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Forty-two cities and seven countries after the first show, Menopause The Musical, the
hilarious celebration of women and The Change premieres in Salt Lake City, January 30-March 1.
It all started in a tiny 76-seat perfume-shop-turned-theatre in Orlando, Florida, on March 28, 2001. Four women at a Bloomingdale’s lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra and hot flashes, night sweats, memory loss, chocolate binges, not enough sex, too much sex, and more. A joyful parody of 25 re-lyricized classic baby boomer hits, the 90-minute show features chart-toppers including “I Heard It Thru the Grapevine You No Longer See 39” and the disco favorite “Stayin‘ Awake! Stayin‘ Awake!”
Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, writer/producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived The Change. Since its first performance, the show has evolved as a “grassroots” movement of women who deal with life after 40 and all the challenges that result in the mental, physical and spiritual freedom of the post-WWII baby boomer generation.
“Most women know intuitively that every other woman is experiencing hot flashes or night sweats. There is always a close friend or two who can sympathize or identify with her,” says Linders. “But when they are sitting in a theatre full of other women, all laughing and shouting‚ ‘That’s me! That’s me on stage!’ they know what they are experiencing is normal. They aren’t alone…or crazy. It becomes a sisterhood.”
The show’s production company, TOC Productions, Inc., has offices in Winter Park, Florida, and Tucson. Menopause The Musical is directed by Kathryn Conte, choreographed by Patty Bender, and performed with a live three-piece band at each venue.
Playwright and producer Jeanie Linders is a native of Dixon, Illinois, and earned her graduate degree from Northern Illinois University. She’s been active in the arts for the past 30 years, working as an arts development consultant in Florida, California, North Carolina and Arkansas and launching Orlando’s first arts incubator, ArtsMall. Linders was president/CEO of an advertising agency specializing in entertainment and hospitality for 10 years, and also launched an events marketing and management firm, producing a variety of shows from A Conversation with Cary Grant to multistage music festivals.
Menopause The Musical® is currently playing in 13 US cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Detroit, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Upland. The popularity of Menopause The Musical® has spread internationally with casts in Brisbane and Perth, Australia; Manila, Philippines; Seoul, South Korea; and Rome, Italy; and will open in Israel 2006. The original Orlando cast spent three weeks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, performing as guests of the American Embassy.
According to The New York Times, “[Menopause The Musical] has no trouble winning over its audience…because elsewhere the subject is almost never treated with humor from the woman’s point of view.” The Miami Daily Herald wrote “Menopause The Musical is the little revue that set the world on fire – at least that portion of the world that knows the term ‘hot flash’ as reality, not a news bulletin or punch line.” And the positive reviews and audience testimonials continue to arrive daily. Joy Behar from The View said, “You’ll love it. It’s hilarious. Go see it.”
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Get tickets at 355-ARTS, ArtTix.org and ArtTix outlet. Groups (15+) call Sandy at (801) 355-5502 for a discount. Tickets prices are $38.50 & $45 plus service fee. ShowTimes are 7:30 pm Tuesday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm; Sunday at 7:00pm. Matinees at 2:00pm Saturdays and Sundays plus Friday, February 1 and Friday, February 29. No performance Sunday, Februay 3 at 2:00pm. Presented by NewSpace Entertainment.
MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®
IT’S NOT THE SILENT PASSAGE ANYMORE!
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