Sunrise Theatre Presents - Menopause: The Musical

A change is coming to the Sunrise on April 10-11, when Menopause: the Musical comes to town for three shows. The hit show has been performed around the world and is meant for anyone who is a woman or knows a woman.

The show takes place in the lingerie department of Bloomingdale’s, where four women from a Professional Woman to a hippie Earth Mother bond over a black lace bra. Stacy Schwartz, who plays the Soap Star, spoke to us by phone about how much fun it is for the cast and the audience alike.

"It’s for audiences of both sexes,” she said. “We’ve talked to men before and after the show and they say something like, ‘I was dreading it and was kicking and screaming, but we had a ball.’”

The show involves parodies of baby-boomer songs from “Stayin’ Awake” to “My Husband Sleeps Tonight,” and that’s part of the fun.

“The appeal is the music,” Ms. Schwartz said. “Men know the music. They’re surprised that they get a better perspective of what the women in their lives are going through. Everything is done with humor and song.”

All of the performers are over 40, some a little more than others. Schwartz is one of the younger ones, but that’s all right.

“My character is supposed to have had a nip, a tuck, an injection,” she said. It’s okay that I look a little younger.”

Schwartz lived in the Fort Lauderdale area for 11 years and has performed throughout South Florida. For Menopause, the audience tends to be in their 40s and 50s.

“There are a lot of girls-nights-out audiences,” she said. We’ve seen them in boas and tiaras. Saturday night is more date night and we have the largest male audience.”

While Menopause examines some serious issues in women’s health and aging, the show sticks with a light pace.

"It’s pure entertainment,” Ms. Schwartz said. “There’s something for everyone. Everything is comically based. If there’s a slight embarrassment, we’ve gone on to the next thing.”

Ms. Schwartz cautioned that it’s important to stay until the very end.

“There’s a surprise,” she said.

You’ll have to come to the Sunrise to find out what it is.

Shelly Koppel
Writer

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Menopause: The Musical will have shows on Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and on Sunday at 2 p.m. Click here for more information and tickets.