Rachael Dickzen's Blog, page 7
May 17, 2020
Short Reviews of MANY Samurai Films
Husband John has recently started showing me his large samurai/kurosawa film collection. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve been really enjoying it so far. Here are my brief reviews of what we’ve watched so far, in case anyone else is interested in getting into this genre. John’s collection is all on DVD, but I know a lot of these films are available on streaming through the Criterion Channel and for rental on Amazon Prime.
I’ll keep adding more of these as we watch them because John has a ton of them and like, what else are we going to do right now during all this self-isolation?
(** = favorites)
- Throne of Blood (Spider Web Castle) (directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1957)- very good and beautifully done, but since it's based off of Macbeth, it's obviously pretty dark. I'm sad that there's only one "witch" vs. the original three and the lack of Macduff removes a lot of the personal cost of Macbeth's choices, but as friend Jeff pointed out, it makes Macbeth's ultimate fall and death more obviously the consequences of his own choices. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
Throne of Blood
Yojimbo
Rashoman
- Rashomon (Directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1950)- This film shows the same crime from the viewpoints of five different people, who tell the story in incredibly different ways. This film is considered one of the greatest ever made and spawned an entire type of story-telling commonly seen in TV shows called “The Rashomon Effect.”
It’s all beautiful and interesting and gorgeously shot, but I’ll admit that my favorite portions were honestly the ones with just the three dudes talking at the gate, trying to figure out this story. I would have loved it if the one female character wasn't so obviously deceitful and kinda evil though - like - can we understand WHY she wanted to leave her husband and go with the bandit? Was it an arranged marriage? Does she long for adventure? Come on. The shots directly at the sun were gorgeous and I loved the subtle differentiations from the versions of the story, like when the bandit tells the story, the sword fight is glorious and amazing, but when the random bystander tells the story, the sword fight is clumsy and awkward. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
- Yojimbo (the Bodyguard) (Directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1961)**- My FAVORITE so far. The main character is a grumpy nameless unemployed samurai (ronin) who plays two sides of a gang war off each other to make money but ultimately does the right thing to save the lives of some of the innocents around town. The film is heavily inspired by Westerns and you can tell. From that summary, it doesn't sound hilarious, but it IS, I promise you. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
Sanjuro
- Sanjuro (Directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1962)**- The grumpy samurai with a hidden heart of gold from Yojimbo (who often uses the name Sanjuro, but it's heavily implied that this is a fake name, as he makes up his names by looking at random plants and taking their names as his own) returns in this film, where he ends up helping out a gang of well-intentioned fools who were trying to root out corruption in their clan and almost get themselves and their family members killed in the process. Sanjuro helps them out but does it in his own style, calling them idiots much of the movie. There's also an ultra hilarious bit with a captured bandit occasionally emerging from the closet in which he's been stashed to make commentary/celebrate with the heroes, and then quickly returning to the closet when he's noticed. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
The Hidden Fortress
- The Hidden Fortress (Directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1958)- The samurai movie that greatly inspired George Lucas while he was making Star Wars! A princess and a general, some of the last survivors of their clan after a devastating war, attempt to travel with their clan's remaining gold. across enemy territory to get to safety with an ally. The story is told from the viewpoint of two greedy peasants who bicker constantly, who heavily inspired the introduction of Star Wars with R2-D2 and C3PO. Some of this movie is hilarious and some of it is beautiful (a scene in which a huge group of captured peasants stages a breakout and tries to escape down a long flight of stairs is particularly well shot), but the pacing is really odd and slow at times and I occasionally found myself bored even during dramatic sword fights. There’s also a scene where the two greedy peasants openly plot to rape the princess and it is SO FUCKED UP (don’t worry, they don’t succeed). But at least most of the men wear Very Tiny Shorts that show off their Very Toned Legs, which provides just so much entertainment. (featuring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
Samurai I
- Samurai I: Miyamoto Musashi (Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, 1954)- The first of a trilogy about legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. The story itself is well told and beautifully shot, but has some weird plot holes and details that it never bothers to explain, like why the hero is initially considered "wild" and why everyone is trying to capture him. But all the characters are really wonderful and are introduced in a really interesting way. The opening scene with Tensuke and Matahachi talking about their dreams in a tree is beautiful. Akemi and Oko are introduced in a way that makes them seem all really nice; their inner villainy is only gradually revealed. I also really love Otsu and how she goes after the man she wants in a time when like…that’s not a thing women were suppose to do. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
[SPOILERY: Also, the conclusion has a monk capture the hero and lock him in a tower with books for three years until he emerges as a better, wiser man, which I have some SERIOUS problems with. It’s very WTF.]
Samurai II
- Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, 1955)- This is probably my favorite of the three films, as Musashi's growth in this film actually makes sense and some of the subplots in the background are really entertaining. Why is this one school of sword fighters utterly determined to gang up on Musashi and treat him poorly even when their own founder wants to fight him honorably? Why is Akemi's mother a horrible person who pimps her out and later abandons her? Why does Musashi's former friend Matahachi want to kill him when all this friend's misfortune is the result of his own poor decisions? Why is Akemi so mean and why is she so obsessed with Musashi now? Why does everyone want to kill poor Otsu? We don't know. But it's fun to watch it happen. Other historical samurai Saski Kojiro is introduced in this film and he's very handsome, honorable, and funny in his own way.(starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
[SPOILERY: The romance between Musashi and Otsu is also really beautiful, although I'm irritated behind reason at the end of the film when Musashi (the man she's waited for and searched for for like, 4+ years) tries to kiss her and she's immediately like /no, cries/ and he leaves because he's...confused? I don't know. It's all stupid and neither of their actions make sense given everything we know about their great love for each other]
Samurai III
- Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, 1956) - This film gives a satisfying conclusion to Musashi’s story but weirdly abandons some of the minor characters from the previous two films. Matahachi? Gone without a trace and zero explanation for where he went. Akemi’s villainous mother Oko is never seen, and her absence is explained only very briefly. But the plotting in this movie probably makes the most sense of all the films in this trilogy?
Musashi himself has grown into a Mature And Wise Samurai who makes Smart Decisions and doesn’t just kill people willy nilly. He decides to peace out with his kid mentee from the previous film and his new mentee (a random guy who threatened to kill him until he saw him catch a fly with chopsticks out of thin air and turned into the surprised Pikachu meme) and go run a farm for a year. Otsu and Akemi both follow him and confess their love, Akemi predictably causes trouble, etc. etc. Eventually Musashi fights Sasaki in the duel in the title. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
Sword of Doom
- Sword of Doom (directed by Kihachi Okamoto, 1966)- This is a very interesting film that actually has an amoral and villainous samurai as its protagonist. He basically kills a lot of people without feeling badly about it and ultimately gets his comeuppance, but the plot is actually a lot more complicated and interesting than that, but hard to summarize just in a paragraph or two. I actually quite like it, but it’s definitely the strangest film we’ve watched so far. Mifuno plays a relatively minor role as the head of a sword fighting school who shows up later in the film. (featuring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
-Zatoichi meets Yojimbo (Directed by Kikachi Okamoto, 1970)** - This film is utterly ridiculous but hilarious. Zatoichi is a blind master swordsman/masseuse (because that’s a thing in Japan apparently) and this is the TWENTIETH film starring him. He’s a very mild mannered character who’s basically Japanese Daredevil, with insane fighting skills and heightened sense that he uses to bring justice to the world. Mifune plays a “yojimbo” (bodyguard) who is similar to his grumpy samurai character with hidden heart of gold in Yojimbo/Sanjuro, but distinctly different. Basically, Zatoichi goes back to his hometown and found that LOTS has changed, as the townspeople are all afraid of a local gang. The plot is a bit complicated, and features a money skimming scheme from the government mint, but basically Zatoichi and Yojimbo constantly are trying to kill each other, drink together, or outsmart the gang together. Hilarity ensues in many many ways. (starring the glorious Toshiro Mifuno)
I’ve also previously watched these Kurosawa films with John back in August 2019 or earlier, so I want to re-watch them again now with the Samurai knowledge I have now. :)
- Seven Samurai (1954)
- Ran (1985)
- Ikiru (1952) (not a samurai film, but an important kurosawa work)
May 16, 2020
I'm Doing 10! Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
All My Six Posts!
