...Have Happy Endings

Okay...so I've been trying to embark on constructing my ideas for how a "Chess" script should be. I've been looking at the Concept, London and Broadway versions (all of which are very different) - I'm basically trying to create something that is closest to the Concept script but with some of the changes made here and there for the London production, the ones that made SENSE, and then I'm trying to keep the second act fleshed out so it doesn't just become a stunt, like in London. The Concept keeps Act II nice and storylike but the problem was the script was only half-finished for the Concept, so...that's where the Broadway material comes in...but luckily, simply by making the London script more like the Concept, it already fills in some of the gaps, but there are some good MOMENTS here and there in Broadway - fleshing out the dialogue, etc.

For instance, I'm putting in the "Where I Want to Be"/"You and I" combination that Svetlana sings a verse of in the Broadway version. Nicole always loved that, and I understand why - in London, Svet did sing a reprise of "Where I Want to Be", but the combination with "You and I" to finish it in Broadway added a really nice human touch and made her character more three-dimensional.

In London, at the "Endgame" sequence, there was a verse added for Florence to match Svetlana's "attack" verse, but I don't feel that's necessary - I realize Florence is like the closest thing to the main character, but I don't feel she needs to SING in "Endgame" other than her little snippet at the beginning - b/c I really think all Florence has to do for "Endgame" to be effective is BE there. The entire match embodies Anatoly keeping/losing her anyway. I think it's highly more appropriate just to have Svetlana sing the majority of the sequence with Anatoly. I really don't like the idea of Svet and Florence "sharing" the song. Florence's character is already PLENTY developed, and she and Anatoly share the most beautiful song in the entire show right after "Endgame" anyway ("You and I").

And I DON'T like the Finale that was used in BOTH the London and Broadway versions - Florence singing a reprise of Anatoly's "Anthem". I think that completely changes the mood of the ending, it makes Florence seem more crushed.

Honestly, I agree with Nicole - the show should end with the (amazing, lovely) coda of "You and I". It keeps the HEART of the story - the love story between Anatoly and Florence. It shows how despite everything, despite their hearts being broken and the dramas that came crashing down around them to destroy their life together, in the end, they still have no regrets - they would do it all over again even if they knew how it would end. I think that is the strongest aspect of the heart of the story - not the East-West politics, not Florence's past, not the "chess" symbolism of how people are pawns in the government's games...it's the relationship between Florence and Anatoly.

Anyway, I think this is the order of songs/musical sequences I would use - I know this won't mean anything to anyone who doesn't KNOW the show, but I'm posting it mostly so I can remind myself later:

Act I

1. Prologue: The Story of Chess
2. Merano / The American's Entrance
3. Commie Newspapers!
4. Press Conference
5. The Russian and Molokov
6. Where I Want to Be
7. The Arbiter's Song
8. Diplomats
9. Merchandisers Song
10. Chess Hymn
11. Chess - I
12. The Arbiter's Reprise
13. Quartet: A Model of Decorum
14. Fellow Eastern Europeans
15. The American and Florence / 1956
16. Nobody's Side
17. Der Kleine Franz
18. Mountain Duet
19. Who'd Ever Think It?
20. Chess - II
21. Florence Quits
22. The Russian Defects
23. Embassy Lament
24. The Train Station
25. Anthem

Act II

1. Bangkok - The Golden Ballet
2. One Night in Bangkok
3. Another Opponent
4. Heaven Help My Heart
5. The Soviet Machine
6. The Interview
7. Argument
8. I Know Him So Well
9. The Deal I - The Arbiter's View / You and I / Svetlana's Reprise
10. Someone Else's Story
11. The Deal II - The Vassy File / The American's Offers
12. Pity the Child
13. Talking Chess
14. Endgame
15. After the Match
16. You and I (full)
17. And in the End...
18. Finale: You and I (coda)