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After years of negotiations resulting in several checkmates, the musical
Chess is set to open in
Aussie production of the Tim Rice/Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus show has a
preproduction budget of $A3-million, and is to be produced by the theater’s
owners, the MLC Theater Royal Co., and independent Adelaide-based Kevin Earle.
MLC’s director, Frederick Gibson, says he wanted a “major musical of
international standing” to reopen the theater after its $A4.5-million
renovation. Earle had the Chess
rights, and was planning to open the show in
Earle was fortunate Gibson came along. He had failed to raise the money for his planned Melbourne-based production, despite having assembled a topnotch creative team. Earle was co-producer, with Mort Clark, of the failed Starlight Express, which was staged in arenas around Oz last year. Holding company of that tour went bankrupt.
Difficult genesis of an Aussie Chess also had now-defunct producer Wilton Morley holding an option on the rights for a number of years, with plans to mount it repeatedly thwarted.
The Gibson/Earle production is now definite. Tim Rice has recently been Down
Under working with director Jim Sharman on significant changes to the book. Rice
and his Swedish co-writers will be in
Sharman is known for productions in
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