'Chess' To Close On Broadway Next Month With Departure Of Lea Michele

Key Points:

• The Broadway revival of Chess will close early on June 21, three months ahead of its originally scheduled closing date of September 13, marking the final performance of star Lea Michele.
• Despite plans for Joanna “JoJo” Levesque to replace Michele starting June 23, producers announced the early closure due to declining ticket sales and financial losses, with the production unable to recoup its investment.
• Chess features Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher as rival Cold War chess grandmasters and has seen a steady decline in box office revenue since its peak in late 2025, with a significant drop during Michele’s April vacation.
• The revival received five Tony nominations but missed major categories such as Best Revival and did not earn nods for Michele or Tveit, indicating mixed critical reception despite praise for the cast and creative team.
• The production includes a new book by Danny Strong, music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with lyrics by Tim Rice, and is produced by Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens, and The Shubert Organization among others, with a recent cast recording released by Ghostlight Records.