Menopause the Musical
Press materials indicate that Linders, who’s also the producer, hopes her show will be another Vagina Monologues, which recently closed at the Apollo after running there for a couple years. But Eve Ensler didn’t just natter on about women’s private parts. She told individual stories, based on interviews, that revealed women’s rich, complex feelings about sex, body image, men, and relationships. She celebrated specific women, and in doing so connected with women generally.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The actresses do what they can with this ridiculous material. Lisa Steinman, who plays Soap Star, conveys both the confidence and vulnerability of someone whose livelihood depends on looking young and beautiful. As Iowa Housewife, the sunny Michelle Lee Bradley shows a talent for physical comedy, and as Power Woman (which means, one supposes, that she’s an executive), Wydetta Carter has a knockout voice. As Earth Mother, Judith Day exudes wry warmth. Still, the performers can’t save a show that’s essentially a testament to all the ways women are incompetent.
