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CHESS

THE MAXBook by Richard Nelson
Music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Based on an Idea by Tim Rice
Directed by Eric Schaeffer

From the Composers of Mamma Mia! and the Lyricist of The Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar

"Musical theater nirvana! Makes you happy to be alive."
– The Washington Post

"Superb! Edgy performances, terrific voices and impeccable staging."
- Variety

1986. The two greatest chess masters – one American, one Russian – competing to be the best in the world. And yet their greatest contest is for the love of the same woman.

Amidst political intrigue and international conspiracies, American Freddie Trumper and Russian Anatoly Sergievsk fight to take the queen in a romantic triangle that mirrors the heightened passions of the Cold War.

Originally produced on Broadway in 1988, this Tony®-nominated cult rock musical explores the classic themes of love, loss and betrayal.

Featuring the hit single "One Night in Bangkok ", and unforgettable songs like "Anthem," "I Know Him So Well," "Nobody's Side," and "Pity the Child."

Chess is sponsored, in part, by Tony Garro, MD.

"One of the best rock scores ever produced in the theater!"
Time Magazine

EXTENDED THROUGH OCTOBER 3, 2010
Tickets for September 28 through October 3 available for sale starting Tuesday, September 7
View Seating Chart

Featuring Jeremy Kushnier (Signature’s The Rhythm Club and Broadway’s Footloose), Euan Morton (Broadway’s Sondheim on Sondheim and Taboo) and Jill Paice (Signature’s ACE and Broadway’s Curtains!)


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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CAST OF CHESS

Jonathan Atkinson (Ensemble) OFF-BROADWAY: The York Theatre: Finding Frida Kahlo (1st staged reading). NATIONAL TOURS : Kennedy Center : The Phantom Tollbooth, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka. EDUCATION: Boston Conservatory, 2006, Musical Theatre BFA.

Christopher Bloch (Gregor, Molokov) SIGNATURE: Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Merrily We Roll Along, Urinetown (Helen Hayes nomination), Twentieth Century, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. NATIONAL TOUR: The Buddy Holly Story. DC AREA: Ford’s: State of the Union, Meet John Doe, Shenandoah, Big River, 1776, A Christmas Carol; Arena: A Christmas Carol 1941 (Helen Hayes nomination), Damn Yankees, Black No More; Everyman: ART, Uncle Vanya, Jaques Brel…, Light Up the Sky; Olney: Cinderella, Carousel; Kennedy Center. REGIONAL: Guthrie Theatre , Virginia Stage, ACT (Seattle), Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Indiana Rep. FILM/TV: “West Wing” (Final Episode), “ Butler MN,” “Dakota Conflict,” “The Great Northfield Raid” (PBS), “Fast Food Films” (FX), WCBDC!, Star Wars audio (Lucas Productions).

 

Rachel Boyd (Young Florence ) SIGNATURE: Show Boat (Young Kim, Helen Hayes Award nomination0, Les Misérables (Young Cosette, Helen Hayes Award Ensemble). DC AREA: Round House: Story Theatre; Fairfax High School : Beauty and the Beast (Chip). SWING BAND: Radio King Orchestra, Featured Artist. FILM: Scarred, Embalming. EDUCATION: The Dance Company (Ballet/Tap/Jazz), The Center for Ballet Arts (Ballet/ Tap), Burnett Thompson (Piano).

 

Jamie Eacker (Ensemble/Assistant Choreographer) NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL TOUR: Kennedy Center : The Phantom Tollbooth; Phoenix Entertainment: Grease ( China ). DC AREA: Ford’s: A Christmas Carol; Studio: Grey Gardens, Jerry Springer: The Opera; Kennedy Center : NSO Pops; Washington Savoyards: The Music Man; Olney: Fiddler On the Roof; Keegan: DMLRR-The Oresteia. Toby’s: Hairspray, Aida, The Wizard of Oz, George M!, Footloose, Grease, Thoroughly Modern Millie; Imagination Stage: Miss Nelson Is Missing. EDUCATION: The American Musical and Dramatic Academy of NYC .

 

Eleasha Gamble (Svetlana/Dance Captain) SIGNATURE: First You Dream, Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award Winner, Best Ensemble), Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, Urinetown, Follies, Grand Hotel, Gospel According to Fishman, The Christmas Carol Rag, The Rink, Company. OFF-BROADWAY: Zipper Theatre: Under the Bridge. DC AREA: Ford’s: Civil War (Helen Hayes Award Winner, Outstanding Supporting Actress), Little Shop Of Horrors, A Christmas Carol, Meet John Doe; Kennedy Center : Broadway: Three Generations; Arena Stage: The Women of Brewster Place; Round House: Once On This Island (Helen Hayes nomination); Toby’s: Ragtime (Helen Hayes nomination). REGIONAL: Alliance Theatre: The Women of Brewster Place; Perseverance Theatre: Hair. CABARET: Partial Eclipse, Ebony & Ivory. RECORDINGS: Euan Morton’s New Clear. EDUCATION: Catholic University .

