SIX | |
---|---|
Music | Toby Marlow Lucy Moss |
Lyrics | Toby Marlow Lucy Moss |
Book | Toby Marlow Lucy Moss |
Basis | Wives of Henry VIII |
Premiere | 2017: Edinburgh Fringe |
Productions | 2017 Edinburgh 2017 Pre-West End 2018 UK tour 2019 West End 2019 North American tour 2021 Broadway 2021 Australia and New Zealand tour 2023 Toronto |
Awards | Tony Award for Best Original Score |
Six (stylised in all caps) is a British musical comedy with music, book, and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. [1] It is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, presented in the form of a pop concert. In the show, each of the wives (Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr) [2] take turns telling their story to determine who suffered the most from their common husband.
The musical was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017, where it was performed by students from Cambridge University. [3] Six premiered in the West End at the Arts Theatre in January 2019, and has since embarked on a UK tour. [4] [5] It premiered in North America in May 2019 and on Broadway in February 2020; following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it officially opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 3 October 2021 [6] and has since launched additional touring companies.
The six Queens introduce themselves performing at a pop concert, telling the audience the band's lead singer will be the prize for whoever they determine had the worst experience at the hands of their common husband, Henry VIII ("Ex-Wives"). Catherine of Aragon tells how Henry wished to annul their marriage and place her in a nunnery when he began chasing after Anne Boleyn despite being loyal to him during their marriage ("No Way"). In turn, Anne talks about how Henry wanted her instead of Catherine, then complains of the infidelity Henry partook in, which led to Anne flirting with other men to make him jealous and ending up beheaded, all while covering her trauma and feelings with jokes and silly faces ("Don't Lose Ur Head"). Jane Seymour steps up to take her turn, but is ridiculed for having had an easy time with Henry. However, while admitting she may have been the only wife Henry truly loved, Jane claims that his love was conditional on her having produced a male heir, and that she stood by him despite his many faults ("Heart of Stone").
Themes relating to ideas of female beauty are explored in Hans Holbein's portrait studio. The Queens parody a dating app by presenting a choice of potential brides ("Haus of Holbein"). He chooses Anna of Cleves, [lower-alpha 1] but soon rejects her and annuls the marriage, suggesting she failed to resemble her “profile picture”. She makes a show of complaining about living in a beautiful palace in Richmond with an enormous fortune and no man to tell her what to do, but in reality, ends up bragging about it ("Get Down"). The Queens question this, and Anna admits her lavish lifestyle lacked actual tragedy and drops out of the competition. The Queens then belittle Katherine Howard [lower-alpha 2] for being "the least relevant Catherine", but in retaliation she enumerates flaws in the others' claims to winning. She then recounts her romantic history, having had many suitors even as a child, and at first relishes her attractiveness; however, she soon reveals the emotional trauma and abuse she faced in each of these relationships as it is symbolized in the choreography with all the queens holding a hand on her ("All You Wanna Do").
As the Queens continue to fight over who the true winner is, Catherine Parr questions the point of the competition, which defines them by their connection to Henry rather than as individuals. The Queens nonetheless continue to argue. Frustrated, Parr recalls her separation from her lover, Sir Thomas Seymour, and arranged marriage with Henry, but instead of lamenting, she acknowledges her accomplishments independent of Henry ("I Don't Need Your Love"). The other Queens, realising they have been robbed of their individuality, abandon the contest and declare that they don't need Henry's love to feel validated as people. They use their remaining moments onstage to rewrite their stories, singing together as a group rather than as solo artists, and writing their own 'happily ever afters', had Henry never been involved ("Six"). They then perform a mashup of songs that appeared earlier in the show (excluding "Haus of Holbein") in which the audience have their permission to film ("Megasix").
In late 2016, Toby Marlow was selected by the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society to create and write a new musical that would be presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017. Marlow, who was in his final year at Cambridge University, created a concept for a musical that would involve re-telling the story of King Henry VIII's ex-wives. [7] He partnered with another student, Lucy Moss, who began working on a concept for the musical together.
