Menopause can be a laughing matter

By Andrea Nemetz
The Chronicle Herald
May 8, 2008

Catherine McKinnon is getting to exercise her inner diva.

As Zsuzsu, in the Halifax Feast production of Menopositive! The Musical, she is a flamboyant Hungarian actress a la the Gabor sisters who has escaped with her husband from "a communist paradise" only to discover her new country doesn't offer a lot of opportunities for thespians.

She scrubs floors, dishes and restrooms, but in her heart she's still a star, says McKinnon, who has played the role in previous productions in Victoria, P.E.I., at the Confederation Centre's cabaret space in Charlottetown and at Chester Playhouse in 2002.

Playing a star is no stretch for McKinnon, who rose to fame in the mid-1960s as a regular cast member on CBC TV shows Singalong Jubilee, Don Messer's Jubilee and CBC Radio's That McKinnon Girl.

And the Saint John, N.B.-born singer, who moved to Halifax at the age of 12, and studied music at Mount Saint Vincent University, is thrilled to be making her Halifax Feast debut as Zsuzsu for 16 performances tonight to June 1.

"She's a wonderful character to play. And I'm excited about working with Jim and Pam. And there's also the joy of coming home," she says relaxing with a bottle of Evian after changing out of her costume of tight leopard-print capri-length tights and spike heels.

Jim is Jim Petrie, Halifax Feast's owner who is directing and producing this show, written by J.J. McColl.

Pam is Pam Stevenson, who has starred with McKinnon in previous Menopositive productions as Kate."Kate's a writer and a recovering alcoholic. She hasn't been able to find a job for 19 years. In high school, she won a talent contest and everyone expected her to be a big success but she got pregnant on prom night," Stevenson says.

"She hasn't written anything since but when she is asked to put a revue together for her 35th high school reunion, she has to prove to herself she's the old Kate Phillips, that she can turn her life around and that she still has talent."

The other women in the fictional revue include Bev Burrows as Cynthia, the conservative, unsuspecting wife of a philandering executive and Pamela Lutz as Marnie, a Fortune 500 president whose current toyboy is 21. When a fourth woman declines as she's gained too much weight and doesn't want to be seen in public, Zsuzsu steps in, "gets very pushy and takes over," says Stevenson, adding "and she does it with a great song called Here I Am."

McKinnon, who has homes in Toronto and P.E.I., says it's great fun to sing Here I Am, but her favourite song is entitled Magda, Maria and Me.

"Years ago, someone asked me why I sing so often in a minor key and I said ‘It is much more powerful, raw, full of naked emotion.' Magda, Maria and Me is a wonderful song in the minor key and it's a wonderful story to interpret."

Menopositive! the Musical is full of fabulous music, says McKinnon. "Every actor has a moment to shine. Each actor has a big number that they can emote with. It's a great piece for four women," she says noting as women age the roles they are offered diminish.

The 63-year-old says she doesn't care about age, joking she always says she's 104.

"It's not about age, it's about how you look at life. It's about how you feel. And this play is life-affirming.

"What I love best is that it says something women think, but never verbalize. It has shock value. You say something and there is 15 seconds of silence followed by an incredible burst of laughter. It gives people the freedom to let go, the opportunity to talk about the subject. That moment of recognition is so delicious."

Stevenson says she has been encouraging long-time friend Petrie to read the play for a long time.

"It has an incredibly strong following and it's a conversational topic that needs to be celebrated and rarely is.

"When we've done it in the past, the audience usually starts out at 70-30 women and men but goes to 50-50. It's about women for women but anyone can enjoy it."

This is the first Feast show that Petrie didn't write. The dinner theatre has existed for 23 years and the Cape Breton native has been writing the productions for all his 19 years at the Halifax entertainment institution.

"It's a joy to do a script that's already written and this is a show that stands on its own with actresses who really know what to do and we've had such a good time doing it," he says.

Menopositive! The Musical, runs tonight, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday , May 17 to 21 and May 27 to June 1.

For this show, the actors aren't waiters but McKinnon winks they will be getting up close and personal with audience members.

Tickets are $48.25 including dinner, show and tax and are available by calling 420-1840.