Milford High School's SIX: TEEN EDITION
- Cincinnati Cappies
- Oct 26
- 8 min read
Review by Cecilia Rasmussen, Mariemont High School Critic Team
The moment Henry VIII's wives struck their starting pose on Milford High School's stage, the audience was enchanted by the electrifying performance of the lives of each wife in concert form. Six: Teen Edition was a revolutionary reimagining of England's most iconic group of women.
Six opened its run on Broadway in 2020 after beginning as a college project in 2016. The production took monarchical queens and transformed them into pop divas to reclaim their identities after sitting in the shadow of King Henry VIII for centuries. The show is set and portrayed as a concert with the queens brawling for the title of lead singer. Each queen is given one song to convince the audience she had the most abrasive relationship with the king.
A cast as small as the company of Six: Teen Edition is usually a grave task, seeing as half of it is made up of six leads. However, Milford High School was able to balance the challenge and create an impressive performance on stage, working each member's strengths together.
Starting the competition off, Catherine of Aragon, played by Brooke Nickley, was captivating and charismatic on stage, filling each empty dialogue gap with riotous comments. Similarly, Annie Jasinoski, in the role of Katherine Howard, shone on stage, taking every chance to represent the sassy and playful side of her character. In her song "All You Wanna Do," her saucy additions were incredible, but her ability to completely embody Katherine's distress and realization of how she was corrupted from a young age was very impressive.
With the original Broadway production not consisting of a supporting cast, the extension of an ensemble created a more balanced dynamic on stage. During the song "Heart of Stone," dance captain Emily Lierl performed a sequence whose fluidity and grace illustrated the pure emotion that was being expressed by Jane Seymour. Lierl's capability to express raw emotion with just the movement of her body is admirable. Overall, the ensemble as a whole added another dimension to the perception of the show being a concert, acting as backup dancers. The choreography beautifully mixed the typical musical theatre style with modern pop artists' steps. Every dancer seamlessly kept the attention on the leads but added layers to the vision seen by the audience.
The technical aspects of this show allowed the spectators to feel more like concertgoers than theatregoers. The lighting done by Brady Eastep visualized the more galvanizing songs with dazzling and vivid projections of color, while the more heartfelt ballads used dimmer lighting with spotlights to create an emotive setting. The lighting throughout the show highlighted the breathtaking and alluring costumes constructed by Heidi Hassman and Averie Shutters. Every light cue accentuated the bedazzled and striking outfits glistening across the stage. Each piece was completely handmade and had clear inspiration from the professional costumes but also had their own added creativity. The costumes were show-appropriate and showcased the expertise of the crew.
Milford High School completely transformed their theatre into a pop concert, immersing the audience for 80 minutes straight. Throughout the show, the fighting turned to embracement, leaving one last message to the spectators to live life to the fullest and not allow anyone to dictate their lives.
Review by Adelaide Littner, Highlands High School Critic Team
Glitter, rhinestones, and rebellion: history never looked better at Milford High School's production of Six: Teen Edition. This dynamic performance was filled with humor, sadness, empowerment, and so much more as the cast and crew beautifully executed this challenge.
Written and composed by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow, Six: Teen Edition follows the wives of King Henry VIII of England as they share their stories. This musical takes a story filled with intricacies and turns it into a high-energy production that creates a bridge between musical theater and a pop concert. Henry VIII might have written the headlines, but in Six: Teen Edition, his exes steal the show.
The cast of Milford High School's production demonstrated excellent vocal talent across the entire cast as they navigated the challenging harmonies and created a balanced sound with the addition of the ensemble.
Though Six: Teen Edition has no designated lead, Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Parr bookend the show, grounding the arc from rivalry to unity. Brooke Nickley's Catherine of Aragon opened the show. Nickley's stage presence and sass started the show off with a bang as she demonstrated outstanding contrast and complexity within her character as she told her story. Further, Catherine Parr, played by Chloe Call, was the last of the wives to give voice to her story. She worked as a facilitator as she brought all of the Queens together, and her acting choices supported this throughout the entire performance. Both Nickley and Chloe also had extraordinary vocal technique and tone in songs such as "No Way" and "I Don't Need Your Love," respectively.
The Queens, as an ensemble, had both cohesive and individual aspects, highlighting their connection to King Henry and their separate identities. An example of this is with Ashlynn Hezlep, who played Anne Boleyn. The fiery attitude brought by Hezlep lit up the stage as she shared how she truly felt in "Don't Lose Your Head." Moreover, Katherine Howard, played by Annie Jasinoski, presented a similarly comedic performance, while also illustrating her experiences on a deep, emotional level. Overall, both of these characters provided contrast and comedy within the group.
The technical elements of this show further enhanced the message that the cast portrayed. Starting with the lighting, designer Brady Eastep utilized moving heads and bars on the floor, along with blinders at the back of the stage to change the atmosphere both on stage and in the audience to fit the feeling of a concert. The costumes, designed by Averie Shutters and Heidi Hassman, were incredibly original and handmade for all the queens. Furthermore, the cohesiveness of the ensemble costumes ensured that they maintained the supporting presence that was intended for them.
