Wharton Center & MSU to Open imaGen with CHESS – A Staged Concert

A key part of both Wharton Center's and the MSU Department of Theatre's missions are focused on creative collaboration. This idea has sparked a new artistic endeavor called the i?ma?Gen project. i?ma?Gen partners the MSU Federal Credit Union Institute for Arts & Creativity at Wharton Center with the MSU College of Arts and Letters' Department of Theatre and local high schools. Kirk Domer, Chair of the MSU Department of Theatre says, "It's a revolutionary program for MSU and high school students! It will allow them to work with Broadway professionals who regularly visit Wharton Center, and it will attract the highest- quality students providing them exposure to the discipline, focus and creative strength needed to nurture and sustain a thriving performing arts career."

CHESS - A Staged Concert is the inaugural i?ma?Gen production. Jen Werner, the Associate Director of The Book of Mormon - Worldwide Productions has been hired to direct CHESS - A Staged Concert which will be performed on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 in Wharton Center's Pasant Theatre. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 16th at 10:00 a.m. and are available at the official source to purchase Wharton Center tickets online, whartoncenter.com, at the Auto-Owners Insurance ticket office, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

The story is about two great chess masters, one American and one Russian, who compete to be the best in the world. But, their greatest contest is for the love of the same woman. This cult-rock musical explores love, loss and betrayal, and features the hit "One Night in Bangkok," along with songs "Heaven Help My Heart," "I Know Him So Well," "Pity the Child" and "Nobody's Side."

"Chess has a monumental score that will challenge students and entertain audiences," says Wharton Center's Associate Education Director Kris Koop Ouellette. "This is all very exciting. There's no program like it anywhere else in the country, and we are proud to offer it in Michigan first."

CHESS is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. CHESS Book by Richard Nelson, Lyrics by Tim Rice and Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.