Henry's Wives

jane seymour
henry
anne boleyn

Jane Seymour

Henry Viii

Anne Boleyn

Synopsis:

500 years after her wedding to Henry the Eighth, Catherina of Aragon has done her time in Purgatory and, with God's blessing of course, she wants to renew her marriage vows and rewrite history as the first and only wife of England's most married king. With the help of her scribe and lady in waiting, Margaret, Catherina summons the king but something goes wrong and she gets his other five wives instead. Divorced, beheaded, dead in chilbirth, they gather to play for the throne, their histories, their heads, and their hearts, only to learn that each of them has shaped the king and there is no going back.

University of Wyoming

Actors: Monologues available on this site.

Character List:

  • Catharina of Aragon (F, 40s)
  • Margaret Mannox (F, 20s)
  • Kate Parr (F, 30s)
  • Anne Boleyn (F, 30s)
  • Katherine Howard (F, 20s)
  • Anna of Cleves (F, 40s)
  • Jane Seymour/ Girl (F, 20s)
  • Henry, King of England (M, 30s)

Setting & Requirements:

The year 2009 in a crumbling Tudor garden; the skeletons of roses, a clock, a throne, and a portrait of the King. The same set remains throughout.

English Drama Group of Salzburg

Production History:

 

This play received its first production at University Of Wyoming. in April 2004. The playwright was in residence for part of the rehearsal period to develop the script. This production was not reviewed, but articles about the play are posted on this site. The production was directed by Rebecca Hilliker and featured the following cast: Lou Anne Wright (as Catherine of Aragon),

In 2006 Henry's Wives was a semi-finalist for the Orlando Shakespeare Festival's Harriett Lake Award and Festival of new work.

In 2007 Henry's Wives won the Gloria Ann Peter Playwriting Award. It was subsequently performed at the Morgan Opera House with the following cast: Vera Carabajal, Kristi Vollmer, Linda Wilt, Ellen Baumes, Carole Eastbrook, Cathy Cline, Jana Mlodzianowski, and Michael Shanahan.

The queens waiting for Henry - English Drama Group of Salzburg, costumes by Hellmut Holzl

 

In 2009 Henry's Wives had its European premiere with the English Drama Group of Salzburg.The production was performed in Salzburg's Kleines Theater in English. Costumes were designed by Hellmut Holzl and the production was directed by Michael Darmanin. The cast was as follows: Sandra Pendlebury Laing, Louise O'Meara, Sarah Wagner, Sonja Einbock, Majena von Cappeln, Martina Landl, Katharina Kapplmuller, Dylan Kromer, Jim Laing, and Katharina Riepler.

Jane prepares for birth - University of Wyoming

Catherine of Aragon - Salzburg production

Katherine Howard practices at the block - University of Wyoming


Sample Dialogue:

Monologues for Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard are available on this site. Sample dialogue will also be posted on this page soon, so please check back.  

 

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