Six (musical)

Toby Marlow was selected in late 2016 by Cambridge University Arts Society to write a new musical to be performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the next summer. The idea for what became Six came to Marlow while studying in his final year at Cambridge University.[2] The initial six wives' concert concept occurred to him in a poetry class, and Marlow decided to get his friend Lucy Moss involved. Despite uncertainties, the pair wrote part of the show while studying for their final exams. Marlow researched by reading Antonia Fraser's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", while Moss viewed a documentary series, "Six Wives" by Lucy Worsley. At their first writing session together, they watched a 2011 Beyoncé concert and story-telling performance, Live at Roseland: Elements of 4.[3]

The writers thought of various popular singers in fashioning their characters. Catherine of Aragon is modeled off a mixture of Lemonade-era Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Jennifer Hudson.[4][5][6] Her solo "No Way" incorporates components of real-life Catherine's Blackfriars speech.[6] Anne Boleyn features elements of Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, and Lily Allen.[6][5] In full-fledged productions, the actor portraying Boleyn typically wears space buns, which signals character roots in Miley Cyrus.[6] Boleyn also sports green to pay homage to "Greensleeves," referring to the myth that states that Henry VIII composed the song for Anne.[6] Marlow and Moss weave in the "Greensleeves" musical motif throughout the score.[7] Additionally, Jane Seymour emulates pop balladeers such as Adele, Sia, Rihanna, and Celine Dion.[5] Seymour's costume design consists of a black and white corset design which alludes to half-timbered houses.[6] Anna of Cleves radiates Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé's "Feeling Myself," Lorde's "Royals," and Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX's "Fancy."[5] Katherine Howard's story is recontextualised through her depiction which parallels young, sexualised pop stars like Britney Spears and Ariana Grande.[5] Katherine's costume design also features a choker, serving as a representation of her being beheaded.[6] Lastly, Catherine Parr's characterisation draws inspiration from Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé.[5]

Marlow and Moss lamented the lack of gender diversity within the theatre industry, which caused them to focus on themes of queerness while developing the show.[8] They wanted a cast that was predominantly female or non-binary and the story itself to feature queer narratives in a space which normally didn't.[8] Over the course of approximately 10 nonconsecutive days, Marlow and Moss established the foundation for the show.[4]

The world premiere production of Six took place at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, presented by Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society.[9] Although the production did not win any big awards, it was well-received and sold out of tickets at the festival.[6] Its popularity led to Six being invited back to Edinburgh Fringe the next summer, this time in one of the festival's larger venues.[6]

The Edinburgh production and a subsequent showing back in Cambridge attracted the attention of producers Kenny Wax and Global Musicals, and they gave the show its professional debut on 18 December 2017, performing initially on four Monday nights although this was increased to six performances at the Arts Theatre.[10][3] A studio recording was released on 13 September 2018, featuring the original Arts Theatre cast.

Six began its first UK tour on 11 July at the Norwich Playhouse, returning to the Edinburgh Fringe on 1 August 2018. Six transferred to the Arts Theatre in the West End with an opening night on 30 August. The production closed on 14 October prior to continuing its UK tour. The UK tour ended on 30 December 2018 in Glasgow.[11]

The musical re-opened for an initial 16-week run at the Arts Theatre on 17 January 2019. Directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage with choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, set design by Emma Bailey, and musical supervision by Joe Beighton,[12] the initial run was extended until January 2021.[13] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the show was forced to take a lengthy hiatus from March 2020.

Under special and unprecedented conditions, the show became one of the first to reopen. It reopened at the Lyric Theatre on 5 December 2020, with plans to return to the Arts Theatre the next year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, audiences were to be socially distanced, capacity limited to 50%, face coverings and temperature checks required, and contact tracing rules in place.[14][15] In mid-December, all London theatres were again required to close.[16]

Six had its North American premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) in May 2019.[17] Directed by Jamie Armitage and Lucy Moss,[18] the Chicago premiere was produced by Six's London producers with the addition of Broadway producer Kevin McCollum. According to Chris Jones the Chicago production was a likely Broadway tryout.[19] Toward the end of the extended Chicago run,[20] where Six broke box office records for the CST, it was announced the show would go to Broadway in 2020.[21] The production moved to the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts in late August and September 2019,[22] and made its Canadian premiere at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre in November.[23][24] The production moved to the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota, from 29 November through 22 December, prior to its Broadway debut.[25]

On 6 August 2019, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that they would be showing performances of Six on three of their ships at different times.[26] The shows began in September 2019 on Norwegian's Bliss and will run until 2022.

A second UK tour of Six was officially announced on 5 September 2019. The production opened on 24 October 2019 at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. The tour was scheduled to run until 25 July 2020, concluding its run at the Birmingham Hippodrome.[27] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down theaters however, a deal was struck between the Society of London Theatre and U.K. actors union Equity; ensuring that West End and touring performers who are currently under contract will be able to continue on those preexisting terms and restart rehearsals or performances with revised dates once the shutdown ends.[28]

In June 2020, a drive-in style production at venues such as showgrounds, racecourses and airfields was planned,[29] but it too was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[30]

Six had its Australian premiere at the Sydney Opera House, in January 2020.[31][32] The production was originally planned to tour to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in mid 2020 and Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre in late 2020 as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival but all performances have since been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[33] The Australian production is produced by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewick.[34] At some point, it is set to open in Wellington, New Zealand's Opera House.[35]

Six began Broadway previews on 13 February 2020 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.[36][37] On the day of its scheduled Broadway opening, 12 March 2020, all Broadway theatres were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[38] Six planned to open when Broadway performances resume.[39][40] Moss and Armitage again direct, with choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, set design by Emma Bailey, costumes by Gabriella Slade, sound by Paul Gatehouse, lighting by Tim Deiling, and orchestrations by Tom Curran. The original principal cast is the same as the show's 2019 North American tour.[41]

On 4 August 2019, at the final performance of the Chicago premiere, it was announced that Six would return to the city at the Broadway Playhouse.[42] It is scheduled to begin 5 October 2021, after two postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to run to 30 January 2022.[43]

• Anne Boleyn: Courtney Bowman[44]
• Catherine Parr: Danielle Steers[44]

Show co-creator Toby Marlow also filled in as Catherine Parr for two West End performances on 28 July 2019, due to a cast-wide illness.[45]

The original Broadway production was in previews starting February 13, and was set to open the day New York City's stay-at-home order was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.