As they began working on the musical, Marlow researched the ex-wives stories by reading Antonia Fraser's The Six Wives of Henry VIII, while Moss viewed a documentary series, Six Wives by Lucy Worsley. They also watched and drew inspiration from the 2011 Beyoncé concert and story-telling performance, Live at Roseland: Elements of 4 . [8] The foundation for the musical was written over the course of approximately 10 nonconsecutive days. [9]
In developing the characters, Marlow and Moss were inspired by several real-life pop stars who were used as a composite and musical inspiration for the characters. The six ex-wives and their corresponding pop star inspirations are:
The world premiere production of Six took place at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as a presentation by the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society. [3] The musical ran from 31 July 2017 until 14 October 2017. The cast consisted primarily of students from Cambridge University. [8] The production's run was sold-out, and led to the musical being invited to return to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018. [8] Although the show did not win any major awards at the Fringe, it received positive reviews and buzz, and expressions of commercial interest. [8]
Following the success of the Edinburgh Fringe production, Marlow and Moss brought Six back to Cambridge, where it attracted the attention of producer Kenny Wax, who went on to partner with George Stiles, along with Wendy and Andy Barnes, to produce the show. [8] Six had its first professional production at the Arts Theatre in London's West End, for six Monday night performances beginning on 18 December 2017. [11] [12] The cast included Renée Lamb as Catherine of Aragon, Christina Modestou as Anne Boleyn, Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour, Genesis Lynea as Anna of Cleves, Aimie Atkinson as Katherine Howard, and Izuka Hoyle as Catherine Parr. [13]
Following this, Six embarked on a brief tour across the UK between 11 July 2018 and 30 December 2018. [1] Paris and Atkinson reprised their roles as Jane Seymour and Katherine Howard, respectively, with Jarnéia Richard-Noel, Millie O'Connell, Alexia McIntosh, and Maiya Quansah-Breed joining the cast. The tour included engagements at the Norwich Playhouse, a return engagement at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a return engagement to the Arts Theatre in London, and performances in Glasgow. [14]
Six officially made its West End premiere at the Arts Theatre on 17 January 2019. [4] All of the cast members from the 2018 touring production reprised their roles in the original West End production, which was directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage. [15] Performances were suspended in March 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]
On 5 December 2020, Six resumed performances, but this time playing at the Lyric Theatre. [17] Despite the COVID-19 restrictions implemented in London theatres, performances were once again forced to stop on 14 December 2020. [18]
On 21 May 2021, Six reopened for a second time at the Lyric Theatre. The musical finished its residency at the Lyric Theatre on 29 August 2021. It then transferred West End theatres and reopened at the Vaudeville Theatre on 29 September 2021. [19]
The cast for the first UK tour included Lauren Drew as Catherine of Aragon, Maddison Bulleyment as Anne Boleyn, Lauren Byrne as Jane Seymour, Shekinah McFarlane as Anna of Cleves, Jodie Steele as Katherine Howard, and Athena Collins as Catherine Parr. [20] The tour opened on 24 October 2019 at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. [20] It was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [21] Amidst the pandemic, plans emerged for a drive-in style tour across the UK beginning in June 2020. [22] However, those plans were cancelled due to further COVID-19 shutdown restrictions. [23] On 8 June 2021, the UK tour resumed, with performances beginning in Canterbury.[ citation needed ]
Six made its North American premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in May 2019, as a "likely Broadway tryout". [24] [25] The cast included Adrianna Hicks as Catherine of Aragon, Andrea Macasaet as Anne Boleyn, Abby Mueller as Jane Seymour, Brittney Mack as Anna of Cleves, Samantha Pauly as Katherine Howard, and Anna Uzele as Catherine Parr. [26] The production opened on 14 May 2019 and played for an extended run and broke box office records, and it was announced in August that the production would tour and transfer to Broadway. [26] [27] [28] In late August 2019, the tour moved to the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. [29] It made its Canadian premiere at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre in November 2019. [30] A final engagement was held at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. [31]
Six was performed on Norwegian Cruise Line ships beginning in September 2019 on the Norwegian Bliss , with a second production beginning in November 2019 on the Norwegian Breakaway . The Productions were paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [32] Performances resumed in September 2021 on the Norwegian Breakaway and in October 2021 on the Norwegian Bliss. [33] [34]
