The News Journal- Delaware Online
By Betsy Price

Sonya Carter abandoned a 12-year corporate career with American Express to hit the boards with "Girls Night: The Musical," a tale of friends out for a bit of fun one evening.

It played in Wilmington twice, and now Carter will be back Tuesday and Wednesday in another production by the same company, the world premiere of "Girl Talk: The Musical."

It's more than girls just wanting to have fun, says Carter.

"Every night is a new experience. This show is so different in that it really engages the audience. It really breaks that fourth wall and allows a new interpretation every time on stage," she says.

"Girl Talk" follows the same hit formula -- women chatting about their lives, belting out of female-centered anthems and coping with a jarring twist -- to bring another estrogen-loaded theatrical comedy experience to town.

"Women make up, in general, 80 percent of the audience when it comes to live theater," says producer Tim Flaherty. "We just try to stage shows spectacularly when it comes to that audience. We thought of 'Girl Talk' as a way to continue the party that people are having at 'Girls Night.' "

The thespian version of chick lit, "Girl Talk" revolves around the last night of a radio program that for years has catered to women only. The older DJ -- Janice, played by Carter -- is upset that the younger one, who seems to have the perfect life compared to Janice's messy one, plans to leave the show. While coping with their cynical producer, they also host their most popular guest, an English teacher turned sex therapist.

"She's sort of like Martha Stewart meets Dr. Ruth," Flaherty says. "She will find practical alternatives for just about anything.

The hosts love her and hate her. They can't deny their ratings spikes when she's on, but they're embarrassed by the alternate uses she comes up with for pretty standard products."

In the end, he says, the show is about women and their relationships with each other.

"Husbands and jobs can come and go," he says, "but girlfriends are forever."
Even so with that sentiment, the show is careful not to slam men, Carter says, but, instead, celebrates them.

That's one of the secrets of the successes of shows like this, which Flaherty says are part of a genre of productions including "Menopause: The Musical" that focus on women. Their female audiences find them.

"Girls Night" sold out five weeks in Philadelphia. It did well in Wilmington, too.

It may be because women know from the title the show's premise.

"You have to get your message across as quickly and as efficiently as possible, and I think that demographic titles are the quickest way to do that," he says. "The true theater people probably cringe when we talk like this, but identifying the audience helps you sell tickets."

Carter, who played three of the five roles in "Girls Night," will play Janice, a character she describes as Kelly Ripa meets Lilith, Frasier's wife on the old "Cheers" TV series. Her life (and loves) are quite a mess, especially compared to her perfect co-star.

Carter is fresh off three years of a road tour and looking forward to getting back on another one.

"You get to sing all these great songs, all these great girl anthems. You feel like a rock star."

While the first play featured tunes like "It's Raining Men," the new play will feature more current pop tunes by people such as Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Pink and Gretchen Wilson.

"We also went with some old stuff, too," Flaherty says. " 'I'm So Excited' by the Pointer Sisters and 'Think' by Aretha Franklin."

Carter loves spending time with the women in the show and loves to see how different audiences interpret it.

The only drawback, the 36-year-old says, is being away from her 17-year-old son, who's cared for by "a village of family and friends" while she's on the road.

She misses him a lot, she says.

"But, hopefully, he's learning to go for his dreams, too."