Six the Musical Wiki
Advertisement
Six the Musical Wiki
The #1 Queendom Information Source!
997
pages
in: Musicals, Six

Six the Musical

View source
You are reading the page dedicated to the musical. You may have been wanting to read about the song.

"Six" is a British pop musical written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss while they were studying for their final exams at Cambridge University. It tells the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII, as they compete to decide who will lead the group based on how much they suffered while married to Henry.

Synopsis

The show begins with the six Queens introducing themselves in chronological order through a pop song. They welcome the audience to the performance ("Ex-Wives"). They then inform the audience that the concert will feature a competition between the Queens based on who had the worst experience with their common husband, Henry VIII. The winner of the competition gets to be the lead singer of the band ("Ex-Wives (Reprise)"). Catherine of Aragon is the first contestant to perform, recounting that despite how loyal she had been to him during their relationship, Henry wished to annul his marriage to Aragon and move her into a nunnery when he began lusting after Anne Boleyn, much to her anger ("No Way"). Aragon then declares herself the winner; however, the other Queens mention Anne and how Henry's desire to be with her led him to annul their marriage ("The One You've Been Waiting For"). Anne ridicules Aragon about how Henry wanted to be with her instead, but she soon begins to complain about his infidelity and decides to flirt with other men to make him jealous, leading to her eventual arrest and execution ("Don't Lose Ur Head"). After her solo, Anne also proclaims herself the winner of the competition and begins to sing a second song "about the moment [she] found out Catherine of Aragon had tragically died". However, she is interrupted by the other Queens before she can even finish the first line. Jane Seymour announces that it is her turn to perform, but she is mocked for having had an easy time with Henry. She admits that while she may have been the one that Henry truly loved, she states that his love was conditional because she had produced a male heir. Despite this, Jane remained by Henry's side despite his many faults ("Heart of Stone").

The story then shifts as the Queens pretend to be members of Hans Holbein's painting studio, explaining how they make the women that he paints look beautiful for their portraits ("Haus of Holbein"). They parody a dating app by presenting a choice of three women for Henry to marry: Christina of Denmark, Amalia of Cleves, and Anna of Cleves, who is Amalia's elder sister. Henry chooses Anna of Cleves and the Queens are excited because they believe that the two will have a happy, long-lasting marriage ("Haus of Holbein (Playoff)"). However, their union is ultimately ill-fated as he decides to annul their marriage after meeting Anna in person due to her supposed non-resemblance to her portrait. Anna pretends to complain about how she is "forced" to live in a beautiful palace in Richmond as a result of the annulment and soon begins to boast about her riches and how she is able to do anything that she wishes ("Get Down"). The other Queens point out that Anna's life wasn't actually so that difficult and she ultimately ends up disqualified from the competition. During Katherine Howard's turn, the Queens belittle her for being "the least relevant Catherine". She retorts by mentioning flaws in the other Queens' reasons for winning before recounting her romantic history, having had many suitors even as a child. At first, Katherine brags about her attractiveness; however, she soon realises the emotional trauma and abuse she faced in these relationships and how they led to her beheading ("All You Wanna Do").

As the Queens continue to argue about who should win the competition, Catherine Parr attempts to put a stop to it by pointing out how the contest defines them solely by their connections to Henry rather than their individual accomplishments. The Queens mock her and refuse to listen to her, so Parr begins to tell her story, beginning with a letter to the love of her life explaining that she has to leave him because Henry wishes to marry her. She then recounts the accomplishments she made independently of Henry, such as how she was a writer and an advocate for women's rights ("I Don't Need Your Love"). The other Queens, realising how long they have let themselves be defined by their marriages to Henry, stop the competition and declare that they don't need his love to feel validated as people ("I Don't Need Your Love (Remix)"). With only five minutes left in the show, they decide to use the remaining time on stage to "rewrite" their stories and sing together as a group rather than as solo artists, writing their own happily ever after ("Six").

In live performances, the Queens perform an encore number called "Megasix", serving as a mashup of all of the songs in the show (minus "Haus of Holbein"), serving as the show's bows; the audience is encouraged by the Queens to film the number in most locations.