Six had its Australian premiere at the Sydney Opera House, in January 2020, starring Chloé Zuel (Aragon), Kala Gare (Boleyn), Loren Hunter (Seymour), Kiana Daniele (Cleves), Courtney Monsma (Howard), and Vidya Makan (Parr). [35] [36] The production was originally planned to tour to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in mid 2020 and Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre in late 2020 as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival but the performances were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [37] The Australian production is produced by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewick. [38] The production reopened on December 19, 2021, at the Sydney Opera House and ran through to April 2, 2022. Gare, Hunter, Daniele, Makan, Oka and Quan returned to the show, and joined by Phoenix Jackson Mendoza and Chelsea Dawson, replacing Zuel and Monsma as Aragon and Howard respectively. It then continued its Australian tour in Canberra, with stops in Adelaide and Melbourne, before returning to Sydney again, with Perth and Brisbane to follow. [39] The show closed in February 2023 after its last run in Brisbane, with all the cast members departing.[ citation needed ] On the 28th November 2023, it was announced that SIX would be returning to Australia for another Australian tour starting from August 2024 in Melbourne and then going to Sydney from October 2024 and then Brisbane from January 2025. [40]
Six began Broadway previews on 13 February 2020 at the Lena Horne Theatre (then known as the Brooks Atkinson Theatre). [41] [6] On the day of its scheduled Broadway opening, 12 March 2020, all Broadway theatres were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [42] [43] Six resumed Broadway previews on 17 September 2021, and it opened officially on 3 October. [44] The first new musical to open on Broadway since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Variety , its opening night was a celebration for Broadway theatre. [45] Moss and Armitage directed the production, with choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, set design by Emma Bailey, costumes by Gabriella Slade and lighting by Tim Deiling. The original Broadway cast was the same as the 2019 North American tour cast. [46] [47] To promote the show, the cast performed at the 2021 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. [48]
A cast album of the Broadway production was released in 2022. [49] The live recording from the opening night was released May 6, 2022. [50]
A US national tour of Six was planned to begin at Chicago's Broadway Playhouse, but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [51] The tour, later dubbed the "Aragon" tour, began performances at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago on 29 March 2022. [52] The cast was Khaila Wilcoxon as Aragon, Storm Lever as Boleyn, Jasmine Forsberg as Seymour, Olivia Donalson as Cleves, Didi Romero as Howard and Gabriela Carrillo as Parr. The West End Seymour, Natalie Paris, joined the tour, reprising her role, in 2023. The tour ended in July 2023, and the original tour cast moved to the ongoing Broadway production in December 2023. [53]
A second overlapping US national tour, dubbed the "Boleyn" tour began performances at The Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 20 September 2022. [54] The cast was Gerianne Pérez as Aragon, Alexandra "Zan" Berube as Boleyn, Amina Faye as Seymour, Terica Marie as Cleves, Aline Mayagoitia as Howard and Sydney Parra as Parr. [55]
A Canadian production of Six played first at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton between 12 August 2023 and 10 September 2023. [56] and then transferred to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto for an open-ended run. [57]
Six had its Asian premiere at the Shinhan Card Artium in South Korea, the musical's first non-English production, [58] opening on 10 March 2023, with the cast of the UK tour performing the roles for three weeks. [59] Beginning 31 March 2023, a Korean cast began performances. [59] Multiple actors spit the roles, including Lee Arumsoul and Son Seung-yeon as Catherine of Aragon, Kim Ji-woo and Bae Soo-jung as Anne Boleyn, Park Hye-na and Park Ga-ram as Jane Seymour, Kim Ji-sun and Choi Hyun-sun as Anna of Cleves, Kim Ryeo-won and Heo Sol-ji as Katherine Howard, and Yoo Joo-hye and Hong Ji-hee as Catherine Parr. [60]
The Madách Theatre in Budapest, Hungary, is presenting a non-replica staging that opened on 14 October 2023. [61]
A Polish non-replica production opened at Teatr Syrena in Warsaw on 9 September 2023. It is directed and choreographed by Ewelina Adamska-Porczyk. [62]
Role | West End | Broadway | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 2020/2021 | |||
Catherine of Aragon | Jarnéia Richard-Noel | Adrianna Hicks | ||
Anne Boleyn | Millie O'Connell | Andrea Macasaet | ||
Jane Seymour | Natalie Paris | Abby Mueller | ||
Anna of Cleves | Alexia McIntosh | Brittney Mack | ||
Katherine Howard | Aimie Atkinson | Samantha Pauly | ||
Catherine Parr | Maiya Quansah-Breed | Anna Uzele | ||
Show co-creator Toby Marlow filled in as Catherine Parr for two West End performances on 28 July 2019 due to a cast-wide illness. [65]
Included on-stage are the back-up band, known as "The Ladies in Waiting". The band provides part the accompaniment and are costumed and assume the persona of a "historical" lady-in-waiting. According to Playbill , the on-stage band members, "execute a myriad of musical cues, acting choices, and subtle choreography that further immerse the audience into the concert experience and underscore the razor-sharp wit of the show’s libretto." [67]
† Not included on the studio cast recording.
