There are certainly more than six reasons why Six is a fantastic show, but I’ll make it easy on you and just give one: the cast! Adriana Hicks, Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert, Keri Rene Fuller, Brittney Mack, Samantha Pauly, and Joy Woods deliver a phenomenal eighty minutes of singing, dancing, and competing for their history with a common denominator: being a wife of Henry VIII. All shine in their respective moments, but none brighter than the cast as an ensemble. With laughs, pensive realizations, some her-stories you may not have learned in class, Six should be a top choice to be seen for any audience member.
Hicks, as Catherine of Aragon, serves as the first soloist we meet, giving a booming solo to “No Way.” Lambert, as Anne Boleyn, perhaps the most-known ex-wife, follows suit with “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” a wonderful display of her triple-threat abilities to carry a number with mighty vocals as her foundation. Fuller brings softness in “Heart of Stone” but is anything but soft in her powerful park-and-bark lament as Jane Seymour. “Haus of Holbein” is a great, fun romp to introduce the selection of Anna of Cleves as Henry’s next wife. Mack delivers “Get Down” with a dance turn that leaves the audience breathless, and smashing vocals to boot. Pauly is a phenomenal Katherine Howard, giving attitude, vocal prowess, and stellar stage movement in “All You Wanna Do.” Wrapping up the six-wives tale is Woods, as Catherine Parr, the only wife to survive Henry, cleaning up with a swell “I Don’t Need Your Love.”
(Cast of Six; Photo credit: Liz Lauren)
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss are responsible for giving this talented cast the excellent material which they are speaking and singing. Their double-duty as writers and directors showcase the action while allowing each actress a chance to show off their talents in sparkling fashion. Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s choreography is a hip-hop-tastic, tight-knit effort which is seamlessly and energetically executed by the cast. The Ladies-in-Waiting band, led by conductor/keyboardist Julia Schade, gives the score the concert-feel and sound it’s designed to employ. Gabriella Slade’s costuming of the individual wives is filled with assigned colors and has delightful pop under Tim Deiling’s superb lighting design. Six should be here for a while, whether at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre or on tour, so make every effort to see it now so you can make plans to see it again and again; Henry wouldn’t want it that way so smash the abusive patriarchal influences of His Highness and give your attention to the talented actresses giving you all the her-story history lesson awesomeness!