 

James Gardiner (Ensemble) SIGNATURE: [title of show] (Hunter), The Boy Detective Fails (21/24 Workshop) (Fenton), Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), Anyone Can Whistle in Concert (George), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Gabriel), Merrily We Roll Along ( Tyler , perf. Franklin Shepard u/s), The Witches of Eastwick (Michael Spofford), Saving Aimee. BROADWAY: Glory Days (book writer). DC AREA: Library of Congress: West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Concert; Olney: Call of the Wild (Buck); Woolly Mammoth/UM: The Distance From Here (Darrell); Kennedy Center : The Phantom Tollbooth (Mathemagician), The Brand New Kid (Lazlo); Round House: A Prayer for Owen Meany (Buzzy); Studio: Dog Sees God (Beethoven). REGIONAL: Williamstown Theatre Festival: Home Free! ( Lawrence ). FILM: Boys (Kellogg Curry Jr.). EDUCATION: University of Maryland , BA, Theatre.

 

Michael Kramer (Gregor) SIGNATURE: Poor Superman, In the Garden. DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: The Heavens Are Hung in Black; Theatre J: Benedictus, Central Park West & Riverside Drive, Miklat, Homebody/Kabul (with Woolly Mammoth Theatre); Kennedy Center TYA: Kite on the Wind, The Light of Excalibur; Shakespeare Theatre: Richard III, Twelfth Night, The Miser; EveryMan Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing; Theatre Alliance: The Lazarus Syndrome; Roundhouse Theatre: A Prayer for Owen Meany; African Continuum Theatre: Draft Day; Charter Theatre: A House in the Country; The Hub Theatre: We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!. AWARDS: 8 AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, Audie Nomination for audio book narration.

 

Jeremy Kushnier (Freddie) SIGNATURE: The Rhythm Club (2000 Helen Hayes nomination). BROADWAY: Footloose, Rent. TOUR: Jersey Boys, Rent, Aida, The Who’s Tommy. REGIONAL: Maine State Music Theater: The Full Monty; Kansas City Starlight: Jesus Christ Superstar; Prince Music Theater: Bright Lights Big City. DIRECTION: Rainbow Stage: Rent.

 

Gregory Maheu (Nikolai/Ensemble) SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd. NEW YORK : Momentum Rep.: Assassins; NYMF: The Toymaker. DC AREA: Kennedy Center : Ragtime. REGIONAL: Hangar Theatre: Hair; Heritage Rep: Sunday in the Park with George. EDUCATION: BFA, Elon University .

 

Katie McManus (Ensemble) SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett u/s, Ensemble), The Happy Time (u/s performed), My Audition Book. DC AREA: The Keegan Theatre: RENT (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), A Man of No Importance, Man of La Mancha; Kennedy Center : Songs of My Family (guest soloist with Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC); Washington Savoyards: The Music Man. OTHER DC AREA: 110 in the Shade; Nine; Side Show; Company; The Great American Trailer Park; A New Brain; Into the Woods; Curtains; Urinetown; Musical of Musicals: The Musical!; Honk!; Kiss Me, Kate; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

 

Euan Morton (Anatoly) SIGNATURE: Signature Sings: 1995-1999, Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret. BROADWAY: Sondheim on Sondheim, Cyrano De Bergerac, Taboo (Boy George). OFF-BROADWAY: Roundabout: Howard Katz (opposite Alfred Molina); Leaves of Grass. REGIONAL: Kansas City Rep: Moisés Kaufman’s Into the Woods; Public Theatre: Measure for Pleasure; New Victory Theatre: Brundibár; Berkeley Rep: Brundibár; Bay Street Theatre: The Who’s Tommy; New York Musical Theatre Festival: Caligula. FILM: Showbusiness: The Road to Broadway. CONCERTS: Oak Room at the Algonquin, Town Hall, the Metropolitan Room, the Zipper, Joe’s Pub, Birdland. RECORDINGS: NewClear. AWARDS: OBIE, NYMF, Nominations: Olivier, Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle , Drama League.

