Last week I had the privilege of seeing Six the musical at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge and I was, to say the least, blown away. The production tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives in a concert-style presentation. Each wife is given her opportunity to demonstrate why she had the “biggest load of B.S.” to deal with in her marriage to the king in the form of a musical theater/pop song. With “queenspirations” such as Beyonce and Ariana Grande, the women’s personalities reached beyond the stage and brought the audience along for the 80-minute ride. Their chemistry combined with the visible conflict between wanting to be remembered and the reason behind their fame made for an evening of laughter, tears, and a greater appreciation for the role of women in theater.
Theater has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I have seen productions from the community to professionals across the country, but, before Six, I had never witnessed a production with only women on the stage. The all-female band deemed the Ladies in Waiting, was introduced in the opening number, “Ex-Wives”, and their contributions to the evening were significant and repeatedly recognized by the queens. Seeing the energy, passion, and talent of those ten women fill the house sent chills down my spine, not because they were all women, but because they were all wickedly talented, hard-working performers who happened to be women and were given the opportunity to showcase what they were capable of.
The musical theater world has been exploring the growing role of women in theater in recent years. The Tony Award-winning musical Waitress was the first Broadway production to feature an all-female creative team and told the story of a woman who finds her way out of an abusive marriage with the help of her friends and ends up, not with a man, but with a beautiful daughter and a business of her own. Six continues to bring forward the active role women play in their history and does so with some spectacular performances.
One particular moment that stood out for me was the end of the song “Heart of Stone” performed by the Broadway actress Abby Mueller. In a production that is so full of laughter and upbeat music, “Heart of Stone” comes along and changes the pace. The lights dropped and Mueller sang, tears running down her cheeks, about the love she held for the king in her heart of stone. The song climaxed with Mueller riffing improvised vocals as the other queens backed her up. I was mesmerized with Mueller and her raw talent but what really hit me was a stage full of women who were there to tell a story. There was not an ounce of selfishness on that stage as the women, actresses and band included, bared their souls and brought the house down with melodic history.
The playbill featured a section entitled “A Conversation with the Creators,” which interviewed Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow. For a story like Six to work women need to be a part of the creation and story-telling process, but it speaks volumes that a man was integrally involved as well. I believe we are at a time in history (or herstory, as the queens referred to it as,) where most women recognize their story deserves to be told, but the fact that a man also recognizes and advocates for this illustrates the positive direction the world is moving in.
Six could have been told using Henry VIII as a character to belittle and make fun of, but Moss and Marlow recognized that the women didn’t need the man to tell their story. Eventually, the queens get to a point in the production when they realize that they are significant and important without their (ex)husband. “You always said we need your love, but it’s time for us to rise above,” sing the women in perfect harmony. The performance closes with the queens taking back their stories. Counting up to the number that originally brought them to fame, Catharine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleaves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr proudly proclaim that they are done being lost in “his story” and are now “free to take [their] crowning glory.”
With music filling my head, I danced out of the theater, cheeks hurting from smiling. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to witness Six live. As it continues on to Canada, Minnesota and eventually Broadway in March of 2020, I hope the story of women’s freedom and empowerment is spread and that all who interact with the show are inspired to take back their story and live their best, most authentic life not for anyone else, but for themselves.