I'm Doing 10 Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
(^This post includes links to workshop/q&a roundups from Grace Mouat, Natalie Pilkington, Sam Pauly, Cherelle Jay, Vicki Manser, Collette Guitart, Jen Caldwell, and Harriet Watson)
Details from Six Costumer Gabriella Slade’s Instagram Takeover
Six the Musical Wives 1-3: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
Six the Musical Wives 4-6: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
The Early Costumes of Six the Musical: From Edinburgh to Cambridge to London
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Shoes of Six the Musical
The Ladies in Waiting of Six: Historical Inspirations and Costumes
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
Originally published May 7, 2020 - Updated May 16 and May 29
As I mentioned in my post on the dance workshop and Q&A with Harriet Watson (hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties), I’ve already signed up for a few others!
Me. A non-dancer. Doing numerous workshops with professional dancers in an intimate setting where they can TOTALLY watch me flail about badly. (Harriet was VERY NICE about my bad dancing in an Instagram comment, but let’s just be honest here)
Me. The person who avoids waking up before 10 am as much as possible. Getting up at 5 am on a weekend numerous times.
This is how committed I am to the Queendom and getting y’all good Six coverage for my blog, y’all. Also, realistically, with all this self-isolation, what else am I going to do?
Note: Theatre Fan Workshops offers a TON of different workshops from different performers in a variety of different shows. Go check out all their workshops here!
[FYI - I’ve seen the Six alternates referred to as alternates, swings, and understudies, in just a ton of different outlets, so I’m using the terms interchangeably, although in most musicals, that’s not the case]
Here are all the classes I’m taking and when! I’ll update these with the blog links as I post them!
What questions should I ask them, y’all? What burning thoughts do you have about being in Six?
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
1. Six Workshop with Harriet Watson, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 2
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
Harriet Watson is a current swing and the dance captain on the UK tour.
Vicki Manser as Anne Boleyn
Vicki Manser as Katherine Howard
2. Six Workshop with VIcki Manser, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 9
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
Manser was an alternate in the West End production of Six and was the first cover for Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard (although she did end up covering every role). She later played Katherine Howard. She left the show on December 15, 2019.
Collette Guitart
Collette Guitart, probably going on for Catherine Parr (based on the costume)
3. Six Workshop with Collette Guitart, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 16
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
Guitart is currently an alternate in the West End production of Six and also serves as the production’s dance captain.
Jen Caldwell going on as Boleyn
Jen Caldwell
4. Six Workshop with Jen Caldwell, 7 am ET, Saturday, May 23
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Caldwell is a swing on the 2019-2020 UK tour of Six the Musical and also serves as their social media captain. She temporarily served as a swing in the West End production after performing as Anna of Cleves for several shows as an emergency cover. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, but she’s played all the roles.
Cherelle Jay as Anne Boleyn
Cherelle Jay as Anne of Cleves
5. Everybody’s talking about Jamie Workshop with Cherelle Jay, 7 am ET, Sunday, May 24
11 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Cherelle Jay’s Workshop/Q&A
Jay is a swing in the West End production of Six. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Anna of Cleves. It doesn’t look like she’s covered for Catherine of Aragon or Katherine Howard yet.
Her workshop is for a dance from “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
6. Six Broadway Workshop with Sam Pauly, 10 AM ET, Monday, May 25
22 Things I Learned from Six (Broadway) Actress Sam Pauly’s Workshop/Q&A
Pauly is currently playing Katherine Howard in the Broadway production of Six. She also played the same role in the North American Tour.
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
7. Six Workshop with Natalie Pilkington, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 30
24 Things I Learned from Six (Bliss) Alternate and Show Captain Nat Pilkington’s Workshop/Q&A
Pilkington was the show captain and one of two swings in the Norwegian Bliss cruise production of Six. Her first covers were Catherine of Aragon, Anna of Cleves, and Catherine Parr.
Grace Mouat
Grace Mouat, likely going on as Catherine of Aragon
8. & Juliet Workshop with Grace Mouat, 5 am ET, Sunday, May 31
13 Things I Learned From Original Six Alternate/Dance Captain Grace Mouat’s Workshop/Q&A
Mouat was a swing and the dance captain in the West Production of Six and in the 2018 UK tour. She left the show on August 18, 2019 and currently plays Judith and serves as the first cover for Juliet in & Juliet. Her workshop is for a dance from “& Juliet,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
Lauren Byrne
Lauren Byrne
Lauren Byrne
-ADDED 05/29/2020-
9. Six Workshop and Q & A with Lauren Byrne, 5 am ET, Saturday, June 27
Byrne plays Jane Seymour on the 2019-2020 UK Tour of Six.
Hazel Karooma-Brooker
Hazel Karooma-Brooker
Hazel Karooma-Brooker
-ADDED 06/06/2020-
10. Six Workshop and Q & A with Hazel Karooma-Brooker, 7 am ET, Saturday, 11 July 2020
Karooma-Brooker played Anne Boleyn on the Bliss 1.0 cast of Six from September 2019-March 2020.
What questions should I ask them, y’all? What burning thoughts do you have about being in Six?
I'm Doing 9 Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
All My Six Posts!
I'm Doing 9 Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
22 Things I Learned from Six (Broadway) Actress Sam Pauly’s Workshop/Q&A
11 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Cherelle Jay’s Workshop/Q&A
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Workshop/Q&A
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Details from Six Costumer Gabriella Slade’s Instagram Takeover
Six the Musical Wives 1-3: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
Six the Musical Wives 4-6: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
The Early Costumes of Six the Musical: From Edinburgh to Cambridge to London
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Shoes of Six the Musical
The Ladies in Waiting of Six: Historical Inspirations and Costumes
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
Originally published May 7, 2020 - Updated May 16 and May 29
As I mentioned in my post on the dance workshop and Q&A with Harriet Watson (hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties), I’ve already signed up for a few others!
Me. A non-dancer. Doing numerous workshops with professional dancers in an intimate setting where they can TOTALLY watch me flail about badly. (Harriet was VERY NICE about my bad dancing in an Instagram comment, but let’s just be honest here)
Me. The person who avoids waking up before 10 am as much as possible. Getting up at 5 am on a weekend numerous times.
This is how committed I am to the Queendom and getting y’all good Six coverage for my blog, y’all. Also, realistically, with all this self-isolation, what else am I going to do?
[FYI - I’ve seen the Six alternates referred to as alternates, swings, and understudies, in just a ton of different outlets, so I’m using the terms interchangeably, although in most musicals, that’s not the case]
Here are all the classes I’m taking and when! I’ll update these with the blog links as I post them!
