Today on Broadway: Monday, Nov. 17, 2025

Host: Matt Tamanini
Podcast: BroadwayRadio
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the official opening of the first-ever Broadway revival of the musical Chess at the Imperial Theatre. Host Matt Tamanini recaps initial critical responses, shares his own in-depth review of the production, and previews an action-packed week ahead for both Broadway and Off-Broadway, including notable new openings and closings. The tone is candid, nuanced, and tinged with the exhaustion of a Broadway critic recording late at night.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chess Broadway Revival: Opening & Critical Reception

[00:32–15:30]

• Creative Team & Cast

  • Music: Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulveas (of ABBA)
  • Lyrics: Tim Rice
  • Book: Danny Strong
  • Direction: Michael Mayer
  • Choreography: Lauren Lotaro
  • Leads: Nicholas Christopher (Anatoly), Lea Michele (Florence), Aaron Tveit (Freddy)
  • Supporting: Bryce Pinkham (Arbiter), Hannah Cruz (Svetlana), Bradley Dean, Sean Alan Krill, Ensemble

• Plot in Brief

  • Classic love triangle amid Cold War tensions as two chess champions—and the woman caught between—vie for victory, love, and loyalty.

• Critical Responses: Mixed at Best

  • Review aggregator Did They Like It?: 3 positive, 9 mixed, 3 negative.
  • New York Times (Elizabeth Mantantelli, Mixed):
    • "Parts of the show are absolutely thrilling and parts are flat at best, aggressively dumb at worst. At least Mayer's production… is not a bland bore…. I can feel the needle move toward the positive of the dial." [02:38]
  • Vulture (Sarah Holdren, Mixed):
    • "The song is such a ridiculous rush that it pretty much justifies the whole project. I left my heart and my wallet and my keys and my sobriety in this Bangkok and I'm okay with that. Who knew chess could get you so high?" [03:45]
  • Theatremania (David Gordon, Mixed):
    • "Chess has always been a great score in search of a good book… He hasn't [cracked the code], but it's nice to hear the score live." [04:32]
  • Entertainment Weekly (Shayna Russell, Mixed):
    • "Impeccable music, a flat story and a baffling execution. But the eternal contradiction of Chess is that while its flaws are many, it's still a delight to witness." [05:12]
  • Time Out New York (Adam Feldman, Negative):
    • "Plenty of good moves... But no checkmate. Once again, the show blows its assets shackled to storytelling that is arguably worse than ever. Chess goes down in forfeit." [05:45]
  • NY Daily News (Chris Jones, Positive):
    • "This is the Broadway show of the fall that some will claim to dislike and yet most everyone will enjoy, even if that has to be in secret." [06:09]
  • NY Post (Johnny Oleksinski, Negative):
    • "With hardly any helpful staging from director Michael Mayer… the endless production becomes totally reliant on the amplified up singing… to give it a boost. In Act 2... the very good Hannah Cruz becomes the first cast member to give acting a go." [06:30]

2. Matt Tamanini’s Own Review

[07:00–15:30]

• Matt (the host) shares:
  • Personal excitement for the revival, strong connection from seeing previous productions and concert stagings.
  • Finds Danny Strong’s new book “much better than some other people” give it credit for: "It's funny and it gives us a reason to care... It's more meta, more fourth-wall breaking... But because Bryce Pinkham plays the Arbiter who doubles as the narrator, it works."
    • "He does do a little channeling of John Mulaney… where he knows that everything he is saying is ridiculous, but because of that it makes it even more fun." [11:12]
  • Highlights: Bryce Pinkham’s charismatic Arbiter and Hannah Cruz as Svetlana (though noting her role is reduced).
  • Criticisms:
    • Removal of "Someone Else’s Story" from Svetlana and giving it to Florence: "It really does undermine Svetlana’s presence in the show." [12:05]
    • Leads sing nicely, but acting is "very surface level" and "the electricity… just isn’t there… it sounds safe and very unexciting."
      • "Anything they do is very surface level from an acting standpoint and to make this kind of ridiculous plot work, I think we needed something deeper than that." [13:22]
    • Nicholas Christopher’s Russian accent is distracting: "It's too bad because all the other Russian accents are very good and natural and not a problem at all. Nicholas's is not great and... it certainly undermines… his believability..."
    • Ensemble “completely unnecessary” and “over-choreographed.”
    • Ultimate verdict: “Fun to see ‘Chess,’ fun to hear the score, fun to see these people on stage together. But ultimately, it is a stalemate for me and nothing that is going to be incredibly memorable come Tony time.” [14:50]

3. What’s Opening and Closing This Week: Broadway & Off-Broadway Preview

[15:30–33:00]

Monday

• Off-Broadway Revival:

  • 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (New World Stages)

    • Starry cast: Felipe Arroyo, Autumn Best, Kevin McHale, Lily Cooper, etc.
    • Had its gala Sunday night; reviews embargoed until tonight.

