log line

While an unruly king tears his country apart to acquire a son, an unshakeable young woman (Anne Boleyn) forges a destructive path to queenship and paves the way for her daughter (Elizabeth I) to become England’s Golden Age Queen.

Synopsis

THE KING’S LEGACY is a celebration of women’s accomplishments against all odds in an oppressively patriarchal world, told through the story of the wives and daughters of Henry VIII. The show portrays how Henry’s obsession for a son tore his country apart, and how his daughter with Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth I, unexpectedly saved them all. The musical is performed by a small troupe of Players in honor of the fortieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I’s celebrated reign (London, 1598) and spans thirty-three years between two story lines. The present consists of Henry’s attempts to obtain a son, while Anne Boleyn seizes all opportunities to forge her own path, and the subsequent consequences for Catherine of Aragon and the English court. The future centers on Henry and Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, as she grows up and learns how to become a great monarch through her mother’s legacy and Henry’s later wives.

A celebration of women's struggles and accomplishments in a male-dominated world.

Developmental Journey

The musical was first conceived in November 2012 and had a completed first draft in April 2013. Following a reading in Queens, NY the musical began a long period of major developments. A complete second draft was showcased in an open workshop by the Random Access Theatre in July 2013.

After this workshop, The King’s Legacy went through several major changes. By the time the show was performed again in March 2014 for the Emerging Artists Theatre Festival, the show’s structure was entirely different and over half of the score was new. Since that time, The King’s Legacy has taken a new form that best suits Henry’s journey, the women’s perspective, and the unique storytelling. The show was presented in this format in an Industry Reading in November, 2016, as well as highlighted in "The Songs of Michael Radi" at Feinstein's/54 Below in October 2017.

This past August, The King’s Legacy received its Premiere Production at the Bristol Valley Theater in Naples, NY to great success and fantastic review.

Production History

5/19/13            Reading – Queens, NY

7/28/13            Workshop – Random Access Theatre, New York, NY

3/31/14             Staged Reading – Emerging Artists Theatre Festival, New York, NY

4/17/16             Reading – Queens, NY

11/20/16           Invited Industry Reading – New York, NY

10/16/17           The Songs of Michael Radi – Feinstein's/54 Below

8/22/19-9/1/19 Premiere Production – Bristol Valley Theater (Naples, NY)

10/19/19 Concert – The first ever TudorCon (Lancaster, PA)

11/16/19 Dramatists Guild Friday Night Footlights Reading – New York, NY