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Tony hopeful Lea Michele's last day with Broadway's 'Chess' slated

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on

Published in Entertainment News

NEW YORK — Lea Michele will leave the highly-acclaimed Broadway revival of “Chess” on June 21.

The 39-year-old Bronx native, believed to be a strong contender to win a Tony Award, has been with the show since it previewed at the Imperial Theatre in October.

The show’s producers announced Friday that its “Florence Vassy” will take her final bow in three months.

“Chess” was expected to end its run in June, but is being extended for a second time. A new block of tickets goes on sale next week. Michele’s replacement is yet to be named.

Nominations for the 2026 Tony Awards will be announced May 5. Daily News critic Chris Jones credited Michele for her “flawless technique and ability to make half the audience think she is singing just to them” in his glowing review of “Chess.”

The musical about a Cold War-era chess tournament made its Broadway debut in 1988 with Judy Kuhn earning a Tony Award nomination for her performance as central character Florence Vassy.

Michele talked to WNYC about that difficult role during a Thursday appearance on “ Broadway on the Radio.”

 

“It’s fun, but it is something vocally that requires a lot of focus and a lot of rest, which I don’t really get because I have two children,” she said.

USA Today said Michele’s handling of that role established her as “one of Broadway’s finest leading ladies.”

The Imperial Theatre has been good to Michele. It’s also where she made her 1995 Broadway debut at 8 years old as Young Cosette in “Les Misérables.”

Michele’s credits in front of a camera include more than 120 appearances on the TV series “Glee” between 2009 and 2015. She’s also released music videos for her songs “ Cannonball” and “On My Way.“

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