Review: SIX at the Aronoff Center

Between April 23rd and May 5th, 2024, a certain Broadway tour makes its way into town for the first time, and Six-innati becomes the hit place to be for thousands of theatre fans who have been waiting for months to see this electric musical at the Aronoff Center. Six tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives through each of their perspectives in a unique, concert-like setting, presenting their tales of woe to an engaging audience. The energy was high on opening night as the sold-out crowd cheered loudly from the house from the very first beat and light shift. With a newly refreshed cast, the current touring production of Six exudes extravagance, dedication, and plenty of impressive notes within each catchy tune.

Six’s own history began in 2017, when Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, two students and friends at Cambridge University, presented the first rendition of the musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After receiving much positive reception, they launched a tour, and productions on the West End, Australia, and even cruise lines followed. Finally, a Broadway run was on the horizon and was set to open on March 12th, 2020; however, that morning it was announced that all Broadway productions were shutting down immediately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it wound up being another year and a half before resuming. Once back up and running, Six had a successful opening and has maintained its massive popularity, allowing for even more productions to go up all over the world.

For many, one of the biggest draws to Six is its flexible casting, heightening the idea that anyone can identify with and play any role, and thus has become a prime example of diversity in theatre. As a beneficial result, each actor is able to add their own personality and voice into their role, and many women in the company go on to perform additional roles to add to their repertoire. For example, Cassie Silva, who is now playing Anne Boleyn, has a long history with the show covering many roles in various productions before shifting to the tour last week. Silva brilliantly inhabits the second wife of Henry VIII and her character’s sense of self-importance, not to mention her ditzy humor. In her solo “Don’t Lose Ur Head” she demonstrates a great variety of different vocal qualities, particularly when imitating other people. While her default is more nasally, she also implements some roughness at certain points. This is only one case of vocal dynamics within the show, especially as each song offers opportunities to build to an incredible climax. Many of the other women start out more subtly, deliberately limiting their abilities to provide room to grow over time. Kelly Denice Taylor does this during her ballad “Heart of Stone” as she adds an almost wispy element to her singing but proving her immense vocal power towards the end in the high, long, and loud notes.

This cast of Six works really well as a cohesive unit, and there are few other shows that rely so heavily on performer chemistry. By having every performer stay on the stage for the entire show, it is crucial that their communication and balance be superior. Luckily in this instance, they are able to solidly meet those standards. Together they create beautiful harmonies, act as each other’s backing vocals, and deliver some exceptional group numbers. The show’s experimental fringe roots are also recognized, delivering the show from a presentational standpoint. In addition, the actors lean into the cheesy aspects of the situation, but not so far as to detract from the sincerity and the other parts that make Six work as a worthy show beyond the pop-influenced songs from the viral album. Six continues its train of prosperity, and anyone who gets to see this version should consider themself lucky.

Six is currently being presented at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati, Ohio through May 5th. The rest of the Cincinnati run is sold out at this time, but the tour will continue on to different cities across North America for the indefinite future. For more information on the show, visit sixbroadway.com or click the link below. To learn more about upcoming events at the Aronoff Center, including the next Broadway season, visit cincinnatiarts.org.

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