Menopause The Musical

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2001 musical from Jeanie Linders

Menopause The Musical

Music| Various
Lyrics| Jeanie Linders
Book| Jeanie Linders
Premiere| March 28, 2001: Orlando, Florida
Productions| 2001 Orlando
2002 Off-Broadway
2006 United States tour (ongoing)
2006 Las Vegas (ongoing)
2006 Canada tour (ongoing)
2007 London
2007 South Africa
2007 Malaysia
2015 United Kingdom & Ireland tour (ongoing)
2016 Australia & New Zealand tour (ongoing)
2016 Mexico
2018 Spain
2018 Slovenia
2018 Brazil
2019 South Korea
2019 France (ongoing)
2019 Croatia
2018 Hungary (ongoing)
2020 Finland (ongoing)

Menopause The Musical is a 2001 musical with book and lyrics by Jeanie Linders which premiered on March 28, 2001 in Orlando, Florida. The musical follows four mature women shopping for lingerie at a Bloomingdale's sale, with lyrics parodying popular music from the baby boomer era to reflect symptoms of the menopause. Following the success of an Off-Broadway production, running for over 1,500 performances until 2006,[1] the show was produced across the United States touring to the present day including in Las Vegas, where it has been running since 2006 as the longest running scripted musical in Las Vegas history.[2][3] The show has spawned productions worldwide.

## Productions

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### Original Orlando production

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The original Orlando production opened on March 28, 2001, at the Church Street Theatre building, that was specifically converted from a perfume shop into a 76-seat theatre for the show.[4] Its original cast members were Shelly Browne as the Power Woman (later renamed the Professional Woman), Patti McGuire as the Iowa Housewife, Pammie O'Bannon as the Earth Mother, and Wesley Williams as the Soap Star. The show then transferred to West Palm Beach's Cuillo Center on June 22, 2001.[5]

### Original off-Broadway productions

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The Off-Broadway production officially opened at Theatre Four on April 4, 2002, after a month of previews. It then transferred to Playhouse 91 in September of that year.[6] After running for four years, the Off-Broadway production closed in May 2006.[7]

### North American productions

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Menopause the Musical at the Eldorado Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada in 2009.

Alongside the New York and Florida runs, GFour Productions mounted further sit-down productions throughout the United States. These opened at the Apollo Theatre in Chicago on July 25, 2003, becoming the highest grossing musical in the theatre's history after 1,281 performances,[8] the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles on October 30, 2003, the Gem Theatre in Detroit on March 17, 2004, becoming the longest running show in Michigan's history[9] and the Stuart Street Playhouse in Boston on March 31, 2004, running for 1,092 performances.[10] Since 2006 American actress Ingrid Cole is a member of Menopause the Musical.[11] The Las Vegas production has been running continuously since 2006, currently at Harrah's Las Vegas.[12][13]

This was followed by a national tour that continues to run as of November 2021,[14] reaching over 500 cities worldwide.[15] A further American tour specifically to raise funds and awareness for the fight against ovarian cancer was later launched in 2015.[16]

### International productions

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International productions have been staged all over the world. Local references in the show are customized to the location of the performance. For example, the 'Iowa Housewife' became 'Dubbo Housewife' in Australia;[17] America's Bloomingdale's became Marks & Spencer in London.[18]

## Original US production musical numbers

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* "Change, Change, Change" (Aretha Franklin)- Professional Woman, Earth Mother & Girls
* "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (Marvin Gaye) - Professional Woman & Soap Star
* "Sign of the Times" (Petula Clark) - Earth Mother & Iowa Housewife
* "Stayin' Awake/Night Sweatin'" (The Bee Gees) - Ensemble
* "My Husband Sleeps Tonight" (The Tokens) - Earth Mother & Girls
* "Hot Flash" (Martha and the Vandellas) - Soap Star
* "Drippin' and Droppin'" (Dusty Springfield) - Earth Mother
* "I'm Flashing" (Brenda Lee) - Professional Woman
* "The Great Pretender" (The Platters) - Professional Woman, Iowa Housewife & Girls
* "Sane and Normal Girls/Thank You Doctor" (The Beach Boys) - Ensemble
* "Lookin' for Food" (Johnny Lee) - Soap Star, Iowa Housewife & Girls
* "Please Make Me Over" (Dionne Warwick) - Soap Star

