By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer
The marketing of “SIX: The Musical,” is catchy, which makes sense because it’s a tragic story on first blush, but an empowering one as well.
It’s the story of six women, who are all fascinating, and their marriages to King Henry VIII during the Tudor era of England’s history.
The playbill simply says: “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.”
The musical is a new take on history, and it’s a smash, says Jennifer Pascua, marketing director at Broadway Grand Rapids, which is bringing eight performances to DeVos Performance Hall, Jan. 10-15.
“People are ecstatic about it,” said Pascua, who expects the few remaining seats to be sold out relatively soon. “At the close of the run of the show you’re going to see just how many people were excited that this is coming to West Michigan.”
The Tony Award-winning show – which won 23 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) – offers plenty of historical elements, Pascua said.
But the plot is modernized, and the queens are presented as performers at a pop concert. They contemplate the group’s leader over who has suffered the most while married to the king.
“Within the lyrics there are updates to make it more relatable to the 21st century,” Pascua said.
“What’s nice, in the playbill, it will give you a little history of all the wives, and it’s going to show you who their pop icons are, so it gives you a vibe to the type of songs each of the wives are singing.”
In a recent interview with The Omaha World-Herald, Storm Lever, who plays Queen Anne Boleyn in the show, said you don’t need to be an historian to enjoy this show.
“The history is really accessible,” she said in the interview with Courtney Brummer-Clark. “Whether you are a history buff or if you don’t know anything about these queens, they take the time to tell each of their stories and give you the context of what was going on throughout their lives. But they do it with a cheeky, 2022 sensibility. They have a modern edge to the way that they talk, they have a modern sense of humor, but they are still talking about history that happened centuries ago.”
West Michigan audiences will find the “show full of empowerment,” said Pascua, who saw the show last year in New Orleans.
“It is a cross between the British pop stars you see, and influence from this day and age pop stars, and they…each have a story, and throughout the show you will hear the six stories of the six wives.”
“I cannot wait to see the reaction of West Michigan!:
It’s almost better, she added, if you don’t know too much going in.
“Then you’ll be a little more blown away,” she added. “It is non-stop energetic, and I’m excited to see how everyone reacts to it.”
Everyone will be entertained, too. It’s only an hour and 20 minutes long with no intermission.
“If you’re going to the show as a date night, you’re still going to appreciate it,” Pascua said.
“All of these women have incredible stories of resilience, and these queens, wow…21st century girl power is how we are describing the vibe that you’re going to get into as you walk into DeVos Performance Hall.”
Rush Tickets
Although tickets are limited, Broadway Grand Rapids has announced $30 Student/Educator Rush tickets for all performances of “SIX.” A valid school ID is required, and the limit is two tickets per person. All tickets are subject to availability. Please be advised availability is extremely limited and seats may not be together. Tickets may be purchased in-person one hour prior to the performance at the DeVos Performance Hall Box Office at 303 Monroe Ave NW in Grand Rapids.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He is also on YouTube. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
