“If ‘Hamilton’ is an American story, what could be more American—and Texan—than the story of silicone gel breast implants?”

Dr. Ron Friedman
Plastic Surgeon, Musical Theater Impresario
.…on the inspiration behind his comedic musical “cleaVage.”

Dr. Ron Friedman

The Last Word above ran through Friedman’s mind in 2019, when he was seeing “Hamilton” on Broadway. The noted Plano-based plastic surgeon didn’t just muse about it—he put his own music talent to work, collaborating with Laura Goodenow to create “cleaVage,” a comedic musical “inspired by the trailblazing surgeons and brave patients who shaped the spectacular rise, equally spectacular fall, and ultimate resurgence of silicone gel breast implants”—which, as it happens, were invented in Texas in 1962.

The musical will debut Oct. 3 at Lakeside Community Theatre in The Colony for a three-weekend run, and is already nearly sold out.

“As a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in the Dallas area for 30 years, I have an insider’s understanding of the fascinating and unbelievable history of silicone gel implants,” Friedman—a former chief of plastic surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital and UT Southwestern faculty member—said in a statement. “That knowledge, combined with my passion for writing and performing music, became the perfect formula for bringing this amazing story to life as a musical.”

The musical is said to be an origin story, love story, and underdog story all wrapped in one—including an inspirational dog—featuring song, dance, and “unexpected heart.”

“The performances of ‘cleaVage’ are empowering, whimsical, insightful, and surprisingly emotional,” Goodenow said. “It’s a journey that celebrates the people behind the procedure and those impacted by it, while also being an informative and inspiring story with something for all to enjoy.”

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the musical have a special preview performance benefiting Women Rock, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to saving and changing lives through increased awareness, early detection of breast cancer, and support for breast cancer survivors. In addition, all merchandise proceeds from the October cleaVage performances will benefit the nonprofit.

An artful plastic surgeon

Friedman’s work as a musical impresario didn’t come out of nowhere. A songwriter and pianist for more than 40 years, he has performed his music at live events. He recorded a 17-song pop and rock CD, “Illusions,” with all proceeds benefitting Smile Train, a non-profit providing free cleft lip and palate surgery to children in over 60 countries. Beyond the music world, Friedman is also a wood and marble sculptor whose work has been displayed in several galleries and is part of “many private collections.”

For more info on “cleaVage,” including how to snag tickets, go here.

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.