JoJo to Replace Lea Michele in Broadway’s ‘Chess’ Starting This June
The Broadway revival of Chess — the show that finally cracked the code on one of musical theater’s most notoriously troubled books — is getting a major casting shake-up. JoJo, born Joanna Levesque, will take over the role of Florence Vassy from Lea Michele, beginning performances June 23 at the Imperial Theatre. Michele’s final performance is June 21.
It’s a swap that should send a charge through anyone who’s been following this production. JoJo joins a company led by Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher, stepping into a vocally punishing role at the center of Danny Strong’s revised book — the element widely credited with transforming a show that was famously criticized for its confusing plot when it originally debuted on Broadway in 1988.
A Role Built for Vocal Firepower
Florence Vassy, caught between two chess grandmasters — one American, one Soviet — during the Cold War, demands an enormous vocal and emotional range. The Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice score, featuring songs like “Nobody’s Side” and “One Night in Bangkok,” is unforgiving in the best possible way.
JoJo appears more than ready. With over 8 million albums sold, hits like “Leave (Get Out)” and “Too Little Too Late,” and a 2020 Grammy win for “Say So” with PJ Morton, she brings serious vocal credentials. Her memoir, Over the Influence, became a New York Times bestseller in 2024.
“It’s an incredible, exciting opportunity,” Levesque told People in March 2026. “As soon as I got to see this production of the show, I couldn’t stop getting chills. It feels incredibly right, and it is definitely going to be a challenge, but something that I’m excited for.”
Levesque said she was already familiar with a few standout songs from Chess before getting offered the role of Florence but learned more about the show via Tveit, who’s starred in the current production since its launch last year.
A Moulin Rouge! Reunion at the Imperial
Theater fans with long memories will note this isn’t JoJo and Tveit’s first time sharing a stage. Levesque made her Broadway debut as Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical in 2023 and acted alongside Tveit for a segment of her run, a period that sparked a friendship between the two.
“He is such an amazing scene partner, so generous, and just such a wonderful friend offstage,” she says of the Tony winner. “And Nicholas Christopher, incredible. I was not familiar, but when I heard him sing… It’s really something else. I think these are two of the best male voices I’ve heard live, maybe ever.”
Beyond Moulin Rouge!, Levesque also originated the role of Tess in “Working Girl” at La Jolla Playhouse, signaling her growing commitment to the stage.
The significance of this revival extends well beyond its cast. Michael Mayer’s direction and Strong’s new book have done what many thought impossible: given Chess a coherent dramatic spine worthy of its legendary score. The 1988 original was a critical punching bag for its muddled storytelling, despite the pedigree of its songwriters.
What’s Next — For the Show and for JoJo
A new block of tickets is now on sale through September 13, 2026, giving audiences a wide window to experience this version of the cast.
As for JoJo’s longer-term ambitions, she made her intentions clear in a 2024 interview with Time Magazine: “New music soon. Touring. And I want to develop an original musical, so that’s in the works. That’s something I’m really passionate about. I want to produce and be behind the scenes and also originate a role. I’m really, really, really into theater these days. It just makes me feel so alive.”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
