Leave a comment mentioning your favorite female monarch and why. She doesn’t need to be a British #queen. I’ll chose a winner after 7/19 11:59 PM.
Post your comment submission on my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads. This is a free SINGLE ticket in “price level F” (worth about $60) to any remaining “Six” performance at Broadway at the Paramount Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group. The production run ends 7/23. Read my review at showsiveseen.com/6075. #theatre #six #showsiveseen #musical
Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See details here. (Update 7/20/23: Congrats to Rylie!)
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Amazing seats to Six The Musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss at Seattle Theatre Group and Broadway at the Paramount Theatre. All-female cast/band portray the stories of King Henry VIII’s #six queen wives and find individual significance independent of a man. Packed energetic audience. Shoutout to the incredible Khaila Wilcoxon and Storm Lever! #musical #girlPower #Tudor
Synopsis from the Theatre: Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!
Reviewed Performance: 7/12/23 – Opening Night
Type: Concert-like Storytelling Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Storytelling several scenes
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Storytelling several locations
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You might appreciate this more if you’re familiar with King Henry VIII’s wives. I personally only knew a little about Anne Boleyn.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Not really, it was 6 queens singing/telling their own separate stories
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it if either you enjoy
Pop diva or girl group concerts
Or concert-like musicals similar to Striking 12, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Pump Boys and Dinettes where the actors address the audience and tell stories (as opposed to acting out the stories)
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Probably not, but it was good
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: The program didn’t mention this, but I’d be surprised if all the actors in a national tour show like this weren’t Equity.
Total Number of Actors: 6
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast
Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Favorite Queen Divas: My favorite actress was Khaila Wilcoxon (Catherine of Aragon) for her animated expressions and attitude. For some reason, she also reminded me of Patina Miller. A close second was Storm Lever (Anne Boleyn), who wouldn’t stop mentioning her beheading. I recognized her voice from Summer The Donna Summer Musical as Duckling Donna. It’s good to see her back in Seattle!
Tinder: I loved how they incorporated catfishing and swiping in Anne of Cleves (Oliva Donalson) story.
Costumes: The metal-looking costumes were shiny, glittery, and brilliant. They sort of reminded me of samurai suits.
Quips: The biting repartee between the queens was delightful. I especially enjoyed when the witty remarks were cutting. Clap back!
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Hype: As one of the most popular shows on-stage today, the excitement around Six The Musical show was palpable. The audience was enthusiastic and even a guy on the front row stood up and danced in the middle of a song. But like Hamilton, I feel like Six The Musical is overhyped. Both shows were obviously well-written and well-executed masterpieces, but the overhyped worldwide buzz around the two musicals made me expect more. That being said, if you ever have the opportunity, you should definitely see Six The Musical … it’s just no The Wiz, The Prom, or The Book of Mormon.
Theatre Company: National Tour with Broadway Across America
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive
Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees and students are eligible for an organization discount.
Dates: July 12 – 23, 2023
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Joan Marcus and Patrick Gray.
@showsiveseen Amazing seats to @SIX 👑 by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss at @Seattle Theatre Group & Broadway at the Paramount Theatre. All-female cast/band portray the stories of King Henry VIII's #six#queen wives & find individual significance independent of a man. Packed energetic audience. Shoutout to the incredible @Khaila Anye Wilcoxon & @Storm Lever. Photos by Joan Marcus & Patrick Gray. Review: showsiveseen.com/6075 #musical#girlPower#theatre#Tudor♬ Ex-Wives – SIX
The North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.Storm Lever as Anne Boleyn (center) in the North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.Olivia Donalson as Anna of Cleves (center) in the North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.Khaila Wilcoxon as Catherine of Aragon (center) in the North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.Gabriela Carrillo as Catherine Parr (center) in the North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.Courtney Mack as Katherine Howard in the North American Six Aragon tour. Photo by Patrick Gray.The North American Aragon tour of Six. Photo by Patrick Gray.
