‘Chess’ is making a comeback at the CNY Playhouse
In a room hidden upstairs at ShoppingTown Mall, the cast members of “Chess” were snacking, chatting and laughing after a long day of constructing the set for their show, set to debut next month.
The musical was created by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA, as well as Tim Rice. Largely influenced by 1980s rock but still maintaining the integral elements of Broadway opera, this score is one that cast members agree is “totally awesome,” said ensemble member Hali Greenhouse.
“Chess” opens April 13 at CNY Playhouse in DeWitt. The show will run through April 28, and tells a story that combines the influences of history, politics, love and, “only a small influence in the actual, athletic sport of chess,” Greenhouse said.
The story of “Chess” takes place during the Cold War era, and involves a politically-driven chess tournament between American grandmaster Freddie Trumper and Russian grandmaster Anatoly Sergievsky, as well as their fight over the heart of the same woman. The presence of chess in this show functions as a powerful symbol that allegorically reflects the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the 1980s.
The complexity of a story like this can appear daunting to a cast upon first read, Greenhouse said, but the cast gets along well, which helps.
“There is no drama, which is important in a show like this where there are already many tensions between love interests and in the political atmosphere,” Greenhouse said.
Garrett Robinson plays Alexander Molokov, and said he is honored to be part of the cast.
“There’s so much talent in the room. It’s insane,” he said.
Paul Thompson, who plays Freddie Trumper, echoed this sentiment. He said people should buy tickets to see the show’s “killer cast” and “star-studded leads.”
The show will be director Robert Searle’s fourth time working on “Chess,” and he said that every experience he’s had directing the show has been different.
The musical has undergone multiple alterations. “Chess” initially debuted in the West End in 1986, and recently experienced a resurgence with the adaptation “Chess in Concert” in 2008. This performance starred popular performers including Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban, Searle said.
The distinctions Searle mentioned between CNYP’s production and past ones have little to do with changes to script and score, and much to do with the context in which the show is being carried out today. Searle said his intrigue was sparked by the show’s growing relevance in the current political climate.
“The idea of bringing the show back out again, it intrigued me, but also because of the current political climate with everything between Russia and the U.S.,” Searle said. “It seemed like it was at the point where, while not the same as it was back in the early ‘80s, but that same feeling of tension was back.”
But Searle doesn’t want political undertones of “Chess” to overshadow the beauty of its storyline. He cited one of Anatoly Sergievsky’s lines in the show where he is responding to criticisms of his decision to leave the Soviet Union: “I’m not leaving, I’m following my heart.”
“That’s the message that I want people to take away, is, follow your heart,” Searle said. “That’s the most important thing.”