Monthly Archives: January 2022

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® ANNOUNCES CAST FOR CINCINNATI ENGAGEMENT
ARONOFF CENTER’S JARSON-KAPLAN THEATER

FEBRUARY 15-27, 2022

Great For a Girls’ Night Out! Tickets On Sale Now!
New Group Sale Discounts Recently Announced

CINCINNATI, OH – GFour Productions, winners of 56 Drama Desk and 44 Tony Awards^®, today announced the cast of leading ladies for the international hit show Menopause The Musical®, which will play the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater from February 15-27, 2022 for fifteen performances (see performance schedule below). The show is part of Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2021-22 Presenting Season.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office at 650 Walnut Street, Downtown. Ticket price: $65 (all seats). Applicable services fees may apply.

The following new group sales discounts (for 8 or more) have been recently announced:

• 50%-OFF the following performances (while supplies last; discount tickets are limited):  Wed., 2/16 @ 7:30pm; Sun., 2/20 @ 7:30pm; Tue., 2/22 @ 7:30pm; Wed., 2/23 @ 7:30pm; Thu., 2/24 @ 7:30pm; Fri., 2/25 @ 7:30pm
• 20%-OFF all other performances
• To purchase group tickets, contact (513) 977-4175 or ticketing@cincinnatiarts.org.

Menopause The Musical® continues to empower women across the globe, keeping hot flashes “HOT” through 20 years of production, playing to more than 17 million fans worldwide. The cast of Menopause The Musical® includes Donna J. Huntley (Professional Woman), Kimberly Vanbiesbrouck (Soap Star), Megan Cavanagh (Earth Mother), and Roberta B. Wall (Iowa Housewife).

MEGAN CAVANAGH (Earth Mother) is most recognized as Marla Hooch from the Penny Marshall movie A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Other film credits: Mel Brooks’ ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS (Broomhilde) and (Essie) DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT. She starred with Tim Allen in FOR RICHER OR POORER (Levinia Yoder), and voiced Judy Neutron in the Academy Award nominated animated feature JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS. TV credits include the recurring character Trudy (who married Al) on HOME IMPROVEMENT. She was a series regular (Chris) on BOB with Bob Newhart and Betty White. She guest starred on DRUNK HISTORY, FRIENDS, WILL & GRACE, JUST SHOOT ME, ER, and many others. She has performed in MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® since 2004. Noted regional credits include: BLITHE SPIRIT (Madame Arcati), A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Pseudolus), JUBILEE (Queen/Butch), and HIGH SPIRITS (Madam Arcati). Megan has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 1987, and a SAG-AFTRA member since 1988. Visit her website: MeganCavanagh.com.

DONNA J. HUNTLEY (Professional Woman) is a Youngstown, Ohio native who has enjoyed playing Professional Woman and Soap Star across the nation off and on since 2004 after completing world tours as a Guest Entertainer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. With numerous regional commercials and TV appearances to her credit, some favorite Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional theatre credits include: LENA HORNE: THE LADY AND HER  MUSIC, SHADOW BOX (Beverly), OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET (Inez), HAIRSPRAY (Motor Mouth Mable), NUNSENSE (Sister Herbert), CHICAGO (Matron Mama Morton), and BARNUM (Joyce Heth). Winner of a Presidential Award for Best Overseas USO Tour, Donna worked with Richard Pryor “Here and Now,” co-wrote and recorded with Atlantic Records as a member of Company B, and solo with Sleath Records in Holland. She performed with The Platters, Ben Vereen, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Latin Superstars El Puma and Chayanne, to name a few. “It is truly an honor to be a part of the MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® family. To bring joy and laughter to our audiences while building lasting friendships and sisterhood on and off the stage continues to be a wonderful experience.” Donna is a proud member of AEA.

KIMBERLY VANBIESBROUCK (Soap Star) started ballet when she was four years old. She went on to earn her Bachelors Degree in Theatre and Dance from Western Michigan University and now has the good fortune to work professionally as both an actor and choreographer. As Choreographer Supervisor for MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®, Kimberly has staged the production in theaters across the country. Her first time performing as the Soap Star was in her hometown of Detroit, where MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® was awarded the honor of longest-running musical in the city’s history and Best Ensemble Cast. Currently she resides in Chicago, where some of her other credits include MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL, Judy Garland in BEYOND THE RAINBOW, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, SWEET CHARITY, ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE, A CHORUS LINE, and CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Kimberly is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, as well as a certified Yoga, Barre and Kickboxing instructor. She is thankful to have the opportunity to work for GFour Productions, continuing to bring the joy of Menopause to audiences everywhere. Kimberly would like to send all her love and appreciation to the best production she ever created… her beautiful daughter, Isobel.