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
1. Six Workshop with Harriet Watson, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 2
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
Harriet Watson is a current swing and the dance captain on the UK tour.
Vicki Manser as Anne Boleyn
Vicki Manser as Katherine Howard
2. Six Workshop with VIcki Manser, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 9
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
Manser was an alternate in the West End production of Six and was the first cover for Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard (although she did end up covering every role). She later played Katherine Howard. She left the show on December 15, 2019.
Collette Guitart
Collette Guitart, probably going on for Catherine Parr (based on the costume)
3. Six Workshop with Collette Guitart, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 16
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
Guitart is currently an alternate in the West End production of Six and also serves as the production’s dance captain.
Jen Caldwell going on as Boleyn
Jen Caldwell
4. Six Workshop with Jen Caldwell, 7 am ET, Saturday, May 23
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Caldwell is a swing on the 2019-2020 UK tour of Six the Musical and also serves as their social media captain. She temporarily served as a swing in the West End production after performing as Anna of Cleves for several shows as an emergency cover. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, but she’s played all the roles.
Cherelle Jay as Anne Boleyn
Cherelle Jay as Anne of Cleves
5. Everybody’s talking about Jamie Workshop with Cherelle Jay, 7 am ET, Sunday, May 24
11 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Cherelle Jay’s Workshop/Q&A
Jay is a swing in the West End production of Six. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Anna of Cleves. It doesn’t look like she’s covered for Catherine of Aragon or Katherine Howard yet.
Her workshop is for a dance from “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
6. Six Broadway Workshop with Sam Pauly, 10 AM ET, Monday, May 25
22 Things I Learned from Six (Broadway) Actress Sam Pauly’s Workshop/Q&A
Pauly is currently playing Katherine Howard in the Broadway production of Six. She also played the same role in the North American Tour.
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
7. Six Workshop with Natalie Pilkington, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 30
Pilkington was the show captain and one of two swings in the Norwegian Bliss cruise production of Six. Her first covers were Catherine of Aragon, Anna of Cleves, and Catherine Parr.
Grace Mouat
Grace Mouat, likely going on as Catherine of Aragon
8. & Juliet Workshop with Grace Mouat, 5 am ET, Sunday, May 31
Mouat was a swing and the dance captain in the West Production of Six and in the 2018 UK tour. She left the show on August 18, 2019 and currently plays Judith and serves as the first cover for Juliet in & Juliet. Her workshop is for a dance from “& Juliet,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
-ADDED 05/29/2020-
9. Six Workshop and Q & A with Lauren Byrne, 5 am ET, Saturday, June 27
Byrne plays Jane Seymour on the 2019-2020 UK Tour of Six.
What questions should I ask them, y’all? What burning thoughts do you have about being in Six?
I'm Doing 8 Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
All My Six Posts!
I'm Doing 8 Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Details from Six Costumer Gabriella Slade’s Instagram Takeover
Six the Musical Wives 1-3: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
Six the Musical Wives 4-6: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
The Early Costumes of Six the Musical: From Edinburgh to Cambridge to London
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Shoes of Six the Musical
The Ladies in Waiting of Six: Historical Inspirations and Costumes
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
Originally published May 7, 2020 - Updated May 16
As I mentioned in my post on the dance workshop and Q&A with Harriet Watson (hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties), I’ve already signed up for a few others!
Me. A non-dancer. Doing numerous workshops with professional dancers in an intimate setting where they can TOTALLY watch me flail about badly. (Harriet was VERY NICE about my bad dancing in an Instagram comment, but let’s just be honest here)
Me. The person who avoids waking up before 10 am as much as possible. Getting up at 5 am on a weekend numerous times.
This is how committed I am to the Queendom and getting y’all good Six coverage for my blog, y’all. Also, realistically, with all this self-isolation, what else am I going to do?
[FYI - I’ve seen the Six alternates referred to as alternates, swings, and understudies, in just a ton of different outlets, so I’m using the terms interchangeably, although in most musicals, that’s not the case]
Here are all the classes I’m taking and when! I’ll update these with the blog links as I post them!
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
Harriet Watson
1. Six Workshop with Harriet Watson, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 2
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
Harriet Watson is a current swing and the dance captain on the UK tour.
Vicki Manser as Anne Boleyn
Vicki Manser as Katherine Howard
2. Six Workshop with VIcki Manser, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 9
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
Manser was an alternate in the West End production of Six and was the first cover for Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard (although she did end up covering every role). She later played Katherine Howard. She left the show on December 15, 2019.
Collette Guitart
Collette Guitart, probably going on for Catherine Parr (based on the costume)
3. Six Workshop with Collette Guitart, 5 am ET, Saturday, May 16
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
Guitart is currently an alternate in the West End production of Six and also serves as the production’s dance captain.
Jen Caldwell going on as Boleyn
Jen Caldwell
4. Six Workshop with Jen Caldwell, 7 am ET, Saturday, May 23
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Caldwell is a swing on the 2019-2020 UK tour of Six the Musical and also serves as their social media captain. She temporarily served as a swing in the West End production after performing as Anna of Cleves for several shows as an emergency cover. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, but she’s played all the roles.
Cherelle Jay as Anne Boleyn
Cherelle Jay as Anne of Cleves
5. Everybody’s talking about Jamie Workshop with Cherelle Jay, 7 am ET, Sunday, May 24
Jay is a swing in the West End production of Six. Her first cover is Anne Boleyn and Anna of Cleves. It doesn’t look like she’s covered for Catherine of Aragon or Katherine Howard yet.
Her workshop is for a dance from “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
Sam Pauly
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
6. Six Broadway Workshop with Sam Pauly, 10 AM ET, Monday, May 25
Pauly is currently playing Katherine Howard in the Broadway production of Six. She also played the same role in the North American Tour.
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
Natalie Pilkington
ADDED TO POST 05/16/2020:
7. Six Workshop with Natalie Pilkington, 7 AM ET, Saturday, May 30
Pilkington was the show captain and one of two swings in the Norwegian Bliss cruise production of Six. Her first covers were Catherine of Aragon, Anna of Cleves, and Catherine Parr.
Grace Mouat
Grace Mouat, likely going on as Catherine of Aragon
8. & Juliet Workshop with Grace Mouat, 5 am ET, Sunday, May 31
Mouat was a swing and the dance captain in the West Production of Six and in the 2018 UK tour. She left the show on August 18, 2019 and currently plays Judith and serves as the first cover for Juliet in & Juliet. Her workshop is for a dance from “& Juliet,” but I’ve been told it’s okay to ask questions about Six.
What questions should I ask them, y’all? What burning thoughts do you have about being a Six alternate?
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart's Workshop and Q&A
All My Six Posts!
I'm Doing 8 Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Details from Six Costumer Gabriella Slade’s Instagram Takeover
Six the Musical Wives 1-3: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
Six the Musical Wives 4-6: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
The Early Costumes of Six the Musical: From Edinburgh to Cambridge to London
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Shoes of Six the Musical
The Ladies in Waiting of Six: Historical Inspirations and Costumes
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
This morning, I participated in a virtual dance workshop and Q&A with West End Six alternate Collette Guitart! The workshop was hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties and is the third workshop of seven I’ve signed up for. I got up at 4:30 AM EST for it, which was…yeah, I don’t know how I’m awake right now. #committed
Collette Guitart taught us the second chorus and the dance break of “No Way,” Catherine of Aragon’s song. She noted that she really relates to Aragon because of her own Spanish roots.