Characters

Musical Numbers

  1. Ex-Wives - The Queens
  2. Ex-Wives (Reprise) - The Queens
  3. No Way - Catherine of Aragon & The Queens
  4. The One You've Been Waiting For - The Queens (Except Anne Boleyn)
  5. Don't Lose Ur Head - Anne Boleyn & The Queens
  6. Heart of Stone - Jane Seymour & The Queens
  7. Haus of Holbein - The Queens
  8. Haus of Holbein (Playoff) - The Queens †
  9. Get Down - Anna of Cleves & The Queens
  10. All You Wanna Do - Katherine Howard & The Queens
  11. I Don't Need Your Love - Catherine Parr & The Queens
  12. I Don't Need Your Love (Remix) - Catherine Parr & the Queens ††
  13. Six - The Queens
  14. Megasix - The Queens
  15. Playout - Ladies in Waiting

† Not included on any cast recording.
†† Included as part of I Don't Need Your Love on the London cast recording.

Current Productions

2025-26 West End Production

2025-26 West End Production
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Vaudeville Theatre
London, England 		18 February 2025 February 2026

2025-26 Broadway Production

2025-26 Broadway Production
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Lena Horne Theatre
New York City, New York, USA 		19 February 2025 February 2026

2024-25 UK & International Tour

2024-25 UK & International Tour
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Majestic Theatre
Shanghai, China 		19 May 2025 13 July 2025
The Lowry
Salford, England 		29 July 2025 3 August 2025
His Majesty's Theatre
Aberdeen, Scotland 		5 August 2025 9 August 2025
Newcastle Theatre Royal
Newcastle, England 		12 August 2025 23 August 2025
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Guildford, England 		26 August 2025 30 August 2025

2024-25 North American "Boleyn" Tour

2024-25 North American "Boleyn" Tour
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 		13 May 2025 18 May 2025
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Calgary, Alberta, Canada 		20 May 2025 25 May 2025
Washington Pavilion
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA 		28 May 2025 1 June 2025
The Blaisdell Center
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 		17 June 2025 29 June 2025


Krakow Non-Replica Production

Second Polish Production
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Variété Theatre
Kraków, Poland 		26 April 2025 11 May 2025
29 May 2025 1 June 2025
3 July 2025 6 July 2025
2 October 2025 5 October 2025
6 November 2025 9 November 2025
4 December 2025 7 December 2025

Upcoming Productions

2025-26 UK & International Tour

2025-26 UK & International Tour
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Waterside Theatre
Aylesbury, England 		20 May 2025 24 May 2025
Curve Theatre
Leicester, England 		27 May 2025 31 May 2025
Hull New Theatre
Hull, England 		3 June 2025 7 June 2025
Grand Opera House
Belfast, Ireland 		10 June 2025 14 June 2025
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
Dublin, Ireland 		17 June 2025 28 June 2025
Pavilion Theatre
Rhyl, Wales 		1 July 2025 5 July 2025
Leeds Grand Theatre
Leeds, England 		8 July 2025 12 July 2025
Belgrade Theatre
Coventry, England 		15 July 2025 19 July 2025
Embassy Theatre
Skegness, England 		22 July 2025 26 July 2025
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Guildford, England 		2 September 2025 6 September 2025
Theatre Royal Brighton
Brighton, England 		9 September 2025 20 September 2025
Theatre Clwyd
Mold, England 		23 September 2025 27 September 2025
Hall for Cornwall
Truro, England 		30 September 2025 4 October 2025
Princess Theatre
Torquay, England 		7 October 2025 11 October 2025
Grand Opera House
York, England 		14 October 2025 18 October 2025
Edinburgh Playhouse
Edinburgh, Scotland 		21 October 2025 25 October 2025
Wales Millennium Centre
Cardiff, Wales 		28 October 2025 8 November 2025
Cliffs Pavillion
Southend, England 		11 November 2025 15 November 2025
Festival Theatre
Great Malvern, England 		18 November 2025 22 November 2025
Wycombe Swan Theatre
High Wycombe, England 		25 November 2025 29 November 2025
Mayflower Theatre
Southampton, England 		2 December 2025 6 December 2025
New Theatre Oxford
Oxford, England 		9 December 2025 13 December 2025
Winter Gardens Blackpool
Blackpool, England 		22 December 2025 4 January 2026
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Wolverhampton, England 		20 January 2026 31 January 2026