 

Christopher Mueller (Ensemble) SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd, The Hollow (21/24 Workshop), Giant (u/s), Kiss of the Spider Woman (u/s), In the Lion’s Den (Ulrich Weiss), My Audition Book, Revenge of the Understudies. NEW YORK : The Duplex: Paradise Reading. DC AREA: Arena: Redhand Guitar Workshop, Skindiver Reading; Imagination Stage: Disney’s Mulan; Kennedy Center : New Year’s Eve at The Kennedy Center, Souvenirs; Keegan Theatre: RENT (2009 Helen Hayes Award, Best Ensemble); Washington Savoyards: The Music Man. EDUCATION: BM, The Catholic University of America; The London Dramatic Academy.

 

Anna Grace Nowalk (Young Florence ) SIGNATURE: Show Boat (Young Kim), Les Misérables (Young Cosette, Helen Hayes Award, Best Ensemble). DC AREA: Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia: Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella. Choralis Cantus Youth Choir Program.

Jill Paice ( Florence ) SIGNATURE: ACE ( Elizabeth ). BROADWAY: The 39 Steps (Annabella, Margaret, Pamela), Curtains (Niki Harris), The Woman in White (Laura Fairlie). WEST END: Gone with the Wind (Scarlett O’Hara), The Woman in White (Laura Fairlie), Night of 1000 Voices (Royal Albert Hall). NATIONAL TOUR: Les Misérables. REGIONAL: Detroit Company: White Christmas (Betty); Ahmanson Theater: Curtains (Niki Harris); Las Vegas : Mamma Mia! (Sophie); York Theater: The Gig (Lucy), Weird Romance (Delphi/Susan). ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS: Curtains, The Woman in White, The Gig, Andrew Lloyd Webber on Broadway. TV: The Beautiful Life, The Wonderful Maladys. EDUCATION: Baldwin-Wallace College .

 

Chris Sizemore (Arbiter) SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd (Beadle), Show Boat, Les Misérables (Enjolras, Helen Hayes nomination, Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Ensemble), Anyone Can Whistle in Concert. DC AREA: Capital Fringe Festival: Super Claudio Bros. (Boof); Ford’s: Parade Reading (Young Soldier), Civil War (Helen Hayes nomination Outstanding Ensemble); Olney: 1776 (Edward Rutledge), Fiddler On The Roof (Sasha), Cinderella (The Herald); Toby’s: Miss Saigon, Beauty & The Beast, Grease, Seussical. REGIONAL: HOT: Carnival, My Fair Lady, Grease; Charleston Light Opera Guild: A Little Night Music (Henrik). NATIONAL TOUR: The Kennedy Center : Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka (Mike TV).

 

Russell Sunday (Walter) SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd (Ensemble, Sweeney u/s), Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble). DC AREA: Studio: Jerry Springer: The Opera (Chucky); MetroStage: Closer than Ever, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!); Theatre J: David in Shadow and Light (Goliath); Toby’s: Jekyll and Hyde (Jekyll/Hyde, 2003 Helen Hayes nomination), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Titanic (Andrews), Aida (Radames), Miss Saigon (Chris), Kiss Me, Kate (Fred), Beauty and the Beast (Gaston & The Beast), Damn Yankees (Young Joe), Annie Get Your Gun (Frank Butler), Carousel (Billy Bigelow).

 

Bayla Whitten (Ensemble) SIGNATURE: December Divas II Cabaret, Merrily We Roll Along (Beth). LONDON : WEST END: Les Misérables (Ensemble/Fantine). NEW YORK : Hurricane (Rose Silva), In The Ebb. REGIONAL: A Concert Tribute to Irving Berlin, Christmas Carol 1941, No One in the World (Gayla). WORKSHOPS: The Lord of the Rings, Best Friends and Butterflies, Tamar and the River. TRAINING: Royal Academy of Music; London School of Musical Theatre. www.baylawhitten.com.  

 

Rachel Zampelli (Ensemble) SIGNATURE: See What I Wanna See, LaChiusa’s Ladies, December Divas II, Anyone Can Whistle in Concert, The Happy Time, Saving Aimee. DC AREA: Studio Theatre 2ndStage: Jerry Springer: the Opera, Reefer Madness: The Musical; Ford’s: Shenandoah; Folger: Orestes: A Tragic Romp, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. REGIONAL: Two River Theatre Company: Orestes: A Tragic Romp; New Repertory Theatre: Into the Woods, Romeo and Juliet; Riverside Theatreworks: Grease, Nunsense; Black Swan Theatre (Special Appearance, Oregon Shakespeare Festival): Breast Entanglements. EDUCATION: Santa Clara University .  

 

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Signature is partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and by a gift from Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources.

 


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Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director | Maggie Boland, Managing Director

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