Review: SIX! THE MUSICAL SPARKLES AND DAZZLES at Straz Center For The Performing Arts

"Are you ready to choose your leading lady...?"

"Are you ready for a royal happy ever after?"

On Tuesday evening a packed house at Carol Morsani Hall at Tampa, Florida's Straz Center for the Performing Arts sat waiting in anticipation for the Broadway Season Opener SIX to begin. I myself have stayed relatively neutral to the show, and going in blind only hearing one or two songs, I was eagerly awaiting the performance.

As the curtain speech began anticipation grew stronger, and it was announced," the show would begin in just under SIX minutes."

With book, music, and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, SIX is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII. The show is performed in a pop concert style, with each performer singing about her time with Henry and battling it out to see who suffered more, and can become the lead singer of the group. Therefore not making the plot overly complicated, SIX is a high-energy spectacle that is a good time from start to finish.

The women making up the company of SIX blow the roof off of Morsani Hall with vocal power completely unmatched. The wives of Henry VIII as we have learned in history and also via the timeline found in the program of the performance are Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Six women, "Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Survived," and all six women vying for the spot of lead singer in a band of "Ex Wives." Over the course of 75 minutes with no intermission SIX proves to be the one everyone came to see. Only which Queen will you choose to lead the band?

In "No Way," Catherine of Aragon revisits the time in which Henry wanted to put her in a nunnery, all the while he lusted after Anne Boleyn. Anne then turns around and tells Catherine that Henry wanted her the whole time, however following some infidelity on Henry's part, Anne began flirting with other men which caused her beheading, "Don't Lose your Head."

"I mean I guess he just really liked my head..." (Anne Boleyn)

Jane Seymour begins to sing about her time with Henry, in "Heart of Stone," but is mocked at for having had a simpler time with Henry. However, that only pertained to the stipulation that she provide him with a Male Heir to the throne.

" No matter my flaws or fears, I stayed by his side..." (Jane Seymour)

The Queens then sing "Haus of Holbein," which parodies a Dating App, which causes Henry to choose Anna of Cleves, but he leaves her based on not looking like her portrait.

The use of lighting throughout the show was exceptional...but especially the Black Light moments in "Haus of Holbein," made the number stand out amongst the rest.

Anna of Cleves continues to sing about her time in an empty palace with a massive fortune, as she sings "Get Down."

"I'm the Queen of the Castle...get down you dirty rascal..." (Anna of Cleves)

Next Katherine Howard sings about her many suitors and emotional trauma and abuse in "All You Wanna Do." Catherine Parr closes out the duels of the Queens by recounting her seperation from her one true love via an Arranged Marriage to Henry. Yet then turns around and boasts about all her accomplishments after him by singing, "I Don't Need Your Love."

The Queens then band together and sing a mashup of all the songs previously sung in the show, and even allow the audience to record the "MegaSix."

Denouncing the need of Henry's love the Queens accept themselves as individuals, and true Female Empowerment fills the room.

The six performers making up the Queens of SIX are top notch, and the best of the best.

As Aragon, Khaila Wilcoxon channels her inner Beyonce and gives us the scorned woman. As Anne Boleyn, Storm Lever channels her inner Lily Allen in her solo number. Of all the Queens personally, her number was the one I cared for the least. Her performance was great, but the song itself lacked something.

As Jane Seymour Jasmine Forsberg could sing anything. Her vocal power is unmatched here, and even a few times I audibly gasped, "Wow." Channeling her inner Adele and Sia, she knocked it out of the park. A truly sensational and stunning turn, that I could listen to again and again. If there was a Queen of all Queens she would be it.

As Anna of Cleves, Olivia Donalson channels her inner Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, mixed with a little Lizzo. Of all the numbers in the show, hers stuck in my mind even the next day. I found myself singing "I'm the Queen of the Castle, get down you dirty rascal..." A costume change/reveal showed true empowerment in her character, and the audience cheered.

As Katherine Howard, Didi Romero channeled her inner Ariana Grande and Britney Spears. Her vibrant pink hair made her standout amongst the others, and her stage presence matched the wills of her character.

Finally, as Catherine Parr, Gabriela Carrillo channeled her inner Alicia Keys/ Emeli Sande and commanded the stage in every aspect. She stood out amongst the others as the only one in pants. Truly an exceptional vocalist, and for me the glue that holds everyone together.

The Choreography is meant to resemble a pop-girl group. Moves in-sync with the others each having distinct moments to stand out amongst the group. Carrie-Anne Ingrouille provided us with choreography we could reference from girl groups of the past, but also kept it feeling fresh and new, and the ladies of SIX worked every inch of the stage.

With Music Supervision by Joe Beighton, and Music led by the fabulous "Ladies in Waiting," Jo Ann Daugherty, Janetta Goines, Rose Laguana, Paige Durr, and Valerie Maze, every vocal run,and every note was exceptional from start to finish.

With Direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, SIX is the ticket of the season and the talk of the town. Do yourself a favor, and find time to visit SIX and the stories of the lives these "Ex-Wives" led. Bring your best friend, your girlfriend, or the Love of your life, and head to the Straz Center now through November 6th. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.strazcenter.org, or by phone to the Straz Center Box Office. The Queens are waiting and invite you to spend an evening in the Queendom with them, and man do they have a story to tell.

#BIGDOWRY

PHOTOCREDIT: Joan Marcus

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