Creator Carrie Vanhouten hams it up with her pink puppet outside the Atwater Village Theatre, where The Menopause Monologues is heating up the stage with humor, heart — and a touch of hot flash energy. 🔥🎭
Photo courtesy of The Menopause Monologues
Atwater Village—Puppet shows are traditionally kids’ entertainment, but Eastside producers and venues are increasingly offering options for adults. Highland Park’s Bob Baker Marionette Theater is taking the stage at Coachella next spring, and last month, Freak Nature Puppets mounted its “Nosferatu’s Sweet 16: 4D” at The Elysian. It was part musical, part haunted house experience.
Now comes another unlikely creation: The Atwater Village Theatre on Nov. 5 will debut “The Menopause Monologues.” Created by Carrie Vanhouten, it brings the often-taboo subject of menopause into the spotlight—with a bit of help from a puppet of Carrie’s vagina.
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The show is inspired by Vanhouten’s personal journey with menopause, and she believes that shining a light on the topic in a creative way can help others.
“We need to get these stories on stage so that we can all share our stories and learn from one another,” she said.
Then there’s the obvious question: Why puppets?
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“There’s a part of me that felt a little safer on stage talking about my journey with a little extra layer of puppet,” Vanhouten said.
Lulu Braunstein, the show’s co-founder and producer, added, “People connect with puppets, don’t they? It makes it easier for audiences to hear some of the stuff.”
Before each show, the creative team hosts workshops where women can share their experiences of menopause. Stories are chosen and then performed in whichever medium they prefer—from monologue to live painting to dance. After all of the performances, including one from Vanhouten, an expert from The Menopause Society will host a Q&A.
While menopause and ancient vampires have little in common, Deanna “Deedee” Anderson, a founding member of Freak Nature Puppets, believes that in the post-COVID era, the puppet-to-person connection carries a unique appeal.
“There’s something really engaging about seeing something that wows you in person,” Anderson, who lives in Highland Park, said. “I think in this technology era, after the pandemic of being on our phones and computers all the time, people really love to see something that feels so human-made and filled with spirit.”
“The Menopause Monologues” runs Nov. 5-9 at the Atwater Village Theatre.
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