Musical: "SIX"
Columbia Show Dates: Feb. 25 - March 2, 2025
Writers: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Runtime: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Historical/Biographical
Awards: "SIX" has won 23 awards, including the 2022 Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
Rating: A
“SIX” is a modern, energetic musical that tells the story of Henry VIII's six wives, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss in 2017. The queens play songs in an atmosphere that resemble a pop concert as an effort to establish who had the worst experience with the king. The queens come to realize that their pain shouldn't define who they are and instead recognize their strength and reclaim their history of strength.
The opening act showcases the queens' dramatic entrance in the song "Ex-Wives," which sets the tone for the queens' competition. The song highlights each queen's distinct musical influences, from hip-hop to pop/rock, with loud cheers from the Kroger Center audience throughout the song.
The queens often break the fourth wall, addressing the audience directly and getting everyone hyped up as if they were at a concert. The queens immediately draw the audience into their world, laying the groundwork for a night of high-energy storytelling with engaging conversation and jokes, including the history of USC's campus.
Catherine of Aragon's (Chani Maisonet) song "No Way" is a motivating testament to strength from the first of the six wives to tell her story. The song tells how she refused to be rejected when Henry VIII attempted to end their marriage for Anne Boleyn. The music's beat and powerful vocal performance highlight her strength and establish her as a queen who should be respected.
Anne Boleyn (Gaby Albo), one of Henry's most infamous wives, embraces a rebellious persona in her song "Don’t Lose Ur Head." The punk-pop song uses witty language and a sarcastic attitude to tell the story of Anne's downfall, drawing a lot of laughs from the audience. This song foreshadows Anne's brutal execution by underlining the dangers of being a woman in a position of authority in the Tudor court, despite its humorous tone.
In striking contrast to Anne's number, Jane Seymour's (Kelly Denice Taylor) song "Heart of Stone" is a heartbreaking powerhouse that depicts Jane's genuine love for Henry, showing her strong commitment despite all of the politics surrounding their marriage. The slower melody and heartbreaking language make it one of the show's touching moments, allowing the audience to experience the depth of her sacrifice for her son and feel her emotions.
Anna of Cleves (Danielle Mendoza), who receives little affection in history, shines in her song "Get Down," a club-style song that displays her enjoyment of her newly acquired freedom and money, rather than suffering from her dissolved marriage due to her not looking as beautiful as she did in her portrait in 1540. The song celebrates independence and empowerment, transforming defeats into victories.
Katherine Howard's (Alizé Cruz) song "All You Wanna Do" opens as a flirty, cheerful tune but takes a dark turn as the song develops. The song originally portrays Howard as a fun-loving flirt, but uncovers the predatory character of the men who sought her from an early age. The shift in tone makes this one of "SIX's" most emotionally devastating songs, exposing the mistreatment she faced before her death.
Catherine Parr (Tasia Jungbauer), Henry's only surviving wife, takes the lead in "I Don't Need Your Love." The song tells the narrative of a woman who loves someone else, but is forced to marry the king. Instead of identifying herself based on her relationship with Henry, she asserts her own legacy, as she said that her contributions to history go beyond her own survival.
The finale, "Six," brings together all of the queens in a celebratory pop song that distinguishes out from the others. Rather than focusing on their suffering, they recount their stories in ways that solidify them.
These songs depict the queens as strong, individualistic women known for more than their relationship with Henry VIII. " SIX" reclaims their stories and highlights their hardships and victories using cutting-edge music, empowering lyrics and distinct storytelling. Each song turns the emphasis away from their roles as wives and onto their lasting legacies as prominent historical figures.