“Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change’” brought its tour to the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono on Sept. 26. The show is produced by the acclaimed Gfour Productions. This flirtatious, hilarious jukebox musical parody showcases heartfelt dance numbers that serve to unite the audience under one collective sisterhood, all the while bringing in new fans unfamiliar with the original musical. It also touched upon more deeper character conundrums.
The show serves as a sequel to the 2001 “Menopause The Musical,” written by Jeanie Linders, and follows four ladies meeting in a department store as hijinks ensue. The original musical was a straightforward comedy, considered ahead of its time, with the stigma surrounding menopause being inherently negative and shameful for women to bring up. For the sequel, new audience members can jump right in without needing prior knowledge of the original story.
Set five years later, the play recaps the four main characters, who are now best friends, coming back together for an all-girls cruise trip. The main cast of women include the Iowa Housewife, played by Terri Dixon, the Earth Mother, played by Melanie Souza, the Soap Star, played by Debby Rosenthal and the Professional Woman, played by Donna J. Huntley. The show kicks off with quirky reintroductions for each of the four lead women, before going right in with an opening dance number.
Each of the main four women also get their own solo number that narrows in on their own personal struggles. These include the Professional Woman’s memory issues and being unable to spend time with her grandchildren, the Earth Mother’s marital problems, the Soap Star’s sour memories of past relationships and the Iowa Housewife’s newfound responsibility in the wake of her husband passing away.
“Menopause the Musical 2” aims to go more in depth regarding each character’s problems compared to the first one, while still maintaining the original humor. The show is made up entirely of tongue-in-cheek parodies of classic, nostalgic radio hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s, with the parodies themselves tying further into the heart of the story. The parody music numbers range in concept, from the aforementioned solo numbers to more ensemble music numbers that touch on topics of natural appearance and the inconvenience of modern technology.
Director Seth Greenleaf has been a part of the Menopause line of musicals for over a decade. In regards to stepping in to help with the sequel, he aimed for “Menopause 2” to include higher production, exemplifying the closely shared sisterhood among the four lead women that was developed in the previous story.
“The whole point of the show has always been that they are not alone suffering in silence. All women go through this, and it’s really important to be able to depend on one another at this time,” said Greenleaf. “Being in isolation or feeling like you’re dealing with something terminally unique is not a healthy approach to menopause.”
Many of the cast members of “Menopause The Musical 2” also returned from the first Menopause musical to reprise their roles. Iowa Housewife Star and Lead Dance Captain Terri Dixon is very grateful to be a part of the crew, feeling as though it encompasses one large sisterhood. She also hopes that the larger themes and messages, as well as the relatable humor, unites the audience in an environment of comfort.
“Each character has a specific struggle in two that they share with the audience, so I feel between the four women and all the different struggles, everybody in the audience is going to relate to one of those struggles,” said Dixon.
The feeling of not being alone in what is usually an isolating stage of life is felt and continued from the original “Menopause the Musical” to “Menopause the Musical 2,” with its uproarious humor and music that ties into the larger themes that not only appeal to women, but can be enjoyed regardless of gender. The musical hopes to comfort and empower those who are going through menopause, knowing that they are not alone.
The show is simultaneously touring with “Menopause the Musical” around the US and Canada, with upcoming shows in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rutland and Vermont. Tickets for “Menopause the Musical 2” can be purchased here.
