Lea Michele isn’t just one of the most remarkable talents on Broadway. She’s also a performer who has always been cognizant of the larger themes behind the roles she takes. That was true when she took on the controversial rock musical “Spring Awakening” in 2006, and it’s true now with her role as Florence Vassy in the Broadway revival of “Chess.”
“I’ve been working [in live theater] for 30 years, and I’m just so grateful to have been a part of projects that have meaning and truth behind them,” Michele told TheWrap as part of a panel at Power Women New York on Thursday morning. The star nodded to “Ragtime,” which she starred in back in 1998, calling the musical about race in 20th century America “more important now than ever.” A revival of the show debuted last October.
“Even being in ‘Chess,’ we talk about some very intense issues — deportation, corrupt political leaders. Even thinking back to something like ‘Glee.’ Being a part of forms of art that are telling stories that are important and have a message behind them, we can only hope as artists to be able to do things that create impact and make people think,” the actor and producer of “Chess” said. “I always try to find material that’s challenging. I feel so fortunate to have played female characters that have really made an impact.”
Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, no one was prepared for “Glee” to be the hit that it became in 2009 . Yet, as the series evolved and became a certified cultural phenomenon, the Fox dramedy paved the way for boundary-pushing storytelling about sexuality, race, gender and a host of other societal issues. The series also had a perhaps surprising impact on musical theater itself, introducing a new generation of viewers to Broadway history.
“When I sang ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade,’ it went to — I think — No. 2 on the iTunes charts,” Michele said, referring to her in-show rendition of the “Funny Girl” vocal showcase that was originally performed by Barbra Streisand. “It was so unbelievable to have these songs brought into people’s homes and to have these amazing musicals now be a part of family discussions.”
Now Michele sits at the center of another unbelievable moment with “Chess.” At first glance, a Cold War musical seems like a wild bet. Originally written by Tim Rice with music by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, “Chess” first debuted in the West End in 1986. The play is loosely based on the life of Bobby Fischer as it tells the story of two chess grandmasters — one from America and one from the Soviet Union — whose game becomes integral to the fate of the Cold War. When the play first premiered on Broadway in 1988, the production didn’t last long, only running for 68 performances. But as time passed, “Chess” gained a cult following.
“It came out right towards the tail end of the Cold War. I think that, in an attempt to write about something that had just happened and speak about that time in history, for audiences then it was a little too soon,” Michele said.
That’s no longer the case. With a book that was rewritten by “Dopesick” creator Danny Strong and a cast that sees Michele starring alongside Aaron Tveit (“Moulin Rouge!,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) and Nicholas Christopher (“Sweeney Todd,” “Hamilton”), “Chess” has emerged as one of the buzziest shows of the season.
“Unfortunately, what we’re realizing are the parallels of then and now. My character deals with issues such as deportation, and we talk a lot about leaders being given extreme power,” Michele said. “The last line in the show is, ‘It just shows what happens when these decisions are being put in the hands of people who are reckless or totally insane.’ That one line gets a very strong response from our audience every night.”
Though Michele noted that the similarities between the Cold War and current issues today are “quite scary,” she praised the play for giving audiences a way to reckon with these themes.
“What we’re trying to do is do things in a way that is still entertaining and allows us to look at our world, but hopefully through a lens that does not feel too overwhelming,” Michele said. “We’re in a shared space, and we’re singing our faces off at the same time.” Watch the full conversation from Power Women New York above.
About Power Women New York:
TheWrap Foundation’s invite-only Power Women Breakfast returns to New York with an exclusive gathering of 100 leaders across entertainment, media and business, featuring intimate conversations with trailblazing women across the industry.
The event is sponsored by STARZ #TakeTheLead, the exclusive entertainment sponsor, and Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment. Table sponsors include Blank Rome LLP, Britbox, Disney Entertainment, Gersh, The Lede Company, NBCU, PMK Entertainment, Superconnector Studios, Versant and Whalar.
