Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts & Nederlander National Markets Broadway Comes To Reno proudly present
Dear Season Subscribers and Broadway Fans: Our spectacular season of Broadway continues, and we are starting 2024 off in a big way with SIX, a contemporary pop sensation that is a perfect way to celebrate a “Happy New Year!” SIX is a new Broadway musical making its multi-city North American tour debut. You’ve never experienced a history lesson like this one! Inspired by the story of the six wives of Henry VIII told through the lens of a pop music concert, SIX has been a hit with audiences from day one. The journey to Broadway was not a typical one—this musical was developed by young, spirited British artists whose talent was recognized early in their careers. The Broadway Backstory Newsletter is created by Pioneer Center Education to help you learn more about the shows in our Broadway Comes To Reno series. Below you will find information and links [in blue] to websites, videos, and articles about the history and creators of the show. Don’t forget to forward this email to the other subscribers and Broadway lovers in your party. Your tickets to SIX the Musical were emailed to you on December 19th with the subject line “Confirmation of Order Number ____.” We look forward to seeing you at the Pioneer Center soon!
Get the backstory on the Broadway hit
SIX the Musical • The source material for SIX is the recorded history of the Wives of King Henry VIII of England. Reigning from 1509-1547, Henry VIII notoriously married and remarried six times, with the relationships ending either in divorce or death. His wives were Catherine of Aragon (mother of Queen Mary), Anne Boleyn (mother of Queen Elizabeth I), Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. • In 2016, while in their final year at University of Cambridge in England, Toby Marlow was selected to create an original show to be performed by theatre students at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the following summer. Marlow brought on fellow student Lucy Moss as a collaborator and together they conceived SIX, co-writing the book, music, and lyrics. • SIX is inspired by historical research, feminism, and Beyoncé concerts. Moss and Marlow wanted to explore empowered female characters who reclaim their own stories. Each of the Tudor wives is mix of different modern day pop stars, from Rhianna and Jennifer Lopez, to Adele, Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and more. • The show premiered in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in July 2017, playing a ten-week sold out run. Another student, Jamie Armitage, directed the production. • Due to its success, commercial producers and additional collaborators signed onto the project, including choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, scenic designer Emma Bailey, lighting designer Tim Deiling, and costume designer Gabriella Slade. Lucy Moss became a co-director.
• SIX embarked on a short UK tour in 2018. A cast album was recorded early and became popular with frequent use on TikTok helping to boost the show. • SIX officially opened in London’s West End on January 17, 2019 at the Arts Theatre. It has transferred to two additional West End theaters post-pandemic and is still running. SIX was nominated for 5 Olivier Awards. A full UK tour launched soon after and continues today. • Prior to New York, SIX played extended runs in 2019 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, MA). It also launched resident productions on Norwegian Cruise Lines and in Sydney, Australia. • SIX began Broadway previews in February 2020. Opening night, March 12, coincided with the day Broadway was closed down due to the COVID pandemic. SIX did not open that night. • After 18 months of closure, SIX finally opened on Broadway October 3, 2021 at the Lena Horne Theatre where it is still running. The original creative team all made their Broadway debuts. At age 26, Lucy Moss became the youngest ever female director of a Broadway musical. SIX was nominated for 8 Tony Awards, winning Best Costumes and Best Original Score. • Beginning in 2022, additional productions were mounted in Chicago, Seoul, Toronto, Budapest, and Warsaw with productions also planned for Holland, Germany, and Switzerland. • The North American Tour playing the Pioneer Center opened in September 2022 at The Smith Center in Las Vegas and has been playing major cities across the US. We are proud to bring SIX to northern Nevada for the first time!
Learn More About the History and Cultural Significance of SIX the Musical
• Though not a re-enactment, SIX teaches us about real history through a new lens, allowing us to appreciate similarities between Tudor culture and modern times. Learn how SIX focuses on the real women behind the Henry VIII stories in this article from The Smithsonian. • The unusual road to Broadway is chronicled in this article from the New York Times focused on the journey of Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow. Fun photos are included. • Learn about the creative concepts behind the movement as well as some choreography from show, taught by choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. • The Edinburgh Fringe Festival where SIX began was the first festival of its kind and remains one of the largest launching pads for new works in the world. Learn about its history here. • Listen to the original cast recording of SIX the Musical on Spotify.
The Broadway League is the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry. As an official Broadway League member venue, the Pioneer Center is participating in a national survey to learn more about the essential people who make Broadway Comes to Reno a success – YOU, our patrons. This survey will assess the impact the Pioneer Center makes on the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area. No personal information is asked. The results will assist us in attaining more grants and resources, providing you with greater arts experiences and helping us achieve our mission. We ask each patron to consider participating. Please follow the link below to answer a short, 11-question anonymous survey.
Broadway League Survey