\ud83c\udfad NEW! Tampa Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
Taylor\u2019s connection to Jane began with a simple, startling realization. \u201cA lot of these women, and Jane included, were really young when this happened. Jane passed away at 28 after childbirth,\u201d she told me. \u201cNow being around that age, it\u2019s crazy to think what I would have done in that situation.\u201d That awareness grounds her performance, giving Jane\u2019s serenity a lived\u2011in weight.<\/p>\n
Though history often paints Jane as Henry\u2019s gentle favorite, she discovered layers that audiences don\u2019t expect. \u201cShe also has a bit of a fiery side,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople expect her to be quiet, but she ends up being really goofy and very strong.\u201d That strength grows as the queens challenge one another, and she credits her cast for shaping that evolution. \u201cWe\u2019re all so different from our queens as people. Experiencing my castmates as themselves and as these queens brings a fun duality to the show.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her interpretation also reframes Jane\u2019s place in the competition. \u201cShe\u2019s not necessarily here to compete. She\u2019s here to relate,\u201d Taylor shared. Night after night, mothers and people who have experienced loss meet her at the stage door to say Jane\u2019s story brought them back to their own memories. \u201cThey totally forgot about the competition. That reaction reminds me she has a different story to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n
That emotional resonance peaks in Heart of Stone, one of the show\u2019s most demanding numbers. After four and a half years with SIX, she has learned the discipline required to sustain it. \u201cI have to get a lot of sleep. And a lot of vocal rest. We\u2019re constantly taking care of ourselves outside the show.\u201d The work is full\u2011time, even if audiences only see the two hours under the lights.<\/p>\n
And those lights hit differently once she steps into Jane\u2019s iconic costume. \u201cPutting on the costumes is like transforming into the queen,\u201d she said. \u201cThe hardware, the tough zippers, the plastic, the structure, it gives you the strength you need to portray the role.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taylor\u2019s journey to the throne is its own modern\u2011day fairy tale. She booked the first national tour without an agent, submitting tapes through an unlisted link a friend sent her. \u201cI had no expectations. I just really wanted to audition for SIX.\u201d She began as an alternate, was promoted to principal, and has continued to grow with the show ever since.<\/p>\n
Tampa audiences will meet a Jane who is tender, witty, resilient, and far more complex than the history books suggest. Taylor brings her to life with a voice that soars and a presence that lingers.<\/p>\n
If she could speak to the real Jane Seymour<\/a>, Taylor said she would thank her \u201cfor the courage and strength to stand up to what she could at the time,\u201d and for the way her life shaped the women who came after.<\/p>\n SIX is May 12-17 at Straz Center. Learn more and buy tickets at strazcenter.org.<\/p>\n \n 2026 Theater Fans’ Choice Awards – Live Stats\n <\/p>\n \n Best Touring Production – Top 3\n <\/p>\n \n 1. \n 11.9% of votes\n <\/p>\n \n 3. \n 8.3% of votes\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n A twice-published author, multi-time award-winning playwright, magazine writer, theatre reviewer, and newspaper journalist with 30+ years in journalism and business copywriting, Deb is not one to shy … (read more about this author)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n
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