The Australian producers of SIX, the electrifying musical phenomenon by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, are thrilled to announce confirmed seasons in Canberra and Adelaide in 2022.
This new Australian production will make a triumphant return to the Studio at Sydney Opera House from 19 December before premiere seasons at Canberra Theatre Centre from 23 April 2022 and in Adelaide at the newly refurbished Her Majesty’s Theatre from 21 May 2022.
“We are truly overjoyed to be able to bring SIX direct from its Sydney Opera House season to Canberra before then heading to Adelaide as it continues on its Australian tour,” said Louise Withers on behalf of the Australian producers.
“This incredible musical has become a global phenomenon and we are set to continue the sensation in Australia with these powerful and dynamic performers along with the Queendom, the legion of fans it has already amassed across Australia.”
SIX has gloriously returned to the West End and on Broadway and we cannot wait for SIX to empower and inspire audiences around Australia the way only these Queens know how!” said Withers.
A witty, pop-fueled musical packed full of sass, SIX remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII – Britain’s notorious Tudor King – as they take to the microphone to re-tell their stories and reclaim their HERstories, once and for all.
Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. Inspired by the canon of music divas Adele, Lily Allen and Ariana Grande, and with support from the SIX band, Ladies in Waiting, the women transform from Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses as they tell their rebellious tales.
Two new Queens are crowned as they join this new Australian cast, Phoenix Jackson Mendoza playing the first wife of Henry VIII, the sassy Catherine of Aragon and Chelsea Dawson taking on the role of the playful fifth wife, Katherine Howard.
In recent years Phoenix has starred in Australian productions of Green Day’s American Idiot and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Newcomer Chelsea made her professional debut in the recent production of Shrek the Musical.
Returning to the cast as the rule-breaking second wife Anne Boleyn is Kala Gare having graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts and starred in productions including Bright Star and Rent at Melbourne’s Chapel off Chapel.
Loren Hunter resumes her role as the loyal third wife Jane Seymour adding to her unfaltering musical theatre career including roles in Strictly Ballroom the Musical and King Kong the Musical.
The independent Anna of Cleves will be once again played by VCA graduate Kiana Daniele who made her professional debut in The Production Company’s The Boy from Oz and played Baby in Dirty Dancing presented by Immersive Cinema.
Musical maven Vidya Makan reprises her role as the empowering Catherine Parr, a graduate of Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Vidya’s previous roles include the Australian tour of Green Day’s American Idiot and Australian Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet.
Joining the SIX Australian Queens as they embark on this new tour will also be the extremely talented swings made up of returning cast members Karis Oka and Shannen Alyce Quan and brand new swing and Dance Captain Chiara Assetta.
Since its early days as a student production in a 100-seat room at Sweet Venue during the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, SIX has continued its reign and become a global phenomenon. Its Studio Album has achieved in excess of 450 million streams across all platforms worldwide, over 3 billion views on TikTok and has recently reached Gold status.
SIX was nominated for five Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and won the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Whatsonstage Awards. As the pandemic struck, SIX was playing to sold-out houses in London’s West End, across the UK and Australia, and had commenced previews on Broadway.
As stages around the world are lighting up again, SIX has victoriously recommenced on the West End, across the UK and on Broadway and is well and truly reinstating its status of a global phenomenon.
SIX The Musical has book, lyrics and music by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. It is directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage and choregraphed 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 Musical Supervisor is Joe Beighton.
Originally Produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, and George Stiles, SIX is Produced in Australia by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewick The Sydney season is presented by the Sydney Opera House.
SIX The Musical plays the Sydney Opera House from 19 December 2021, before heading to the Canberra Theatre Centre from 23 April and Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide from 21 May 2022. For more information, visit: www.sixthemusical.com.au for details.
Image: SIX The Musical (original Australian Cast 2020) – photo by James Morgan | Getty Images