The changes happening to women in one play: "Menopause the Musical"

A crowd of mostly women filled the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus for "Menopause the Musical" on Nov. 5.

Some attendees were at the merchandise table, possibly buying a soundtrack of the musical or a T-shirt; some women were waiting to get into the theater to take their seats.

Before the show started, Chris Wood, the company manager of the show, came out onstage and greeted the audience. After the welcome, Wood spoke about the "Menopause" paper fans that the company would be selling at the merchandise table after the performance. These fans were special because proceeds from every fan's purchase would go toward ovarian cancer research.

The show began. The Professional Woman played by Sandra Benton, Earth Mother played by Megan Cavanagh, Soap Star played by Kathy St. George and Iowa Housewife played by Liz Hyde are all browsing at a Bloomingdale's sale. They hear an announcement for a lingerie sale, and happen to find a black bra they are all interested in. As they begin to fight over the bra, they all become overly emotional and all learn that they are going through menopause.

The show moved throughout the different departments of Bloomingdale's, including cosmetics, lingerie and hats. The women bonded over shared issues of hot flashes, their struggles to be treated like adults by their mothers or their sexual frustrations with their husbands or boyfriends. The audience roared with laughter during the 90-minute show.

The second half of the show breezed by quickly. After the women decided to have a new outlook on life, which included Benton doing an impressive Tina Turner impersonation, they all came onstage with different formal black outfits with sequins and the audience was invited to come up onstage and participate in a kick line with the other cast members.

Anyone who had purchased a VIP ticket, according to River Campus box office manager Ellen Farrow, got the opportunity to go backstage and meet the cast after the show. Farrow said that the show had sold 37 VIP tickets, but she thought that many had just left after the performance. The women were all taken backstage and were all given the paper fans that Wood had discussed at the beginning of the show. He said that the performers were changing and that they would come out, introduce themselves, and they would sign the fans and then take pictures with the group.

"You know, we just got into town so quickly," Cavanagh said. "But, it's been great. The audience was fantastic."