The musical Six, a powerhouse hit in London and on Broadway, is currently playing at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati. With an awesome cast that rivals the original Broadway leads, this funny, moving and vibrant show takes audiences on a historical rollercoaster ride, revisiting the lives and challenges of the wives of Henry VIII. Each wife presents her story, and they combine to reclaim their place in history, or rather herstory. The musical is staged as a rock concert, with the women competing to determine whose tale of woe as one of the King of England's wives is the worst. The book by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow uses narration well and contains humor, timely messages of women's empowerment, and interesting historical perspective.

The songs of Six are also by Moss and Marlow. Each character is inspired by two modern female singers, among them Beyoncé, Avril Lavigne, Adele, Nicki Minaj, Arianna Grande, and Alicia Keys, and their songs reflect those artists' musical styles without being parodies. Containing witty lyrics and strong melodic hooks, the score is a memorable one. The opening "Ex-Wives" starkly sets up the fates of the women, includes a brief introduction of each, and sets the words of a British nursery rhyme–"Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived"–to an instantly catchy tune. Other notable songs include the fun "Don't Lose Ur Head, the soaring "Heart of Stone", and the title number which closes the show.

The musical is co-directed by writer Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage. The storytelling is quick-paced and efficient, with the entire intermission-less show clocking in at 80 minutes. There's an appropriate balance of comedy, serious messages, and showbiz glitz. The song "All You Wanna Do" is intricately staged to evoke a powerful and unexpected emotional response. The choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is well-suited to the material and varied. Jane Cardona leads a talented, four-piece, all-women, onstage band.

The touring cast is very talented. Kristina Leopold is fierce as Catherine of Aragon. Cassie Silva skillfully captures the vapid, flirtatious nature of Anne Boleyn, and makes the most out of a recurring joke throughout the show. As Jane Seymour, Kelly Denice Taylor is touching and vocally impressive. Danielle Mendoza is funky and fun as Anna of Cleves. Alize Cruz effectively conveys the vulnerability and pain of her character's mistreatment as Katherine Howard. Adriana Scalice is aptly understated and touching as Catherine Parr, who sacrificed true love in order to ensure her security by marrying the sixteenth century king. All of the women are strong singers and actors.

The scenic design by Emma Bailey features a unit set of a bandstand to house the musicians, which is also used sparingly to set the locales of some scenes through changes to the LED lights on the back wall of the set. Tim Deiling's rock concert style lighting is diverse and appropriately flashy. The sparkly and sexy costumes by Gabriella Slade are a modern twist on Tudor style outfits, bedazzled with sequins, studs and crystals.

With a surprisingly impactful yet timely story, first-rate musical theatre songs, unique staging, solid design, and a praiseworthy cast, the national tour of Six is a must-see for Cincinnati audiences in its area debut.

Six runs through May 5, 2024, at the Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati OH. For tickets and information, please call 513-621-2787 or visit cincinnati.broadway.com. For more information on the tour, visit sixonbroadway.com/north-american-tours.