Ep. 14: Megaconcerts: "Chess in Concert," 2008

May 30, 2018

Picture it, Merano, 1979. The beauty of the Alps surrounds you and the world is your oyster. Instead of enjoying a charming Alpine town, you are going to watch chess all day at the World Chess Championship: an unlikely setting for extreme drama. Join Alex and Daisha as they discuss the MEGA musical Chess (in Concert at Royal Albert Hall, again). The Broadway Babies will chat about the moldable plot, and how unique Chess' story is because the game and its players are a metaphor for the Cold War. We soon learn that in the end each character is a "prawn"...or "pawn" in the game of war. It's heavy material, but enlivened by beautiful singing and acting from Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Kerry Ellis, and David Bedella!

Podcast cover art: David Taylor

Twitter: @bwaybabies Facebook: Facebook.com/broadwaybabiespodcast

Cast recording: Amazon | iTunes

Video recording: iTunes | Amazon 

Songs:

• "Chess Game #1," by London Philharmonic Orchestra
• "Merano/What a Scene! What a Joy!" performed by West End Chorus & Adam Pascal and Idina Menzel
• "Anthem," by Josh Groban
• "Nobody's Side," by Idina Menzel
• "Someone Else's Story," by Kerry Ellis
• "Golden Bangkok"/"One Night in Bangkok," performed by Adam Pascal and Ensemble
• "Quartet (A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)," by Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, David Bedella and Marti Pellow
• "I Know Him So Well," by Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis

Music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, lyrics by Tim Rice

Released by Reprise Records

Show Notes

• A review of the Kennedy Center's 2018 production of Chess with a rough critique of the musical and its new book by Danny Strong.
• Yikes!
• Please watch this. (Take note of the chessboard choir folders.)