The minds of women have been classified as complex and elusive, but maybe Jeanie Linders' "Menopause the Musical" can help shed some light. Since its debut in Orlando, FL in March 2001, "Menopause the Musical" has touched the hearts and abdomens of its audience, as it both inspires and reduces them to laughter.
The play runs for a concise and uplifting 90 minutes and satirizes societal norms for women in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. As the title of the play suggests, the underlying theme of the production pays homage to women who are experiencing the infamous "change." This entertaining and up-beat musical will be coming to the South Orange Performing Arts Center on September 17.
Set in a department store and consisting of an all-female cast of four, the musical brings together a group of women who initially seem to have nothing in common. The characterizations of these women alone exemplify their diversity, as they are titled "The Housewife", "The Earth Mother", "The Soapstar", and "The Professional Woman". These four women meet spontaneously at a lingerie sale and gradually begin to discover that they are not as different as they think.
The four heroines are united by the calamities of menopause and their fading youth. The musical consists of the cast poking fun at their visible wrinkles, mournful hot flashes, infuriating forgetfulness, unpredictable mood swings, and constant cravings for chocolate.
A sense of community and understanding emerges amongst this group of women as they realize that they are not as alone as they thought at the opening of the play. On the contrary, the women who entered the stage as strangers take their final bow united in a type of sisterhood.
The common symptoms of menopause presented in such a diverse group of women prove that menopause is normal and not something that women have to experience silently and on their own. In this sense, although the play is largely a comedy, the message behind the humor is a poignant and important lesson for women who are experiencing menopause or about to embark on that period of their life.
However, the play is not just for women. Men can also enjoy the musical, and learn something about the fairer sex in the process. Menopause the Musical will be at SOPAC from September 17th until October 31st. You can order tickets online at www.sopacnow.org, by dialing 973-275-1114, or by walking down South Orange Avenue and purchasing them at the SOPAC box office.
Emily Lake can be reached at emily.lake@student.shu.edu.