Guitart was incredibly kind and helpful throughout and emphasized that this was really difficult choreography that took her a long time to learn. “Even in rehearsal when we did this I didn’t put pressure on myself to get it in one day, I was like, ‘it’s not going to look good for like a week.’”
She had a few specific suggestions for how to get the attitude of the song down, specifically referencing the backup dancers in Beyonce’s Single Ladies music video. “We’re sort of those friends to Catherine of Aragon… Think about your own friend group. If one of your friends was being treated badly, you’d just be like ‘uh no, absolutely not.’ Put your own sass on top of it.”
On a personal note, this was definitely the hardest of the dance workshops I’ve done so far. I’d rank them from easiest to hardest as:
4. Six (taught by Harriet Watson)
3. Sorry not sorry (taught by Vicki Manser)
2. Get Down (taught by Harriet Watson)
1. No Way (taught by Collette Guitart)
1. Hardest Queen to perform physically and emotionally:
Physically, Aragon, because of that [gestures to dance we just did]
Emotionally is either Howard or Seymour. Seymour’s got the beautiful ballad and you don’t want to cry too much or get too emotional so you can still sing the song beautifully. And Howard has such an emotional journey through her song that it’s such a roller coaster because it’s such a really deep song and it starts out so funny; it’s really hard to do that even though the song is like 7 minutes.
2. The Queens she initially auditioned for:
I did No Way (Aragon’s song) definitely. I think I had to do “All You Want to Do” (Howard’s song) too, which was terrifying because it’s really fun but it’s friggin hard. And Parr’s song, “I don’t need your love.” I didn’t end up signing Seymour’s song (Heart of Stone) throughout the whole audition process, but I did all the others.
3. Favorite part of Six:
The slow bit in “Six,” where it’s like “And now we’re one of a kind, no category.” At that point, all the audience is lit up and everyone is joining in together.
4. Has she ever collaborated with the Queens from other countries?
No, but we do had the random tour thing that happened, when he had jen and alisia? It’s totally random, that only really happens in time of need. We haven’t had a country cross over yet.
5. Her training:
I went to a performing arts college in Cambridge called Bodyworks Company. It was very dance heavy because I chose to go on a dance course. In your first year, you’re all trained to the same level and do the same thing. In the second year, you can either choose musical theater or a dance course. I wanted to become a better dancer, so I took that, and then outside I took private singing lessons.
6. Best advice for someone who has never danced before:
Do not put pressure on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. You can look up to people, I certainly do, but you can’t compare yourself to anyone else because everyone is an individual. You’re never going to have the same talent as everyone else unless you’re like an identical twin. Whatever you’re doing, you just have to really enjoy it. Enjoyment comes first and that’s how you learn to love it. No comparison, because that can be a real soul crusher and that’s not what dancing is for. Dancing is meant to lift your spirit and all. The most important thing is that you’re enjoying yourself and it makes you happy.
7. Role as Dance Captain:
I have to know all the parts. I have to take warmup before the show, I have to do show watches a week. And those have to be different versions of the show with different alternates so I can give notes to everyone. I give notes to the girls; sometimes it’s not that they’re doing anything wrong, it’s just that they’ve gone so far into their character that they’ve lost the initial essence of the move. And sometimes if the girls have any questions, I’m sort of the person they go to to answer the question.
8. Favorite line in the huddle before singing “I don’t need your love” all together:
This isn’t my favorite but it got the biggest reaction from the audience – I didn’t hold my mic to my mouth but I held it here [down by her chest so it could still pick me up] – and said “I’m so sorry about this guys, this is so embarrassing,” turning to the audience before going back into the huddle. They LOVED it. It was quite the naughty thing though, it’s not supposed to be about the individual there.
9. Advice for learning more about musical theater:
Go to as many show as as you can afford and figure out what you like. Is it contemporary? Is it old school Sondheim? Discovering that is not only fun, because you get to see loads of musicals, but it also helps you figure out what kind of musical theater performer you want to be.
10. Tips on being a swing or alternate:
You need a swing bible. There is no person on this earth that can retain the information of an entire show just up here [points at head]. I think my brain is pretty good, like sometimes I don’t need to look at the Bible before going on a track, but I do it anyway, because if you mess up, even though everyone does it and you’re only human, you blame yourself. And you can only let yourself do it so many times before it becomes unprofessional
Stage Bible – I have a map of the stage for the covers I do. I put different colors for different characters and I mark out every single formation that there is in the show, even in the scenes where we’re quite static and don’t move too much. Like in Holbein, I’ve mapped that out; everyone changes their seat at every “tinder moment,” and you want to know where everyone is going and you don’t want to bump into them. You just want to have as much knowledge as possible before you go out there.
11. Are there any easter eggs in the choreography referencing history or the Tudors?
It’s all mental. There are bits in the show that, for example, in the song “Don’t Lose Your Head,” when she sings “I wouldn’t be such a b—if you could get it up.” She obviously didn’t say it like that, but she did say something like that, that her and henry’s sex life wasn’t going so well. There’re so many moments in thes how that they’re taking what they said in history and switched o modern life so we know what they’re saying and can go like OHHHH. We did loads of history research in the rehearsal process for this show. I was like /eye roll/ but it was SO INTERESTING. I learned so much more at Six than I ever did in history in school – Okay lies, I probably learned more in school, but I’ve retained more of it now.
12. How do you find remembering all the different choreography and harmonies?
It’s hard. It’s not easy, it’s a difficult job, but it’s also really rewarding, because I personally have that sort of brain at this point. I didn’t always, it’s all built up. My first few jobs gave me the knowledge of how to swing. If this was your first swing job, it would be mind blowing.
13. What was your most last minute show?
Manchester was WILD.
The shortest time getting ready was - Courtney was on for Seymour and she was having an allergic reaction and couldn’t stop coughing on stage. It wasn’t severe, she was fine, non-panic, but she couldn’t get rid of it and she couldn’t sing. Every time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t’ sing. We were so close to the end of the show, I was all packing up and everything. She came off at the beginning of All you wanna do,” and they were like, we need you to go on for Seymour. I just had the rest of “All you wanna do” to get ready and had to finish out the show. They didn’t even make an announcement because they just wanted to carry on.
14. Advice for auditioning for Six:
Be Yourself, because they want to see you and your personality. Have fun, because that’s all they want to see as well. Just have fun while you’re in the room. Look at them, they love a bit of eye contact, because as you know, we always look at the audience to connect with them. That’s quite rare [in musical theatre], it’s individual to this particular show. Have as much fun and be as relaxed as possible. Audition situations aren’t relaxed really, but the more you can show who you are as a person and not try to be “one of the queens,” the better.
Six Alternate and Dance Captain Collette Guitart's Dance Workshop and Q&A
All My Six Posts!
Six Alternate Vicki Manser’s Dance Workshop and Q&A!
Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson's Virtual Workshop!
I'm Doing SO MANY Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Alternates!
The Historical and Modern Inspirations in the Costumes of Six the Musical: Wives 1-3
The Historical and Modern Inspirations in the Costumes of Six the Musical: Wives 4-6
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Historical Inspirations and Costumes of the Ladies in Waiting of Six
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
This morning, I participated in a virtual dance workshop and Q&A with West End Six alternate Collette Guitart! The workshop was hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties and is the third workshop of seven I’ve signed up for. I got up at 4:30 AM EST for it, which was…yeah, I don’t know how I’m awake right now. #committed
Collette Guitart taught us the second chorus and the dance break of “No Way,” Catherine of Aragon’s song. She noted that she really relates to Aragon because of her own Spanish roots.
