A laughter guarantee

When is the last time you heard 1200 people laughing at the same time? I can tell you it is a beautiful sound! Sunday was an experience to remember as families from around the region converged upon The Niswonger to make memories at Puppy Pals. The experience certainly delivered. There’s just something about how laughter makes a memory more permanent in our minds. Like it is some magical glue that knows the recall can be even sweeter than the moment!

Laughter is our February guarantee as we look ahead to Menopause The Musical at 3 p.m. Saturday, February 25. If you are wondering, you don’t have to be a woman of a certain age to have a ball at this hysterical show. The show is known to produce howls of laughter (no exaggeration!) from start to finish, a standing ovation, and a rush to the stage when the audience is invited to dance with the cast during curtain calls.

Menopause The Musical is a 90-minute performance of four women navigating life changes that unite all women to the tune of sketched-out parodies of pop songs from the ’60s and ’70s. Bloomie’s is where these ladies meet and where the entire show takes place. From the jewelry to the lingerie to the cosmetics department, in the bathroom, beauty salon, and restaurant, they bond over hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, and other menopausal milestones-all to the tune of baby-boomer ditties. “California Girls” becomes “Wish we all could be sane and normal girls”; “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is transformed into “In the guest room or on the sofa, my husband sleeps tonight”; “Chain of Fools” is “Change of Life”; “Stayin’ Alive” is “Stayin’ Awake”; and so on.

To illustrate how life changes bring everyone together, the cast offers up four diverse characters: Power Woman, Soap Star, Iowa Housewife, and Earth Mother. These personas have a way of connecting powerfully with the audience as everyone sees either themselves or someone they know reflected in the unpredictable parody.

The performers are talented and their verve plays a large part in winning over the audience. It’s a laugh fest you don’t want to miss! But don’t take it from me. You can trust the reviews of a show in its 21st year and ranks 17th as the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history, performing nightly at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Menopause The Musical has been seen by more than 17 million people, it has played in every state in the continental U.S. and more than 500 cities worldwide and has been translated into nine languages.

The Niswonger stage of inspiration is also known for its purpose in education. This show will have you laughing a lot and learning perhaps a little about the humorous realities of being human. Laughing together is far better than laughing alone. Join us for a matinee to remember for as long as we can! Oh, did I already say that?