The Broadway revival of Chess at the Imperial Theatre will end its run on Sunday 21 June, ahead of schedule, coinciding with the departure of star Lea Michele. The show will have played nearly four times longer than the original production, marking a significant if truncated run.

Chess, featuring music and lyrics by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, will close on 21 June as initially planned for Michele’s exit. The production has reached just over 250 performances at the Imperial Theatre.

JoJo Levesque, who was announced as Michele’s replacement, will no longer be joining the company. The decision signals a premature conclusion rather than a full cast transition.

The show’s narrative revolves around two of the world’s greatest chess players locked in a fierce rivalry complicated by a woman caught between them, creating a high-stakes drama of desire and devotion.

This Broadway revival features a new book by Danny Strong and has been led by director Michael Mayer, with choreography by Lorin Latarro. The production boasts orchestrations by Anders Eljas and Brian Usifer, with Brian Usifer also serving as music supervisor and Ian Weinberger as music director.

The cast includes Nicholas Christopher, Hannah Cruz, Bryce Pinkham, Aaron Tveit, Bradley Dean, and Sean Allan Krill. Christopher, Cruz, and Pinkham received Tony nominations for their performances, though the production was not nominated for Best Revival.

The ensemble features a large and diverse group of performers, with names ranging from Kyla Bartholomeusz to Katie Webber. The creative team is supported by designers David Rockwell (sets), Tom Broecker (costumes), Kevin Adams (lighting), John Shivers (sound), and Peter Nigrini (video design).

Chess’s nearly fourfold extension beyond its original Broadway lifespan marks it as a rare and notable case in musical theatre, even as it closes earlier than a full planned engagement might have allowed.