'm not sure I could have cast this performance any better in my dreams. Raul Esparza - the crazy (like a fox?) Trumper - played his part with bravado and flair, and went for it in every one of his numbers. He's just so incredibly talented. I spent most of the show dreaming of a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar with him in the lead, based on his belting of this Tim Rice score. Can't you just see it? Broadway producers, take note!

Ramin Karimloo's Anatoly, was quieter and less in your face, but no less powerful. He was the perfect rival for the insane Trumper. And also, I spent a great deal of time casting him as Judas in Superstar. There's a chance I just really want to see Superstar back on Broadway sometime soon... Karen Olivo as the torn between two lovers Florence was truly a force to be reckoned with. Her solo performance brought the house down. (Maybe she could be Mary Magdalene...Ok I'll stop now) Bryce Pinkham as the arbiter, narrating the action was perfectly cast. His nervousness and humor worked well. He provided some of the funniest lines of the show with flair.  Bradley Dean & Sean Allan Krill, as the KGB and CIA agents respectively brought menace and humor to the piece. Their manipulation of the plot and the characters alike was complicated, much like chess - which I'm assuming was on purpose.

This chess game of a story, centered on two world-champion players, and their love of the same woman, with some added dramatic elements throughout, which may or may not have been needed, depending on who you ask. Added to that, their countries were in the midst of the cold war. It's hard to believe that Russia and the US used Chess as a way to resolve their differences, but I just went with it. It may have been convoluted, but it was also semi-true. So then, you may ask, what wasn't there to like? It can be summed up in two words: sound design.

Chess Production Photo - Kennedy Center

I thought it just may have been me, but it turns out most people in the audience had no idea what was happening because you couldn't understand a word the actors were singing. The sound design was so bad, that I missed pretty much the entire plot just trying to decipher the lyrics. The actors could be heard when they were speaking, but the second the fantastic on-stage orchestra began playing, you lost the thread. Because this is a "rock" show, many of the songs are belted, so that may have affected what we were hearing. But the show has always been a rock show, so the sound designers should have accounted for that. It's just unfortunate that the work of such a talented cast, was minimized by something as technical as microphones.

In the end though, I still loved it. I'm dreaming of seeing it again with this same cast, un-aided by terrible sound issues. And I'm even willing to chalk the sound issues up to growing pains. I can't wait to see where the Kennedy Center is planning to take this series. They've already planned out the next two shows in this season (In the Heights & How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying), which should be amazing, but I'm waiting to see what surprises they have up their sleeves for next season. Maybe, just maybe a fresh revival of Jesus Christ Superstar could be in the works. If so, I already have the perfect cast. A girl can dream...