2025-26 North American "Boleyn" Tour

2025-26 North American "Boleyn" Tour
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Shubert Theatre
New Haven, Connecticut, USA 		25 September 2025 28 September 2025
Academy of Music
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 		30 September 2025 5 October 2025
Benedum Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 		7 October 2025 12 October 2025
Hanover Theatre
Worcester, Massachusetts, USA 		14 October 2025 19 October 2025
Providence Performing Arts Center
Providence, Rhode Island, USA 		22 October 2025 26 October 2025
Durham Performing Arts Center
Durham, North Carolina, USA 		28 October 2025 2 November 2025
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 		4 November 2025 9 November 2025
Connor Palace
Cleveland, Ohio, USA 		11 November 2025 16 November 2025
Midland Center for the Arts
Midland, Michigan, USA 		28 November 2025 30 November 2025
CIBC Theatre
Chicago, Illinois, USA 		2 December 2025 14 December 2025
Palace Theatre
Columbus, Ohio, USA 		16 December 2025 21 December 2025
Civic Theatre
San Diego, California, USA 		30 December 2025 4 January 2026
Buell Theatre
Denver, Colorado, USA 		7 January 2026 11 January 2026
Des Moines Civic Center
Des Moines, Iowa, USA 		13 January 2026 18 January 2026
Bass Concert Hall
Austin, Texas, USA 		20 January 2026 25 January 2026
Music Hall
Dallas, Texas, USA 		27 January 2026 1 February 2026
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
Nashville, Tennessee, USA 		3 February 2026 8 February 2026
Bass Performance Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA 		10 February 2026 15 February 2026
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Los Angeles, California, USA 		18 February 2026 8 March 2026
Segerstrom Center
Costa Mesa, California, USA 		10 March 2026 15 March 2026
ASU Gammage
Tempe, Arizona, USA 		17 March 2026 22 March 2026
Orpheum Theatre
Omaha, Nebraska, USA 		25 March 2026 29 March 2026
Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center
Midland, Texas, USA 		31 March 2026 1 April 2026
Plaza Theatre
El Paso, Texas, USA 		3 April 2026 5 April 2026
Sarofim Hall
Houston, Texas, USA 		7 April 2026 12 April 2026
Saenger Theatre
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 		14 April 2026 19 April 2026
Orpheum Theatre
Memphis, Tennessee, USA 		21 April 2026 26 April 2026
Fox Theatre
Atlanta, Georgia, USA 		28 April 2026 3 May 2026
Tanger Center
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA 		5 May 2026 10 May 2026
Straz Center
Tampa, Florida, USA 		12 May 2026 17 May 2026
Gogue Performing Arts Center
Auburn, Alabama, USA 		30 May 2026 31 May 2026
Dr. Phillips Center
Orlando, Florida, USA 		2 June 2026 7 June 2026
Columbia County Performing Arts Center
Evans, Georgia, USA 		9 June 2026 11 June 2026
Wilson Center
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA 		12 June 2026 14 June 2026
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA 		17 June 2026 28 June 2026

Warsaw Non-Replica Production

First Polish Non-Replica Production
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Teatr Syena
Warsaw, Poland 		14 May 2025 18 May 2025

Croatian Non-Replica Production

Croatian Non-Replica Production
Venue Opening Date Closing Date
Komedija Theatre
Zagreb, Croatia 		15 May 2025 2025

Past Productions

Cancelled Productions

Proshot

Main: Six the Musical Live!

A proshot of the original West End cast was filmed in June 2022. It was released in select UK and Ireland theatres on 6 April 2025. An international release date is pending.

