Review: SIX: TEEN EDITION at Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock

All I wanna do is watch SIX: TEEN EDITION at Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock over and over, but sadly it was only for one week. Whyyyyyyy ACT, whyyyyyyyy? This monarch runs from August 13-17, so if you missed it, you missed it. To quote my friend Brooke Wallace, “[These Queens] have more talent in their pinky than I could ever dream of having!”   

Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss and directed by Tanner Oglesby, this show is anything but your typical musical. Yes, there’s singing (and honey, these Queens don’t just sing—they slay), there’s dancing (more like a night out at the club than a polished Broadway routine), and there’s acting (delivered with a wink and plenty of sass). But honestly? It’s less “musical theater” and more like a no-holds-barred historical pop concert. Each Queen strutted out, spilled her story, and basically said, “Top that.” By the end, the audience was left to crown the ultimate tragic Queen.  

First up was Catherine of Aragon, played by Broadway Bound Awards of Central Arkansas winner Sascha Bass, belting out “No Way.” Married to King Henry for 22 years, Catherine’s “crime” was failing to give him a son. His solution? Divorce. But as a fiercely loyal woman of the Catholic faith, she stood her ground with a fiery “no no no no no no no way.” With Anne Boleyn egging him on, Henry broke ties with the Catholic Church, created the Church of England, and left Catherine behind. Bass delivered the number with powerhouse vocals, plenty of sass, and just the right amount of queenly command, making her the perfect leader to kick off the showdown. 

Then came Queen number two—Anne Boleyn—played by Berkeley Courtney-Moore with deliciously wicked charm. She waltzed in with “Don’t Lose Ur Head” and immediately turned the whole stage into her playground. Courtney-Moore leaned into the flirty, troublemaking side of Anne, sprinkling in sly grins and comedic timing that had the audience in stitches. Even knowing how her story ends, she managed to keep the energy cheeky and oh-so-entertaining. 

Next was Jane Seymour, portrayed by Caroline Pledger, who slowed things down with the hauntingly beautiful ballad “Heart of Stone.” After all the sass and humor from the first two Queens, Pledger shifted the mood. Her soaring vocals filled the theater with raw emotion, embodying Jane as the one who truly loved Henry and tragically paid the highest price. It was a goosebump-inducing performance that had the audience hanging on every note. 

Then, strutting in with pure confidence, came Karah Collins as Anna of Cleves. Her number “Get Down” was practically dripping with swagger as she flaunted her enviable post-Henry lifestyle: palaces, riches, and freedom. Collins owned the stage with a fierce, commanding presence, and her playful delivery made it clear that Cleves wasn’t about to wallow in pity. Instead, she flipped the script and showed us what winning really looks like. 

Up next was Katherine Howard, brought to life by Blakely White in the deceptively bubbly “All You Wanna Do.” At first, her performance had the crowd laughing and tapping along, but as the verses unfolded, the darker truth of Howard’s story crept in. White balanced the bubbly exterior with heartbreaking undertones, creating one of the most gut-punching shifts of the night. What started as cheeky fun ended as a sobering reminder of how young women were taken advantage of in Henry’s world. 

Closing out the concert battle was Catherine Parr, portrayed by Jenna Thaxton, who delivered “I Don’t Need Your Love” with grace and strength. Instead of competing for tragedy points, Parr turned the tables, claiming her independence and refusing to be defined solely by her marriage to Henry. Thaxton’s warm yet powerful presence gave the show its perfect mic-drop moment, tying all the Queens’ stories together while leaving the audience cheering. 

Before the show even began, the excitement was already buzzing in the VIP lounge. The always-wonderful Bob Bidewell shared that he had seen the understudy performance earlier in the run and couldn’t stop raving about how phenomenal those Queens were. Swinging in as Catherine of Aragon and Katherine Howard was Mallory Lafferty, bringing double the royal flair. Eli Atkins took on the emotional role of Jane Seymour, Nyla Newton commanded the stage as Anna of Cleves, and Taylor Moore pulled double duty covering both Catherine Parr and Anne Boleyn. Hearing how each understudy stepped into these powerhouse roles with such talent only underscored the depth of this cast. It’s clear this production is stacked with Queens who can slay any stage they step onto. 

As always, I enjoyed visiting with the hospitality crew, and I was informed that the next production, A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL, will not hit the stage until November and will run for a full month. For more information, visit their website at https://argentacontemporarytheatre.org.  

CREATIVE TEAM 

Tanner Oglesby – Director/Music Director 

April Bartholmey – Stage Manager 

Allison Stodola-Wilson – Choreographer 

Justin A. Pike – Lighting Designer 

Alyson Courtney – Costume Designer 

Taylor Bumann – Assistant Director/Deck Crew 

Nicholas Bius – Technical Director 

Paige Carpenter – Master Carpenter 

Margo Gifford – Scenic Artist 

Nathan Abshire – Sound Engineer 

Rex Easter III – A1/Sound Board Operator 

Beverly Williams – House Manager 

Warren McCullough -- Photographer

Arkansas Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE WIZARD OF OZ (Arts One Presents)

12.6% of votes

2. CINDERELLA: THE BROADWAY VERSION (Arkansas State University Theatre)

12.3% of votes

3. TUCK EVERLASTING (Harding University Theatre)

10.9% of votes

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