Guitart was incredibly kind and helpful throughout and emphasized that this was really difficult choreography that took her a long time to learn. “Even in rehearsal when we did this I didn’t put pressure on myself to get it in one day, I was like, ‘it’s not going to look good for like a week.’”
She had a few specific suggestions for how to get the attitude of the song down, specifically referencing the backup dancers in Beyonce’s Single Ladies music video. “We’re sort of those friends to Catherine of Aragon… Think about your own friend group. If one of your friends was being treated badly, you’d just be like ‘uh no, absolutely not.’ Put your own sass on top of it.”
On a personal note, this was definitely the hardest of the dance workshops I’ve done so far. I’d rank them from easiest to hardest as:
4. Six (taught by Harriet Watson)
3. Sorry not sorry (taught by Vicki Manser)
2. Get Down (taught by Harriet Watson)
1. No Way (taught by Collette Guitart)
Hardest Queen to perform physically and emotionally:
Physically, Aragon, because of that [gestures to dance we just did]
Emotionally is either Howard or Seymour. Seymour’s got the beautiful ballad and you don’t want to cry too much or get too emotional so you can still sing the song beautifully. And Howard has such an emotional journey through her song that it’s such a roller coaster because it’s such a really deep song and it starts out so funny; it’s really hard to do that even though the song is like 7 minutes.
The Queens she initially auditioned for:
I did No Way (Aragon’s song) definitely. I think I had to do “All You Want to Do” (Howard’s song) too, which was terrifying because it’s really fun but it’s friggin hard. And Parr’s song, “I don’t need your love.” I didn’t end up signing Seymour’s song (Heart of Stone) throughout the whole audition process, but I did all the others.
Favorite part of Six:
The slow bit in “Six,” where it’s like “And now we’re one of a kind, no category.” At that point, all the audience is lit up and everyone is joining in together.
Has she ever collaborated with the Queens from other countries?
No, but we do had the random tour thing that happened, when he had jen and alisia? It’s totally random, that only really happens in time of need. We haven’t had a country cross over yet.
Her training:
I went to a performing arts college in Cambridge called Bodyworks Company. It was very dance heavy because I chose to go on a dance course. In your first year, you’re all trained to the same level and do the same thing. In the second year, you can either choose musical theater or a dance course. I wanted to become a better dancer, so I took that, and then outside I took private singing lessons.
Best advice for someone who has never danced before:
Do not put pressure on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. You can look up to people, I certainly do, but you can’t compare yourself to anyone else because everyone is an individual. You’re never going to have the same talent as everyone else unless you’re like an identical twin. Whatever you’re doing, you just have to really enjoy it. Enjoyment comes first and that’s how you learn to love it. No comparison, because that can be a real soul crusher and that’s not what dancing is for. Dancing is meant to lift your spirit and all. The most important thing is that you’re enjoying yourself and it makes you happy.
Role as Dance Captain:
I have to know all the parts. I have to take warmup before the show, I have to do show watches a week. And those have to be different versions of the show with different alternates so I can give notes to everyone. I give notes to the girls; sometimes it’s not that they’re doing anything wrong, it’s just that they’ve gone so far into their character that they’ve lost the initial essence of the move. And sometimes if the girls have any questions, I’m sort of the person they go to to answer the question.
Favorite line in the huddle before singing “I don’t need your love” all together:
This isn’t my favorite but it got the biggest reaction from the audience – I didn’t hold my mic to my mouth but I held it here [down by her chest so it could still pick me up] – and said “I’m so sorry about this guys, this is so embarrassing,” turning to the audience before going back into the huddle. They LOVED it. It was quite the naughty thing though, it’s not supposed to be about the individual there.
Advice for learning more about musical theater:
Go to as many show as as you can afford and figure out what you like. Is it contemporary? Is it old school Sondheim? Discovering that is not only fun, because you get to see loads of musicals, but it also helps you figure out what kind of musical theater performer you want to be.
Tips on being a swing or alternate:
You need a swing bible. There is no person on this earth that can retain the information of an entire show just up here [points at head]. I think my brain is pretty good, like sometimes I don’t need to look at the Bible before going on a track, but I do it anyway, because if you mess up, even though everyone does it and you’re only human, you blame yourself. And you can only let yourself do it so many times before it becomes unprofessional
Stage Bible – I have a map of the stage for the covers I do. I put different colors for different characters and I mark out every single formation that there is in the show, even in the scenes where we’re quite static and don’t move too much. Like in Holbein, I’ve mapped that out; everyone changes their seat at every “tinder moment,” and you want to know where everyone is going and you don’t want to bump into them. You just want to have as much knowledge as possible before you go out there.
Are there any easter eggs in the choreography referencing history or the Tudors?
It’s all mental. There are bits in the show that, for example, in the song “Don’t Lose Your Head,” when she sings “I wouldn’t be such a b—if you could get it up.” She obviously didn’t say it like that, but she did say something like that, that her and henry’s sex life wasn’t going so well. There’re so many moments in thes how that they’re taking what they said in history and switched o modern life so we know what they’re saying and can go like OHHHH. We did loads of history research in the rehearsal process for this show. I was like /eye roll/ but it was SO INTERESTING. I learned so much more at Six than I ever did in history in school – Okay lies, I probably learned more in school, but I’ve retained more of it now.
How do you find remembering all the different spaces and harmonies?
It’s hard. It’s not easy, it’s a difficult job, but it’s also really rewarding, because I personally have that sort of brain at this point. I didn’t always, it’s all built up. My first few jobs gave me the knowledge of how to swing. If this was your first swing job, it would be mind blowing.
What was your most last minute show?
Manchester was WILD.
The shortest time getting ready was - Courtney was on for Seymour and she was having an allergic reaction and couldn’t stop coughing on stage. It wasn’t severe, she was fine, non-panic, but she couldn’t get rid of it and she couldn’t sing. Every time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t’ sing. We were so close to the end of the show, I was all packing up and everything. She came off at the beginning of All you wanna do,” and they were like, we need you to go on for Seymour. I just had the rest of “All you wanna do” to get ready and had to finish out the show. They didn’t even make an announcement because they just wanted to carry on.
Advice for auditioning for Six:
Be Yourself, because they want to see you and your personality. Have fun, because that’s all they want to see as well. Just have fun while you’re in the room. Look at them, they love a bit of eye contact, because as you know, we always look at the audience to connect with them. That’s quite rare [in musical theatre], it’s individual to this particular show. Have as much fun and be as relaxed as possible. Audition situations aren’t relaxed really, but the more you can show who you are as a person and not try to be “one of the queens,” the better.
May 15, 2020
Finding Your Perfect Book: AKA, Librarians are the Best
Some of the books I’m now speed listening through.
I’m currently in the midst of putting together an application for a writing mentorship with an amazing literary agency that would include agent representation and input on revising my novel (AHH, fingers crossed). As part of that, I have to come up with three “comp titles,” or books that are comparable to my own novel.
At first I was thinking of books like, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Wicked by Gregory Maguire, but I quickly learned after researching a bit more that when a literary agent/publisher asks for comp titles, what they REALLY want, is a recent book (from the last 3-5 years) that is similar to yours in content. It’s also apparently not a good idea to use a breakout bestseller or phenomenon.
