Church basement ladies Marcia Sattelberg and Carrie Neal rehearse a scene in the Timber Lake Playhouse production of Church Basement Ladies opening Friday, September 8 at the Playhouse
MOUNT CARROLL, ILLINOIS (September 1, 2023) — In rural Minnesota, 1965, the ladies of the local church fortify their flock with love, wisdom and, of course, the food they prepare in the church’s basement kitchen. Inspired by the best-selling book Growing Up Lutheran, Church Basement Ladies mixes together delightful original music, endearing characters, and side[dish]-splitting scenes to yield a deliciously funny musical comedy.
The comedy, centered in a rural Minnesota church, features characters seemingly every churchgoer knows: Those ladies who labor faithfully in the church kitchen among the casseroles and cast iron. While serving meals for weddings, funerals, and fundraisers, they also solve problems, debate recipes, and offer a big dollop of laughter. As one promotion touted, "You'll laugh so hard your side-dish will hurt."
Church Basement Ladies, a celebration of the church-basement kitchen and the women who work there, features four distinct characters and their relationships as they organize the food and the problems of a rural Minnesota church. From the elderly matriarch of the kitchen to the young bride-to-be learning the proper order of things, the book and music give us a touching, funny look at their lives as we see them handle a record-breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a Hawaiian Easter Fundraiser, and a steaming-hot July wedding. They stave off potential disasters, share and debate recipes, instruct the young, and keep the Pastor on course while thoroughly enjoying (and tolerating) each other.
The cast of Church Basement Ladies features Judi Mann (Mavis), Carrie Neal (Karin), Marcia Sattelberg (Vivian), Lydia Prior (Signe), and C J Langdon (Pastor E L Gunderson). Church Basement Ladies was written by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen. The show is directed by Courtney Crouse, with choreography by Dawn Trautman and music direction from Oliver Townsend. The creative team includes Dan Danielowski (Set and Lighting Designer), Tammy Long (Costume Designer), Dillon Allen (Sound Designer), Jeff Creath (Prop Designer), and Lydia Krause (Production Stage Manager).
Information and tickets for all Timber Lake Playhouse events are available online at timberlakeplayhouse.org or by calling the Box Office at (815) 244-2035. The Box Office is open 10AM-5PM and show-days until intermission.
