5/25/2022
Broadway Las Vegas / Performances and Artists
Just like the wives of English monarch Henry VIII, the cocreators of smash Broadway musical “Six” achieved greatness at a young age.
Both in their mid-20s at the time, Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow developed their novel concept for a musical set as a pop concert while students at Cambridge University in 2017. Aiming to create a women-driven production, they decided the show would star the six wives of Henry VIII, most of whom married the king as teenagers or in their early 20s and led lives of drama and intrigue.
“It was about showing that women and non-binary people can tell stories that don’t include men, and be entertaining and funny and amusing and make you laugh,” Moss says.
Need a little history refresher? Throughout his 36-year reign, Henry VIII’s obsession with achieving a male heir (and his wandering eye) led him to annul two of his marriages and have two more of his wives beheaded.
Another died from complications during childbirth, while yet another miraculously outlived the king.
“Six” honors these women’s epic lives with an exuberant and contemporary spin, giving each queen a chance to tell her story from an empowered perspective.
“One of our major aims was considering, ‘How can we show that there are parallels between the female experience 500 years ago and today?’” Moss says.
Little did Moss and Marlow know how much their exhilarating and uplifting original music would explode. After the 80-minute show premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, the production rapidly earned worldwide attention. The show’s songs earned 100 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music, and “Six” premiered on Broadway in October 2020.
“It did kind of explode in a way we didn’t really realize at the time,” Marlow says. “It’s a bit ridiculous, and we’re grateful for it.”
The groundbreaking musical is currently nominated for a stunning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Direction of a Musical. And no wonder, as audiences and critics alike laud the musical’s electrifying score, energizing choreography and intricate, eye-popping costuming that adds 21st-century flair to medieval fashion.
Read below intriguing highlights about the six wives of King Henry VIII.
Catherine of Aragon: Demoted From Queen to Princess, for Lack of Son
The daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain (and the widow of Henry VIII’s elder brother, Arthur), Catherine of Aragon remained married to Henry for an impressive 23 years. Only one of their multiple children survived, a daughter (the future Queen Mary). Due to her failure to produce a male heir, Henry conducted various illicit affairs.
Once he fell for Anne Boleyn, one of Catherine’s ladies in waiting, he asked the pope to annul his marriage to Catherine — contesting the marriage as invalid, because her marriage to his brother had been consummated. Upon the pope’s refusal, he divorced Catherine, who was then demoted to princess.
She remains famous for her dramatic speech to Henry when he had her brought to court to seek the annulment of their marriage.
Anne Boleyn: Beheaded, After Her Marriage Led to the Protestant Reformation
When the Pope refused Henry’s request to annul his marriage to Catherine in order to marry Anne, the king divorced Catherine against the will of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England — sparking the Protestant Reformation.
In spite of their marriage’s epic impact, it wasn’t to last. When Anne also failed to produce a son, Henry again conducted affairs. Impatient to end their relationship, he accused Anne of adultery and treason and had their marriage annulled.
Two days later, she was beheaded for her alleged crimes.
Jane Seymour: Died After Providing a Male Heir
Jane not only married Henry mere days after Anne Boleyn’s execution, she was also a close relative of Anne’s and had served as her lady-in-waiting.
Within roughly a year, Jane gave birth to Edward VI, then died from complications of the birth several weeks later. By the king’s request, she is now buried alongside him at St. George’s Chapel.
Anne of Cleves: A Six-Month Marriage… But Long Life
Henry eventually decided to strengthen his European alliances by marrying Anne of Cleves, the daughter of a German duke. He chose Anne after seeing her portrait… But upon her meeting her in person just before the marriage, he decided she didn’t live up to the picture’s beauty.
They still married, but she accepted a divorce and settlement six months later. She lived peacefully for nearly two more decades.
Catherine Howard: Beloved, Then Beheaded
Always finding potential wives among ladies in waiting, Henry eventually married Catherine Howard — a lady-in-waiting for Anne of Cleves (and also Anne Boleyn’s cousin). Although the king’s extreme weight had left him unable to walk by that point, he adored his wife and constantly surprised her with gifts… Until rumors started circling of her infidelity.
She was executed for adultery and treason less than two years after their wedding.
Catherine Parr: A Stable Ruler Who Outlived the King
Henry married his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, roughly a year after her predecessor’s execution. A highly educated woman – and already twice widowed upon marrying Henry – she became the first woman in England to publish books under her own name and in English.
Although her marriage to Henry had its issues, like when he had her arrested for her interest in Protestantism, she managed to bring stability and peace to the court, and also outlived him by a year.
SEE THE SHOW
“Six” runs at The Smith Center from September 20 to October 2 – CLICK HERE for tickets.