‘Six The Musical’ Has Never Been More Alive!
How well do you know the wives of Henry VIII? Six Queens of England, each a badass monarch in their own right whose individual stories were lost in history as they’ve become known for one thing: being married to the same man. The lives of Henry VIII’s six wives became nothing more than a footnote in the King’s narrative, reminding us that whoever is in power and wins the war sets the story that history remembers. However, these six powerful women will no longer be overshadowed by their mutual husband, as the stage is set and a spotlight is shining on them in Six The Musical!
We have Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss to thank for this modern retelling of the lives of these six queens, which originally debuted in 2017 and transferred to the West End before arriving in America and taking the world by storm. Be it on Broadway in New York City or on any of the stops on its North American Tour, Six The Musical aims to excite audiences and educate them on these women who helped shape history, or, in this case, Her-Story. That is, as long as they can get along for the 90 minutes they are on stage.
So, set down your history books and get ready to be schooled. Six the Musical is prepared to share a story traversing time with a universal message everyone should hear, understand, and internalize.
[Warning: Spoilers from Six The Musical are below!]
Queens of Pop fighting for the title in Six the Musical
The wives of Henry VIII have a lot to be angry for, as the Monarch who ruled England from 1509 until his death in 1547 wasn’t a great husband. A philanderer and scallywag in every sense of the word, Henry VIII treated his wives like dirt, using the women to produce heirs, continuing his lineage and the succession of power. His love for these women didn’t extend much past duty, and lacking honor, he didn’t care about hurting them, and frankly, these six wives have had enough.
They’ve decided to form a pop band and bring music to the world. The only problem is which of the Queens should lead the girl group. What a decision for the audience to make! To properly do so, we’ll have to compare them all in the one thing that connects them: Henry. Specifically, the queens will share their experiences with the King, and whoever has had it worst gets to lead the band.
Will it be his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (Chani Maisonet), whose only crime to Henry is that she never produced a male heir? Cast aside for another and forced out of her palace, she watched Henry begin a religious revolution for England just to marry someone else.
Or what about his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Gaby Albo), who moved in with Catherine of Aragon and witnessed the formation of the Church of England, just to end up married to a King that didn’t truly want to commit to her? Plus, there’s the whole losing your head thing, which Anne won’t let anyone forget, rightfully so. Is that enough to win her the crown and the coveted spot as the lead singer of the band?
The other Queens ridicule Jane Seymour (Kelly Denice Taylor), whom they believe to be out of the running as she’s the self-proclaimed only woman Henry has ever truly loved. So why does she have any claim to having it worse with the king? Dying in childbirth and never getting to see them grow is a harsh reality that leaves scars on Jane’s heart. Will her ballad win everyone over?
Rejection is difficult, especially if it’s for your looks, as our fourth queen, Anna of Cleves (Danielle Mendoza), has learned intimately. Chosen because of her looks in a portrait, she’s brought to England from Germany to marry Henry, who annuls the marriage in less than a year. She’s forced to live in a palace with a vast fortune and no one else telling her what to do. Life is tough, but maybe Anna of Cleves won’t be winning this competition. However, you never know…
Katherine Howard (Alizé Cruz) thinks she’s a shoo-in for the lead, as she’s experienced quite a lot from all the men in her life. Desired for her body and used for these men’s fantasies. Young, perhaps naive, Katherine keeps looking for love in all the wrong places and learns quickly that all men are the same. As the second queen to lose her head for love, maybe she’s suffered enough to get the audience to vote for her.
Lastly, Catherine Parr (Tasia Jungbauer), the final queen married to Henry, had another love but is forced to give it up when the king enters the chat. Saying goodbye to anyone you love is difficult, but writing to Thomas is the hardest thing she will ever do. However, Catherine has done so much in her life, so is the biggest grievance against Henry that he has taken away her voice and narrative?
Can these six powerful women discover their voices before the show’s end? Or are they destined to compare themselves to each other until the end of time?
A powerful message brought to life with Six‘s talented cast
Those in my life know how much I love Six the Musical. I’ve seen it five times over the last three years, both in Detroit and New York City. I praise this incredible show to almost anyone who listens to me because I believe everyone should see it at some point in their lives.
Regardless of age or stage of life, Six the Musical has something for everyone. It transcends gender, sexuality, ideologies, and anything that could divide us; it can bring us together. Anyone who has ever been a member of a minority will understand the struggles that these queens have gone through to some degree. The messages within Six the Musical are universal, making the show accessible to so many people.
Because of this, I can and will continue to see Six as much as possible because I know its power, and I walk away every time, feeling the magic that Six has in my soul. And I’m not alone in this, as the shows continue to sell out and the audience walks away laughing, feeling momentarily lighter as the confetti falls, and the curtain goes down.
With all that being said, this current tour of Six the Musical is one of the strongest I’ve seen. The show had a different energy, and this performance was the most electric I’ve ever experienced. While it was still the same show, there were some noticeable differences about this tour of Six, although it’s hard to determine if it was from changes to the source material or the actresses themselves.
Six The Musical has always been funny to me, but this time around, it felt even more hilarious. It felt like each queen had even more personality than before, with the quips and banter between songs one of the show’s most substantial pieces. It felt like Six had grown into an even more well-rounded show, partly due to the incredible chemistry that our Queens have with one another.
Within the six, Gaby Albo’s Anne Boleyn seemed to have the most substantial comedic chops among the group. Anne is one of the stronger characters personality-wise, but there is something extra about Albo’s performance. Her timing was perfect, and her lines were delivered with the right balance of hilarity and bite, which lent itself well to her version of “Don’t Lose Your Head.” If there were a competition between the six queens, it would be challenging to beat Albo’s performance in this show.
But the best part of Six the Musical is that it doesn’t neglect any of the queens and gives each of them a moment to shine. While Albo’s comedy was turned to an eleven, the rest of the queens were just as strong in their respective rights.
Kelly Denice Taylor brought down the house with her ballad performance. “Heart of Stone” is always a tear-jerker, but Taylor’s raw emotions to the song made me sob profusely in ways that no other performer in this role has. You can’t help but feel your heart break for Jane, who lost so much to be the perfect wife for her husband. Taylor’s performance is something special and one not to miss.
However, Danielle Mendoza’s Anna of Cleves was the absolute highlight of this show for me. While Anna’s song is always a bop, it tends not to be one of my favorites for many reasons, and yet, on this tour, it was the one I gravitated to the most. Mendoza was the perfect casting for Anna of Cleves and is now the standard to which I’ll always compare anyone else in the role. Her energy is intoxicating, albeit perhaps a bit calmer than other performances I’ve seen, which contrasts with her getting down nicely and makes you appreciate the queen even more.
Six the Musical is a royal win for all involved
There’s no denying the fun energy that Six the Musical brings to any theater it’s performing in. Whether you’re already familiar with the songs and story or just looking for a good time, this is the show for you. I gain something new with each performance I see, which will only continue as this show grows.
The wives of Henry VIII are starting a revolution of their own, and there’s no stopping the message of self-love, acceptance, and writing your narrative that lies at the center of this show. If you haven’t experienced the power of Six The Musical yet, now is the time to attend one of the best musicals currently dominating Broadway and witness Her-Story in the making.
Six the Musical is currently on its North American Tour! Get tickets for a city near you! Don’t miss the other exciting shows coming to Broadway in Detroit, such as Hadestown, Clue!, and Parade! Have you seen Six the Musical before? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @boxseatbabes or @CosmicCircusBroadway.com on Bluesky!
Exclusive Interview: Carlina Parker of Six The Musical
