women

The global hit Menopause The Musical® has today unveiled the cast for its 2026 Australian tour, returning to stages across the country from August with a brand-new production. The tour opens in Geelong next month before travelling to Parramatta, Melbourne, Newcastle, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, bringing audiences a night of uncontrollable laughter, uplifting celebration and shared sisterhood. Tickets are on sale now at www.menopausethemusical.com.au.

Taking to the stage in this hilarious, feel-good production are four queens of Australian musical theatre: Catherine Alcorn as the Professional Woman, Sally Bourne as the Housewife, Lena Cruz as the Earth Mother and Chelsea Gibb as the Soap Star.

Best known for her internationally acclaimed portrayal of Bette Midler in The Divine Miss Bette, Catherine Alcorn returns to Menopause The Musical® following her celebrated performances in the 2023 and 2024 Australian tours. A multi-award-winning performer, Catherine has built an impressive career spanning theatre, cabaret and live entertainment, performing throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

With a career spanning more than four decades, Sally Bourne has entertained audiences across Australia and London’s West End. Making her professional stage debut in the title role of the original Australian production of Annie, Sally went on to appear in productions including Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kinky Boots and Sister Act, most recently appearing in Ned Kelly: The Musical for Victorian Opera.

Originating the role of Cynthia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical and portraying Dr Sofia Martinez in the long-running television soap opera Shortland Street, Lena Cruz has forged a diverse career across stage and screen. Her musical theatre credits include In the Heights, Into the Woods, Hair and Singin’ in the Rain, while recent screen credits include Netflix’s Heartbreak High, SBS’s Erotic Stories and Ina.

A favourite with musical theatre audiences, Chelsea Gibb launched her career as Roxie Hart in the Australian production of Chicago, going on to perform the iconic role throughout Australia and internationally over four years. She has since appeared in many musical theatre productions including Anything Goes, The King and I and Cabaret, while her screen credits include Neighbours, All Saints and George of the Jungle 2.

The cast also features Hester van der Vyver as understudy.

Inspired by a hot flush and a glass (okay… bottle!) of wine, this hilarious, taboo-breaking musical follows four women who meet while shopping. As they swap stories of hormonal heatwaves, memory meltdowns, and midnight sweats, they belt out parodied hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s — including I Will Survive, Hot Stuff, What’s Love Got to Do With It, and We Are Family — and discover that menopause isn’t the end, but a bold new beginning, lived with honesty, humour and a new attitude.

Since its 2001 premiere, Menopause The Musical® has played to over 17 million women (and brave men) in more than 500 cities and nine languages. In Las Vegas, it’s the longest-running musical in the city’s history, thanks to a record-breaking 17-year run — and counting. Australia’s love affair with the show began in 2005, when it opened at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre. Originally slated for just two months, the season extended again and again, closing after seven months. Since then, the production has played to more than 1.5 million people across 200+ cities and towns nationwide — and holds the title as the longest-running musical ever to play Brisbane.

Produced by SK Entertainment, this new production is brought to life by a creative team led by the multi-award-winning director and choreographer Cameron Mitchell. Orchestrations and Arrangements by Damon Wade, Set Design by Frances Story, Lighting Design by Jasmine Rizk and Costume Design by Christine Mutton.

Menopause The Musical® is more than a night at the theatre — it’s a celebration of resilience, friendship and finding the humour in one of life’s biggest transitions.

Tickets are on sale now at www.menopausethemusical.com.au.

“Impossible not to laugh” — The New York Times
“Dollar for dollar… it’s the best show in town” — The Las Vegas Review Journal
“A rollicking girl’s night out” — Boston Globe
“Uproariously funny” — BroadwayWorld
“Women need this!” — The Today Show

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL® 2026 Australian Tour
Geelong Arts Centre: 21 – 23 August
Riverside Theatre, Parramatta: 27 – 30 August
Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne: 2 – 6 September
Civic Theatre, Newcastle: 11 – 13 September
Adelaide Festival Centre: 16 – 27 September
Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane: 30 September – 11 October
Canberra Theatre Centre: 15 – 18 October

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