†† Included as part of "I Don't Need Your Love" on the studio cast recording.
Six (Studio Cast Recording) is a studio album that was released digitally and on CD on August 31, 2018 through 6 Music, Loudmouth Music, and Ex-Wives Ltd. [68] The recording was released on vinyl for the first time on March 11, 2022. [69] The studio cast included, Renée Lamb (Catherine of Aragon), Christina Modestou (Anne Boleyn), Natalie Paris (Jane Seymour), Genesis Lynea (Anna of Cleves), Aimie Atkinson (Katherine Howard), Izuka Hoyle (Catherine Parr). [70] The recording peaked at number four on the UK Soundtracks chart, [71] ten on the UK Compilation Chart, [72] 65 on the UK Album Downloads Chart, [73] and number two on the US Cast Albums chart. [74] It was certified Gold in the UK in November 2021, [75] "Don't Lose Ur Head" was certified Silver in 2022 [75] and "Ex-Wives" was certified Silver in 2023. [76] An instrumental "sing-along" version was released on July 30, 2019. [77]
Six: Live on Opening Night (Original Broadway Cast Recording) is a live album recorded by the original Broadway cast on their official opening night at the then Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 3 October 2021. This was the first time in Broadway history that an original cast recorded their musical's production album live. [78] The cast recording was released digitally on 6 May 2022. [79] It includes all of the musical numbers in the show, as well as a bonus song by the Broadway alternates. [79] It debuted at #1 on the Billboard's Cast Album charts, and was streamed over 3.5 million times within two weeks of its release. [80] The recording will be released on CD and vinyl. [80]
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Marlow and Moss lamented the lack of gender diversity within the theatre industry, which caused them to focus on themes of queerness while developing the show. [81] They wanted a cast that was predominantly female or non-binary and the story itself to feature queer narratives in a space which normally didn't. [81]
Six is based on real historical events and figures, but it does take artistic liberties in its portrayal of these characters. The musical incorporates some elements of historical fact, such as the marriages, divorces, and executions of the six queens.
The show is based on historical figures with varying degrees of accuracy. Generally, the show is quite sympathetic towards its characters: for instance, it portrays Katherine Howard as a survivor of rape, which is debated amongst historians. [82] Researchers and writers such as Suzannah Lipscomb and Gareth Russell have identified themselves as fans of the show. [83]
Rather than the more typical head-worn microphones used in most musicals, the Queens use hand-held radio microphones. Their costumes have a loop to hold these when not in use. Marlow and Moss said that they chose to use handheld microphones "to present a unique experience, something that referenced Beyoncé at Roseland". The Queens also wear in-ear monitors. [84]
In a review of the Arts Theatre production, Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph called the show "gloriously – persuasively – coherent, confident and inventive". [85] Lyn Gardner of The Guardian wrote, "It may be cloaked in silliness, but Six makes some serious points about female victimhood and survival." [86]
In a review of the Chicago production, Chris Jones of The Chicago Tribune praised the show as "dynamic" and a "blast", with a "sense of humor and spirited radicalism." Marlow and Moss are "gifted comic writers", he said, and he praised the "musical force of the intensely committed and talented actresses" in the Chicago cast. Jones suggested the show could use 10 more minutes of material that gets away from the plot's singing contest conceit, and toward the emotional center of the characters. He also thought the orchestration of the songs could be more substantial. Jones said Six has an audience that is ready for it, in part because it gets to a complex historical paradox and treats it with verve, the memories of women in history being tied to the life of a man. [87]
Hedy Weiss of WTTW praised the musical as "sensational", singling out each performer in the Chicago cast. Weiss also thought the show makes a convincing case for each character, and in addition to praising the writers, noted the "dynamite direction by Moss and Jamie Armitage, and powerhouse music direction by Roberta Duchak" as well as, "Gabriella Slade’s glittering costumes ... and Tim Deiling’s arena-style lighting". [88] According to Rachel Weinberg of BroadwayWorld, "Six carries out [a] joyful and anachronistic takedown of the patriarchy" through the performances of a "brilliant" cast and a book and score with an inventive and sensational compositional method. [89] Jesse Green of The New York Times wrote that the musical is "pure entertainment", the writing is "wickedly smart", the "terrific singers" of the Chicago cast sell the show "unstintingly", and the production values "befit a splashy North American premiere with Broadway backing." [90]
