Pop Smart - Flash: Atlanta goes through more Menopause

Photo by Spark St. Jude

The current re-mount of Menopause, The Musical (which was originally staged at the 14th Street Playhouse back in 2005 — I reviewed it here) will be extended through May 11. That date happens to be Mother’s Day and represents the savvy marketing that has made the “change of life musical” such a runaway hit. The cast features the same actresses from the prior production, and to quote from the press release:

Menopause The Musical features an outstanding cast of actresses, all returning from the original Atlanta production with Gainesville’s Ingrid Cole as Earth Mother, Atlanta’s Mary Kathryn Kaye (Suzi Bass Award nominee for Respect) as Iowa Housewife, Scottdale’s Valerie Payton (Suzi Bass Award nominee for Romeo & Juliet) as Professional Woman, and Jonesboro’s Lynna Schmidt as Soap Star (pictured).

Incidentally, I saw this anecdote on a blog belonging to a friend of mine, a theater professional in Alaska, which illustrates the gender gap between the musical’s male and female audiences:

I was House Managing again tonight.

A couple arrived almost 2 hours early and were sitting in the lobby having drinks.

As the lobby began to fill up with other patrons, the husband called over my Usher Captain.

“Why,” asked the husband innocently, “are there so many more women than men here tonight?”

“Well, I’d say it’s because this is Menopause, the Musical,” replies my Usher Captain, and he proceeds to explain to the husband what the show is about.

“Really!?!? My wife told me it was about Minneapolis!” exclaims the husband. “No wonder she wanted me to have this beer.”

Somehow I don’t think Minneapolis, The Musical would draw the same crowds in Atlanta, of either gender.