Chess The Musical
You can learn chess. You can play chess. You can read chess books and watch chess movies or TV shows. You can even sing about chess on stage! That's what we are discussing in this article: Chess, the musical.
- What Is Chess The Musical?
- Where Can I Watch Chess The Musical?
- Who Wrote And Starred In Chess The Musical?
- When Did Chess The Musical Debut?
- Conclusion
What Is Chess The Musical?
The musical production Chess tells the story of a fictional world championship match during the Cold War. Soviet Anatoly Sergievsky (the reigning champion) and American Freddie Trumper (the challenger) aren't only fighting to become the best chess player, they also end up fighting after the same woman, Florence Vassy. There is also an espionage theme throughout the production.
Various plot points are even borrowed from real life chess events, including an incident with yogurt (yes, yogurt) in Act I which was based on a similar incident between GMs Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi in the 1978 World Championship!
Where Can I Watch Chess The Musical?
Chess is a stage production which enjoyed a revival on Broadway in 2025. Previews began October 15 and the official premier came on November 16. Tickets are available through May 3, 2026.
There have been multiple recorded versions of the music as well, for example the 1988 album with the original Broadway cast, which is available on streaming services in the United States.
Who Wrote And Starred In Chess The Musical?
Two members of the Swedish band ABBA, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeu, wrote the music, while the lyrics were written by Ulvaeu and Englishman Tim Rice. The 2025 revival starred Nicholas Christopher as Anatoly, Aaron Tveit as Freddy, and Lea Michele as Florence.
When Did Chess The Musical Debut?
Chess was performed on stage for several decades years prior to its 2025 Broadway revival, first appearing on London's West End in 1986. Its original Broadway run happened in 1988 before tours in both the United Kingdom and United States in 1990. Chess even ran in Moscow in 2020.
Conclusion
Now you know what Chess the musical is, its background, and more. You can even play the three main characters as bots on Chess.com!
Play the bots or buy tickets to Chess today!