The reviews for the 2021 Broadway production were positive. Green's New York Times review of the Broadway production labeled it a "Critic's Pick", calling it a "rollicking, reverberant blast from the past". [91] Frank Rizzo of Variety said, "It may not be Masterpiece Theatre , but this 'Six' is a solid '10' for joy." [92] Johnny Oleksinski of New York Post gave the show three stars out of a possible four calling the songs "whip-smart and catchy". [93]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Laurence Olivier Award [94] | Best New Musical | Nominated | |
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Aimie Atkinson, Alexia McIntosh, Millie O'Connell, Natalie Paris, Maiya Quansah-Breed and Jarnéia Richard-Noel | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Achievement in Music | Joe Beighton, Tom Curran, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss | Nominated | ||
Best Theatre Choreographer | Carrie-Anne Ingrouille | Nominated | ||
Best Costume Design | Gabriella Slade | Nominated | ||
2020 | Black British Theatre Awards | Best Female Actor in a Musical | Maiya Quansah-Breed | Nominated |
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Drama League Awards [95] | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Nominated | |
Distinguished Performance Award | Brittney Mack | Nominated | ||
2022 | Tony Awards [96] | |||
Best Musical | Nominated | |||
Best Original Score | Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss | Won | ||
Best Direction of a Musical | Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage | Nominated | ||
Best Costume Design in a Musical | Gabriella Slade | Won | ||
Best Lighting Design in a Musical | Tim Deiling | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Design of a Musical | Paul Gatehouse | Nominated | ||
Best Choreography | Carrie-Anne Ingrouille | Nominated | ||
Best Orchestrations | Tom Curran | Nominated | ||
Drama Desk Awards [97] | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | ||
Ensemble Award | Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Brittney Mack, Abby Mueller, Samantha Pauly, and Anna Uzele | Won | ||
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical | Gabriella Slade | Won | ||
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Emma Bailey | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical | Paul Gatehouse | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Choreography | Carrie-Anne Ingrouille | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Orchestrations | Tom Curran | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Music | Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss | Won | ||
Outstanding Lyrics | Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss | Won | ||
Outstanding Book of a Musical | Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss | Nominated | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award [98] | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Won | ||
Outstanding Score | Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow | Won | ||
Outstanding Costume Design | Gabriella Slade | Won | ||
2023 | Grammy Awards [99] | Best Musical Theater Album | Six: Live on Opening Night | Nominated |
In June 2022, it was announced that there would be a live recording of the stage production. [100] All of the original West End cast members returned to reprise their roles. [100] Tapings were held on 29 and 30 June 2022 at the Vaudeville Theatre, with audience tickets sold via a virtual lottery. [101] [102] The professionally filmed live recording will be released in the future. [103]
In October 2020, co-creators Moss and Marlow confirmed that they were "in talks" about a potential film adaptation of the musical. [104]
After being in the Original West End cast for Six, Aimie Atkinson, Alexia McIntosh, Jarnéia Richard-Noel, Millie O'Connell, Maiya Quansah-Breed and Natalie May Paris teamed up with cast understudy Grace Mouat to launch a girl group called SVN (pronounced seven), with the band releasing singles such as "Woman" [105] and "Free" [106] in 2022.
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen following the execution of Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, who was accused by King Henry VIII of adultery after failing to produce the male heir he so desperately desired. Jane, however, died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of her only child, the future King Edward VI. She was the only wife of Henry to receive a queen's funeral; and he was later buried alongside her remains in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 British film directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon and Elsa Lanchester. It was written by Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis for London Film Productions, Korda's production company. The film, which focuses on the marriages of King Henry VIII of England, was a major international success, establishing Korda as a leading filmmaker and Laughton as a box-office star.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is a series of six television plays produced by the BBC and first transmitted between 1 January and 5 February 1970. The series later aired in the United States on CBS from 1 August to 5 September 1971 with narration added by Anthony Quayle. The series was rebroadcast in the United States without commercials on PBS as part of its Masterpiece Theatre series.