ROBERTA B. WALL (Iowa Housewife) first stepped on stage with MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® in the original L.A. production, which opened in 2003. Since then, she has toured with the show in the role of “Iowa Housewife,”performing coast to coast. She was brought on as vocal director for MENOPAUSIA, the Spanish version of the show in 2013, and has continued on as National Asst. Musical Director. Her other performing credits include Broadway: original casts of SISTER ACT and LEAP OF FAITH; National Tours: SISTER ACT, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; Regional: Sacramento Music Circus, Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Laguna Playhouse, Long Beach C.L.O., La Mirada C.L.O. Recordings include the cast albums of LADY BE GOOD, PARDON MY ENGLISH, and OH, KAY! on the Gershwin record label, Roxbury Records. Her eclectic career has also included singing Doo Wop with the group “Double Date” at Universal Studios Tour and Disneyland in Los Angeles and appearing as a special guest on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson.

ABOUT THE SHOW
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 twenty years of female empowerment through hilarious musical comedy, Menopause The Musical® has evolved as a “grassroots” movement of women who deal with life adjustments after forty by embracing each other and the road ahead.

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 unique bond with the entire audience as they rejoice in celebrating that menopause is no longer “The Silent Passage.” 

Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, Menopause The Musical® was created as a celebration of women who find themselves at any stage of “The Change.” The laughter-filled 90-minute production gets audience members out of their seats and singing along to parodies from classic pop songs of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.

Menopause The Musical® is now in its twentieth year and fifteenth year as the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history, performing nightly at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Seen by more than seventeen million people, it has played every state in the continental U.S. and more than five hundred cities and seventeen countries worldwide; has toured internationally in Australia, Canada, Croatia, France, Hungary, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Korea and the U.K.; and has been translated into nine languages. For more information, visit www.MenopauseTheMusical.com.

Menopause The Musical® Performance Schedule

• Tuesday, February 15 @ 7:30 PM
• Wednesday, February 16 @ 7:30 PM
• Thursday, February 17 @ 7:30 PM
• Friday, February 18 @ 7:30 PM
• Saturday, February 19 @ 1:00 PM & 7:30 PM
• Sunday, February 20 @ 1:00 PM & 7:30 PM
• Tuesday, February 22 @ 7:30 PM
• Wednesday, February 23 @ 7:30 PM
• Thursday, February 24 @ 7:30 PM
• Friday, February 25 @ 7:30 PM
• Saturday, February 26 @ 1:00 PM & 7:30 PM
• Sunday, February 27 @ 1:00 PM

About GFour Productions
GFour Productions is the proud producer of some of the nation’s highest caliber shows, from regional theatre to Broadway, including MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL®. Other recent productions include THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG on Broadway and U.S. tour, winner of London’s Olivier Award for Best Comedy; THE INHERITANCE, TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, and SIX THE MUSICAL on Broadway; the Tony Award®-nominated production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF on tour in the U.S.; AMERICAN SON starring Kerry Washington, recently adapted for Netflix; and the premiere of David Mamet’s BITTER WHEAT, starring John Malkovich in the West End. Other selected highlights include winning the 2013 Tony Award® for their 50th anniversary production of Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF; co-financing the five-time Tony Award®, five-time Drama Desk Award, and seven-time Olivier Award winner for Best Musical, MATILDA THE MUSICAL; and producing the popular 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, and RING OF FIRE the Johnny Cash Musical Show. Their combined shows have been nominated for 121 Tony Awards®, winning 44, and 110 Drama Desk Awards, winning 56. For more information, visit http://www.GFourProductions.com.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Graphic Village, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Downtown, Jeff Ruby’s Culinary Entertainment, Ohio Valley Wines, Pepsi, Philip Bortz Jewelers, Prime Cincinnati, Rhinegeist Brewery, Skyline Chili, Spoon & Cellar, Street City Pub, TriHealth, Vivial (formerly The Berry Co)

MEDIA PARTNER:  WGRR-FM

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 600,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education and community engagement programs in 1995, CAA has reached nearly two million students and adults. For more information, visit www.CincinnatiArts.org.

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