Six Queens, One Stage: The Musical That's Breaking All The Rules
If you haven’t heard of SIX the Musical, that is all about to change.
A global phenomenon that has taken the world by storm, it’s a Tony Award-winning electrifying musical that captivates audiences of all ages, from ten to 90+. Storming into Newcastle’s Civic Theatre for a three week season from 10 April, it’s a show that redefines the boundaries of musical theatre, retelling history from a feminine point of view, inspiring and empowering just as much as it entertains.
Staging SIX the Musical at the Civic Theatre is another cultural coup for the City of Newcastle. It builds on a growing reputation that sees the city attracting significant events of this calibre to regional NSW. Novocastrians no longer need to leave home to see the world’s best shows – and with an annual global audience of 3.5 million people, 3 billion TikTok
views, 600 million soundtrack streams and 35 major international awards under its belt, including two Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design, and a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album, SIX has more than proved its credentials.
Producer Louise Withers said they were thrilled to bring this innovative and influential musical to Newcastle.
"SIX is truly a global phenomenon and in Australia has enjoyed rapturous acclaim by both critics and audiences alike. We are beyond thrilled that SIX will be coming to Newcastle, and we look forward to making more fans and breaking more records when we arrive there in April!”
SIX tells the extraordinary story of the six wives of King Henry VIII who step out of the shadow of their infamous husband and reclaim their own narratives. This contemporary pop-inspired musical brings these historical figures to life, portraying them as fierce and influential pop stars in their own right. Audiences are taken on a journey through the lives of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr, each telling their own story
and reclaiming their own narrative. It’s exciting, fun, tragic and sassy all at once.
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss were history students at Cambridge University when they wrote the piece for their friends to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017. The history of the Tudor period reads like a soap opera and offers up a vast number of female characters that the two could explore - looking at history through a contemporary feminist lens. The six queens are renowned for their fates: “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived”, but their true stories would have been so much more than that. Their individualism is lost to history. Marlow and Moss’s musical turns this upside down within an unapologetic rock concert setting that serves to inspire, empower and showcase the reimagined individuality of each of these infamous women.
The original Fringe performance was seen by composer George Stiles and Producer Kenny Wax, who then partnered with Global Musicals to create a professional production of the show, which premiered at the Arts Theatre in London in December 2017. The journey to success had well and truly begun. It swiftly moved to the West End, taking London by storm, and has continued to garner international recognition with productions in Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe and South Korea. New productions have also been announced in Singapore, the Philippines and Japan.
Australian Producer Louise Withers saw it on the West End in 2019 and knew instantly that she and her business partners, Linda Bewick and Michael Coppel had to secure the rights to the show for the Australian market.
“We just loved it. We had to work out how to get it. We spent a lot of time at a lot of meetings in London. At the end of the day, we’re a small operation and very hands-on. I think our enthusiasm for the show and the fact that we touch our shows in some way every single day to drive business probably helped.”
Louise began her working life as a teacher but always wanted to perform. The last time she was in Newcastle was in 1985.
“I worked as a teacher to fund my passion for theatre originally,” said Louise.
“I got my first fully professional acting job in 1985 and toured with Footrot Flats to the Civic Theatre in Newcastle. Unfortunately, I got laryngitis in 1986 and had to stop singing for a year, which put a full stop on my acting jobs. I did anything and everything I could to stay in the industry that I loved so much and ended up working on the original productions of Les Miserables and Cats as part of Cameron MacIntosh’s team.”
Since then, Louise, along with business partner Linda, have worked with the best in the business, including artists such as Elton John, Abba, and Queen and on shows including Disney’s The Lion King, Billy Elliot the Musical, Ghost the Musical and Mamma Mia.
“I never intended to be a producer but by following the opportunities and working hard, that’s what’s happened. I’m immensely grateful that we get to do what we love and bring people together, which is what it’s all about.”
The Australian cast of SIX is an incredible lineup. Taking on the role of Henry VIII’s first wife, the sassy Catherine of Aragon, is Kimberley Hodgson, fresh from playing the iconic role of Anita in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s production of West Side Story. Joining the cast as the rule-breaking second wife Anne Boleyn is WAAPA graduate Deirdre Khoo, who has just completed the acclaimed 50th Anniversary Australian Tour of The Rocky Horror Show playing Janet Weiss. Loren Hunter
returns to the role of the loyal third wife, Jane Seymour having blown audiences away across Australia in previous tours. The independent Anna of Cleves will be played by Zelia Rose Kitoko, who made her musical theatre debut in the Australian production of Hamilton in 2020. The role of the playful fifth wife, Katherine Howard, is once again played by Chelsea Dawson, who made an incredible impact in the role on the most recent Australian tour. Giorgia Kennedy joins the cast in the role of the empowering Catherine Parr directly from covering the lead role of Juliet in the Australian production of & Juliet.
