Women are all familiar with “The Change.” If we haven’t experienced menopause yet, we know it’s arriving eventually: the hot flashes, the mood swings, and the memory loss. Menopause the Musical is here to give everyone a laugh (women and men alike) as we commiserate together over this inevitable biological experience.
Menopause the Musical was written by Jeanie Linders and debuted in 2001 in Orlando, Florida. Since then, it became an off-Broadway show that ran for four years in Manhattan. Then the show became a Las Vegas production that has been performed at Harrah’s continuously since 2006 and also began traveling as a national touring production. From June 15 through June 25, guests can see Menopause the Musical presented by The Westchester Theatre performed at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.
The show opens with four women shopping at a Bloomingdale’s lingerie sale. The women are unnamed but are cast as Professional Woman, Soap Star, Earth Mother and Iowa Housewife. They start as strangers, fighting over a black bra, but bond through their menopausal symptoms and end as friends.
This production stars Adrianne Hick (Soap Star), Terry Palasz (Iowa Housewife), Amy Jo Phillips (Earth Mother) and a rotating cast performing Professional Woman: Enga Davis, Tauren Hagans and Joy Lynn Jacobs. It is a musical parody featuring over 25 songs from artists including Cher, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin and The Bee Gees, whose lyrics have been altered to fit the theme of the musical. You’ll hear the women belt out songs like “Staying Awake/Night Sweatin'”, “Puff, My God, I’m Draggin'” and “My Husband Sleeps Tonight”.
The entire musical takes place in Bloomingdale’s over the course of a day. There is only one set piece for the duration of the show but an array of props and elevator announcements indicate different floors of Bloomingdale’s. The show runs continuously for 90 minutes with no intermission.
Although the target audience is women going through or who have experienced “The Change”, this show is not exclusively for this demographic! I saw the show with a girlfriend, both of us having many years before we experience menopause, and there were several men in the audience as well. A good time was had by all.
Menopause the Musical is a fun production that has the audience laughing out loud throughout the show. There is one more week left to see this musical at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before it moves on to Milwaukee!