Dallas Review: The Rose Table’s “SIX the Musical” Inspired Dinner Party
Shawn Stalter, Chief Dallas/Ft. Worth Critic
Following the success of her “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”-themed dinner party last summer, Katie-Rose Watson’s food and travel blog, The Rose Table, delivered yet another brilliant installment in the series inspired by “SIX the Musical.”
Written by the duo of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, “SIX the Musical” places the powerfully intriguing lives of the six wives of England’s King Henry VIII center stage. Similar to the mega-hit musical “Hamilton,” “SIX the Musical” transports audiences back in time to ponder larger-than-life historical figures in an engaging and personal way. Here, the six wives; Catherine Parr, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boley, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves and Katherine Howard, perform at a concert to help determine whose life was more tragic. The show places each queen in the modern world and incorporates a distinctly contemporary comedic aesthetic (including multiple references to Tinder).
In a recent trip to Chicago, creator of The Rose Table, Katie-Rose Watson, seized an opportunity to experience “SIX the Musical” in person. As she succinctly puts it in her review,
“The whole comedic Tudor tragedy pop concert premise might not sound like it works but trust me, it does. The whole audience was grinning and dancing in their seats. SIX is an 85-minute journey. It feels cathartic. It feels inspiring. It feels like the next big thing in theatre.”
After the show, Watson’s creative fire was instantly ignited and she set to work conceptualizing and envisioning the elements which manifested in her fun and sleek “SIX the Musical”-themed dinner party. Similar to Watson’s celebrated Disney dinner series, she shows that she not only knows how to conjure up a world-class menu, but can also add some deep theatrical, staging and costuming elements to the affair. Her fresh ingredients merge into deliciously fanciful, engaging and entrancing dining experiences which she shares with the world via The Rose Table.
In her latest installment, a “SIX the Musical''-themed dinner party, Katie-Rose showcased her original culinary delights, theme-inspired decor and so much more. In fact, Katie-Rose crafted dishes specifically tailored to capture and complement the unique personalities of each of the six queens featured in the musical. Without divulging too many details, I’ll say that the appetizer alone caught my attention immediately. Crafted with ingredients like sweet fig jam, spicy chorizo, salty manchego cheese, and covered in gold flakes atop a toasted baguette, this is a recipe sure to quicken the pulse of foodies and food novices alike.
In a departure from her previous themed dinners though, Katie-Rose opted to serve all dishes simultaneously and to forego silverware for a modern take on a Tudor-style feast. As a focal point of the dinner, her table was tastefully adorned with miniature floral bouquets and napkins which leveraged each queen’s signature color palette. Even the dining room itself was illuminated with the same rainbow look which was brought to life on the stage of “SIX the Musical.” Supreme care reflected at every turn. From the purple-colored table cloth signifying the color of the royalty, to the silver chargers, flower arrangements and more, no detail was overlooked.
As if mouthwatering and thoughtfully-crafted cuisine enjoyed with guests in a colorfully- immersive world wasn’t enough, Watson also added an array of exciting costuming to bring the dinner full circle. Her guests, featured in the “SIX the Musical”-inspired dinner video included an array of friends and local performing artists. Lucy Shea, who played the role of “Katherine Howard” in this culinary adventure remarked that,
“Katie-Rose is a creative genius and did an amazing job capturing the essence of each Queen through food and decor. She truly gave us the chance to celebrate this show we love in such a fun, creative way! I hope everyone has as much fun watching it as we had being a part of it.”
Lovers of fine cuisine, musical theatre and history are sure to find a welcoming seat at The Rose Table. Watch The Rose Table’s ”SIX the Musical”-themed dinner party and learn more about savoring life’s abundant pleasures by visiting www.therosetable.com.
”SIX THE MUSICAL”-THEMED DINNER PARTY
The Rose Table’s “SIX the Musical”-themed dinner party features Katie-Rose Watson as “Catherine Parr,” Cathryn Harris as “Catherine of Aragon,” Thi Le as “Anne Boleyn,” Emily Emmett as “Jane Seymour,” Alle Mims as “Anna of Cleves,” and Lucy Shea as “Katherine Howard.”
The Rose Table is a food, travel, and entertainment website created by foodie Katie-Rose Watson in 2014. It focuses on original recipes, party menus, in-depth travel guides, farm-to-table cuisine and more. The Rose Table has been featured by MSN, The Daily Meal, That Hashtag Show, Voyage Dallas, Good Day Fox 4, Good Morning Texas and features a monthly RoseTableRecipes column in Society Life Magazine. Learn more by visiting www.therosetable.com.
Photo credit: Simon Jones