My knowledge of books published in the last 5 years is…not great, so I turned to my local library website to see if they had any resources that could help (since all the physical libraries are closed through at least June because of COVID-19). I was DELIGHTED to see that Fairfax County Public Library offers a service called “My Perfect Read,” through which library staff can recommend books based on your specific tastes. You can browse through the librarian profiles and find out who likes the same books you like.
If you’re lucky enough to be have a FCPL membership like me, you can totally access this resource here ! I imagine that other libraries probably offer similar programs as well.
Through this program, I reached out to the readers’ advisors who specifically listed historical fiction books in their “genres of interest” and the New Book Gurus (Technical Operations Team), who specifically work with newly released and purchased books. I explained that I was looking for recent comp titles and summarized my book for them as best as I could.
Here’s essentially what I sent them:
My book “Most Horrible” is a 100,000 word historical fiction novel that’s a prequel to Hamlet set in early 1500s Denmark and Purgatory, with plentiful inspiration from real-life Scandinavian history and numerous historical figures interacting with the well-known Hamlet characters. It's in third-person POV told from a different character's point of view per chapter. It includes lots of battles and rebellions and violence and such, but I keep everything more or less PG-13 rated.
In Most Horrible, King Hamlet wakes up in a Dante-inspired Purgatory in the boat of Charon, the ferryman of the dead, with no idea how he died. The incidents and motivations that led to his death are gradually revealed as Hamlet searches through the afterlife with the assistance of his old enemy Fortinbras, and his former jester Yorick. When he finds out the truth, will he tell his deeply depressed son about the murder, or can he leave his vengefulness in the past?
Back in the land of the living, Hamlet’s brilliant queen Gertrude and his devout, hard-working brother Claudius try to navigate the complicated Danish political and religious scene to ensure the safety of their family and their country. In the midst of everything, these decades-old friends, both mourning the loss of Hamlet, find themselves falling unexpectedly in love.
The full story of why Claudius killed the older brother he adored to save the country he loves unfolds in a series of flashbacks covering the collapse of the Kalmar Union (the historical union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, with the Danish crown at the head), the deposition and later rebellion of the tyrannical King Christian II (Hamlet and Claudius’s father), and the violence of the Protestant Reformation.
Librarian Kylie Sparks got back to me first, suggested a few authors and titles, and also recommended I look through Novelist Plus, another resource offered by the library. I was SO excited to learn about this website, which categorizes books by appeal terms (e.g., fast-paced, sweeping, richly detailed), genre, time period, and subject. What’s especially helpful for my purposes is that you can limit your search results by publication date! This wonderful website sent me down many winding rabbit holes and helped me find about 20 more books I’d like to read ASAP.
Novelist Plus is available through this link to FCPL members! Just have your library card number handy to sign in! Again, I’m sure this is a resource offered through lots of other libraries, so check with your local branch for more info!
The New Book Gurus also got back to me with a few suggestions and mentioned that they had actually reached out to the entire Perfect Read group through an existing chat to help brainstorm suggestions for me! They went beyond the call of duty in helping me and I was really touched by all their efforts.
I’ve now come up with a few comp titles that should hopefully work for my purposes. /fingers crossed/ I’m just listening through my final five options via various audiobook apps now to determine which will be the best comp titles! This entire process has actually been much more fun and much less daunting than I thought it would be, thanks to all the Fairfax County Library resources out there. : ) I really just wanted to share this with the world ASAP so others can benefit from their wonderful help.
May 10, 2020
I'm Organizing a Sandwich Donation for Essential Healthcare Workers!
So I'm organizing a Lost Dog Cafe delivery of sandwich platters to essential workers at Virginia Hospital Center. Each sandwich platter costs ~$65 and feeds 8-10 people; the Cafe says they can individually wrap each sandwich half so it's totally safe and abiding by all hospital guidelines.
Would anyone like to contribute to help me out with this? I don't have an exact fundraising goal in mind, because I'm not sure how many people would be interested in contributing, but whatever the final amount is, I'll contribute the remaining amount to round up to the next sandwich platter. I'll also make the order and all the delivery arrangements with the hospital, probably for the evening shift, as they mentioned that they tend to get fewer donations for that time.
If you're interested in donating, you can either paypal me at rachael.m.dickson@gmail.com or Venmo me at Rachael-Dickzen. Any donation of any size, however small, is greatly appreciated! :) I'll plan on collecting donations through...let's say, Tuesday at noon? And then I'll make all the arrangements then and let y'all know how much we raised and sent over.
Thanks y'all so much!
May 9, 2020
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Workshop and Q&A!
All My Six Posts!
I'm Doing 8 Virtual Dance Workshops and Q&As with Different Six Cast Members!
18 Things I Learned from Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop/Q&A
15 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate/Dance Captain Harriet Watson’s Workshop/Q&A
14 Things I Learned from Six Alternate/Dance Captain Collette Guitart’s Workshop/Q&A
12 Things I Learned from Six UK Tour Alternate Jen Caldwell’s Workshop/Q&A
Details from Six Costumer Gabriella Slade’s Instagram Takeover
Six the Musical Wives 1-3: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
Six the Musical Wives 4-6: Historical and Modern Costume Inspirations
The Early Costumes of Six the Musical: From Edinburgh to Cambridge to London
Updated Six the Musical Costumes for Broadway!
The Alternate Costumes of Six the Musical
The Shoes of Six the Musical
The Ladies in Waiting of Six: Historical Inspirations and Costumes
The Tudor Fashion Elements of the Costumes in Six (with Painting References)
How the Six Alternates Change Their Styling for Each Queen
This morning, I participated in a virtual dance workshop and Q&A with former Six alternate and former Katherine Howard actress Vicki Manser! The workshop was hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties and is the second workshop of six I’ve signed up for. I got up at 4:30 AM EST. It was rough. I really don’t know how I’m awake right now but honestly I’m going to take a nap right after I post this.
At the beginning of the class, Vicki stated that like with Hamilton and many other shows, Six performers are only allowed to teach certain parts of the dances. She taught us the second chorus and second verse of “Don’t Lose Your Head.” The workshop was only about 25 people so you got to like, talk to Vicki a bit in the chat and get specific clarifications on dance steps such. When I joked that my cats weren’t cooperating with the “switch places” part in Don’t Lose Your Head, she even asked to see my cat!
For the workshop, Vicki brilliantly turned the lights in her apartment purple, the Six theme color! She noted that the first move in “Don’t Lose Your Head,” with the penguin hands, head and shoulder leans, and heel/toe movements, took her weeks to learn, and encouraged participants to just do it with the head and shoulder movements if it was easier. She was super encouraging throughout.
Disclaimer as always on these notes: I typed as quickly as I can, and tried to maintain all Vicki’s exact words, but I can’t promise that these are perfect quotations unless there are actual quotations around them. They’re more like a paraphrase capturing all the original intention of her words.
1. Is the choreography the same in all the Six productions throughout the world?
Yes! They did some adaptations to the choreo on Broadway, but then they went back and taught it to everyone, so every version should be exactly the same.
2. Favorite queen?
I’ve got a soft spot for Boleyn.
3. What queen do you relate to the most?
I relate to Boleyn the most, 100 percent.
4. What’s going to be the first show you see after lockdown is done?
Dear Evan Hansen! She previously had plans to see Courtney [Stapleton, another Six alternate, who previously did “Bat Out of Hell” with Vicki] in it as Zoe and definitely needs to see her in it.
