If you’re the type to believe that the eleventh time—or, let’s be honest, the 200th—is the charm, you’re going to love Leesa Tulley. Before she was crowned as the West End’s latest Katherine Howard in SIX, Leesa spent a solid year hearing nothing but “no.” Most people would’ve tossed their character shoes into the Thames at that point. Leesa didn’t. For her, those 200-odd rejections were just the noisy prelude to the “yes” that changed everything: originating the role of Nancy in Why Am I So Single? (another Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss masterpiece).
Let’s set the neon stage for you… I remember the first time I heard the SIX UK studio cast recording—I genuinely couldn’t get the songs out of my head. Bops, through and through. The show is a reimagining of the six wives of Henry VIII as fierce pop icons competing for the spotlight in an 80-minute, high-energy, sometimes chaotic concert. Let me tell you, Queens– it’s the most fun you’ll have at the theatre! The OG cast album is my go-to, naturally–but seeing clips of Leesa finally bringing that unapologetic Glaswegian energy to the Vaudeville as a principal (after being with the musical on/off since 2022 as an alternate, swing, and emergency cover) is a whole vibe in itself. I’ve been a fan of Leesa’s work for a while now, following her journey from across the pond (yeah, I’m a dedicated theatre girlie). Leesa has stuck to her guns—accent and all—and has etched out a nice little blueprint for how to handle this industry, and we’re thrilled she’s taking us all along for the ride. There’s a specific kind of ‘Leesa energy’ that hits you the second she starts talking. It’s warm, it’s animated in the best way, and it makes you want to go get coffee (and a pink glittery donut) with her immediately.
In our recent chat, we asked all the SIX secrets and tried to figure out once and for all, what it truly means to own a role. For Leesa, that means refusing to “neutralize” herself. While some might tone down their roots for a global tourist crowd, Leesa is leaning all the way into her Glaswegian heritage. And we are totally here for it. She’s not only bringing the humor, the grit, and the specific rhythm of her Scottish upbringing to the Vaudeville Theatre, but she’s proving that Howard is at her best when she’s authentic.
We talked about everything from her new weekly vlogs on YouTube to the rituals the current Six Queens share behind the curtain. We even touched on her performance in Why Am I So Single? and how working closely with Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss gave her insider insight to understanding the humor of the Queendom.
From constructing the perfect K-Howard donut (spoiler: it’s pink and glittery, duh) to discussing her long-term goals in the industry, Leesa has this lightning-fast wit—the kind where she’s three jokes ahead of you before you’ve even finished your sentence. Whether you’ve been following along since we first got a glimpse of SIX back in 2017, or you’re a newcomer to her Glaswegian-tinged royalty, you’re going to want to hear what this queen has to say– or should we say sing…