Interview: Adriana Scalice of SIX at Proctors

Starting on Tuesday, May 7th, royalty will be descending on Proctors Theater in Schenectady. And not just any royalty, but the six queens of SIX the musical will be in town for a week performing the hit Broadway show about the six wives of Henry VIII. Among them is 23-year-old Upstate native Adriana Scalice, who dazzles audiences with her portrayal of one of history's most intriguing monarchs, Catherine Parr. In this exclusive interview, we delve into her journey with SIX, the challenges of tour life, and the thrill of bringing this revolutionary musical to audiences across the country. Get ready to be transported to a world where queens reign supreme and the stage is alive with the sounds of empowerment and pop rock.

BroadwayWorld: Hello, Adriana! How are you? Where are you these days?

Adriana: I'm currently in Schenectady!

BWW: Oh, you're already here?

A: No, no, sorry. Cincinnati. Tour life. We get to a city and then we leave it and I have no idea where we just came from. But, I'm from Upstate New York! Near Rochester. I’ll actually have a bunch of family and friends coming to Proctors!

BWW: Well, we're excited to welcome you back to the area. Tell me, what inspired you to first start performing?

A: My mom always loved performing, actually; she wanted to be a performer and did high school musicals. She found out that there was a community production of LES MISERABLES happening and decided to bring me and my sister to audition. I was seven years old at the time, and I vividly remember the audition room, a tiny little room with a piano. I sang “Castle on a Cloud” and got the role of Young Cosette – and that’s when the theater bug bit me. I kept going and never stopped.

BWW: As you continued to perform, did you have any favorite roles?

A: I had done a few shows at Geva Theater in Rochester which is a big regional theater. But, recently, I was a standby for Cady, Regina, and Janice on the MEAN GIRLS tour, and that was the first time where I was like, “Whoa! I'm really doing this! I'm living the dream!” Janice in MEAN GIRLS felt really rewarding; it was a character that felt a little bit like more like me. I loved playing Cady and Regina, as well. But I felt the most comfortable and at home in Janice.

BWW: You mentioned that you were a standby in MEAN GIRLS. What does that mean?

A: On that production specifically, standby meant that I was hired purely to be an offstage cover for Cady, Regina and Janice. We had offstage swings that covered ensemble roles, and a few of them also covered principals. But, for my contract, I would be the first person to go on if anything were to happen for those three girls. I was on quite a bit, as you can imagine! These are very vocally demanding roles. So, they needed to have someone offstage because, with the nature of tour, you're going into different climates, you have to care for your voice and you're doing your show eight times a week.

BWW: How was your experience as a standby?

A: I never thought that I would be doing professional gigs as a cover. I had one swing experience in college and it was crazy. I was a freshman and I was overwhelmed. It was a lot for my brain, so I never saw myself doing it professionally. That being the first thing I booked really challenged me in a lot of amazing ways, and it just showed me I can actually do a lot more than what I mentally limit myself to do. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

BWW: This being your second tour, what is it like? How is it different?

A: It's been great. It's definitely a different experience when you know what to expect of the lifestyle. I already knew what my routine was on tour, and how to set myself up for success. The biggest new challenge is now I'm actually in the show eight times a week! If you've heard anything about this show, you know this show is vocally demanding. I joke with my friends that I think I've signed on for a career of a lot of high belting and high energy shows [laughs], but I'm so grateful to be here.

BWW: Has anything surprised you about the SIX tour?

A: It's been so cool to see the fan base! Stage dooring is so fun! That is the biggest reward for me at the end of the day: talking to and communicating with the fans. They have fully embraced me as one of the queens! The fans call themselves “the Queendom,” and they are so supportive.

BWW: Well, let's talk about SIX, the show! How familiar were you with the history of the wives of Henry VIII before this?

A: Not at all. I mean, I knew the rhyme: “Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced, beheaded, survived.” I think I learned that in middle school. We did learn about all of the history of the queens once we started rehearsals. But, I was aware of the show. The original Catherine Parr on Broadway, Anna Uzele, went to Texas State University, which is where I went to school, so I met her and watched her journey. My college roommate also saw the production when it was in Chicago before Broadway. So, she was an early, early SIX fan. She would play the songs and would be like, “You're going to be in the show one day!” And here we are.

BWW: What should audiences expect as they go into the show?

A: I had a friend from MEAN GIRLS come and see the show in Atlanta. After the show, she said, “I can absolutely understand why the show is as successful as it is. You are laughing. You are moved by the vocals. You're moved by the story of it all. You are rocking out! It is the type of show that makes you want to get up out of your seat and join them onstage.” So, you can expect a high-energy pop concert with a lot of heart.

BWW: And you just had three new cast members join the tour. How is that going?

A: Oh my God, it's been amazing. The new cast. We have three new queens and all of them are amazing. We have three new alternates, as well! They're great. They have one more “put in” to do. It's always fun when you get new energy on a tour. Luckily, SIX is good about bringing in really good people - not just incredible artists, but good people.

BWW: What's your favorite moment in the show?

A: I feel like it changes. But, my favorite moment recently is the song “Six” at the end, because that's the song my college roommate would play all the time. I told myself, “I need to sit in the gratitude of doing this job every night.” That's when I remind myself why I love the show. It's also the one you get the most audience participation!

BWW: And what do you hope attendees walk away feeling after the show?

A: I hope they walk away having new feelings, honestly. That they had “an experience.” I hope they walk away feeling invigorated and excited and wanting to share their opinions. I hope impacts them in some way.

BWW: I've got one last question: if you could give Catherine Parr any advice, what would that be?

A: All of the queens are based off of historical figures, but with a modern twist. The advice that I would give to Cathy Parr would be to use your voice from the top of the show. Be yourself, as cliche as that sounds. Never question your own gut feeling!

SIX arrives in Schenectady at Proctors on May 7, 2024 and runs through Sunday, May 12th, 2024. Tickets and more information may be found at www.proctors.org.