Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ SIX, directed by Moss and Jamie Armitage, is about six queens—all of whom, at some point in their lives, were married to Henry VIII. It’s a glitzy, sparkly, fun musical reimagination of the regents as they come back to life in their modern avatars and teach us a thing or two about empowerment. We are so used to seeing women on stage warring, fighting, and pulling each other down, but Six is all about the unexpected friendship these women form.
Adriana Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Keri René Fuller, Brittney Mack, Samantha Pauly, and Joy Woods play Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr, respectively. Here are six reasons why you might enjoy Six.
1. You like live music but not the concert experience.
Concerts can be crowded, loud, and often you’re hard pressed to find a seat. Here’s the good news! Six—with its pop score and flashy stage design—feels like a music concert. You can hoot, cheer, and sing along just as you would in a concert, and you can do all of that while sitting in a comfortable chair.
2. You like revisionist history.
We all know how Henry VIII’s wives died, but do we know anything about how they lived their lives? Each of these women were accomplished and strong characters, and this work gives them the opportunity to shine that they each deserved.
3. You fell asleep in history classes.
Six is the story of Tudor queens, but it is told with none of the biases and drudgery inherent in the way history is often taught in schools. Beware though, you might want all your history lessons to be sung to you after this.
4. You’re a '90s kid.
Did you love the Spice Girls growing up? Do you miss them? While nothing in the world can quite fill the hole their hiatus has drilled into our hearts, watching Six can gift you some of the joy girl bands and their music brought to our lives.
5. You like badass musicians.
The all-women band, Ladies in Waiting, is the best backing band the fiery queens could’ve asked for. Julia Schade, Kimi Hayes, Michelle Osbourne, and Elena Bonomo remain onstage in their spiky leather outfits while Mariana Ramirez works on the percussion off-stage. When was the last time you paid for a Broadway show but also ended up witnessing absolute rock stars?
6. You value diversity and gender equity.
The women in the cast are diverse and each of them brings to stage a unique talent as they join forces to form a formidable cast. Although they play characters who are supposed to be historical enemies, Six shows us the magic and power of a sisterhood.
Abby Mueller, Samantha Pauly, Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Brittney Mack, and Anna Uzele lead the original Broadway company of SIX