Giveaway:I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. Enter the contest on Instagram! Update (3/11/23): Congrats to Matt!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Dear Evan Hansen musical w/ Broadway at the Paramount Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group. Good visibility on depressed, lonely, awkward people who are obsessed w/ social media and who don’t fit in. #DearEvanHansen #suicide #depression
Synopsis from the Theatre: A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. DEAR EVAN HANSEN has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says DEAR EVAN HANSEN is “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” The New York Times calls it “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical.” And NBC Nightly News declares the musical “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.” DEAR EVAN HANSEN features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).
Reviewed Performance: 3/7/23 Evening – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it!
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I previously saw this years ago at the Paramount Theatre. I actually listen to the soundtrack in my car every so often.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’d consider it, but I probably would only see a professional/equity production like this and not a community production.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: All of them
Total Number of Actors: 8
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Projections and Lighting: I’m always a huge fan of modern design and clean lines. The spotlights and projections dramatically converged in “Waving Through a Window” and “You Will Be Found.” Most of the projections were inspired by social media and this production didn’t lazily use the projections as a crutch for the storyline. However, I wonder how long the projections will stay relevant. For example, today’s high schoolers don’t gravitate toward the social media platforms (like Facebook) mentioned throughout the show.
Awkwardness: Anthony Norman portrayed Evan Hansen well as a weird loser who doesn’t fit it. There should be less snorts though. In my opinion, snorting on-stage or on-film is an overused crutch to portray awkward demeanor to the audience. I’ve never known someone to regularly snort in real life.
Silence and Darkness: Similar to the recent Metamorphoses play at Seattle Rep, this show is uniquely lacks sound and color (in a good way), which is in contrast to most other musicals that usually more ostentatious. The silence was particularly fitting in the tense moments before Evan Hansen’s speech.
“Waving Through a Window” Lyrics: I love how they allude to the smartphone social media experience in the chorus lyrics “cause I’m tap, tap, tapping on the glass. I’m waving through a window … is anybody waving back at me?”
Favorite Line: “The only people that like high school are cheerleaders and football players.”
Rant(s)
Pitch Issues: There were numerous moments someone sang slightly off key when attempting to reach high notes.
“Sincerely, Me” Stiffness: The comedic relief song “Sincerely, Me” didn’t feel as playful as I remember from the first time I saw this musical. Move your arms and hands more please! Maybe it was the magic and wonder of seeing the show for the first time that made the song better for me back then.
Paramount Theatre Seating: Like I mentioned in my previous Paramount Theatre show review, I’m thankful for the opportunity to review this show and my seats were great on paper but the Paramount Theatre is in desperate need of better seat staggering and a steeper slope. The people sitting in the two rows in front of me were clearly struggling with their view. And I could even hear the person behind me complaining that they couldn’t see. The seats are so terribly placed that the person two rows down from me was blocking my view. A part of me thinks that it isn’t worth shelling out upwards of $100 per ticket to only hear the show and not see it adequately. Make sure your seat is in the first row of a section!
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Fundraiser: The teens in the story were not fundraising for a worthy cause. Why not raise money for something that will actually prevent suicides and depression? What a waste!
Alana Beck: Such an annoying character. She needs to mind her own business and stop using people. I also didn’t buy her explanation for her motives.
Theatre Company: National Tour Coordinated by Broadway Across America and Seattle Theatre Group
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive
Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees and students are eligible for an organization discount.
Dates: March 7 to 12, 2023
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.
Anthony Norman (Evan Hansen), Coleen Sexton (Heidi Hansen) in the 2022-2023 North American Tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Anthony Norman (Evan Hansen), Alaina Anderson (Zoe Murphy) in the 2022-2023 North American Tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Anthony Norman (Evan Hansen) in the 2022-2023 North American Tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN, Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Anthony Norman (Evan Hansen), John Hemphill (Larry Murphy), Lili Thomas (Cynthia Murphy), Alaina Anderson (Zoe Murphy), in the 2022-2023 North American Tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.
