The Curtain Rises on the Menopause Queen

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Your former work?

English teacher, owner of an advertising/marketing agency, travel writer, roadie for Michael Jackson's Victory Tour, producer of art shows and music festivals.

Your new work?

The writer-producer of Menopause The Musical® and its ancillary projects, i.e., publisher of me* Magazine, founder of the Entertainment to Empowerment Foundation, etc.

What or who inspired you to make the change?

I have had a rather eclectic career, as I tend to "listen to the voices in my head." Being goal oriented, once I have achieved a goal I tend to get bored and move onto the next challenge that my inner voice convinces me I can do.

What was the biggest hurdle to making the change?

I was told by New York "theater people" that no one would be interested in my show. So I built my own theater by converting a perfume shop to a 76-seat theater in Orlando and it took off from there.

Can you map out what steps you took in this transition?

• How did you start?
I wrote the play which is a parody of songs familiar to Baby Boomers and set out to mount a show.


• Did you consult someone?
I found people I believed were "professional" in the theater field—who understood my vision. Made a few mistakes with choices but came out on top in the long run.


• Did you read books?
No, the "how to be a producer" books had too much legal stuff in them. So I winged it.


• Did you take any self-assessment tests?
No, since the old tests I had taken all said I was an overachieving, Type A personality.


• How did you define what was right for you?
I have complete and utter faith in my own intuition and marketing sense.

What skills from your old job are useful in your new?

The most important one is having the ability to view what is being produced from the perspective of the audience, not the ego-centric producer.

Anything you miss about the old career?

Time.

How do you feel now that you've taken the leap?

Tired … and proud that we have launched a movement that actually makes a difference in the lives of baby boomer women, and is now affecting and aiding women in Kenya and other Third World countries.

Now when you go to a party, how do you introduce yourself?

"I'm the Menopause Queen."

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