5. How much of the history behind the musical was taught during the rehearsal process?
We were sent documentaries and videos and things to watch before we started the rehearsal process, so we understood where Toby and Lucy got all their ideas and inspiration for the show. While Courtney [Stapleton] and I were in Bat Out of Hell, we sat and watched them in our room backstage.
6. How much time do you have to learn a dance routine for Six?
You’ll have maybe a couple of hours [of dance rehearsal] in the morning, then a couple hours of singing, then boom – done, then you’re on to cleaning. [Cleaning refers to making the movements of the dance more accurate and precise]
7. What’s the toughest queen for you to play physically and emotionally?
Physically? The hardest by far in my opinion….you know what, they’re all hard.
Aragon, when you don’t play her all the time, is hard. The stamina that you need for that track is INSANE. It’s really difficult. It’s also got quite a lot of choreo as well.
But saying that – when I started as Cleves, I listened back to my dress rehearsal run and I’m like, ‘I sound awful.’
Also, Howard is very difficult to get your breathing right as well. You have to schedule your breathing and swallowing points. If you don’t swallow, your mouth fills up with saliva and you can’t breathe.
Emotionally, I think Howard is the most challenging to get right, because she goes on such a journey and literally tells her whole life in the one song. And it’s such an important message to get across. You need to get the audience to laugh with you and be on your side [at the beginning] and then you switch to, ‘how dare you laugh at me, what I went through was heart breaking.’ When the audience feels guilty, you know you’ve done your job. I used to love it when I didn’t get a round of applause at the end, because people feel so uncomfortable, and you FEEL that uncomfortableness and I’m like, ‘YASSSS.’
8. If you auditioned for Six again, what would you sing?
She mentioned that she sang ‘Run to you’ by Whitney Houston at her initial audition. ‘Maybe I’d do dream girls – something Effie.’
9. What thoughts do you have on the alternates having their own separate costumes? Did you have any input on the costume color or style?
I didn’t have any input on the color or style, but I LOVED the fact that the alternates had their own costumes. Everyone is unique and has their own version of the character. I think they chose the blue for me because they thought it would suit me and like, match my eyes [at this point she moved near the camera and opened her eyes very wide]. Gabby [costume designer Gabby Slade] thinks about what suits you as a person.
They wanted to put me in shorts because I go on as Cleves and that’s easy to dance in. They put Courtney [Stapleton] in pants because she goes on as Parr.
And now everyone has their different bits to go on as different queens. If I went back as an alternate now maybe I’d have like six different costumes.
I have a whole post full of photos of different alternate costumes over here , by the way!
10. What inspired you to do musical theatre?
I danced from the time I was a little girl. When I was 3 or 4, I started ballet. I was obsessed, that’s all I wanted to do. I broke my leg twice, and the second time around, I Just gotten out of plaster. I wasn’t able to dance and it was our annual dance show. She said well, you can’t dance, so maybe you can sing something. I was like 8 or 9. I sang a song and she gave me a little acting part as well, and that’s when I was like, oh it’s not just dancing I like. I love it all, give me it all. Let me do it all please. I joined a youth theatre troupe when I was like 10 and started doing it then.
11. What did she think about booking Six?
When I got the audition for Six, I hadn’t heard of it ever. There was nothing on youtube yet, maybe a bit from when they were in Edinburgh and when they were on tour [the 2018 tour]. As I got through the audition process, I realized how amazing it was.
“When I found out I got Six, I ordered 80 pounds of Chinese for three people to celebrate.”
12. Where did the absolute classic line [which vicki often said at performances] come from?
I used to be terrible about ad-libbing in the show. I got told off for it all the time and told to stick to the script, but in the moment I’d go crazy. The part where they huddle at the end was never supposed to be funny, but I kept saying funny things and now everyone does it and tries to get the funniest line. I’m the bad influence definitely. As Boleyn one day, I just said “Absolute classic” into the phone while doing a silly face and it stuck.
13. What’s the most last minute show you’ve played?
I never went on midshow at Six, but I did them all the time at Bat Out of Hell.
The quickest for Six was I found out at the quarter, maybe about 15 minutes before hand. I think it was Cleves maybe?
[host Taylor Farrow Said that sounded terrifying to him, and Vicki responded] Sometimes it’s better, it gives you no time to think about it and no time to panic.
14. How do you stay motivated while in lockdown?
You have to stay ready. I have to be mentally ready and physically ready for future auditions and keep my vocals fit. I’ve just been thinking – I don’t know when it’s coming back, so I’ve got to be ready at all times.
Various Auditioning and “Making it” advice:
15. What happens if I don’t get into drama school?
If you don’t get in, don’t stress, it’s not the end of the world. A majority of people in the industry didn’t get in the first time. A lot of people did gap years and just worked to train and expand their abilities and auditioned the next year. Don’t stop training just because you didn’t get into what you wanted this year! Also, not everyone has finished auditioning yet, so if you didn’t get into what you wanted straightaway, then apply for a last minute place somewhere else. That’s exactly what I did. When I was 18, I had my heart set on going to Artsed, as I could stay home while going there and I didn’t feel ready to leave home yet. I auditioned for maybe 6 schools and got into three of them, but not Artsed. I was gutted, absolutely gutted. That’s when I auditioned for Erdang [which also would allow her to stay at home while going there], in May or June time, and I got in. That’s where I ended up going.
[host Tayler popped in here to also note that because of COVID19, a lot of drama schools have heavily extended their audition period]
16. How to get into drama school and pursue a musical theater career if you’re not the strongest dancer:
Don’t give up just because you’re not a strong dancer, that’s not the end. If that’s not your strongest thing, work on it, train, attend Instagram live classes. Don’t stop working! Also – it doesn’t necessarily matter if you’re the best dancer or not – they’re looking for a diamond in the rough.
17. Dealing with setbacks:
You get so many nos and so many knockbacks. You think you can be perfect for a job and get cut within 20 second. (cough, Frozen, cough). I give myself a day where I say – okay, that didn’t go my way, I’ll have a cry, say I’m really annoyed, and give myself the day to mope around and feel sorry for myself. Then I gotta get back on it the next day. You’ve gotta be your biggest supporter and find that confidence from somewhere.
18. Auditioning Tips for Six:
If you have any idea about what Six is looking for, get it out of your head. They want to see what you as an individual can bring to the table that’s different. You only have to look at the difference between me and Lexi [McIntosh, who plays Anna of Cleves]. We are two totally different people. She is so cool. I am an absolute goofball. When she performs she’s got so much swag and has the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. And I was her understudy. Don’t go in pretending to be someone you’re not.
Six Alternate Vicki Manser's Dance Workshop and Q&A!
This morning, I participated in a virtual dance workshop and Q&A with former Six alternate and former Katherine Howard actress Vicki Manser! The workshop was hosted by the brilliant Theatre Fan Parties and is the second workshop of six I’ve signed up for. I got up at 4:30 AM EST. It was rough. I really don’t know how I’m awake right now but honestly I’m going to take a nap right after I post this.
At the beginning of the class, Vicki stated that like with Hamilton and many other shows, Six performers are only allowed to teach certain parts of the dances. She taught us the second chorus and second verse of “Don’t Lose Your Head.” The workshop was only about 25 people so you got to like, talk to Vicki a bit in the chat and get specific clarifications on dance steps such. When I joked that my cats weren’t cooperating with the “switch places” part in Don’t Lose Your Head, she even asked to see my cat!
For the workshop, Vicki brilliantly turned the lights in her apartment purple, the Six theme color! She noted that the first move in “Don’t Lose Your Head,” with the penguin hands, head and shoulder leans, and heel/toe movements, took her weeks to learn, and encouraged participants to just do it with the head and shoulder movements if it was easier. She was super encouraging throughout.