Joining the SIX Australian Queens are the extremely talented swings made up of Gabriella Boumford, Thalia Smith, and returning Dance Captain/Swing Chiara Assetta and Resident Choreographer/ Assistant to the Director/Alternate Swing Cristina D’Agostino. Also supported by the SIX on stage band, including Music Director / Keys Claire Healy, Assistant Music Director / Keys Heidi Maguire, Kathryn Stammers on Drums, Danielle Colligan on Guitar and Ann Metry on Bass. This new and exciting company comes together under the helm of Australian Associate Director Sharon Millerchip, who is leading the team once again.
Learning that she had scored the role of Anne Boleyn for SIX was surreal for Deirdre Khoo, who, at the time, was on tour with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
“We were on a break from the show, and Henry Rollo (Riff Raff) and I were eating Maccas, chatting about life and our careers, and how uncertain they were with employment when I got the call,” said Deirdre.
“I’d auditioned in Melbourne for SIX. It was an intense experience because you have to be highly skilled in all three disciplines – singing, dancing and acting – the triple threat. We had to sing a pop song. We didn’t get to choose which roles we were going for. It was very intense but so much fun at the same time. Everyone brought brilliant energy.
“It was a massive honour to be chosen to play Anne Boleyn. She’s kind of the most wellknown wife, the temptress who gets beheaded. I get to have lots of fun on stage, she’s sly, subversive and sassy. When I first started, I had no idea about the Tudor history and everything in the show, bar the ending is historical fact. But it’s like a Spice Girls pop concert. It’s not your typical musical theatre piece.”
Each queen has been loosely based on pop icons, and it’s possible to recognise the style of certain artists such as Adele, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, J.Lo, Lily Allen, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Ariane Grande in the electrifying performances. This familiarity makes the show highly relatable to a vast number of people.
The individual personalities of each queen are what create the drama and the humour of the show. Getting the balance right between all six queens was critical to success.
“I had a friend come to see the show, and they told me that I’d brought a lot of ‘Janetisms’ to Anne. There were similarities between my role as Janet in Rocky Horror and my role as Anne in SIX, but I’d rather call them ‘Deirdreisms’. It’s my individuality that has been able to shine through in both instances. And I think that was an essential part of the audition
process.
“All the queens have a great cohesiveness on stage. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It’s the best. It’s an all-female creative team, too, and the majority of the backstage crew are also female. We’re all very close – the whole company. "
“I’m excited to be coming back to Newcastle. The audiences there really go off!”
What sets SIX apart is its ability to resonate with diverse audiences and breathe new life into historical storytelling. With its cleverly crafted lyrics and contemporary sound, the musical effortlessly bridges the gap between the past and the present, appealing to both theatre enthusiasts and those new to the genre. It has become a cultural touchstone, inspiring
fans to embrace their own strength and celebrate the triumphs and struggles of these remarkable women. It gives voice to women who didn’t have one. History, after all, was written by men.
As Deirdre puts it, “These queens have waited 500 years to tell their side of the story, and it turns the world on its head.”
Louise agrees, adding, “The queens come together in a way they could never do in real life. They didn’t have a voice. The show posits that this is what they would have said if they could. It’s funny, informative, inspirational, tongue in cheek and just an all-round fabulous night in the theatre!”
Audiences the world over agree with SIX having made a significant impact in the digital realm, creating a vibrant online
community of devoted fans, lovingly referred to as the ‘Queendom'. Its infectious songs and empowering themes have sparked viral trends on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, with fans passionately sharing their love for the show through fan art, cover performances, and heartfelt discussions.
SIX is a high-octane, fun-filled 80-minutes of mega-watt entertainment that uplifts audiences with a fresh perspective and a new awareness of history. It’s also a cracking good pop/rock concert complete with epic costumes, fabulous staging and six extraordinary female performers who are as good as any pop icon you fancy. According to the Producer Louise, some shows in Newcastle are close to selling out already.
“What we often find in regional areas is that we have to take time to build awareness in a new market with limited media to get the word out. We’re hoping that because Newcastle is close enough to Sydney, our marketing messages will have flowed into the consciousness of the local community. Word of mouth doesn’t really hit until the third week, and by then, the last week will sell out. This is a bloody good night of entertainment; it’s pure escapism, and there’s something for everyone, so get your tickets early and don’t miss out.”
SIX the Musical has book, lyrics and music by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. It is directedly Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage and choreographed by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. Set Design is by Emma Bailey. Costume Design is by Gabriella Slade, Lighting Design is by Tim Deiling, and Sound Design is by Paul Gatehouse. The Orchestrator is Tom Curran, and the Musical Supervisor is Joe Beighton. Originally Produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, and George Stiles. Produced in Australia by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewick.
“Come to the show,” says Deirdre.
“It’s so much fun. It’s not typical musical theatre, and in that way, it’s a bit like Rocky Horror. It’s all glitter, confetti and sparkles. Come and forget all your worries!”
SIX the Musical runs from 10 April until 4 May at the Civic Theatre Newcastle. Tickets and more information can be found at www.sixthemusical.com.au.
