Henry VIII had six wives, who are best remembered by English schoolchildren in the following rhyme: "divorced, beheaded, died / divorced, beheaded, survived." Cathryn Fairlee, a Healdsburg storyteller, takes great pride in portraying the luckiest of the bunch: Kateryn Parr, last queen to Henry VIII, who managed to outlive her infamous spouse. Not that Kateryn didn't have her own experience with multiple marriages; Henry was actually her third husband, and she even scored a fourth after the king died. Dressed in character in the show "Conversation with a Synner: Cathryn Tells All," Fairlee takes the audience on a fascinating little turn back to the English Reformation. In those turbulent times, the last queen managed to keep her head on her shoulders, quite literally, as she evaded charges of heresy. She became the richest woman in England and eventually tutored her stepdaughter Elizabeth I.
http://www.sonic.net/~cfair/

It's a low-key yet charming performance delivered in the intimate space of the Spectrum Gallery, with the royal gossip and historical tidbits broken up by several songs delivered in Fairlee's strong, sure voice. There's even an opportunity for questions afterward. Just think: You can go to a Rogue show and actually learn something.

Additional performances: 8:45 p.m. March 10, 6:15 p.m. March 11, Spectrum Gallery (1306 N. Wishon). Tickets: $4. Info: www.sonic.net/~cfair.