West Clermont High School's SIX: TEEN EDITION

Review by Jasmine Kdep, Conner High School Critic Team

While Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler might not agree, ex-wives have never looked better in West Clermont's production of Six: Teen Edition.

A contemporary take on the wives of Henry VIII, Six is a concert structured musical first performed on Broadway in 2020 made by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. Presented as a competition between the six wives as to who had it worse, it slowly transitions into a self-reflection about prioritizing each wife's story as individuals rather than limiting their historical presence as an attachment to their husband.

The production's cast and crew impressively put together an immersive and dazzling show with only five weeks of rehearsal. Despite their limited time, the songs, set, and overall performance presented the hard work and talent of West Clermont's students that highlighted overall both the incredible capability of their cast, as well as the dedication it took to put on such an amazing performance.

With a powerful and enlightening presence, Payden Scott as Catherine Parr charmed the auditorium with her song and oration synonymously. Captivating the stage with a slow brewing anger towards Henry and a sense of hope for what's to become of her story, Scott embodied the voice of reason with her power ballad "I Don't Need Your Love," showcasing her rich voice and a constant undercurrent of ambition within her portrayal.

Similar to stone, Sage Matsuda's performance as Jane Seymour was hard-hitting and heavy with emotion. Her solo, "Heart of Stone", gave further insight on Seymour's unique and complicated stance with Henry which was only further amplified by Matsuda's heart-wrenching rendition of the song and character. Alongside the queens, the Ladies in Waiting were constantly accommodating to the different personas each queen presented. The ladies filled the stage effectively with both their presence and talent, supporting the queens throughout each number vocally and physically.

The show's queens are inspired by contemporary pop icons which reflects in their songs, persona, and more prominently for West Clermont, their clothes. For example, Tinsley Botting's costume for her role as Anne Boleyn mirrors the pop punk princess, Avril Lavigne, who her character was partially based off of. Lighting design by Jayna Wilson and assisted by Carson Hayes brought to life each queen with their colors, as well as sculpting an emotional visual landscape with their illumination of the stage.

Throwing out the classic textbook, this modern retelling of the show presents a "histo-remix" on the fates of each wife. Rather than submitting to their tragic history, the queens take back the stage and their story by joining together to prove overall that their legacies should not be dictated solely by their shared husband.

Review by Ella Adams, Mercy McAuley High School Critic Team

With brilliant stagecraft, exhilarating musical numbers, and endless sparkle, West Clermont High School took the crown with their dazzling production of Six: Teen Edition. This unapologetic celebration of female empowerment gave history a fabulous new voice.

SIX: Teen Edition was written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss to tell the stories of King Henry VIII's six famous wives in the style of a pop concert. In this version of the story, the six queens become a girl group competing to find out who had it the worst. As the queens realize that there is more to their lives than the man they all married, they begin to take back the microphone and reclaim their own identities.

Bringing Six: Teen Edition to life requires high energy as actors perform a series of vocally and physically challenging songs with no intermission, all of which were executed flawlessly by West Clermont High School's lively performers. Meanwhile, the work done behind the scenes made the production into a bright and gorgeous environment fit for royalty.

Payden Scott's performance as Catherine Parr was a captivating showcase of the character's development as she gains the confidence to speak up. Her portrayal of Parr's demeanor and physicality had a clear shift from timid to fearless as she found her voice, climaxing in Scott's heartfelt performance of the song "I Don't Need Your Love."

As Catherine of Aragon, Maxx Stegemoller commanded the stage with each fierce riff and fiery remark. Their unmissable stage presence especially shone in their rendition of "No Way" which was complete with boundless attitude and rich vocals. Contrasting Catherine of Aragon, Sage Matsuda brought sweet sentimentality to the role of Jane Seymour. Through her angelic vocals and gentle disposition, Matsuda beautifully embodied her character's quiet strength.

A production of SIX: Teen Edition is incomplete without its electrifying glamour, which was notably brought to the stage by West Clermont High School's lights and costumes. The lights, designed by Jayna Wilson and Carson Hayes, turned the stage into an alluring concert environment. As they created new lighting fixtures and utilized vibrant colors, the work of Wilson and Hayes truly glimmered. On the other hand, Maxx Stegemoller and Tinsley Botting led the design of this production's stunning costumes. Stegemoller and Botting had a unique approach to creating this wardrobe, working hand in hand with cast members to allow their own idea of their character to be incorporated into their final outfits.

