Menopause The Musical is making its home at The Gladstone this fall season, and it’s like nothing Ottawa’s seen before.
“It’s a she-fest,” says Janet Martin, one of the show’s co-producers and actresses.
With all four cast members returning from the original Toronto production in 2006, the play runs until Nov. 22.
Dealing with all things menopause, the cast sing and dance to a collection of songs from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s about hot flashes, staying awake, chocolate cravings, mood swings, and all the other uncomfortable symptoms that come as women get older.
During its stay at The Gladstone, there will be 47 performances over the six-week run.
“This is a natural for Ottawa. This is really a dream come true for me,” says co-producer and marketing director Mark Zimmerman.
The show came together in 2005 when Zimmerman was in New York trying to option out the off-Broadway musical The Joys of Sex for a Canadian production.
The company convinced him to choose Menopause the Musical instead, a newer play from Orlando that has been making waves around the world since its 2001 release.
The play throws the awkwardness of the topic right out the window, and allows for the actresses and audience to laugh together as they struggle through their natural changes.
Debuting in 2006, Zimmerman’s play would go on to set the Toronto record for the longest consecutive running show with 513 performances.
“There’s something about women being in a theatre with women. They can let their hair down and really just have a great time,” says Zimmerman.
The play has run sporadically in Canada since its Toronto debut, and has made stops in almost every major city in the country. However, this will be its first production in Ottawa.
“The show is really just a laugh. I don’t think it is taboo like it used to be, but it still isn’t something we just talk about,” says Martin.
The whole night is specifically geared towards older women, a marketing tactic that Zimmerman has worked very hard to create.
“It really is a girl’s night out.”
For Emily Yost, the marketing director of the women’s group The Red Hat Society, this was exactly what led to a partnership this past June.
“The play really looks to inspire, encourage, and empower women. It was a perfect fit for us.”
The Red Hat Society is a social group for women that works to promote living a fun, healthy lifestyle. With chapters in over 30 different countries, the society works as a play group for women with events running every day.
The organization is now an official partner of the play, with ties to productions all over the world.
“They relate to our topic and above all, they have fun with it,” says Yost.
What has become a main feature of the Canadian show is the “Moodswing Lounge,” a bar that will feature a number of menopause-themed drinks such as the “Estrogen and Tonic” before the show.
There is a question-and-answer period at the end, and even a unique VIP option to make a real night of the festivities.
The VIP ticket includes a meet-and-greet with the cast, special seating, and a coupon for a free meal with the purchase of a full dinner at one of six participating restaurants on Preston Street.
The show isn’t only for women, though, explains Zimmerman. It’s something that men can enjoy, too, he says.
“It shows men that maybe their wife isn’t crazy, and this is something that everyone goes through.”