From Silent Passage to Celebration: Menopause The Musical® Champions 25 Years of Embracing Womanhood and Shattering the Stigma
What began in a 76-seat theater launched into a global phenomenon—mobilizing millions of women to laugh, connect, and reclaim their vitality.
NEW YORK - March 27, 2026: 25 years ago today, 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. The show now heads out on a multi-city tour with shiny new artwork showcasing the women behind the global movement.
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.”
“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.”
At its origin, many theaters refused to book MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®. In 2004, when the cast sang the national anthem at a MLB game, the stadium would not display the show’s name on the Jumbotron, deeming it too taboo. “Menopause” remained a whispered word, even among women. In the show’s early days, women arrived at the theater feeling isolated and ashamed. Within minutes of the performance, the first joke landed, and the room erupted in laughter. Women looked around in disbelief: “You too?” By the end of the 90-minute show, audience members joined the cast on stage for a kickline parody of “YMCA” titled “This Is Your Day.” Arm in arm, women who arrived as strangers left as sisters. The kickline became a signature moment of solidarity, celebrating a milestone in every woman’s life that had not yet been publicly honored.
MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® broke the silence, showing women they were not alone in their symptoms or shame. The show grew into an international smash hit that now plays more venues each year than WICKED and THE LION KING. In the theater, ladies laughed, looked around, and realized everyone else was laughing too. From humble beginnings in a makeshift venue, the musical has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, bringing joy and laughter to its international sisterhood.
“It’s impossible not to laugh!” exclaimed The New York Times. The Los Angeles Times praised the show as “Fresh, funny and simply terrific!”
The Boston Globe hailed the show as “a rollicking girls’ night out!”
MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® is a groundbreaking celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived “The Change.” 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.
“To those who have been through the change, are going through it now, or love someone who is, may this production bring you as much laughter, support, and fellowship as intended. And may our dear Jeanie be laughing and singing along from whichever perch she’s watching,” said Seth Greenleaf, Director and Producer, about the anniversary’s announcement.
MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® will launch a 25th Anniversary North American Tour in summer 2026. The MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® team invites audiences—both new and returning—to join the party that celebrates you, changes lives, sparks conversations, and — like its sisterhood — shows no signs of slowing down. Full tour schedule to be announced in June. Current details available at MenopauseTheMusical.com.
Interviews available upon request. For additional media assets, click here.
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 is also the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history, performing nightly at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. 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.
WEBSITE - MenopauseTheMusical.com
FACEBOOK - facebook.com/menopausethemusical
INSTAGRAM - instagram.com/menopausethemusical
X - x.com/menomusical
THREADS - threads.com/@menopausethemusical
BIOGRAPHIES
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.
SETH GREENLEAF (Director) A Tony Award® winner for his work on The Inheritance, Stereophonic and the 50th anniversary production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Seth would be the first to tell you that he’s lived a theatrical life. A graduate of UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television, he was bitten early by the entertainment bug and has worked in theatre and film ever since. Some of his favorite highlights include producing 9 to 5 The Musical on Broadway with Dolly Parton, co-financing the Tony Award® and Olivier Award-winning musicals The Book of Mormon and Matilda The Musical, and directing the award-winning documentary F(l)ag Football (FlagFootballTheMovie.com). He currently has SIX The Musical and The Book of Mormon running on Broadway and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on national tour in the U.S. Recent productions on Broadway include Dead Outlaw, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Stereophonic, Funny Girl on national tour in the U.S. and The Shark is Broken on tour in the UK. 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. Seth is also a founding member of the Broadway Green Alliance, helping to green the Great White Way, for more information on that effort please visit BroadwayGreen.com.
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
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