The musical Six is harvesting good reviews and standing ovations at the Solaire Theater since it opened Oct. 4.
This touring production directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage is all about the six unique women in the life of King Henry VIII.
Conceived by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the show portrays the wives as fierce and influential pop stars in their own right, taking inspiration from contemporary pop artists like Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, Adele, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and more.
The show is a modern pop-inspired musical reimagining of the story of Britain’s King Henry VIII’s six wives — Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr.
Yna Tresvalles portrays Anne Boleyn for the first time with co-stars Liberty Stottor, Hannah Victoria, Lizzie Emery, Erin Summerhayes, and Milly Willows.
In this musical, they tell their individual stories through music and are transformed into pop divas with re-imagined rivalries.
Fil-American singing actor Yna Tresvalles is only 23 but she is playing the role of Anne Boleyn who was married to King Henry VIII at age 31 on January 25, 1533. She was later beheaded for high treason on May 19, 1536.
Tresvalles tells Vera Files how she got the part. “I did six rounds of audition last March. Before that I only did a few school shows. Six being my theatre debut is a dream come true. I couldn’t imagine a more fun and inspiring show to be a part of and to do it right after finishing school is such a blessing. And the fact that it got to come to Manila has been the best time of my life!”
Singing Anne Boleyn night after night in Manila was tough. “She requires so much energy every single night, and she can be quite sassy and fierce. The most important thing is sleeping and eating well so I have enough fuel to get through the show! We also taught her real life history back to front. So, I know pretty much everything about her!”
Opening night for her last October 4 was a bundle of emotions. “Manila has welcomed us with open arms and given us the love to carry us through a long week of traveling and rehearsals. Though my family wasn’t in the audience for opening night, it definitely felt like a homecoming. I have not been able to stop crying at the kindness and love from fans at stage door and am so proud to be Pinoy.”
What audiences didn’t know was that her roots are from the Bicol island of Catanduanes. “Yes, my parents were from Bato and Virac towns! My favorite memories of childhood have been visiting the homes where my family grew up, playing in the beaches, and spending time with my lolos and lolas. Unfortunately, I won’t have any time to visit Catanduanes before I leave as we go straight into our next touring location. But I want to come back as soon as the tour is over to spend more quality time with my cousins and lola!”
A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Yna says it was her teachers at the conservatoire that pushed her to face the theater challenge of her life. “Every single teacher I met at my time in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland inspired me to be myself and take risks. I wouldn’t be where I am today if they didn’t embrace me and my uniqueness. A special shoutout to Melanie Bell and Jane Hensey for supporting me through the loneliest times at school away from my family!”
Yna says her four siblings loved going to the theatre when they were kids. “They are all very musical! They all loved to perform onstage and play instruments in the pits. So, theatre was something we all shared together. They have encouraged me so much to chase my dreams.”
In another interview, Yna believes that the musical on six queens of King Henry VIII brings out the best in women – those who are onstage every night and those who watched them. “In my experience, the strongest women and people in my life have been those that held the other people around them,” Tresvalles added. “What defines the strength of women is that they all speak up and hold spaces for each other.”
Another opening night viewer noticed Yna was a crowd favorite but saw a few minor missteps. “Yna Tresvalles, in her role as Anne Boleyn (the crowd favourite), faltered briefly over fixing a prop that fell, and a misplaced sound threw off one of Liberty Stottor’s tender moments as Jane Seymour. Yet, these imperfections only added to the rawness of the experience. Six isn’t about presenting a flawless, sanitised history—it’s about the messy, beautiful humanity behind these women’s lives. The few stumbles felt like an embodiment of the very themes the show so powerfully explores: resilience, imperfection, and the power of owning one’s story.”
“Six” runs for a limited season at the Theater at Solaire until October 20.