Dr. Mary Claire Haver Joins MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®’s Host Committee for World Menopause Day HOT FLASH Mob Kickline in Times Square on October 18, 2026 at 4:00 pm

NEW YORK – Oct. 13, 2026: Leading menopause expert Dr. Mary Claire Haver joins the Host Committee for MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®’s 25th anniversary celebration, taking place on World Menopause Day, Sunday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m. ET in Times Square. The event, held in Broadway Plaza between 45th and 46th streets, will feature the World’s First HOT FLASH Mob Kickline, rallying women at every stage of “The Change” and their supporters to break the silence surrounding menopause and remind women everywhere that they are not alone.

Dr. Haver and MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® cast members and native New Yorkers Nancy Slusser and Adrianne Hick will join the kickline, with more special guests to be announced. Slusser appeared in the original Off-Broadway production of MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® 25 years ago and is the longest-running cast member with the production. She has played every role in the show on tour as well as Iowa Housewife in its sequel, MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL 2: CRUISING THROUGH ‘THE CHANGE’®.

The free event takes place Sunday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m. ET in Broadway Plaza between 45th and 46th streets in Times Square. With support from Dr. Haver, Times Square Alliance and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the celebration welcomes women at every stage of “The Change” and everyone who stands with them in support of greater menopause awareness. News outlets are invited to attend and cover the celebration.

Cast members are available for interviews ahead of the event to discuss menopause awareness, the musical’s 25-year legacy of bringing menopause into the cultural conversation through humor and sisterhood, and the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding this life transition. Dr. Haver may be available upon request. For event details and media assets, click here.

“Menopause has been whispered about for generations, and we are done whispering. I’m joining the Hot Flash Mob in Times Square on World Menopause Day to celebrate 25 years of MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® and to remind every woman that her symptoms are real, her questions deserve answers, and she is not alone,” shared Dr. Haver.

The first 100 attendees will receive a complimentary Breast Cancer Research Foundation x MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® Hot Flash Fan, celebrating their shared commitment to women’s health and national partnership. Guests are encouraged to wear pink in support of menopause and breast cancer awareness.

With Dr. Haver joining the Host Committee, the event brings together voices from women’s health and entertainment to elevate a conversation that affects billions of women but too often remains unspoken. MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® and World Menopause Day offer an opportunity to put menopause in the spotlight, challenge outdated perceptions, and create space for women to share their experiences, feel seen, and find community.

“Women need this!” raved NBC’s Today Show, while Joy Behar of The View gushed, “You’ll love it. It’s hilarious. Go see it.”

Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, playwright Jeanie Linders created MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL^® to celebrate women at every stage of "The Change." In March 2001, the first show premiered in a small 76-seat theater where the audience rejoiced because they finally felt seen and menopause no longer had to be “The Silent Passage.”

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL^® didn’t just open a show—it ignited a cultural revolution. What began with 76 women in an Orlando perfume shop-turned-theater laughing, kicklining, and celebrating menopause for the first time became a global movement. With audiences of over 17 million women worldwide embracing “The Change,” the musical shattered the stigma around menopause and turned a once-taboo topic into a badge of honor. Now celebrating 25 years of female empowerment through hilarious musical comedy, MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL^® has evolved as a grassroots movement of women who deal with life adjustments around 40 by embracing each other and the road ahead.

WEBSITE - MenopauseTheMusical.com
​FACEBOOK - facebook.com/menopausethemusical
​INSTAGRAM - instagram.com/menopausethemusical
​X - x.com/menomusical
​THREADS - threads.com/@menopausethemusical

ABOUT THE SHOW
​COME JOIN OUR SISTERHOOD! Set in a department store, four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain, and much more. These women form a sisterhood and a unique bond with the entire audience as they rejoice in celebrating that menopause is no longer “The Silent Passage.” It's the Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change!®

The production’s Book and Lyrics are by Jeanie Linders. The creative team includes Director Seth Greenleaf, Music Supervisor and Additional Arrangements Alan J. Plado, Assistant Director Kim Simari, Choreography Supervisor Teri Adams, and Assistant Music Supervisor Roberta B. Wall. Columbia Artist Theatricals represents the production.

The original MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL^® debuted in Orlando, Florida, and ran Off-Broadway for four years, performing for more than 1,500 audiences, followed by a U.S. national tour that is still running today. In 2007, it opened internationally in the United Kingdom and has performed in countries including Australia, South Korea, Brazil, France, Slovenia, and many more. It was also the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history. Beloved for 25 years and seen by more than 17 million, MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL^® has played every state in the continental U.S., more than 500 cities worldwide, and has been translated into nine languages.

