It has few of the traits of a hit Broadway musical. It is very short, with its one act clocking in at around 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is based on English history during the late 1500’s, a period in time of which many Americans know very little. It has no orchestra, just a 4-piece band. It has a generic setting with virtually no physical set changes other than those supplied by the lighting. It has a cast of just 6 women, none of whom could be called a box office draw. From these descriptors one might think it had a chance Off-Broadway, but on Broadway, no way. Or as wife number one, Catherine of Aragon sings, “There’s no, no, no, no, no, no, no way.”
See, these 6 women happen to be the 6 wives of Henry VIII. They have come back from the great beyond to compete in a contest to see which one of them was the most put-upon and abused wife. And that contest takes the form of a singing competition a la American Idol. Each wife gets one song to make her case.
Everything about this show is truly clever. From Britney Spears to German Techno-pop, the score, by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, gives each wife their own ‘sound,’ to emphasize how different these women were. The lyrics are smart and honest, whether it be a ballad or an up-tempo song. They have a clever way of mixing in contemporary references, such as the wives telling us we will learn “how they got unfriended.” The songs themselves all fit the ear-worm category. Catchy, varied and strongly melodic, it landed the team a Tony Award for Best Score. The brilliant costumes by Gabriella Slade are another stroke of genius, combining Elizabethan elements with contemporary ones to create an original and striking look. They too won a well-deserved Tony Award.
Like the score, there is not a weak link in the cast. In marriage order there is Catherine of Aragon played by Khaila Wilcoxon. She was married to Henry for 24 years before he divorced her. Next came Anne Boleyn, who was beheaded and played by Storm Lever. She is given much of the comedy in the musical and delivers on all the jokes. Natalie Paris plays wife number 3, Jane Seymour, who died in childbirth delivering Henry’s first legitimate son. She has a powerful voice giving her song “Heart of Stone” the intensity it deserves. Next comes Anne of Cleves who winds up with a castle as part of her divorce settlement. Olivia Donalson obviously has a great time playing this part and that sense of fun is quite infectious. Wife number 5, Katherine Howard, played by Courtney Mack, was beheaded for adulterous behavior. She makes the most of every note in her song, “All You Wanna Do,” going from light and playful to near hysteria as the song progresses. Catherine Parr was wife number 6 and the one who outlived Henry. Gabriela Carrillo, although the last to get a turn, is far from the least. It is she who shows the other wives that there is more to them than just being an ex-wife of Henry. Her strong feminist beliefs were centuries ahead of their time.
There is such amazing energy from this cast as they tear through song after song, that is impossible not to find yourself standing at the end of the show, clapping along and having a big smile on your face as you shout “Brava” to these 6 amazing women in this unique and wonderful musical. Treat yourself to a day in Los Angeles and see SIX, it will be well worth the drive!
SIX is playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood now through June 10, 2023. For tickets or further information, visit their website at www.BroadwayInHollywood.com
