Review: SIX THE MUSICAL Presented by Broadway Across America at Kentucky Performing Arts

Photo by Joan Marcus

Historical events and figures have always been solid basis for new musicals, dating back to classics like 1776 and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, as well as more contemporary fare like the new Broadway musical Suffs, and perhaps the most famous modern example, Hamilton. Hamilton in particular was the first of its kind to reconceptualize history to make it more palatable to today. So, if the founding fathers can rap, why can’t Henry VIII’s famous (and infamous) six wives put on a pop concert detailing their plight(s) at the hands of the king? Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow have done just that in the new musical Six which had humble beginnings in the UK, and has since become a worldwide phenomenon. With a lot of fanfare and anticipation, the Boleyn Tour (2nd National) has finally made its premiere in Louisville.

The premise is quite simple: the six wives of Henry VIII take center stage to compete in a competition to determine whose time with the king was the most traumatic and tumultuous. While this may sound heavy, each queen tells their side of the story through pop songs with various modern influences. While at the show you may think “hey this song reminds me of Brittney Spears” or “why does this sound like Adele?” That intentional writing is part of what makes the show clever. Six takes a strong and welcome girl power stance as the queens collectively take back their narratives from the history books.

The cast is very strong and each queen makes a unique impression as they perform their solos, or during the occasional catty and] witty jabs in the dialogue. Bringing the first solo of the night, Gerianne Pérez, as Aragon, brought a lot of spunk and high energy to set the breakneck pace of the evening. Zan Berube took the stage next as Boleyn bringing a well executed (pun intended) comedic and cheeky bubblegum pop song about her beheading. Following with a nice change of pace was Amina Faye as Seymour. She passionately and exquisitely delivers a heart wrenching power ballad about being the “one he truly loved” and how her time raising a family was cut short. Terica Marie’s Cleves was my personal standout of the evening. With her comedic charm and energy in “Get Down” she instantly had the audience in the palm of her hand. 

Aryn Bohannon as Howard was in as an alternate but stunned audiences with her ability to bring the visceral and heartbreaking occcurances that her character experienced to life. Her solo arguably has the biggest arc as an idealistic young girl who is used by the men in her life over and over again including the king. What starts off as a fun nod to “Baby One More Time”  slowly spirals into a visceral and heartbreaking nightmare. She sells it well and had the audience nearly stunned in the conclusion. Rounding out the cast is Adriana Scalice as Parr. In many ways, her character serves as the heart and the hope within the show, as she was the queen who outlived Henry VIII. She brilliantly delivers her anthem of self-love ,“I Don’t Need Your Love”, with fabulous vocal choices and riffs throughout. 

The set by Emma Bailey is quite simple, made up of an elaborate bandstand and an open stage for the queens to perform, but the lighting by Tim Deiling is where the show really has its flair for design. It effectively gives the feel of any modern-day arena tour while in the confines of a theatrical house, the lighting is instrumental to making the experience as special and unique as it stands. Costumes by Gabriella Slade are ingenious and gorgeously designed. Each queen is given her own distinct style and color, but they all still maintain a cohesive look that is quite appealing. 

On the whole, I’d venture to say Six is as near perfect a theatrical experience you can get. It knows exactly what it is, what it’s trying to do, and more importantly what it’s trying to say. Clocking in at just around 75 minutes total, Six is a breezy but fulfilling evening at the theatre. I truly believe there is nothing that could be added or taken away to enhance the show as it’s written. On top of it all, it’s fun and joyful, bringing a traditionally untold story to a new audience. Tudor history has never been more fabulous, and if you can find a ticket (the show is virtually sold out, does this review even matter?), you should absolutely catch Six before it leaves town. 

SIX THE MUSICAL

Now - April 14th

Whitney Hall at Kentucky Performing Arts

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