Universal Pictures Content Group (UPCG) announces today it has acquired UK theatrical rights for box office smash-hit and double TONY award-winning, SIX the Musical Live! The performance, filmed at London’s Vaudeville Theatre, features the Original Queens returning to reprise their roles and will release widely in cinemas via Universal Pictures (UK) on 6 April.
Watched by audiences of over 3.5 million, SIX the Musical, has become a global theatre phenomenon since it’s 2017 debut at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it has redefined the boundaries of musical theatre. The show tells the extraordinary story of the six wives of King Henry VIII, who step out of the shadow of their infamous husband and reclaim their own narratives.
Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the pop-inspired musical brings the queens - Catherine of Aragon (Jarnéia Richard-Noel), Anne Boleyn (Millie O'Connell), Jane Seymour (Natalie Paris), Anna of Cleves (Alexia McIntosh) , Katherine Howard (Aimie Atkinson), and Catherine Parr (Maiya Quansah-Breed) — right into the 21st century with infectious, empowering performances, accompanied by the on-stage band, the Ladies in Waiting.
The UK theatrical rights have been secured by Universal Pictures Content Group, who are widely known as an industry leader in the live event cinema space. The UPCG back catalogue includes some of the biggest live event cinema releases of all time such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables- The Staged Concert, Billy Elliot the Musical Live and Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Gala Performance, as well as record-breaking comedy titles such as Kevin Bridges: The Overdue Catch-Up and Rhod Gilbert: The Book of John. The slate currently stands at a collective BO of over $10m in the UK alone.
Helen Parker, EVP – Universal Pictures Content Group said: ““As pioneers of the theatrical event cinema model, Universal Pictures Content Group enjoyed the privilege of working with outstanding leading producers from the world of musical theatre on their globally successful highly acclaimed live shows, from Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Schwartz and many more. We can’t wait to bring UK cinema goers across the country a chance to sing their hearts out to the exceptional SIX the Musical Live! this April”.
Show creators Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss said: “We had SO much fun making this film with the most incredible team of filmmakers and creatives, and it was so special to be reunited with the exceptionally talented and ICONIC original West End queens. We’re so grateful that we had opportunity to film the show, and that we get to share SIX with a wider audience in this new and exciting way. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!!!”
SIX the Musical Live! was recorded at the Vaudeville Theatre, London with the original cast reprising their roles. The show was directed for stage by Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage and directed for film by Liz Clare, and produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, George Stiles and Dione Orrom.