DES MOINES, Iowa — "Six: The Musical" opened this week at the Des Moines Civic Center for the first time in the show's history—or "her-story", as the queens cleverly say throughout the show.
The show's run is part of Des Moines Performing Arts' 2022-2023 Broadway season.
"Six", written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, shares the story of the six wives of Henry VIII as they "remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a euphoric celebration of 21st century girl power", according to the DMPA website.
The show won 23 awards during the 2021-2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award® for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
Shortly after the show's opening in Des Moines, Local 5 caught up with performer Taylor Pearlstein for a behind-the-scenes look at the queens' award-winning costumes and makeup.
"Even when I watch the show still and I sit in the audience, I am blown away by just like the spectacle of it all," Pearlstein said. "Costumes are really one of the stars of the show."
Pearlstein is an alternate, or understudy, for the North American tour, where she substitutes for Ann Boleyn, Katherine Howard or Catherine Parr when her fellow castmates have vacations, sicknesses or other absences.
"It can be challenging, definitely the the quick crossover like that can be pretty, pretty challenging, but luckily we had a really intensive supportive rehearsal process," Pearlstein said.
"Six" runs through Feb. 19 at the Des Moines Civic Center, and tickets are still available at dmpa.org.
"This show is so brilliantly created because it is so fun and once it starts... the momentum is all the way through," Pearlstein said.