The Thermostat Wars: A Menopause ‘Freaky Friday’ Comes to Carrollwood
Why Deborah Bostock-Kelley’s latest staged reading is more than a comedy—it’s a $5 ticket to feeling seen.
By Avery Anderson
The idea for Hot and Bothered wasn’t born in a writer’s retreat or a quiet studio. It was born in a sweltering back room at the 2025 Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, where a group of women were "crammed" together, waiting for their plays to go up.
"You just imagine we're all sitting there. We're all like, oh my God, it's hot," playwright and director Deborah Bostock-Kelley recalls. "And then we just started arbitrarily talking about menopause symptoms, about forgetfulness and hot flashes and night sweats. As I was standing in line to go on with my play, I was like, oh my God, this is a play".
On Saturday, March 7, that humid realization makes its world debut as a staged reading at The Studio at Carrollwood Cultural Center. But don't let the "reading" label fool you. This isn't a static line of actors behind music stands; thanks to designer Shirley Overton, the production features an "active" set including a kitchen, a bedroom, and even a custom-built car.
The Cursed Body-Swap
The play centers on Sue and Will, a husband and wife at odds. Will is unsympathetic and dismissive of Sue’s menopause journey—until a trip to a psychic fair results in a curse from a certain "Madam Fullishite".
Suddenly, it’s Freaky Friday with higher stakes and lower estrogen levels. Will finds himself sweating through Sue’s hot flashes, while Sue is "stuck with his prostate". The narrative follows the pair as they navigate the chaos while hiding their condition from their college-age daughter and a best friend Will has never particularly liked.
To bring the "relatable chaos" to life, Bostock-Kelley recruited the cast of Tampa Metropolitan Improv (TMI), including Erica Garaffa and Jesse Hutson. "I’m literally stealing the cast of TMI," she says. "They are just incredible, amazing actors".
Science, Solidarity, and the Open Mic
Bostock-Kelley is adamant that the evening be an "event," not just a story. The play is the hook, but the post-show programming is the heart of the mission.
- The Science: Dr. Sumer Samhoury, a menopause specialist, will lead a Q&A to provide clarity and compassion on topics ranging from emotional to sexual health. "She’s the voice you wish you had in your exam room," Bostock-Kelley notes.
- The Solidarity: Inspired by Melanie Sanders’ "We Do Not Care Club," the night concludes with a "Bless-Your-Heart, No F’s Left to Give" open mic.
- The Raffle: A $5 ticket purchase enters guests into a raffle for a gift basket from The Salt Room at Wesley Chapel, specifically curated with products to help with menopause symptoms.
Breaking the Silence
Despite being a universal experience for half the population, menopause remains a topic often relegated to "hushed tones". For Bostock-Kelley, writing this was a necessity driven by community need.
"I hope the men in the audience find a little bit more sympathy for what their wives are going through, because they will never experience this," she says. "I’m hoping there’ll be some compassion, and I hope people will be laughing".
The playwright, a self-described perfectionist, wrote the bulk of the first draft during a 2:00 a.m. bout of insomnia—fitting for a play about a condition that famously disrupts sleep. While she admits to being "terrified" to put the work out there, she views this staged reading as a vital first step in growing the piece into a fully-realized production.
"It turned into something," she says. "Just a silly little story turned into this beautiful event about menopause because we don't talk about it enough".
Go See It: Hot and Bothered
Saturday, March 7 | 7:30 PM
The Studio at Carrollwood Cultural Center