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Chess In Concert - PBS 6/17

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SardonicallyIrrelevant

Chess In Concert - PBS 6/17

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(06/02/09 10:52 PM)

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I figured there were enough theater fans around here to make a thread for this. I know I'm excited!

Chess Concert with Idina Menzel and Josh Groban to Air on PBS on June 17

By: Brian Scott Lipton · May 26, 2009 · New York

Idina Menzel<br>
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

Idina Menzel
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

PBS will air the Royal Albert Hall concert presentation of the musical Chess on Wednesday, June 17. A special free screening of the telecast will be held that night at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe.

The show, which is written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, with book and lyrics by Tim Rice, involves a romantic triangle between two players in a World Chess Championship, and the woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.

The concert, which occurred in May 2008, stars Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, Kerry Ellis, Adam Pascal, David Bedella, Marti Pellow, and Clarke Peters. Both a CD and a DVD of the concert are scheduled to be released in June as well.

http://www.theatermania.com/new-york/news/05-2009/chess-concert-with-idina-menzel-and-josh-groban-to_19300.html

seaguy

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(06/02/09 11:12 PM)

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OooO0ooOH!!! Thanks SI. The music for Chess is fucking awesome.

willsucks402

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(06/02/09 11:16 PM)

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hmmm after listening to the london recording sooo many times not sure if i will like hearing others sing it. But I will watch!

MsJulieR

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(06/02/09 11:25 PM)

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are they the 2 Abba guys?

seaguy

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(06/02/09 11:25 PM)

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MsJulieR wrote:
are they the 2 Abba guys?

Yep! The song "One Night in Bangkok" is from this musical.

CUBic Zirconiyum

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(06/03/09 12:03 AM)

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Musical theater is nice... but I'm in it for the chess. I'm on the en passant course to your love, my dear.

3hairsandyouremine

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(06/03/09 04:04 AM)

I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.

factoryhurl

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(06/03/09 06:05 AM)

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i saw chess in its short broadway run. it was way too long but i love the music. thanks for the heads up, tho josh groban

factoryhurl

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(06/03/09 06:08 AM)

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Xhosa1980

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(06/03/09 07:01 AM)

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I loved the original production and always wondered why it didn't a long run on Broadway. DVR has been set.

dissimilis

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(06/03/09 07:13 AM)

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It didnt run long on Broadway because the Broadway production was horrible, they changed everything that was good about the original London production (which was also extremely flawed.) If only Michael Bennett hadn't died before he could stage the show, combine him and the score and the show would have been brilliant.

I've seen clips of this already and I'm going to watch, but it will be hard to watch Idina screech her way through this great score, hearing her sing "Nobody's Side" is painful.

maadx

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(06/03/09 07:16 AM)

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omg YAY for this!!!

Thanks SI

Shagnanigans

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(06/03/09 07:26 AM)

I'm not drunk

Chess has been changed so much over the years, I don't even know how it goes these days.

I like Idina, but don't love her and I kinda wish someone else was singing Florence. In clips I've seen, Groban sings the Russian very well and his acting is improving.

There's a version floating around on youtube with Josh singing the Russian and Raul Esparza as the Arbiter. <3

maxxfisher

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(06/03/09 07:39 AM)

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If there's no Murray Head then I'm not there

factoryhurl

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(06/03/09 07:44 AM)

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dissimilis

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(06/03/09 08:01 AM)

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Shagnanigans wrote:
In clips I've seen, Groban sings the Russian very well and his acting is improving.

This was his 3rd (and maybe 4th) concert where he plays the Russian, so he def should have the part down pat by this point. He definitely sings "Anthem" very well, and thats the song you need to nail in that role.

seaguy

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(06/03/09 08:18 AM)

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�I didn't see either the London or BWay performances, but I heard the same thing Dis. That they really changed it too much. I saw both versions of "Bombay Dreams", in London and BWay and it was like 2 different shows. The London version was better.

"Anthem" is such a great song. Have you ever heard Linda Eder sing it? Amazing.

Anyone remember this version of "One Night in Bangkok"??� <3

factoryhurl

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(06/03/09 08:35 AM)

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Shagnanigans

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(06/03/09 08:53 AM)

I'm not drunk

Judy Kuhn has such a beautiful clear voice, great range, but I've never liked her acting.

In a youtube clip I saw, they had the arbiter singing The Story of Chess. In London, it was a chorus number at the end, and in the OBC, it was Gregor at the beginning. Have they done away with Gregor in the current version? I never thought his role was necessary. London may have had some rough patches but the Broadway plot tweakings were so cheesy.

dissimilis

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(06/03/09 08:55 AM)

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There is no more Gregor as far as I know...Tim Rice hated the Broadway version so much he has gotten rid of pretty much any changes that were made for Broadway.

From people I know who have seen the currently licensed version, they say it falls somewhere between what you hear in the Original Concept Album and what you would have seen on stage in the Original London Production.

Shagnanigans

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(06/03/09 09:05 AM)

I'm not drunk

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Do the chess players get to keep their names? Because Anatoly is cliche and Freddy didn't sound badass at all.

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Chess In Concert - PBS 6/17

Chess In Concert - PBS 6/17

Chess Concert with Idina Menzel and Josh Groban to Air on PBS on June 17