photo by Carol Rosegg
Menopause, the Musical

"Menopause, the Musical" (MTM) made its debut on March 28, 2001 in Orlando, Florida and, for it, Jeanie C. Linders rewrote the lyrics to songs that peri-menopausal women would appreciate. Imagine parody lyrics where instead of "Staying Alive", it's "Staying Awake", or "Good Vibrations" having nothing to do with surfing and you'll begin to see why this is such a hit with the Red Hat Society members!

Linders created this show, running about an hour and a half with no intermission, to celebrate a largely unsung group of women. Most musicals and plays have meaty roles for very young ingénue types or elderly women, but very little for women entering a different part of their prime. Like other recent works that celebrate aspects of womanhood, MTM raises awareness and contributions for ovarian cancer research. Celebrating aspects of womanhood with great humor and music, an evening out with your friends and fighting cancer at the same time? That's a hat trick, especially when the hat is Red!

Let's get back to the dramatis personae - powerful singers and powerhouse performers all. There is no way to cast this show with a weak link as every role is a lead. Beginning with the Professional Woman, Fredena Williams is a versatile performer who knows how to move. In fact, she's the Dance Captain and has performed this role in a number of venues. She effortlessly moves from power-suited female to siren to Tina Turner look-a-like. No matter how you slice it, this woman has got it all!

Marsha Waterbury is the Iowa Housewife who has a mobile expressive face that has an expressway of emotion and it's all in the HOV lane. She has a rich voice and her evocation of the character in one scene at the beginning, speaking to her mother and, at the end, speaking to her children, is an excellent demonstration of the continuum women are on. We are children, mothers and adult women, all at the same time.

Pamela Clifford is the Soap Star and plays the thin actress, who is feeling her age more than looking it. She is the woman who gets to have the most complete epiphany, even as her younger lover has moved into her home, and she is on the brink of losing her job. She has the song "Having a Hot Flash," the reprise of which caused a hot flash of its own, as she sat on the lap of a poor benighted man-one of about five in the audience. He will be dining out on the story of the attractive young woman who chose him from an audience of a few hundred for some time to come!

Sandy Rosenberg is the Earth Mother, who herself is wise, silly, and more and less adult by turns. She's light on her feet and her voice ranges from low and full to solid and high. The Earth Mother has a sparkle in everything she does.

These women weave a wonderful experience and that's what it's about. Carolyn Myss speaks of embracing Chaos and understanding that Chaos is Divine order. Once we understand that Chaos, we are closer to God. Change is all around us, and The Change is another part of life-we have no choice but the experience, but it happens at a point that permits women to reflect on who and what they are and what they could become.

If you are a woman, see it. If you are a man, go with a woman you love-your mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, or dear friend. You will be so happy you did! Jeanie C. Linders' Mistress-piece gives us all a reason to laugh out loud. South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is running its production through September 27, with shows at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Spend the day out with some people you love and meet some new people to love. Tickets are available at http://www.sopacnow.org or call 973/313-ARTS (2787). These days we really could use a laugh, and bring lots of hankies, you'll be glad you did!