Through powerhouse performances and theatrical flair, the queens of West Clermont High School had a glittering reign over the stage. This royally empowering production of SIX: Teen Edition rewrote "her-story."

Review by Ava Clifton, Conner High School Critic Team

In this "histo-remix," West Clermont High School certainly switched up the flow with their rendition of Six: Teen Edition, electrifying the theater with bold stage presence and a dive into royal history.

Originating from Six: the Musical, created by Cambridge University students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Six: Teen Edition follows the unique biographies of the six wives of King Henry the Eighth. Structured as a concert-style performance, the wives are portrayed as a modern pop girl group, with each wife having a distinct solo that describes their life's tragic events. These individual vocal showcases are used to argue and compete over recognition as the leader of their band, until eventually the ex-wives agree to put their ex-lives behind them to reclaim their voice and stories as a team.

As Katherine Howard sings, "tonight we're gonna do ourselves justice", West Clermont High School did exactly that with Six: Teen Edition. This story was entirely brought to life by a blend of talent and creativity from the cast and crew.

Playing the iconic role of Katherine Howard was the talented Lila Brown. From her first flirty, confident introductory line, to the last profound breath of her powerful showcase of "All You Wanna Do," Brown's emotion and dedication to the role made her performance memorable. While Howard's song was a confident, sharp expression of frustration toward King Henry, a truly heartfelt solo, "Heart of Stone" was performed by Sage Matsuda playing Jane Seymour. This performance served as a moment of reflection and reconciliation between Seymour and the king. Much like the song title, Matsuda's vocals seemed to be set in stone, as her voice felt grounded and hit every note with precision.

Shining on stage just as the queens were, was none other than the Ladies in Waiting ensemble. These girls never failed to support their leads, whether in a solo or group number. This ensemble did a brilliant job of keeping up with not only the leads but each other, which created beautifully coordinated dances and backing vocals. They truly felt "one of a kind, no category."

Another supporting element that complimented the queens and their unique personalities was the lighting. Under the direction and design of Jayna Wilson and Carson Hayes, the lighting work was incredible and really captured the distinct aesthetic of each lead. The colored spotlights were something that especially stood out for their precision on stage and alignment with the queen they were illuminating.

Ultimately, this 90-minute musical ended in more than just a powerful history rewrite, it demonstrated the sheer depth of talent thriving within West Clermont High School. Through impressive vocal runs, seamless ensemble coordination, and precise technical elements, this production felt limitless.

Excerpts From Other Top Reviews

"Two impressive aspects of the show were lighting and makeup. The lighting, designed by Jayna Wilson and Carson Hayes, was inspired by lighting at concerts. The concert-style lighting enhanced the reimagining of Henry VIII's six wives as pop singers. The queen's makeup, designed by Samantha Casteel was another creative and well-executed detail of the show. While each queen's look featured black eyeliner, the six characters were distinguished by a specific eyeshadow color, demonstrating that while the queens eventually learn to operate as a team, they were still individuals with unique perspectives and experiences."

-Maria Blaker, Loveland High School Critic Team

"A performance that shined and brought life and humor to the show was Tinsley Botting as Anne Boleyn. With her quick, sarcastic remarks and unserious character, she brought lots of laughs to the audience. Throughout the show, Botting adds humor to the performance, acting as a sassy, clueless queen made for humor. Another performance that stood out was Lila Brown as Katherine Howard regarding her outstanding and emotionally intense vocals during "All You Wanna Do". Her transition from a happier tone to panicked singing nicely captured the message of the song. The energy she showed in her dancing and the raw emotion in her voice stood out in the best, most heartbreaking way."

-Ivvy Solano, William Mason High School Critic Team

"Whether it was illustrating raw emotion, or light heartedly engaging with the audience, West Clermont High School's version of Six: Teen Edition had excellent talent in their technical aspects and wonderful cast, showcasing a valuable performance."

-Sofia Cedeno, William Mason High School Critic Team