In common parlance, the wives of Henry VIII were the six queens consort of King Henry VIII of England between 1509 and his death in 1547. In legal terms, Henry had only three wives, because three of his marriages were annulled by the Church of England. He was never granted an annulment by the Pope, as he desired, however, for Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. Annulments declare that a true marriage never took place, unlike a divorce, in which a married couple end their union. Along with his six wives, Henry took several mistresses.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the second studio album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives of Henry VIII. After signing with A&M as a solo artist, Wakeman decided on the album's concept during a tour of the United States with the progressive rock band Yes. As he read a book about the subject on his travels, melodies he had written the previous year came to him and were noted down. The album was recorded throughout 1972 with musicians from Yes and The Strawbs, the group Wakeman was in prior to Yes, playing on the album.
Little Shop of Horrors is a horror comedy rock musical with music by Alan Menken and lyrics and a book by Howard Ashman. The story follows a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. The musical is loosely based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors. The music, composed by Menken in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown, includes several well-known tunes, including the title song, "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Somewhere That's Green", and "Suddenly, Seymour".
Henry VIII and His Six Wives is a 1972 British historical film adaptation, directed by Waris Hussein, of the BBC 1970 six-part miniseries The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Keith Michell, who plays Henry VIII in the TV series, also portrays the king in the film. His six wives are portrayed by different actresses, among them Frances Cuka as Catherine of Aragon, and Jane Asher as Jane Seymour. Donald Pleasence portrays Thomas Cromwell and Bernard Hepton portrays Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, a role he had also played in the miniseries and briefly in its follow-up Elizabeth R.
Rex is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and libretto by Sherman Yellen, based on the life of King Henry VIII. The original production starred Nicol Williamson.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is a 2001 television documentary series about the wives of King Henry VIII presented by historian David Starkey from historic locations with added re-enactments.
Toby Marlow is a British composer, writer, and actor best known for co-creating the international hit musical Six with Lucy Moss. Six received five Olivier Award nominations, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music. Marlow and Moss went on to win the Tony Award for Best Original Score in 2022.
The Cher Show is a jukebox musical with a book by Rick Elice that tells the story of the life and career of Cher, using songs that she performed throughout her career. The part of Cher is played by three actresses: one portraying her in the 1950s and 60s, one for the 1970s, and one for the 1980s and 90s. The three interact with each other and help each other out at various points.
Catherine of Aragon was Queen of England from June 1509 until May 1533 as the first wife of King Henry VIII. She has been portrayed in film, television, plays, novels, songs, poems, and other creative forms many times, and as a result, she has stayed very much in popular memory.
Andrea Cesyl Macasaet is a Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of Anne Boleyn in the Broadway production of Six: The Musical.
Lucy Amelia Nancy Moss is a British writer, director, and composer best known for co-creating the hit musical Six with Toby Marlow. As director of most Six productions, Moss became the youngest ever female director of a Broadway musical at 26.
Adrianna Hicks is a musical theatre actress known for originating the roles of Catherine of Aragon in the Broadway production of SIX and Sugar in the musical adaptation of Some Like It Hot. She has also appeared in Aladdin and The Color Purple, the latter of which marked her Broadway debut.
Emilia Rose O'Connell, also known as Millie O'Connell, is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She is best known for portraying Anne Boleyn in the original UK tour and West End production of the musical Six. She is part of pop girl group SVN. She has received Laurence Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award nominations.
Natalie May Paris is a British stage actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for originating the role of Jane Seymour in the musical Six. For Six, she was nominated for the Olivier Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a musical in 2019, together with her cast mates.
Gabriella Slade is a British costume designer, best known for her work in musicals such as Six, The Cher Show and In the Heights. For her work in the musical Six, she has received the Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical in 2022, as well as a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Costume Design in 2019.
Christina Modestou is a Welsh-Greek theatre actress and singer. She is best known for portraying Anne Boleyn in the musical Six at its beginnings in 2017 at the Arts Theatre in London and later recording the same role for the 2018 studio album.
Jasmine Forsberg is an American stage actress and songwriter. As of December 2023, she portrays Jane Seymour in the Broadway musical Six.