Lea Michele stars in the new Broadway musical “Chess,” returning to the same Imperial Theatre where she debuted at age eight. From her early career and “Glee” fame to personal challenges, motherhood, and her triumphant comeback, discover how Michele’s journey has led to a powerful new chapter onstage.
Lea Michele Returns to Her Broadway Roots With “Chess,” Bringing Talent, Triumph, and Heart Back to the Imperial Theatre
In the mid-1960s, Broadway was buzzing. “Funny Girl” lit up the Winter Garden Theatre, starring a young powerhouse whose name would become iconic. Only a few blocks away, Joe Allen opened his now-legendary restaurant — a cozy home for the city’s theatre elite. From Al Pacino to rising young performers, everyone who was anyone stopped by for a drink, a conversation, or the restaurant’s famous cheeseburger.
Decades later, those cheeseburgers still draw a crowd, and Broadway’s brightest stars continue to slip into the booths. Among them is Lea Michele, who has been visiting Joe Allen’s since her earliest days onstage. “I just love this place so much,” she said, remembering years of meals and memories. Though she’s usually a burger fan, she skipped it on the day we met — she had a show to prepare for.
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Michele is once again commanding the stage, now starring in the musical “Chess” at the Imperial Theatre. Her role is a sharp strategist navigating the complicated lives of two world-class chess champions, played by Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher. The show blends romance, spectacle, and soaring vocals — a perfect vehicle for Michele’s powerhouse talent.
And for Michele, this theatre is more than just a venue. It’s a full-circle homecoming.
Back Where It All Began
The Imperial Theatre is where Lea Michele made her Broadway debut in 1995, when she stepped onto the stage of “Les Misérables” at eight years old. But her journey there wasn’t predictable. Her parents weren’t from the entertainment world; her dad ran a deli, and her mom was a nurse. When young Lea auditioned, her parents didn’t even realize how well she could sing.
After her very first audition, Michele walked out holding her mom’s hand and announced, “I think I’m gonna get this.” Her mother gently dismissed the thought, telling her that dreams like that didn’t happen to families like theirs.
But she was wrong — Michele got the role, marking the start of a Broadway career that would keep growing.
From “Les Misérables,” Michele moved on to even bigger success. She won acclaim in the groundbreaking musical “Spring Awakening,” where critics and fans celebrated her raw emotion and unmatched vocals. A few years later, she reached global stardom as Rachel Berry on the hit television show “Glee.” The role made her a household name and cemented her identity as one of the most recognizable voices in entertainment.
Challenges, Growth, and a Triumphant Return
But fame came with difficult chapters. Michele faced backlash online for alleged diva behavior during her “Glee” years. She also went through private heartbreak, including a traumatic pregnancy that nearly cost her life in 2020.
Yet even in the hardest moments, she kept working to grow — personally and professionally.
Her major turning point came in 2023. She was invited to lead the struggling Broadway revival of “Funny Girl,” stepping into a role made legendary by her idol, Barbra Streisand. The pressure was enormous. Not only was she returning to the spotlight, but she was doing it while the public continued to scrutinize her every move.
“It was the first time I was really in the spotlight after everything that had happened,” Michele admitted. She wanted to prove — to herself, to the industry, to audiences — that she could rise to the moment.
And she didn’t just rise. She soared.
Her performance turned “Funny Girl” into a smash hit, drawing sold-out crowds and critical praise. She delivered show-stopping vocals night after night, even while enduring the heartbreak of a miscarriage during the run. Her resilience became part of what made the revival so powerful.
A New Chapter: Family, Healing, and “Chess”
After “Funny Girl,” producers approached Michele about starring in “Chess.” She agreed — but only on one condition: she wanted to try for another baby first.
She and her husband began IVF, a process that came with its own emotional and physical hurdles. But the effort paid off. They welcomed their daughter, and life took on new brightness and meaning.
With her family complete, Michele said “yes” to returning to the stage.
Now, at 39, she stands at the center of another major Broadway production — one that challenges her, inspires her, and reconnects her with the girl who fell in love with performing nearly three decades ago.
Full Circle at the Imperial Theatre
Standing backstage at the Imperial Theatre, Michele can’t help but reflect on her eight-year-old self. What would that little girl think, performing again in the very same place where her dreams began?
“I think she’d be so proud,” Michele said softly. “She would just say, ‘Thank you.’ That’s all she ever wanted.”
For Michele, gratitude is the guiding emotion these days. Her love for performing was reignited during “Funny Girl,” and “Chess” has deepened it even more. She feels grounded, hopeful, and at home — professionally, emotionally, and literally — as she performs tonight on the same stage that changed her life.
Broadway has watched her grow from a talented child to an international star, and now to a mother of two who is performing with renewed purpose.
And at Joe Allen’s, just a short walk away, her favorite booth is still waiting — cheeseburger and all.
