JoJo Lands Lead Role in ‘Chess’ as Lea Michele Exits Broadway Revival
Remember JoJo? The powerhouse vocalist who had you belting “Leave (Get Out)” and “Too Little Too Late” is stepping into one of Broadway’s most demanding roles this month — and her path from pop stardom to the stage is more compelling than you might expect.
Joanna Levesque, known to most as JoJo, will replace Lea Michele as Florence Vassy in the Broadway revival of Chess at the Imperial Theatre. Michele’s final performance is June 21, with JoJo stepping into the role just two days later on June 23.
A Role She Felt in Her Bones
JoJo didn’t just audition cold. She saw the production first — and it hit her immediately.
“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.”
She’ll join a cast that includes Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher, two performers she’s already deeply enthusiastic about.
“He is such an amazing scene partner, so generous, and just such a wonderful friend offstage,” she says of the Tony winner Tveit. “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.”
The Tveit connection isn’t new. Levesque made her Broadway debut as Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical in 2023, and she acted alongside Tveit for a segment of her run — a stretch that sparked a friendship. 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.
From Pop Charts to the Stage
JoJo’s recording career speaks for itself: over 8 million albums sold, a 2020 Grammy win for “Say So” with PJ Morton, and a memoir, “Over the Influence,” that became a New York Times bestseller in 2024.
But her pivot to theater has been deliberate. Beyond Moulin Rouge, she originated the role of Tess in “Working Girl” at La Jolla Playhouse. In a 2024 interview with Time Magazine, she reflected on playing Satine with striking vulnerability:
“It wasn’t much of a stretch for me to play Satine. I think she felt a lot of pressure—pressure that she put on herself or pressure that was real because she was the face of the Moulin Rouge—and she wanted to make sure that everything was going to be OK. She didn’t want anybody to worry about her. She was very strong and very determined to do what she needed to do, and I relate to that. I never wanted anybody to worry about me, even when I was engaging in dangerous behavior or not treating myself kindly, so I can feel her going through that in the show. I have a lot of love and compassion for Satine.”
What to Know About Chess
The revival of Chess features music and lyrics by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, with songs including “Nobody’s Side” and “One Night in Bangkok.” Set during the Cold War, the show follows two chess grandmasters — one American, one Soviet — both connected to Florence, the role JoJo will inhabit.
The original production debuted on Broadway in 1988 and drew criticism at the time for a confusing plot. This revival includes a new book by Danny Strong and is directed by Michael Mayer.
A new block of tickets is on sale through September 13, 2026.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
