Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast)

It was a success in London but a bomb in New York in 1988, but Chess's cult reputation has only grown over the years--quite a feat for a dramatic musical about love and cold war politics at a chess tournament! While Tim Rice's lyrics aren't too shabby, Chess owes it all to the team of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, a.k.a. the BB in Abba. Their score has the drama that makes for good musical theater, and it doesn't shy from canny pop hooks either. "One Night in Bangkok" was a hit in Europe, while Judy Kuhn particularly shines on the poignant "Nobody's Side." Indeed, Chess is full of superb numbers that basically fall into two types: instantly memorable and growing-on-you memorable. --Elisabeth Vincentelli