Guides

Trivia

  • Before deciding on the title Six, Toby and Lucy brainstormed many other possible names for the show.[1]
    • They also considered the titles Sixth Harmony and Little Six, which are plays on popular girl groups Fifth Harmony and Little Mix.[2]
  • While writing the show, Toby and Lucy considered adding Hans Holbein as a character, as well as including the queens' children as backing vocalists; however, they instead decided that the cast would be comprised of the queens alone.[2]
  • For inspiration while writing the show, Toby and Lucy watched Beyoncé’s 2011 concert film Live at Roseland: Elements of 4.[2] This concert is often shown to the casts of the show during rehearsals.
  • As stated in the synopsis, there is one joke song in the musical, Wearing Yellow to a Funeral; however, it is not an actual song, as Anne is cut off by the other queens after only singing a partial line.
  • On 24 April 2020, Six released a video of every cast member of the show at the time performing the Ex-Wives/Six mashup. The Six portion of the video included 3000 fan videos as well.[3]
    • The video concept was developed by Grace Mouat and Danielle Steers.
  • Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, all productions of the show temporarily closed in March 2020:
    • In July 2020, a drive-in tour featuring the West End and 2019-20 UK Tour casts was announced; however, the tour was cancelled before it begun after several cities experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases.[4]
    • The West End production briefly reopened in December 2020 at the Lyric Theatre, but soon closed again due to tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions in London.[5] It once again opened in May 2021.[6]
    • The UK Tour production reopened in June 2021 in Canterbury,[7] though the Hull run was rescheduled to April 2022 due to several cast members testing positive for COVID-19.[8]
    • The Broadway production initially closed on 12 March 2020, which was previously set to be their opening night. It did not resume previews until 17 September 2021, with their official opening night taking place on 3 October 2021, 18 months after the initial opening night in 2020.
  • On 1 August 2021, Six had its first show ever in which none of the principal actresses performed; instead, all six roles were filled by alternates and swings.[9]
    • The second occurance took place on 29 September 2024.
  • On 9 November 2021 during the Broadway production, Six had its first ever performance in which every role was played by a performer of colour. The cast was comprised of Adrianna Hicks as Catherine of Aragon, Andrea Macasaet as Anne Boleyn, Keirsten Hodgens as Jane Seymour, Brittney Mack as Anna of Cleves, Samantha Pauly as Katherine Howard, and Anna Uzele as Catherine Parr.
    • Nine days later on 18 November, the West End production also had its first performance in which every role was played by a performer of colour. The cast was comprised of Paisley Billings as Catherine of Aragon, Amanda Lindgren as Anne Boleyn, Claudia Kariuki as Jane Seymour, Dionne Ward-Anderson as Anna of Cleves, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe as Katherine Howard, and Meesha Turner as Catherine Parr.
    • The principal cast of the 2022-23 North American Aragon Tour, which began performances on 29 March 2022 in Chicago, is the first principal cast to be fully made up of performers of colour.
    • On 18 October 2023, during the 2022-2023 Broadway Production, the first performance where all six performers were played by black actors was held. The cast comprised of Hailee Kaleem Wright as Catherine of Aragon, Leandra Ellis-Gaston as Anne Boleyn, Kristina Leopold as Jane Seymour, Nasia Thomas as Anna of Cleves, Holli' Conway as Katherine Howard, and Taylor Iman Jones as Catherine Parr. Leandra Ellis-Gaston had to exit the performance after No Way due to an injury, meaning the performance was not officially concluded by a cast of black actors.
  • Throughout Six's seven-year history, only seven performances have ever been cancelled for reasons unrelated to COVID-19; the 14 July 2019 evening performance of the West End production, the 21 June 2022 evening performance of the Broadway production, the 16 July 2023 matinee performance of the North American Boleyn Tour, the 28 October 2023 evening performance of the West End production, the 29 June 2024 matinee performance and both the 30 June 2024 matinee and evening performances of the West End production.[10][11]
  • A billboard for the Broadway production of Six briefly appears during the opening scene of the 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home.
  • On 26 April 2022, Six released the licensing rights for Six: Teen Edition in the United Kingdom and Ireland, allowing for non-replica school productions.[12] Not even half a year later, on 17 August 2023, the rights were released in North America.

References

  1. ↑
    01six-titles-test-jumbo
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/theater/six-broadway.html
  3. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XLOiZnlQ4/
  4. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/jul/15/uk-drive-in-tour-musical-six-kenny-wax
  5. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55307512
  6. ↑ https://www.londontheatre1.com/theatre-news/six-the-musical-will-reopen-at-the-lyric-theatre-on-friday-21-may-2021/
  7. ↑ https://www.londontheatre1.com/theatre-news/six-full-casting-for-uk-ireland-tour-2021-22/
  8. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-57900778
  9. ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1421780534376681475
  10. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/sixthemusical/posts/649258222151410
  11. ↑ https://twitter.com/SixBroadway/status/1539387067045662720
  12. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc0EnruICiX/
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement