Stage Notes: Pegasus goes into another 'Dimension' for NYE; 'SIX' review;

Terica Marie as Anna of Cleves (center) in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of ‘SIX.’ (Photo by Joan Marcus)

Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.

Review: Tens across the board for SIX

While I didn’t intend to wait this long to get this review out, I am glad I had time to sit and unpack SIX which is now playing at the Winspear as part of Broadway Dallas’ season. The six wives of Henry VIII all vie for the most memorable of them all, but like Hamilton, turns history – or in this case, herstory – into a lively sensational stage show that was bombastic fun and a total raver.

Written by Tony winners Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow, the show presents each queen’s side of their story in Spice Girls pop concert fashion. The songs are more club hits than showtunes all presented as a live show with microphones in hand. SIX is less a musical than it is a night at the Rose Room on steroids and the audience was loving every minute of it. Before the show was off and running, the audience roared as the queens took their spot on stage.

On the night’s performance, Cecilia Snow played Catherine of Aragon, Zan Berube was Anne Boleyn, Amina Faye served up Jane Seymour, Terica Marie was Anna of Cleves, Aline Mayagoitia played Katherine Howard and Sydney Parra was Catherine Parr. The cast was backed by a four-piece rock band orchestra along with some techno beats and a light show that most gay clubs would envy.

All actors were on point creating their own strong characters while blending seamlessly with each other. Berube was a bit too squeaky as Anne Boleyn which was a bit ear piercing at times. But the spectacular energy from each actor was riveting and exciting. As the first queen, Snow felt like the natural leader with her regal air. Amina Faye was the matriarchal element as Jane Seymour with the ballad “Heart of Stone” which Faye gloriously slayed. As Anna, Marie radiated swagger in the hip-hop tinged “Get Down” paired with incredible choreo.

But to pick one song or actor out over the other doesn’t serve the show justice. The show was a thrilling ride for the entire 90-minutes sans intermission. Along the way, history lessons snuck their way into house tracks and music video dances. The result was a breathtaking pop concert that kept buzzing well after SIX closed the curtain.

SIX plays at the Winspear through Dec. 25.

Broadway Dallas to present the Dallas premiere of George Gershwin Alone

BD announced Tuesday that it teamed with Hershey Felder Presents for this one-night only performance as the iconic American composer. The show stars Hershey Felder as Gershwin and will premiere on Feb. 26 at Music Hall at Fair Park.

The show features the music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, with book by Felder. The production is directed by Joel Zwick with Trevor Hay as associate director. Creative team includes lighting by Michael Gilliam, sound design by Erik Carstensen and scenic design by Felder.

From Broadway Dallas:

George Gershwin Alone tells the story of America’s great composer, who with the groundbreaking “A Rhapsody in Blue,” made a “Lady out of Jazz.” The show incorporates the composer’s best-known songs from The Man I Love and Someone to Watch Over Me, through the hits of An American In Paris and Porgy and Bess, to a complete performance of “Rhapsody In Blue.”

As the only actor-musician to create the role of George Gershwin on the stage, and with over 3,000 performances, from California to Broadway to London’s West End, for the first time, George Gershwin Alone was last brought to life in two of Italy’s most famous stages, live for audiences at Florence’s Teatro Verdi, and live for a worldwide streaming audience from the stage of one of Europe’s oldest and most famous theaters, Florence’s Teatro Della Pergola.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Pegasus Theatre will present The Dimension of Death! in its signature style

The cast of Pegasus Theatre’s ‘The Dimension of Death!’ (Courtesy photo by John Harvey)

The theater will present the world premiere of another Harry Hunsacker adventure this holiday season. Written by Kurt Kleinmann and directed by Michael Serrecchia, The Dimension of Death! will open Dec. 29 at the Eisemann Center and run through Jan. 22 with New Year’s Eve as the official opening night.

Head into 2023 with this traditional theater offering that includes a post-show celebration with champagne, cake and party favors. Tickets for NYE opening night performance are $75.

From Pegasus:

The year is 1955. Harry, Nigel, and Foster have been dispatched to a Top Secret Air Force base in Nevada where a matter of the highest level of National Security awaits them. They’d heard rumors about Paradise Ranch but the reality of what they saw exceeded their imagination. In no time, however, the bodies start piling up and our trio finds themselves trapped in The Dimension of Death!

For the past 36 years, Pegasus Theatre has astonished and delighted audiences with its trademarked Living Black & White technique. Everything is presented in black, white, and shades of gray to mimic the look of an old black and white film come to life on stage. You won’t believe your eyes, especially when the Lady In Red (Stephanie Felton) makes her appearance!

The cast includes Ben Bryant, Chad Cline and Scott Nixon as Harry Hunsacker with Natalia Borja, J.R. Bradford, Salvador Elias, Dayna Fries, Rowan Gilvie, David Helms, Alex Moore, Leslie Patrick, Sheila D. Rose, and Brandon Whitlock.

For tickets, click here.

Opening this week:

Lone Star Cirque: A Merry Cirque: A Family Holiday Spectacular!, today-Sunday at Coppell Arts Center.

Sammons Cabaret: Making Spirits Bright with Linda and Larry Petty, 8 p.m. Friday at the Sammons Center.

Texas Ballet Theatre: The Nutty Nutcracker, 8 p.m. Friday at Bass Hall.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra: Home Alone in Concert, Dec. Friday-Sunday at the Meyerson.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, Friday-Sunday at Bass Hall.

Turtle Creek Chorale: Love is All You Need – TCC’s annual holiday concert, 2:30 p.m. Saturday at First UMC Richardson.

Turtle Creek Chorale: Love is All You Need – TCC’s annual holiday concert, 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Meyerson.

Onstage now:

Allen Contemporary Theatre: It Runs in the Family, through Sunday.

Art Centre Theatre:It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Show, through Sunday.