At 35 years old, I haven’t quite reached that period in my life where memory loss, hot flashes, and night sweats are a primary concern but Menopause The Musical still hit it out of the park. It’s a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived “The Change.” Set in a department store, four women meet by chance while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the all-female cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. These women form a sisterhood and unique bond with the entire audience as they rejoice in celebrating that menopause is no longer “The Silent Passage.”

Attending the production with an older friend was the ideal choice. Watching her reactions to the musical were almost as entertaining as the musical itself. She was in tears from laughing so much and she commented that her cheeks actually hurt from smiling so much and so often. Other audience members were entertaining as well.

There were very few men in the audience but an elderly couple sat a few seats away from us and one isle ahead. The husband fell asleep during the production and started to snore. The wife was mortified and punched him in the arm. We couldn’t help but laugh at the stereotypical expectations of it all. It was like they were part of the show.

Of the four women, I thought about which one reminded me most of my mother. The Soap Star, Rebecca Fisher, stood out as the best match. Her dramatic flair and ability to remain sexy despite the endless changes gave her confidence that exudes from my mom as well. Thinking about which women I was most like wasn’t as encouraging. If I had to pick, I’d say I’m like Erth Mother/Dance Captain, Megan Cavanagh. Hopefully, I’ll have a better sense of fashion.

Each performer did an exceptional job with the role, but Linda Boston stood out for her voice and strong character and Roberta B. Wall made me laugh the most. As an Iowa housewife, her simple outlook brought me to fits of burst-out laughter. She reminded me of my grandmother and continuously had me shaking my head.

Regardless if you’ve experienced “The Change” yet or not, Menopause The Musical is a hilarious celebration of women. From teens to elderly, audience members can easily relate to the cast or find similarities with ladies in their life. While I don’t think the key audience focus is on men, they provided additional entertainment value to the show. If you want to catch it yourself, it will run through Sunday, September 11, 2016 at the Laguna Playhouse.