Menopause The Musical

Presented by Novavax Inc. and Mark Schwartz and TOC Productions in association with Brent Peek at Theatre Four, 424 W. 55 St., NYC. Opened April 4 for an open run.

The title "Menopause The Musical" is a giggle-inducer, the kind where you roll your eyes wondering what else might be fodder for theatrical derring-do and don't. But "Menopause" just wants to entertain, not move the American musical toward innovation and revolution, which in this case would normally be fine by me. That the show doesn't offer much of a journey or insight, however, feels like a missed opportunity. Still, the show connects to its largely feminine demographic, and in that sense doesn't lay an egg.

What distressed me was that Jeanie Linders, credited with book and lyrics, seemed content to put mediocrity on stage and believe it entertaining. Set in Bloomingdale's, the show's four characters are so ill-defined their names are archetypes: Power Woman (Joy Lynn Matthews), Soap Star (Mary Jo McConnell), Earth Mother (Joyce A. Presutti), and Iowa Housewife (Carolann Page). Shouldn't "Menopause The Musical" avoid stereotypes and aim for the opposite?

Having eschewed character, one looks to Linders' songs, all parodies of pop classics, for salvation: "Looking for Love" becoming "Looking for Food"; "Stayin' Alive" becoming "Stayin' Awake"; "My Guy" becoming "My Thigh." But you can't depend on Linders here, either. Sometimes her lyrics are astonishingly satirical; sometimes they're unfocused and lazy. Love of perfect rhymes will be unrequited.

Patty Bender's choreography, Kathleen Lindsey's direction, Jesse Poleshuck's set, Martha Bromelemeier's costumes, and Michael Gilliam's lighting are mostly on target, neither gaudy nor grand. And while one enjoys the performers, here again things are out of kilter. Matthews' voice is a force of nature; expect to see more of her, and kudos to the producers for casting someone of color as Power Woman.

Trouble is, McConnell, Presutti, and Page, however brightly they shine, cannot compete vocally. The differences are so disconcerting that all three very talented ladies too often employ cutesy facial expressions and milk numbers to balance things out. You'd think "Menopause The Musical" would at least be steadier on its feet.