Women’s Roles: Good, Evil, and Menopausal
by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
 Women play the central
characters in two musicals now in Dallas. Although very different, each give
strong roles to the women
Hot Flashes
It’s time to kick-up those high heels. The international hit show
Menopause The Musical® is returning to Dallas and will be presented as a
subscribers’ special for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank,
at The Majestic Theatre in Dallas June 3-6, 2010.
Set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in
common but a black lace bra, meet by chance at a lingerie sale. The
cast laughs at their woeful hot flashes, forgetfulness, mood swings,
wrinkles, night sweats and chocolate binges. A sisterhood is created between
these diverse women as they realize that menopause is no longer The Silent
Passage! It is a stage in every woman’s life that is perfectly normal!
Menopause The Musical® is the work of writer and producer, Jeanie Linders.
The laughter-filled 90-minute production includes parodies from the classics
of the ‘60s and ‘70s and ‘80s. Disco hit “Stayin’ Alive” becomes “Stayin’
Awake,” Motown favorite “My Girl” is transformed into “My Thighs,” "The Lion
Sleeps Tonight" switches to "In the Guest Room or on the Sofa, My Husband
Sleeps at Night,” and “Puff The Magic Dragon” becomes the anthem to
exercise, “Puff, My God I’m Draggin’”.
Menopause The Musical® has launched a women’s movement that has
superseded entertainment and become a must-see event. It is estimated that
nearly 11 million women have attended a performance since the 2001 opening
in Orlando, Florida. Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, writer
and producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of women who
are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived “The Change”. "
Most women know intuitively that every other woman is experiencing hot
flashes or night sweats,“ says Linders. "There is always a close friend or
two who can sympathize or identify with her, but when they are sitting in a
theatre with hundreds of other women, all laughing and shouting‚ 'That’s me!
That’s me on stage!' they know what they are experiencing is normal. They
aren’t alone…or crazy. It becomes a sisterhood."
Since its first performance, the show has evolved as a grassroots
movement of women who deal with life after 40 and all the challenges that
result from the mental, physical, and spiritual freedom of being a woman.
“It may not be Shakespeare, but our focus is different. We want to
bring women together and empower them. This is an event – a
happening,” says Kathi Glist, one of the show’s producers. “It
resonates with just about any woman over 40, but it is enjoyed by all.
And the men laugh just as hard,” she adds.
Menopause The Musical® has entertained audiences across the country in
more than 250 cities and in a total of 14 countries. Internationally,
the show has visited Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, United Kingdom, Singapore, South Africa,
and South Korea. Each week women of all ages and stages find their spirits
lifted by the show’s light-hearted look at menopause. No longer is it The
Silent Passage! Visit
www.MenopauseTheMusical.com or
www.dallassummermusicals.org
for more information.
Wicked
Good and Evil. Sometimes they intersect and the result is even better
than expected. The word on the Wicked performance at Musical Hall in Fair
Park is out. I attended the first matinee on Thursday and it was already
sold out.
This is one not to miss. Talented cast, great staging and music you want
to sing along with.
The New York Times calls WICKED “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster,” and
when it last played in Dallas in 2007, it broke box office records and sold
out in record time. WICKED is the winner of 35 major awards, including a
Grammy® and three Tony® Awards.
Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet
in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and
misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these
two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes
for “the most complete and completely satisfying new musical in a long time”
(USA Today).
Thrillifying News!
-WICKED will be holding a daily day-of-performance
lottery.
-Also, check out the WICKED Exhibit at the Shops at Willow Bend
in Plano.
Dallas dates:May 26 to June 27
Box office info:
Location
542 Preston Royal Shopping Center
Dallas, TX 75230
Call:
Phone: 214-691-7200
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. - 6
p.m
Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
PHONE Orders
214.631.ARTS (2787)
Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who understands this topic.
Read her stories on www.travellady.com,
www.carladynews.com,
www.yogayaya.com,
www.chocolateatlas.com,
www.cocktailatlas.com,
www.coffeeatlas.com,
www.teaAtlas.com
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