i trust you as my advisor in this matter: if i wanted to experience chess, where would you recommend i start? my understanding is that it's wildly different with every production (correct?), so are there any that you think are particularly good or accessible as an entry point, or just most popular among the fans
this is a HUGE question ohgosh. perhaps as many answers to this as there are versions of chess.
the two points of introduction I'd personally recommend, and the two most generally popular from what I've seen:
The original 1984 concept album. go in blind. let the orchestra and vocals wash over you. don't worry about forming/following a coherent plot. just don't worry about it.
(also trust that Merrano is a red herring for what the rest of the album is like. trust me. trust me.)
(ok i'm relistening to this album as I type this and you also have to make it through a couple of other songs. but it's worth it. it's SO worth it you need to just make it through the entire album beginning to end no matter what I PROMISE it's worth it)
Chess in Concert 2008. easily found uploaded in parts on youtube (although I think the one part missing is Deal (No Deal) which is one of my favourite songs ahhhh). pretty nicely staged for a concert version! I also do listen to the album for this one an awful lot.
possibly has the most coherent book of any version to date! yay! I feel like this has been the springboard for most versions since (or at least, it certainly was for the local theatre version which thrust me into being a Chess fan)
also many more songs than the concept album including some of my favourites (The Soviet Machine, The Interview, Someone Else's Story, Talking Chess, etc). has JOSH GROBAN who is a bit of a religious experience in this role as always (just a fantastic cast in general actually!).
whichever approach you may choose to take!
the key is to COMMIT to experiencing the entirety of it beginning to end
it's just one of those things which.