“Six: The Musical” might be deemed a musical for the Tik Tok generation. It’s now, it’s pow, it’s empowerment for women.
The Broadway show opened last night (June 17) for a two-week residency (through June 29) as the second of three Broadway in Hawaii attractions at Blaisdell Concert Hall.
“Six” plays like a pulsating concert and doubles like a talent show competition. It’s like a routine Broadway musical , but on steroids, with unbridled energy from a versatile cast of six, which sings loudly and proudly and uncorks choreographics like disco divas. They enacting the six wives of King Henry VIII.
With its competitive spirit, it resembles a “British Got Talent” competish, with emphasis on Tudors, but minus the judges.
It’s a volley of twisted history – fact-checkers need not apply – about grand dames who are “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, and survived,” in the order of the fates of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. They form the exes of Henry VIII.
In the touring company, the wives are portrayed by Chani Maisonet, Gaby Albo, Kelly Denice Taylor, Danielle Mendoza, Alize Cruz and Tasia Jungbauer. You won’t remember their names, so labeling the characters as numbers – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – would facilitate their identities and fate.
This is super cast with tireless moves and grooves. They’re the highlights of a modern playing field, with ounces of bounces like a pin ball machine.
There’s sizzle and socko animation in the scenic design and lighting (often neon), costumes that are reflective short skirts for four ladies, long pants and short pants for two, orchestration that go-go-goes with throbbing and titillating syncopation. The choreography is brisk and bold, with solo and ensemble dynamics.
If there were a dance floor, hundreds would be gyrating with joy. Many dress to the nines, to reflect the party spirit. And the audience is generous in cheer and esprit.
The show runs a tidy 80 minutes, with no intermission, and clearly leaves the fans wanting more – could be the reason for the two-week residency, compared to a single week for the first show (“Tina, the Tina Turner Musical, earlier this summer) and the finale (“Chicago,” in December).
Curiously, there are only nine numbers in the production, a solo apiece for the principals, and a trio of tunes featuring The Queens, in the opening midway through the show, and at the finale. Because the songs are rich and robust, most with a catchy cadence and delivered by the all-star queens, it just feels like there’s a lot more in the score, thanks to the riveting deliveries.
“Six” could be described as an entertainment to empower womanhood, because of the outspoken rants and ramblings in the storytelling. Surely, the wider appeal is to women, but their beaus will find enough eye candy to relish. The four-member house band dubbed The Ladies in Waiting is comprised of women, deliberately playing on the empowerment of m’ladies.
Pop culture influences are shared, if you explore. Alize Cruz as Katherine Howard flashes a pink ponytail which soars as an obvious tribute to Ariana Grande; Kelly Denise Taylor as Jane Seymour exudes the tone and delivery of either Adele or Beyonce on her “Heart of Stone” tune, bluesy with familiar love overtones.
You’re not likely to carch all the commotion in one visit, so consider a hana hou visit — with seats a-plent, if you buy now…/
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“Six: The Musical”
What: A historical musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, now through June 29
Tickets: Visit www.broadwayinhawaii.com or the Blaisdell box office at (808) 768-5252
Top10/15th
‘Wicked’ reclaims No. 1 at the box office
With the closing of both “Good Night, and Good Luck” and
“Othello,” the $4 million-plus box office grosses each produced have disappeared.
Thus, “Wicked” has reclaimed the top spot on the weekly Broadway grosses, for the week ending June 15, with more modest $2 million-plus tallies
The Top 10:
1–“Wicked,” $2.341 million
2 — “Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.215 million
3—” The Lion King.” $2.086 million
4—“Hamilton,” $2.062 million
5—“Sunset Blvd.,: $1.665 million
6—“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.508 million
7–“Aladdin,” $1.402 million
8—“Oh, Mary,” $1.354million
9—“Death Becomes Me,” $1.378 million
10—”Buena Vista Social Club,” $1.288 million
The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:
And that’s Show Bz…