Kicking off the North American tour in Des Moines, Iowa, the Broadway production of “SIX: The Musical” performed from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 at the Music Hall in Fair Park in Dallas. Reimagining Tudor history with a mix of glitter and pop-punk ballads, the show transformed the six wives of Henry VIII into a dynamic girl group, enjoyed by all ages for its lively retelling of history.
The show introduces six queen consorts — Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr — dressed in sequined costumes under neon lighting.
As the musical unfolds, the queens narrate that they were all once married to King Henry VIII, a ruler notorious for his horrible treatment of his wives, including divorce, forced exile and beheading just to end the marriage. To reclaim their stories from becoming a pity fest, the band proposes a solo competition in which each queen can argue who suffered the most under Henry’s reign. This winner of this competition will be named as the leader of the band, creating a pop showdown.
Surprisingly, each consort’s solo was notably different from the last. Each represented a different musical genre that pays homage to the character’s background while drawing inspiration from pop artists, creating a blend of “modern” and “Tudor.” These dynamic transitions kept everyone in the audience invested, not in who wins, but in how each queen asserts her voice.
For instance, Catherine of Aragon sings a fast-paced solo with Latin music elements to portray her childhood in Spain and her frustration of staying loyal to Henry, only to be divorced so Henry can marry a younger woman. What stood out most is not the historical references, but the defiance in her delivery. Her character’s almost Beyoncé-esque confidence became the powerhouse vocals that set the tone for the night.
Anne Boleyn’s solo, “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” maintains an upbeat tempo while masking the dark and gruesome lyrics, creating a pop-punk inspired melody. Anna of Cleves’ “Get Down” contains hip-hop elements and does not entirely focus on her suffering, unlike some other queens; Anna describes her luxurious and independent lifestyle after the divorce, providing a sharp contrast to the other solos.
Katherine Howard’s “All You Wanna Do” implements a brilliant transition from bubbly and flirtatious to a frantic and vulnerable performance, showcasing her journey from an innocent child to lifelong sexual abuse and grooming, only to be exploited as a queen by Henry VIII. Choreography and lighting have a large impact on each solo, with the slow-down in scenes such as Howard’s solo ensuring the audience understands the sad reality of the young child suffering from abuse throughout her life only to meet a tragic demise.
One of the most emotionally targeted solos appears in the form of Jane Seymour’s “Heart of Stone,” where Seymour reflects on her love for Henry VIII. In this narrative, Seymour emphasizes that Henry’s love is conditional as she was the only queen consort to give birth to an heir, which becomes a celebration. The minimal lighting and backdrop in this scene as well as the increased focus on Seymour’s vocals emphasized the simplicity of the solo compared to the other five consorts, proving that the musical does not solely rely on flash to be effective.
As the show progresses, the six queen consorts came to see themselves less as competition and more as women who were initially labeled by their suffering. Throughout history, these women are typically remembered by their fate, through the mnemonic “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” By the finale, the audience realizes that these women are more than the mnemonic that summarizes their fates. By uniting as collaborators instead of rivals, the queens discard the idea of having their worth be defined by their suffering and choose to rewrite their legacies on their own terms.
Unlike other musicals such as “Les Misérables,” which rely heavily on setting, SIX devises a unique approach to lighting by transforming the stage into a pop concert. Similarly, the audience claps along, laughs and falls silent at the more serious moments, feeling the wide emotional range of the musical. The costumes were designed with the iconic Tudor bodice and silhouettes while keeping jewels and embellishments customized for each queen. For instance, Katherine Howard and Anne Boleyn had collars around their necks to symbolize their beheading.
Additionally, the musical succeeds in experimenting with contemporary elements, such as relying on lighting and sound instead of backdrops, using handheld microphones and not having a “traditional” lead, allowing for the six queen consorts to share the spotlight.
Ultimately, “SIX: The Musical” succeeds in blending history and contemporary elements on the Broadway stage. The production encourages the audience to reconsider how women’s stories are told and how legacies should be written within its 80-minute show, tying in the overarching message of these former queens’ wish to be remembered as individual beings rather than the poor wives of King Henry VIII. Overall, the production succeeds in performing a glittery retelling of the Tudor era that left the audience with a changed perspective on that time period and women’s roles within it.