* "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" (The Temptations) - Ensemble
* "I'm Flashing (reprise)" (Brenda Lee) - Professional Woman
* "Puff, My God, I'm Draggin'" (Peter, Paul and Mary) - Earth Mother
* "The Fat Gram Song" (Cher) - Professional Woman & Girls
* "My Thighs" (Mary Wells) - Iowa Housewife & Girls
* "Don't Say Nothing Bad About My Body" (The Cookies) - Soap Star & Girls
* "I'm No Babe, Ma" (Sonny & Cher) - Ensemble
* "Good Vibrations" (The Beach Boys) - Earth Mother & Soap Star
* "What's Love Got To Do With It?" (Tina Turner) - Professional Woman & Girls
* "Only You" (The Platters) - Iowa Housewife & Girls
* "New Attitude" (Patti LaBelle) - Ensemble
* "This is Your Day" (Village People) - Ensemble

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## Reception

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The New York Times cited the lyrics as "awkward" but "inspired" and that it was "impossible not to laugh".[19] The Los Angeles Times said the "supreme silliness" was "fresh, funny and simply terrific".[20] The Daily Californian summarised that "Menopause's collection of great oldies, clever tongue-in-cheek lyrics and entertaining dance routines prevented me from making any I-Need-Air trips to the restroom."[21]

## See also

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* Menopause

## References

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1. ^ "Off-Broadway's Menopause the Musical to Close on April 23". Broadway.com. 13 February 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. ^ "Menopause the Musical Las Vegas - Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel & Casino". Caesars.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
3. ^ Campbell, Jennifer (15 May 2018). "Cindy Williams returns to Harrah's Las Vegas, staring in 'Menopause The Musical'". News31v.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
4. ^ "Menopause: The Musical". Lyrictheatre.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
5. ^ "KEY WEST FETE". Sun-Sentinel.com. 22 June 2001. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
6. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (3 August 2004). "Off-Broadway's Menopause The Musical Hits 1,000 Performances, Aug. 3". Playbill.com. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
7. ^ Simonson, Robert (9 May 2006), "Long-Running Off-Broadway Hit Menopause the Musical to Close May 14", Playbill.com, retrieved 30 May 2023
8. ^ "Menopause The Musical To Close November 19 After 175 Smash Weeks". TheatreInChicago.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
9. ^ Rowlands, Peter (11 November 2009). Man on the Move: The Pete Friesen Story. iUniverse. ISBN 9781440159565. Retrieved 20 November 2021 - via Google Books.
10. ^ "MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL Returns to Boston Area at Stoneham Theatre, Now thru 6/2". BroadwayWorld.com. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
11. ^ "Ingrid Cole – Menopause The Musical". menopausethemusical.com. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
12. ^ Fink, Jerry (30 January 2006). "Musical aims to change lives". LasVegasSun.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
13. ^ Bornfeld, Steve (25 February 2015). "Menopause The Musical Still a Hot Flash of Fun". VegasSeven.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015.
14. ^ "Menopause the Musical :: Schedule". Menopausethemusical.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
15. ^ "About". GFour Productions. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
16. ^ Pickles, Karyn (September 2015). "Menopause: The Musical Launches The Survivor Tour". AllThingsMenopause.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
17. ^ Encalada, Javier (16 November 2017). "Last seats left to Menopause the Musical". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
18. ^ "Su Online : News Archive : Jan - Mar 2007". Toyah.net. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
19. ^ Gates, Anita (6 April 2002). "THEATER REVIEW; Hot Flashes! Squishy Thighs! Yee-Ha!". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
20. ^ Foley, F. Kathleen (21 November 2003). "Not just another hot flash in pan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
21. ^ Kagy, Genessee (November 10, 2005). "Pleasing Loud, Proud And Middle-Aged Crowds". Daily Californian. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved 2007-12-14.

## External links

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* Official website
* GFour Productions
* Menopause The Musical at the Internet Off-Broadway Database