Disclaimer as always on these notes: I typed as quickly as I can, and tried to maintain all Vicki’s exact words, but I can’t promise that these are perfect quotations unless there are actual quotations around them. They’re more like a paraphrase capturing all the original intention of her words.
Is the choreography the same in all the Six productions throughout the world?
Yes! They did some adaptations to the choreo on Broadway, but then they went back and taught it to everyone, so every version should be exactly the same.
Favorite queen?
I’ve got a soft spot for Boleyn.
What queen do you relate to the most?
I relate to Boleyn the most, 100 percent.
What’s going to be the first show you see after lockdown is done?
Dear Evan Hansen! She previously had plans to see Courtney [Stapleton, another Six alternate, who previously did “Bat Out of Hell” with Vicki] in it as Zoe and definitely needs to see her in it.
How much of the history behind the musical was taught during the rehearsal process?
We were sent documentaries and videos and things to watch before we started the rehearsal process, so we understood where Toby and Lucy got all their ideas and inspiration for the show. While Courtney [Stapleton] and I were in Bat Out of Hell, we sat and watched them in our room backstage.
How much time do you have to learn a dance routine for Six?
You’ll have maybe a couple of hours [of dance rehearsal] in the morning, then a couple hours of singing, then boom – done, then you’re on to cleaning. [Cleaning refers to making the movements of the dance more accurate and precise]
What’s the toughest queen for you to play physically and emotionally?
Physically? The hardest by far in my opinion….you know what, they’re all hard.
Aragon, when you don’t play her all the time, is hard. The stamina that you need for that track is INSANE. It’s really difficult. It’s also got quite a lot of choreo as well.
But saying that – when I started as Cleves, I listened back to my dress rehearsal run and I’m like, ‘I sound awful.’
Also, Howard is very difficult to get your breathing right as well. You have to schedule your breathing and swallowing points. If you don’t swallow, your mouth fills up with saliva and you can’t breathe.
Emotionally, I think Howard is the most challenging to get right, because she goes on such a journey and literally tells her whole life in the one song. And it’s such an important message to get across. You need to get the audience to laugh with you and be on your side [at the beginning] and then you switch to, ‘how dare you laugh at me, what I went through was heart breaking.’ When the audience feels guilty, you know you’ve done your job. I used to love it when I didn’t get a round of applause at the end, because people feel so uncomfortable, and you FEEL that uncomfortableness and I’m like, ‘YASSSS.’
If you auditioned for Six again, what would you sing?
She mentioned that she sang ‘Run to you’ by Whitney Houston at her initial audition. ‘Maybe I’d do dream girls – something Effie.’
What thoughts do you have on the alternates having their own separate costumes? Did you have any input on the costume color or style?
I didn’t have any input on the color or style, but I LOVED the fact that the alternates had their own costumes. Everyone is unique and has their own version of the character. I think they chose the blue for me because they thought it would suit me and like, match my eyes [at this point she moved near the camera and opened her eyes very wide]. Gabby [costume designer Gabby Slade] thinks about what suits you as a person.
They wanted to put me in shorts because I go on as Cleves and that’s easy to dance in. They put Courtney [Stapleton] in pants because she goes on as Parr.
And now everyone has their different bits to go on as different queens. If I went back as an alternate now maybe I’d have like six different costumes.
I have a whole post full of photos of different alternate costumes over here , by the way!
What inspired you to do musical theatre?
I danced from the time I was a little girl. When I was 3 or 4, I started ballet. I was obsessed, that’s all I wanted to do. I broke my leg twice, and the second time around, I Just gotten out of plaster. I wasn’t able to dance and it was our annual dance show. She said well, you can’t dance, so maybe you can sing something. I was like 8 or 9. I sang a song and she gave me a little acting part as well, and that’s when I was like, oh it’s not just dancing I like. I love it all, give me it all. Let me do it all please. I joined a youth theatre troupe when I was like 10 and started doing it then.
What did she think about booking Six?
When I got the audition for Six, I hadn’t heard of it ever. There was nothing on youtube yet, maybe a bit from when they were in Edinburgh and when they were on tour [the 2018 tour]. As I got through the audition process, I realized how amazing it was.
“When I found out I got Six, I ordered 80 pounds of Chinese for three people to celebrate.”
Where did the absolute classic line [which vicki often said at performances] come from?
I used to be terrible about ad-libbing in the show. I got told off for it all the time and told to stick to the script, but in the moment I’d go crazy. The part where they huddle at the end was never supposed to be funny, but I kept saying funny things and now everyone does it and tries to get the funniest line. I’m the bad influence definitely. As Boleyn one day, I just said “Absolute classic” into the phone while doing a silly face and it stuck.
What’s the most last minute show you’ve played?
I never went on midshow at Six, but I did them all the time at Bat Out of Hell.
The quickest for Six was I found out at the quarter, maybe about 15 minutes before hand. I think it was Cleves maybe?
[host Taylor Farrow Said that sounded terrifying to him, and Vicki responded] Sometimes it’s better, it gives you no time to think about it and no time to panic.
How do you stay motivated while in lockdown?
You have to stay ready. I have to be mentally ready and physically ready for future auditions and keep my vocals fit. I’ve just been thinking – I don’t know when it’s coming back, so I’ve got to be ready at all times.
Various Auditioning and “Making it” advice:
What happens if I don’t get into drama school?
If you don’t get in, don’t stress, it’s not the end of the world. A majority of people in the industry didn’t get in the first time. A lot of people did gap years and just worked to train and expand their abilities and auditioned the next year. Don’t stop training just because you didn’t get into what you wanted this year! Also, not everyone has finished auditioning yet, so if you didn’t get into what you wanted straightaway, then apply for a last minute place somewhere else. That’s exactly what I did. When I was 18, I had my heart set on going to Artsed, as I could stay home while going there and I didn’t feel ready to leave home yet. I auditioned for maybe 6 schools and got into three of them, but not Artsed. I was gutted, absolutely gutted. That’s when I auditioned for Erdang [which also would allow her to stay at home while going there], in May or June time, and I got in. That’s where I ended up going.
[host Tayler popped in here to also note that because of COVID19, a lot of drama schools have heavily extended their audition period]
How to get into drama school and pursue a musical theater career if you’re not the strongest dancer:
Don’t give up just because you’re not a strong dancer, that’s not the end. If that’s not your strongest thing, work on it, train, attend Instagram live classes. Don’t stop working! Also – it doesn’t necessarily matter if you’re the best dancer or not – they’re looking for a diamond in the rough.
Dealing with setbacks:
You get so many nos and so many knockbacks. You think you can be perfect for a job and get cut within 20 second. (cough, Frozen, cough). I give myself a day where I say – okay, that didn’t go my way, I’ll have a cry, say I’m really annoyed, and give myself the day to mope around and feel sorry for myself. Then I gotta get back on it the next day. You’ve gotta be your biggest supporter and find that confidence from somewhere.
Auditioning Tips for Six:
If you have any idea about what Six is looking for, get it out of your head. They want to see what you as an individual can bring to the table that’s different. You only have to look at the difference between me and Lexi [McIntosh, who plays Anna of Cleves]. We are two totally different people. She is so cool. I am an absolute goofball. When she performs she’s got so much swag and has the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. And I was her understudy. Don’t go in pretending to be someone you’re not.
