Previews: SIX at Straz Center

On stage at the Straz Center from May 12-17, the queens of SIX reclaim the mic, rewrite the narrative, and turn history into a full‑throttle pop concert that has become a global phenomenon. When the tour arrives in Tampa, audiences will meet Kelly Denice Taylor, who steps into the crown of Jane Seymour with a performance shaped by depth, humor, and a surprising fire.

Taylor’s connection to Jane began with a simple, startling realization. “A lot of these women, and Jane included, were really young when this happened. Jane passed away at 28 after childbirth,” she told me. “Now being around that age, it’s crazy to think what I would have done in that situation.” That awareness grounds her performance, giving Jane’s serenity a lived‑in weight.

Though history often paints Jane as Henry’s gentle favorite, she discovered layers that audiences don’t expect. “She also has a bit of a fiery side,” she said. “People expect her to be quiet, but she ends up being really goofy and very strong.” That strength grows as the queens challenge one another, and she credits her cast for shaping that evolution. “We’re all so different from our queens as people. Experiencing my castmates as themselves and as these queens brings a fun duality to the show.”

Her interpretation also reframes Jane’s place in the competition. “She’s not necessarily here to compete. She’s here to relate,” Taylor shared. Night after night, mothers and people who have experienced loss meet her at the stage door to say Jane’s story brought them back to their own memories. “They totally forgot about the competition. That reaction reminds me she has a different story to tell.”

That emotional resonance peaks in Heart of Stone, one of the show’s most demanding numbers. After four and a half years with SIX, she has learned the discipline required to sustain it. “I have to get a lot of sleep. And a lot of vocal rest. We’re constantly taking care of ourselves outside the show.” The work is full‑time, even if audiences only see the two hours under the lights.

And those lights hit differently once she steps into Jane’s iconic costume. “Putting on the costumes is like transforming into the queen,” she said. “The hardware, the tough zippers, the plastic, the structure, it gives you the strength you need to portray the role.”

Taylor’s journey to the throne is its own modern‑day fairy tale. She booked the first national tour without an agent, submitting tapes through an unlisted link a friend sent her. “I had no expectations. I just really wanted to audition for SIX.” She began as an alternate, was promoted to principal, and has continued to grow with the show ever since.

Tampa audiences will meet a Jane who is tender, witty, resilient, and far more complex than the history books suggest. Taylor brings her to life with a voice that soars and a presence that lingers.

If she could speak to the real Jane Seymour, Taylor said she would thank her “for the courage and strength to stand up to what she could at the time,” and for the way her life shaped the women who came after.

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