The ‘Glee’ alum, who made her professional debut at age eight, recalls hearing songs from ‘Chess’ backstage all those years ago. Now, as she prepares for the show’s November 16 opening, she finds herself performing those very same tunes where it all began.
For Michele, the Imperial isn’t just a venue — it’s a place with memory. “The theatre really has a soul,”” she says. “Every show that’s ever been in it is absorbed in the walls. It’s a little eerie, but powerful.”
Her emotional return came full circle when an electrician greeted her with a simple, touching phrase: “Welcome home.” That homecoming carries even deeper resonance for Michele, who remembers sitting in the audience as a child watching ‘Les Miserables’ and knowing she wanted to perform for life.
In ‘Chess’, she plays a woman caught between two grandmasters — an American, portrayed by Aaron Tveit, and a Soviet, played by Nicholas Christopher. Michele calls the role one of her most demanding. “She’s a woman, she’s strong, and I don’t have comedy to lean on as a crutch,” she says.
Set mainly in Bangkok and Budapest, the story unfolds against Cold War tension, fuelled by rivalry, romance, and national pride. The show’s music, by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus with lyrics by Tim Rice, includes the iconic ‘One Night in Bangkok’, ‘Anthem’, and ‘I Know Him So Well’.
The production reunites Michele with Tony-winning director Michael Mayer, who previously directed her in’ Spring Awakening’ and ‘Funny Girl’. Mayer shares a nostalgic connection with the Imperial as well — it’s where he saw his first Broadway show, ‘Pippin’, in 1976.
The pair’s collaboration spans more than two decades, evolving from a mentor-student dynamic to one of creative equals. Mayer describes their bond as family. Their shared instinct shows in rehearsal: both had the same late-night idea for a scene change and laughed upon realising it.
For Michele, it all feels fated — from singing ‘Chess’ songs in dressing rooms as a child to leading the production now. “Here we are 30 years later, back at the Imperial. That’s pretty crazy,” she says, smiling.