In this episode of Half Hour, we take a deeper dive into the new Broadway revival of CHESS at the Imperial Theatre, examining how the latest book rewrites and the use of a narrator reshape the show’s Cold War love triangle. We look at how the score by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice now sits alongside the revised scenes, asking whether the music and storytelling finally feel in sync.

We discuss the overall production under director Michael Mayer, from the staging and design team to what’s working in the casting, with particular attention to Nicholas Christopher’s Anatoly and Hannah Cruz’s Svetlana. Along the way, we raise the question of whether Broadway audiences are being dumbed down, dig into this revival’s Tony chances, and wrap up with their “Half-Minute” segment, each highlighting one specific moment that stayed with us.

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