Interview: Megan Cavanagh Discusses Her Role in the Side-Splitting MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL, Coming to Riverside's Fox Performing Arts Center

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL (MTM), which has been delighting audiences for years, is coming to Riverside's Fox Performing Arts Center (Fox PAC). The four performers on what is subtitled THE SURVIVOR TOUR have all either survived cancer themselves or served as caregiver for a family member with cancer. The two performances at the Fox will allow attendees to laugh for a good cause because MTM THE SURVIVOR TOUR ticket sales will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Having seen the show with a different cast, I can attest that it is hilariously funny. Although most of the attendees consisted of women of at least middle-age, the men and younger women in the audience also seemed to enjoy themselves immensely.

BWW conducted an email interview with Megan Cavanagh, who plays the Earth Mother in the current production. Ms. Cavanagh, a breast cancer survivor, is most recognized as Marla Hooch from the movie, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Some of her other film credits include ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS (Broomhilde), FOR RICHER OR POORER (Levinia Yoder), THAT DARN CAT (Lu), and The Academy Award Nominated Animated Feature JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS (Judy Neutron). She has appeared as a regular character on two Nickolodeon series and as a guest star on HOME IMPROVEMENT, FRIENDS, WILL & GRACE, JUST SHOOT ME, WEST WING, ER, and many others.

Broadway World: I've seen MTM and laughed my head off. Because this is specifically a "Survivors' Tour" to benefit the Komen Foundation, has the show been changed in any way to touch on cancer?

Megan Cavanagh: No, the show hasn't changed. The cast of breast cancer survivors (3 of us and one co-survivor/caregiver) is what's different.

BWW: I've always assumed that people who perform in comedies need to have a great sense of humor themselves. Did laughter play a part in your healing process?

MC: Absolutely! When I was in treatment with chemo and radiation, I watched the entire series of 30 Rock and laughed myself silly! And when the last episode aired, I started watching it all over again.
I come from a very funny family and humor is a big part my life everyday.

BWW: Are there any differences between working with an all-female cast and a mixed-sex cast?

MC: Every show is different. Onstage, in an all female cast or mixed-sex cast, the PLAY is the thing. The audience plays a part in every theater experience, but in Menopause The Musical the audience is the fifth girlfriend. MTM speaks to women going through the change and so it's a very bonding experience. Every time I go on a tour with MTM it's a different cast and because we are all unique beings, and we all bring our individual style to our roles, it's different. No matter who is in the cast - you are all there to tell the story (the play).

BWW: How does performing in a small-cast musical differ from performing in the more typical large-cast musical?

MC: Again, I think it depends on the SHOW. In MTM all four of us are on stage pretty much the entire time. It's very much an ensemble piece. In a large-cast musical there's more choreography happening backstage so as not to bump into each other or moving set pieces. But every show is unique. The large cast musical has bigger musical numbers with an orchestra, while our small cast musical doesn't.
I know to the audience it must seem like - these actors have done this show so many times it must get tired or boring - but because of the uniqueness of each audience and cast, and theaters, it doesn't get boring or old for me.

BWW: As female performers get older, their choice of roles seems to dwindle faster than it does for male performers. Do you have a strategy for combating this phenomenon?

MC: Keep working. LOL! I've been with his show on and off for eleven years. I'm glad they keep hiring me. I also do cartoon voices and that helps, but just keeping yourself out there - doing what you love is such a exceptional thing. We are in the Actors Equity Association union - meaning we are professional actors- and they have an audition list of upcoming productions to audition for - I check that all the time to see what's being offered, but I've been so fortunate to keep getting hired for MTM, that I haven't had to audition for anything in a while. I feel tremendously fortunate to have been able to keep acting into my fifties. And I hope to in my sixties, seventies, and eighties... and beyond! And to writers out there: WRITE MORE FOR OLDER WOMEN!!!

BWW: Is there anything else you want to tell the readers?

MC: Come watch us sing and dance! And laugh until your cheeks hurt!

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL: THE SURVIVOR TOUR will appear at the Fox PAC for two shows on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.riversidelive.com, in person at the box office, or by calling the Fox Performing Arts Center Broadway Hotline at 951-335-3469. Ticket prices range from $50.50 to $82.75, including fees. The production will donate no less than $2 per ticket sold to Susan G. Komen® to further its mission to save lives and end breast cancer. The Fox PAC is located at 3801 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501, about 120 miles from San Diego, 70 miles from parts of the San Fernando Valley and West LA, 57 miles from Long Beach, 55 miles from Palm Springs, and 45 miles from Anaheim.

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