Chess: Musical Info & Synopsis


Synopsis:

Chess explores the intense world of international chess competitions against the backdrop of political intrigue and the Cold War era. The story revolves around the rivalry between two chess grandmasters, the American Freddie Trumper and the Russian Anatoly Sergievsky. As they face off in a high-stakes championship, their personal lives become entangled with love, betrayal, and loyalty. Chess explores themes of power, competition, and the cost of ambition.


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Musical Information

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)

Cast Size: 15+

Genre: Drama

Setting: 1950s, 1980s / Hungary, Thailand, USA


Creative Team

Music: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

Lyrics: Tim Rice

Book: Richard Nelson


Cast Albums

Original Recording (1984)➝

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Concert Cast (1994)➝

Royal Albert Hall Concert Cast (2009)➝


Resources

Audition Songs: Theatre Trip

Licensing: Concord Theatricals➝

Sheet Music: Amazon➝


Tags

1980s, Classical, Dramatic, Epic, Narrator, One Word, Politics, Pop, RockSung-Through, True Story


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