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JoJo Reacts to Broadway's Chess Closing Announcement Hours Before Starting Rehearsal
Producers said weak box office and missed Tony recognition led to the shutdown, and the show will not recoup its investment.
- Broadway's Chess will close June 21, ending its revival three months earlier than expected and marking the final performance of star Lea Michele in the role of Florence Vassy.
- Box office revenues declined sharply since the production peaked at $2,066,742 last fall, with recent weekly grosses dropping to $585,803 when Michele took vacation in April and attendance falling to around 70% capacity.
- Michele and costar Aaron Tveit were snubbed entirely when Tony nominations were announced in early May, despite widespread critical acclaim, with the production failing to score a Best Revival nomination.
- Singer Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque learned of the closure just hours before she was scheduled to begin rehearsals June 23 as Michele's replacement, commenting "Was supposed to start first day of rehearsals TODAY."
- Producers Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens and The Shubert Organization called the revival 'an enormous privilege,' reflecting that bringing Chess back to Broadway for the first time in nearly 40 years honored both longtime and new audiences.
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The new production of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Chess" is being closed on Broadway earlier than expected - and will be at a loss.
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Lea Michele’s ‘Chess’ Closing Early on Broadway After Her Tony Awards Nomination Snub
The Broadway revival of Chess will close earlier than scheduled. According to a report by Variety, published on Tuesday, May 26, the show will see curtains fall for good on June 21 when its star, Lea Michele, was already confirmed to be departing the production. The news comes after the Cold War musical, which debuted in London’s West End in May 1986, failed to garner a 2026 Tony Award nomination in the category of Best Performance by an Actress…
·New York, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left3Leaning Right2Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Center
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources are Center
45% Center
L 33%
C 45%
R 22%
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