Role
Name
Zoe Murphy
Alaina Anderson
Jared Kleinman
Reese Sebastian Diaz was the understudy for Pablo David Laucerica during the 3/7/23 performance
Connor Murphy
August Emerson
Alana Beck
Micaela Lamas
Larry Murphy
John Hemphill
Evan Hansen
Anthony Norman (Jeffrey Cornelius on Saturday Matinee and Sunday Evening)
Heidi Hansen
Coleen Sexton
Cynthia Murphy
Lili Thomas
—
—
Evan Hansen, Connor Murphy, Jared Kleinman Understudy
Reese Sebastian Diaz
Evan Hansen, Jared Kleinman Understudies
Jeffrey Cornelius, Pierce Wheeler
Jared Kleinman, Connor Murphy Understudies
Ian Coursey
Heidi Hansen, Cynthia Murphy Understudies
Isabel Santiago, Kelsey Venter
Alana Beck, Zoe Murphy Understudies
Valeria Ceballos, Gillian Jackson Han
Larry Murphy Understudy
Daniel Robert Sullivan
—
—
Music Director/Conductor/Keyboard
Garret Healey
Associate Conductor
Michael Uselmann
Guitar
Matt Brown, Eric Stockton
Drums
Ryan McCausland
Bass
Jack Helsley
Violin/Concertmaster
Eugene Kaler
Viola
Michi Aceret
Cello
Caitlin Thomas
Additional Orchestrations
Christopher Jahnke
Keyboard Programmer
Randy Cohen
Associate Keyboard Programmer
Jeremy King
Ableton Programmers
Enrico De Trizio, Scott Wasserman
Music Copying
Emily Grishman Music Preparation
—
—
Director
Michael Greif
Author
Steven Levenson
Composers and Lyricists
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Choreographer
Danny Mefford
Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Additional Arrangements
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations jukebox musical w/ Broadway at the Paramount and Seattle Theatre Group. Imagine a mashup of the musicals Motown and Jersey Boys. Tight harmonies and smooth dance moves. Even the synchronized stage clapping sounded good! #theatre #retro
Synopsis from the Theatre: Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. Nominated for 12 Tony® Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, Ain’t Too Proud tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group’s personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America. Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!), the unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.
Reviewed Performance: 1/24/23 – Opening Night
Type: Jukebox Musical
World Premiere: No
Awards: 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography
Defined Plot/Storyline: Plot was semi-defined but not strong. But this is typical in a jukebox musical. It is also expected from shows written in biographical form (like this one). There is no strong plot in real life!
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it especially if you’re a fan of the Temptations group. You don’t need to be a fan of their music to enjoy the show. I only knew 1/4 of the songs and my dad only knew 2 of the songs.
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Maybe
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: All of them
Number of Actors: 22
Length: 2.5 to 2.75 hours, which felt a little longer than what I’m used to
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Voices: Obviously, all the actors had amazing voices. But a special shoutout goes to Devin Price (Al Bryant) with his powerful tenor in “(You Make Me Want to) Shout.” Elijah Ahmad Lewis (David Ruffin) was a great replacement for Devin when the Temptations kicked Devin’s character out the group. The tenors don’t get all the glory in this show though. Harrell Holmes Jr showcased his incredible bass voice as Melvin Franklin. He “got bass lower than the devil!”
Lighting Design: The stage haze elegantly highlighted the simple clean lines of the bright spotlights dramatically shining directly downward on each of the Temptations. The marquees on the set reminded me of ritzy classic showbiz. The large lightbulbs that suddenly shined directly behind the Temptations were elegant and glamourous. The designers even included details like “hot lights” on TV set video recorders in the American Bandstand scenes.
Costumes: The costumes conveyed a vintage feel. I was strangely drawn to the funeral attire, which was very elegant, simple, and old money. The classic black umbrellas were also a nice addition to the funeral scene.