ABOUT THE TEAM

DR. MARY CLAIRE HAVER, MD, FACOG, MSCP (Host Committee) is a board-certified OB-GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The New Menopause, a book written to empower women with evidence-based menopause care, and the newly released New York Times Bestseller, The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again. She earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University Medical Center and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where she is now an Adjunct Associate Professor. In 2021, she founded The ‘Pause Wellness, a clinic committed to providing comprehensive menopause care. In 2023, she launched ThePauseLife.com, a trusted resource for women navigating menopause. She is also the host of the podcast unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, where she continues the conversation on women’s health, empowerment, and evidence-based care. A sought-after speaker and educator, Dr. Haver is a regular contributor to national media and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Today Show, CBS Mornings , and Oprah’s Menopause Revolution, and the 2025 TIME100 Creators List . Her social media presence has grown to more than 7 million followers, where she continues to demystify menopause with relatable, science-backed content. Through her writing, clinical practice, podcast, and digital presence, Dr. Mary Claire Haver has become the trusted voice in menopause care, empowering women worldwide to embrace this life stage with confidence and vitality. When not traveling the globe empowering women to lead their best lives, Mary Claire resides in Galveston, Texas, with her husband Chris, two daughters, Katherine Claire and Madeline Claire, and their chiweenie, Rex.

NANCY SLUSSER (All Roles) Off-Broadway/NY: MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® (All roles/dance captain), MAX & RUBY (Grandma Bunny, Lucille Lortel), Whitney Biennial 2026, Our House (TOSOS), BALLAD OF BONNIE & CLYDE (NYMF). ​ TV: “And Just Like That”, “Orange is the New Black”, “Louie,” Enya Backup singer (NBC). Regional/Tours: MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® and MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL 2: CRUISING THROUGH ‘THE CHANGE’®, SEVEN BRIDES/SEVEN BROTHERS (Ogunquit); HOME (ATF); LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO, (Brown County Playhouse); NITE CLUB CONFIDENTIAL, (Oldcastle); ROSE-MARIE (Cast Recording, Media). ​ *SWEENEY TODD (Chicago), *JC SUPERSTAR & MUSIC MAN (Drury Lane Oakbrook); *Jeff Awards Best Musical, AMADEUS (Apple Tree). Improv in Japan in Japanese! Solo Cabaret Act Seabourn Spirit, Far East & Radisson’s Paul Gauguin in Tahiti. Duo: The Botch-a-Cools. Love to Louis & our twins Luna & Frankie. Proud AEA Member & Councilor!

ADRIANNE HICK (Soap Star, u/s Iowa Housewife) is a native New Yorker! ​ Recent credits include Diana, NEXT TO NORMAL, Francesca, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, Mother, RAGTIME (Riverside Center), Ghost of Christmas Past, A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Engeman Theater), Maria, THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Ivoryton Playhouse) and Anna, THE KING AND I (Interlakes). Others include B’Way National Tour of LES MISERABLES, (Fantine U/S/Factory Girl); International Tour of JEKYLL & HYDE (Lady Beaconsfield); SOUTH PACIFIC, Nellie (Ivoryton Playhouse & The Wick Theatre); COMPANY, April (Lyric Stage Co.); ​ Alice, BRIGHT STAR (Riverside Center- Broadway World Award), Sister Margaretta/Elsa U/S, THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Asolo Rep), THROUGH THE INVISIBLE DOOR (MTL); Alison, FUN HOME (American Stage, Tampa Bay Theatre Award).

THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (Partner) Breast cancer is a complex disease with no simple solution. Research is the key to stopping it in its tracks. Founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. We invest in the best minds in science—and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration—to examine every aspect of the disease from prevention to metastasis. Our approach accelerates the entire field and moves us closer to the answers we urgently need. We can’t stop now. Join us in fueling the world’s most promising research. With you, we will bring the end of breast cancer into focus. Learn more and get involved at BCRF.org.

THE TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE (Partner) Founded in 1992, works to improve and promote Times Square — cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century.

GFOUR PRODUCTIONS (Producer) proudly produces some of the world’s most recognized shows, from Broadway to the West End. Current and recent productions and investments: Dead Outlaw (Broadway); Glengarry Glen Ross (Broadway); Stereophonic (Broadway, West End); The Shark is Broken (West End, Broadway, UK Tour); Stranger Things: The First Shadow (West End, Broadway); SIX The Musical (Broadway, West End and Tour); The Book of Mormon; The Play That Goes Wrong; Funny Girl (US Tour). Current tours include Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and the international sensation Menopause The Musical® and its sequel. Additional productions in active development include the controversial new Off-Broadway musical Slam Frank and You’ve Still Got a Friend, a touring tribute to the enduring friendship and collaboration between Carole King and James Taylor. Winners of more than 50 Tony Awards® for their productions including Nine, La Cage Aux Folles, Matilda The Musical, The Inheritance and more. www.GFourProductions.com

JEANIE LINDERS (Original Stage Play Creator) created and wrote the original Menopause The Musical®, and was a passionate voice for a generation of women facing more than just hot flashes. She was the recipient of the Veteran Feminist Medal of Honor presented by Gloria Steinem, and funded women’s education and housing programs from New Orleans to Kenya and Ghana, as well as raising over a million dollars for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and other charities. Jeanie’s work in entertainment spanned three decades and included theatre, multi-stage music festivals, and celebrity-driven events. She also launched The Center for Art & Entertainment and completed her Marge Potter book series. We continue to honor Jeanie’s memory and legacy by sharing her humor, heart, and wit onstage each night, spreading her healing laughter across the world.

###