Post-Pandemic: Why Broadway Is Still A Must for Visitors To NYC

04.09.2023 - 08:05 / forbes.com / Henry Viii VIII (Viii)

The lights dim, the curtain lifts and your eyes immediately widen to take in the vision of the stage, ablaze in a riot of colour. The hi-energy musical that is Six may be set in Tudor times, but its six characters – the reimagined wives of Henry VIII – are dressed as if Beyonce had styled them, on a set that could have been transposed from America’s Got Talent!

The pop-infused show, still in its prime after its resurrection following the pandemic, takes place at the Lena Horne Theatre in Midtown Manhattan, in the heart of the city’s Theatre District. Built in 1926, the characterful theatre may have one foot in the original flapper era but – as host to the dynamic spectacle that is Six the Musical – it also has the other tootsie solidly in our current version of the Roaring 20s.

Witty lyrics and tight beats – written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss and performed by a live band – are woven together to [re]tell the story of the six doomed wives – a “remix” of history, in fact. The relatable modern-day parlance is overwritten with chutzpah and nods to girl power with a dash of knowing Tik Tok-esqe references thrown in for good measure. There are soulful torch songs, contemporary RnB refrains and catchy pop ditties – each style assigned to a different character. The pace is fast and furious. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr have their turn in the spotlight – literally. – Each wife wears a distinctive, glittery take on a Tudor outfit, and each has a discernible personality trait to tell they story – Katherine Howard’s attitude, for example, is straight from the streets.

Dripping with sass, the musical has won some 23 awards, including the 2022 Tony Award for Best Original Score. But, at first, it seemed that it was not to be. When the theatres went dark due to Covid-19, back in 2020 – the longest period the theatres were closed in history – Six the Musical had only just started its run, having opened in March 2020. Cut off before it had even properly begun, finally the musical officially opened in October 2021 and was received by audiences desperate for live entertainment and some immersive escapism.

For tourists planning a trip to New York, one of the top attractions is tickets to one of Broadway’s shows. For those wanting the inside track on the latest hot seats, news on live theatrical events (in New York City and beyond), then Broadway Inbound is a good touchstone. The global travel industry’s ticket source for live theatrical events, the organisation is a champion of the perfoming arts, providing the latest event information and ticket inventory. Owned by The Shubert Organization, a leader in Broadway theatre for over 100 years, Broadway