Supremes: I was pleasantly surprised that they included some numbers sung by the Supremes like “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Rant(s)
Views in the Paramount Theatre: Warning, soapbox ahead! Let me just start out saying that I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to review this show and my seat was well-placed. It was on the aisle at the center where I could theoretically see everything. It was also not too close or far from the stage. However, most patrons at the Paramount Theatre tend to significantly obstruct the view of the person directly behind them. I’ve been burned too many times by this. I’ve even sat in the third row of the center main floor orchestra and a head still annoyingly blocked my view, which was very disappointing especially after paying more than $100 on that ticket. Several regular Seattle theatre patrons have voiced the same concern with Paramount Theatre seats. It is ironic that the arguably most prestigious theatre in the city (which also hosts most touring Broadway shows) also has the highest possibility of an obstructed view. I’ve never experienced this at 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre, or ACT Theatre. Unfortunately, at the Paramount Theatre, you’re only safe with a view in a section’s first row (whether orchestra or mezzanine) with a walkway buffer in front of you. You’d also be safe in the back row of a section propped up by two seat pillows. I wish the Paramount Theatre could change the elevation grade/slope to be steeper and I also wish they would stagger the seats better. Hopefully the “Save a Seat” program will prevent obstructed views that make it difficult to review/enjoy shows. First world problems, right? 😛
Other Thought(s)
Historical Anecdotes: A couple interesting historical facts were mentioned throughout the show. For example, apparently there have been more than 25 Temptations members since the group’s inception. Also, one of the past members was known for sneaking on-stage to perform after the group fired him!
Theatre Company: National Tour from Broadway Across America and Seattle Theatre Group
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive
Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees and students are eligible for an organization discount.
Dates: January 24 – February 5, 2023
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Potted Potter show w/ Seattle Theatre Group at Moore Theatre. Left the muggle world for a spell to see a British slapstick comedy retelling of all 7 Harry Potter books. Energetic actors & lots of pop culture references. Slytherin house FTW! #silly #corny
Synopsis from the Theatre: Playing to sold out houses all over the world, the Olivier Award nominated Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books into seventy hilarious minutes. Even if you don’t know the difference between a horcrux and a Hufflepuff, Potted Potter will make you roar with laughter. Created by two-time Olivier Award-nominated actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, Potted Potter is perfect for ages six to Dumbledore (who is very old indeed).
Reviewed Performance: 12/28/22 Opening Night – The real opener 12/27/22 was delayed because of the weather.
Type: Play-ish Comedy Show
World Premiere: No
Awards: Nominated for an Olivier Award
Recommendation: See it if you’re into Harry Potter and British slapstick comedy
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes
Length: 70 mins
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Energy: Brendan Murphy was the jester half of the duo. He played opposite Scott Hoatson, who portrayed the sensible Harry Potter. Kudos to Brendan for maintaining his child-like energy throughout the show while portraying around 25 characters.
Pop Culture: I was surprised with how many pop culture references they included like when Brendan picked up a copy of 50 Shades of Grey instead of Harry Potter. Fun fact, Christian Grey’s condo in 50 Shades of Grey was at the Escala building, which is two blocks away from the Moore Theatre where this show is performing.
Favorite Lines:
Something like “Dumbledore was the greatest wizard who ever lived … so he went into teaching?”
When mentioning that that the original British title was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone while the American release was re-titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, one of the actors said in a stereotypical uneducated American hick accent, “I’m an American and I don’t know what a philosopher is.”
Rant(s)
Video: As usual, I’m not a fan when live theatre includes a segment for the audience to watch a video. I’m here for live theatre, not something I can watch on YouTube! Fortunately, the segment was not that long.
Theatre Company: National Tour (in conjunction with Seattle Theatre Group)
Venue: Moore Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1932 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive
Dates: Only December 28, 2022 to January 1, 2023 – This is a limited Seattle run so buy your ticket today if you want to see this show. The good news there are 2-4 performances on each of the remaining days. Whew!
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: I usually walk or transit here. Street parking is typically difficult around here. There’s obviously paid garage parking since this venue is in downtown. I think the cheapest garage lot is the old Bed Bath and Beyond garage (1930 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101) or the car rental garage (255 Stewart Street, Seattle, WA, 98101). Again, this is 3rd Ave area and it often feels dodgy on certain blocks. Stay safe!
