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Lea Michele has made an outstanding return to the exact stage where she started her Broadway career 30 years ago. The actress and singer, who has been very lucky in the musical drama world, is now starring in the revival of ‘Chess’ at the Imperial Theater in New York City. During a recent visit to ‘The Tonight Show,’ Michele confessed that her return was emotionally very significant and it was this moment that went full circle.
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Michele was invited to the show by Jimmy Fallon, who wanted to chat about her climb to the top, but the conversation very soon turned into a recollection of her past. They managed to find a marvelous sequence of links between her yesteryears and today. Michele first appeared on Broadway as a child artist in ‘Les Misérables’ at the Imperial Theatre 30 years back. Now the same spot at the same theater is taking her to ‘Chess’.
The conversation became quite a bit more sentimental when Michele recounted an incredible coincidence. She had a childhood picture to exhibit which was taken in the theater in 1996. A ‘Chess’ playbill was right there in the background of that old photograph. She couldn’t recall the place in the theater where the photo was taken until she made a recent trip. “Nick and I went to the theater a few weeks ago for a little tour,” Michele explained. “And I turned and I was like, oh my gosh, there is the spot that I took this picture 30 years ago.”
The epiphany felt like someone’s bidding. “When we look at that playbill behind me, I mean, that’s kind of funny,” she was confiding to Fallon. “You’re in ‘Chess.’ I’m in ‘Chess.’ It’s all meant to be.” The incident quite clearly illustrated a career that has come around in the least expected fashion.
The first fans who watched the interview and those who recognized the milestone and celebrated it on the internet were the same. Many of them highlighted her unyielding ability and tenacity in the theater. One comment ran through the online conversations, saying that in earlier roles, her impact was still very strong, “I saw her in Spring Awakening and she was great. Together with Jonathon Groff, they raised the bar for that performance, and no other show has been as good as that one.” This comment alludes to the place in the audience’s hearts that is designated for her and her performances.
Another one who was confused by the timeline said, “I almost had a heart attack, I thought she meant Glee was 30 years ago. The math wasn’t mathing.” The comment refers to the fact that the actor’s career timeline is confusing, as it has been segmented into distinct eras that are different for various fan generations.
And thus came the phrase, “The Queen of Glee is flourishing while her haters and bullies are crying in a corner,” from another fan, thereby, the positive vibe of the reactions shared across social media was sustained. The comment reveals that the actress, who has undergone that sort of scrutiny all her life, carries the story of empowerment in her career.
The reactions were not only positive, however, there was a negative side in the form of comments which were less in number but still existed. One such comment related back to an old and often mocked rumor about the actress, thus, giving rise to a very small but animated thread of comments. A user jokingly asked, “can she read now tho,” which was a rather direct reference to the old stories. The comment and the replies turned the whole issue into a small dispute among the commentators. While some people thought that the joke was overused, one person even answered with, “this joke is very 2020… it’s not even funny anymore. But I guess people with low IQ find it funny and applaud like manatees.” And another simply said, “ridiculous, let it go.” But, someone countered with, “Hey, she got the word ‘Chess’ correct after 30 years…I call that progress 😂😂,” implying that the joke still lingers on for some, while others feel it’s time to move on.
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In the midst of all the noise, the main sentiment was one of respect for a career milestone. A last comment concisely put the dominating feeling, “Now that’s cool good for you.” Lea Michele’s return to the Imperial Theatre is not just a new role; it is a story of fate, memory, and a career that has gracefully moved through the decades, bringing her back to where it all started. The same stage that propelled her is now welcoming her back as a seasoned artist. Her powerful Fallon performance was a highlight of this return. Press day photos for the Broadway Chess revival showcased her in the role. She also gave fans a backstage glimpse of the Broadway Chess production and a behind-the-scenes glimpse with the Broadway Chess cast.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
