Synopsis
"Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded survived."  Thus begins the English shoolboy's rhyme about the fate of King Henry's six queens.  Thankfully Ms. Berg delves much deeper in this original one-woman show.The majesty of King Henry the VIII's reputation necessarily diminishes the knowledge of his many wives..six in all. As you might imagine, the lives of each of his wives and the stories of each of his marriages are fascinating. Now, for the very first time, a single play offers the true facts, the juicy tidbits, and all the sordid accusations in a richly dramatic performance by the very talented Susan Marie Berg. As if channeling their thoughts and feelings, Ms. Berg relates their personal triumphs and tragedies and gives these intriguing women a voice nearly 500 years after this infamous chapter of British history

In THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII, Ms Berg cleverly discovers the unique attributes of the three Catherines, two Annes and one Jane and weaves a gothic tale of love and intrigue that is too terrifying to be anything but true. Along the way, audiences are served up generous portions of wit and pathos and are treated to a heavy dose of real politique. The result is a hugely entertaining glimpse into a world that both challenged and cursed some of the most esteemed personalities of Tudor England.

The show has been described as "exhilarating," "beautifully tragic," "dazzling," "wonderful," "compelling," and "fantastic."

Biography
Susan Marie Berg ia a richly talented actress who specializes in portraying both heroic and tragic women from history.

Her passion for history and interest in the lives of women of accomplishment prompted her to study the six wives. These women, she thought, were individuals whose stories were unknown except in brief anecdotes about their deaths. But having completed the research and written a script, the challenge she faced was portraying each of them as an actress. She solved this dilemma with creative staging, the use of beautiful costumes, authentic accents and by placing an effigy of King Henry at the center of the action. The result is a triumph for Ms. Berg as a writer and performer.

Over the past twenty years, Ms. Berg has performed roles on the stages of with the Michigan Opera Theatre, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, the Detroit Insitute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, Meadow Brook Theatre, Performance Network and the Jewish Ensemble Theatre.  In addition to portraying all six wives, Ms. Berg's favorite roles include Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Best Actress nominee, Detroit Free Press Theatre Awards and Best Dramatic Performance, 2002) and Margrethe Bohr in Copenhagen (Best Actress nominee, Detroit Free Press Theatre Awards, 2003).  When she is not on stage Ms. Berg teaches theatre and movement at a variety of schools.  She is a graduate of Michigan State University and the mother of a bright and very talented 10 year-old son.

Show Facts:
Performer: Susan Marie Berg

Home City: Detroit MI

Playwright: Susan Marie Berg

Director: Abbey Adler

Sound Design: Owain Phyfe

Costume Design: Susan Marie Berg

Light Design: Steven Belcher

Playwright: Susan Marie Berg

Length: Seventy-five minutes in six acts with or without intermission

Followed by thirty minutes audience Q&A

Requirements: A versatile show that can be adapted to any room; basic theatre light and sound capabilities; Set, props, cue sheets provided with the show. One technician needed.