As the show came to an end, the hard work and dedication of the cast and crew were clear in every aspect of the production. Milford High School's production of Six: Teen Edition felt less like a history lesson and more like a reclamation as six voices that were once reduced to a king stood center stage, refusing silence.
Review by Sofia Augustine, Saint Ursula Academy Critic Team
History has never been so catchy—or stylish. In Milford High School's energetic and inspiring production of the hit show Six: Teen Edition, the wives of Henry VIII compete to see who struggled the most with their common ex.
With a pop-rock soundtrack and dazzling costumes, Six was a hit since it first ran. Co-written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the musical-comedy hit the stage at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 and ran for nearly three months, during which it garnered positive reviews for its feminist storyline and humorous retellings of history through a modern lens. A main theme of the show is how the queens reclaim their identity and learn to support each other in a society holding them down, and it is heartfelt as well as captivating to see unfold.
Each of the six queens held their own unique identity and presence onstage, making the show a delight to watch as they contrasted and complemented each other. Avery Fox portrayed Jane Seymour's trials and tragedies with raw authenticity. In contrast, the seeming 'femme fatale' Katherine Howard, portrayed by Annabel Jasinoski, was a lively and energetic presence onstage. She expertly illustrated the queen's realizations of the true nature of her past relationships and strength with ease.
The first of the wives, played by Brooke Nickley, was a domineering presence onstage as her true personality was set free. Her rivalry and feuds with Anne Boleyn, portrayed by Ashlynn Hezlep, were equally present as well as hilarious. Boleyn's cheerful, careless manner contrasted humorously with Aragon's officious attitude, and made their onstage interactions impossible to ignore.
The ensemble of Six beautifully complemented the main six performers. Their energetic and expertly choreographed numbers displayed the ensemble's ability to switch between genres seamlessly. Specifically, during Jane Seymour's song, "Heart of Stone," Emily Lierl took the stage and moved the audience with her self-choreographed solo to the powerful ballad.
A standout part of the production was the costumes, many of which were made by hand by the skilled costume crew. Averie Shutters's and Heidi Hassman's attention to detail was fully on display in the show. Their costumes were not only appealing to the eye but also held symbolism and meaning within the show as well, as during Katherine Howard's song "All You Wanna Do," the ensemble was given black hoodies, which gave the appearance that they were disconnected from the queen.
As the cast and crew took the stage for the final bows, the message of female empowerment was laid bare. With society often pitting women against each other rather than addressing the root issue, the musical flipped this common occurrence on its head as the queens learned to support each other through their trials and tribulations. Its lesson of supporting others left a lasting impression on the audience's hearts, as well as some catchy songs in their heads.
Excerpts From Other Top Reviews
"Opening the concert was Brooke Nickley as the powerful Catherine of Aragon. She embodied the role perfectly with the capability to show both anger and love to the other women at the same time. Following, in the role of Anne Boleyn was Ashlynn Hezlep, who captivated audiences with her devilish charm from the moment she stepped onstage."
-Lenora Braukman, Saint Ursula Academy Critic Team
"One of the most impressive aspects of the show was the costumes. All of the queen's costumes were designed and created by Averie Shutters and Heidi Hassman. Each of the queen's costumes creatively communicates their individual personality, taking inspiration from the Broadway costumes while still having a unique flair."
-Maria Blaker, Loveland High School Critic Team
"Dance Captain Emily Lierl made a surprising feature performance during Avery Fox's song, "Heart of Stone." Lierl represented the battle within Jane Seymour's mind as she lamented the troubles of her unmatched love and her inevitable death to the audience. Her graceful movements and expressive facials fully exemplified and added to the emotion within Fox's performance."
-Betty Good, Mariemont High School Critic Team
"Annie Jasinoski gave an engrossing performance as Katherine Howard. Her breathtaking vocals and dramatic character arc made for an empathetic performance that brought the house down."
-Adah Mosher, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"The special effects team, led by Brady Eastep, Averie Shutters, Heidi Hassman, and AJ Atherton, implemented UV light, glowing costume pieces, and UV-reactive paint to transform Milford's Zamudio Theatre into a radiating rave during the show's raucous number, 'Haus of Holbein.' Additionally, the marketing and publicity crew, led by Chloe Call and Averie Shutters, created programs, business cards, and posters that expertly conveyed the royal, yet concert-like, nature of the show."
-Clark Sayre, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"Despite the nature of a show like this that doesn't have a lead, where the characters are in danger of not having their own time to shine, that isn't the case here. Each queen left a very defined impression, and it's thanks to the amazing work of each of the main actresses. Avery Fox brought a wonderfully emotional edge to the show with her performance as Jane Seymour in her song 'Heart of Stone,' which was a perfect bit of emotion in such a comedy-centric show."
-Zachary Stucker, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"Overall, Milford High School's production of Six: Teen Edition was a vibrant and memorable performance that showcased the dedication given by both the cast and crew. From the many strong vocal performances and elaborate choreography to the intricate costuming and impeccable lighting, all elements worked together to create an immersive experience that captivated the audience."
-Steph Niehoff, Mariemont High School Critic Team