The Inside Scoop on SIX, Broadway’s Newest Hit Musical, From a Local Couple Who Saw It When It Was Just Getting Started
Mar 4, 2020 / Blog
Not so long ago, if someone had told you a hip hop musical about the life of the first U.S. Treasury Secretary would become the stuff of Broadway legend, you might not have believed it. Now, another musical drawn from the history books is taking the world by storm. SIX, an electrifying, pop music-infused take on the 500-year old tale of Henry VIII and his six wives—from the women’s perspective—opens on Broadway next week!
The concert-style show, which reimagines these queens imbued with 21st century girl power, catapulted from total obscurity to worldwide sensation in the span of just a few years. (It’s now the second most streamed musical theater album in the world, right behind HAMILTON, with more than 100 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music!)
SIX is also currently running on London’s West End (where it was nominated for five Olivier Awards, including Best Musical) while another production is touring Australia/New Zealand. It has been featured on Norwegian Cruise Line, as well as played Chicago and a handful of other American and Canadian cities before heading to Broadway.
That’s the reverse path from most shows—international tours and long term engagements in select cities (if they happen at all) typically come after a show has already reached Broadway. But then again, there’s nothing typical about this production.
SIX was created by 20-somethings Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who penned it while they were in the midst of preparing for finals at Cambridge University. The show debuted with a student cast at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and became a surprise hit. Producers took an immediate interest and the show had its professional debut—six sold out performances in London—before heading back to the 2018 Fringe Festival and on a UK tour.
That’s when Lake Norman couple Eva and George Raftelis saw SIX, just as it was embarking on its first professional run in Edinburgh. Here’s a look at their experience catching this phenomenon before it was on the rest of the theater world’s radar.
(The Raftelis' view at SIX at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival)
About the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The Raftelis, who are Producer’s Circle Members at Blumenthal Performing Arts, had the unique chance to visit the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest arts festival, along with a small group led by Blumenthal’s CEO and President, Tom Gabbard. They always enjoy traveling with Team Blumenthal, when they can. “It’s incredibly exciting and you learn a lot but you must have good walking shoes,” says Eva Raftelis.
(Entrance to Fringe Festival)
The Raftelis had no idea what they were walking into when they arrived in Edinburgh, the Scottish city that is completely turned on its head for the month of August, when more than 3,500 different shows (with nearly 57,000 total performances) take place.
“The best word I can think of is electric,” says George Raftelis, who previously served on Blumenthal’s Board of Trustees. “The fringe is like Spoleto on steroids on steroids again.”
(George Raftelis with a Fringe performer)
The festival takes place within an area measuring approximately one square mile lined with Medieval architecture, cobblestoned streets and a view of Edinburgh Castle. Actors, street performers, and bands are everywhere and people are constantly trying to hand you flyers with info on their shows. “Within one hour you might have 100 of them,” says Eva Raftelis. Productions play anywhere they can—from theaters to churches to boutiques and bars and even outdoor venues.
(Fringe Festival performer)
So where do you start when you have so many choices?
“We were supremely overwhelmed with what do you see, what do you not see?” says Eva Raftelis.
“We cheated a little bit,” recalls George Raftelis. “We said, ‘Tom, you’re the expert: why don’t you tell us which shows to go to?’”
(Eva Raftelis with Fringe performers)
(Massive bagpipe procession at Fringe Festival)
Seeing SIX
And before they knew it they were headed to the Underbelly, an enormous, inflated, upside down purple cow, the venue where SIX was playing. “We were very fortunate to get tickets,” says George Raftelis, noting that the show was an immediate sensation with strong word of mouth and sell out crowds.
The Raftelis were amazed by the costumes, the voices, the choreography, the set and the way each character’s songs seemed to match so well with their personalities. “You sit down and you fasten your seatbelt,” says George Raftelis.
Each queen is styled after contemporary pop icons, like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande, explains Eva Raftelis. “They’re in competition with each other too,” she says, as George Raftelis points out there is a humorous spin on many of the songs they sing.
The Raftelis struggle to compare it to other shows they have seen. They mention CAMELOT and SPAMALOT as possible contenders but only because they share a British royal theme. For them, SIX is an entirely unique combination of history and choreography. They say it’s like a show within a show, taking a more nuanced look at Henry VIII’s wives than most of us have ever explored while simultaneously acting as a primer on the music and style of some of today’s biggest stars.
“We did think, though, that it was the best show there,” says Eva Raftelis.
“I guess my reaction was, this could be a sensation,” says George Raftelis. They both laugh recalling Gabbard’s more cautious, “Well yeah... it could be.”
After all, Gabbard has a lot more experience scoping out new shows. He sees hundreds of productions every year, looking for investment opportunities with an eye toward getting new works quickly to Charlotte. He knows how rare it is to discover a mega-hit.
But this one has turned out to be the real thing. And the Raftelis have enjoyed following the show’s trajectory since then. They can’t wait until they have the chance to see it again.