Review Roundup: CHESS Opens At The Muny Starring Jessica Vosk, Taylor Louderman, Jarrod Spector & More
The Muny is presenting Chess through July 11.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 07, 2023
The Muny is presenting Chess through July 11. Read reviews for the production below!
The cast features Jessica Vosk (Florence Vassy), Jarrod Spector (Frederick Trumper), John Riddle (Anatoly Sergievsky), Taylor Louderman (Svetlana Sergievskaya), Rodney Hicks (Walter De Courcey), Tally Sessions (Alexander Molokov), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Arbiter), Annelise Baker, Jett Blackorby, Eric Allen Boyd, Sydney Chow, Cicily Daniels, Spencer Dean, Matt Faucher, Anna Gassett, Brian Golub, Omega Jones, Sydney Jones, Gareth Keegan, Sage Lee, Daniel May, Brady Miller, Trina Mills, Alysha Morgan, Kristen Faith Oei, Alex Prakken, Emilie Renier, Shelby Ringdahl, Michael Seltzer and Avilon Trust Tate. The company is joined by the Muny Teen and Muny Summer Intensive Teen ensembles.
This Muny premiere is led by director/choreographer Josh Rhodes, associate director/choreographer Lee Wilkins, with music director and conductor Jason DeBord and associate music director Michael Horsley.
The design team leading this production includes scenic design by Edward E. Haynes, Jr., costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Alex Basco Koch, wig design by Tommy Kurzman, with production stage manager Kelsey Tippins.
Before Mamma Mia!, members of the pop group ABBA teamed up with Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King, Evita) to create a dynamic drama centered around the world chess championship; mirroring the 1980s Cold War tensions of USA vs. Soviet Russia. The dazzling and beautiful pop rock score became a worldwide smash, including the hit single “One Night in Bangkok.” Chess makes its move to St. Louis (home of the first world championship) and onto the Muny stage for the first time, as the game's long history continues to rise in popularity.
James Lindhorst, BroadwayWorld: While this Muny production is more similar to the original West End production in London versus the Broadway rewrite, CHESS is still more of a concert-like production. While the actors, ensemble and orchestra perform this material masterfully, the story doesn’t fully capture the competitive nature of the Chess champions or the tensions of the cold war. The love story is slightly more compelling, but the lack of a well-written and emotional narrative does not allow the audience to fully connect to the story and softens the overall production. This production of CHESS is a must-see for those who love this score. This is not a musical that packs a powerful emotional wallop.
Guide for Geek Moms: The highlight of The Muny’s Chess musical was the outstanding music and choreography. The songs, composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA, were breathtaking. Each number was sung with soulful emotion, perfectly capturing the complex emotions of the characters. The orchestrations and arrangements were also top-notch, adding depth and richness to the performances.
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