  • Meet the Cartosians (Second Stage at Signature Theatre)

    • Written by Talon Monahan, directed by David Cromer, cast includes Andrea Martin
    • Story: Two sets of Armenian Americans across generations, blending real events and contemporary issues.

Tuesday

• Openings:
  • Practice (Playwrights Horizons; by Nazareth Hassan)
    • About actors and a manipulative director, "scathing, intricately observed take on power and surrender."
    • Noted for unusual structure: 2-hour act, 15-min intermission, 30-min second act.
  • The World of Tomorrow (The Shed)
    • Written by and starring Tom Hanks, based on his short stories. With Kelli O’Hara, directed by Kenny Leon.
    • "End-of-century scientist time travels to the 1939 New York World’s Fair."

Thursday

• Broadway Opening:

  • Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York (Longacre Theatre)

    • West End transfer, written by Jim Barn and Kit Buchan, directed & choreographed by Tim Jackson
    • "Sister of the bride and estranged son of the groom… A road trip, buddy comedy disguised as a rom-com." [31:36]

  • Off-Broadway Openings:

    • Gruesome Playground Injuries (Lucille Lortel Theater)
      • Starring Nicholas Braun and Kara Young, directed by Neil Pepe

  • Broadway Previews:

    • Marjorie Prime (Second Stage/Helen Hayes)
      • By Jordan Harrison, directed by Anne Kaufman
      • All-star cast: Danny Burstein, Cynthia Nixon, June Squibb, Christopher Lowell
      • Themes: aging, AI, memory, mortality

Friday–Sunday

• Film:

  • Wicked for Good (aka Wicked 2 Electric Boogaloo): official wide release in theaters Friday; previews begin Thursday. Links to ticket listings in show notes.

• Off-Broadway Closings:

  • Friday: HO Church (Ars Nova)
  • Saturday: Let's Love the Ethan Cohen Trio of One Acts (Atlantic Theatre; Aubrey Plaza)

• Sunday:

  • A Christmas Carol (Old Vic’s production Off-Broadway featuring Michael Cerveris)
  • Closings: The Honey Trap (Irish Rep; returns January), Oratorio for Living Things (Signature), The Other Americans (Public Theater/John Leguizamo), Tartuffe (House of the Redeemer; André De Shields)

4. Quick Recommendations & Fun Moments

[32:30–33:30]

• Sadie Sink & Lorde performed "Green Light" at a concert, tying back to John Proctor is the Villain (the show Sadie starred in).
• A new performance video: Cynthia Erivo sings "No Good Deed" from Wicked, joined by Misty Copeland (just retired from American Ballet Theatre).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Chess’s Meta Approach
  • "It's more meta, it's fourth wall breaking and I think in a lot of hands, that might be a little too much… But because Bryce Pinkham plays the Arbiter who doubles as the narrator, it works." (Matt, [11:02])
• On the Score versus Story
  • "Impeccable music, a flat story and a baffling execution. But… it's still a delight to witness." (Shayna Russell, [05:12])
• On the Show’s Lasting Impact
  • "Ultimately it is a stalemate for me and nothing that is going to be incredibly memorable come Tony time." (Matt, [14:50])
• On Reduced Role Impact
  • "It really does undermine Svetlana's presence in the show because she doesn't have this standout moment." (Matt, [12:05])
• On the Big Week Ahead
  • "If you feel like you have to go to the bathroom, go early because there is a fairly long wait until the break." (Matt, describing Practice, [28:08])
• Personal Touches
  • "I famously went to St. Louis to see the production a few years ago at the Muny… Who knows how often I was going to ever have the opportunity to see this show live." (Matt, [07:40])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:32] Opening & Recap of Matt's Reviewing Schedule
• [02:38] Chess Opening Night Critical Reactions
• [07:00] Matt Tamanini's Personal Review of Chess
• [15:30] This Week's Broadway & Off-Broadway Openings/Closings
• [32:30] Recommendations: Sadie Sink/Lorde, Cynthia Erivo/Misty Copeland
• [33:30] Show Close

Language & Tone

Matt’s language remains direct, playful, and honest, unafraid to mix critical bite with fan enthusiasm. He’s relatable, sharing his personal and professional experiences, and maintains a conversational, slightly weary tone – a seasoned theater journalist keen to deliver value for both Broadway insiders and everyday fans.

Summary

This episode of Today on Broadway offers a comprehensive rundown on the long-awaited Broadway revival of Chess. Matt blends aggregate critical reaction, detailed production analysis, and wry personal observations, concluding that while there's plenty to hear and a few flashes of fun, this Chess ultimately fails to deliver a checkmate. The rest of the episode previews a jam-packed week for New York theater, spanning stalwart revivals, buzzy Off-Broadway premieres, celebrity performances, and cultural touchstones destined for both stage and screen.