Marcus Center For The Performing Arts Presents CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES

The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is proud to present the heavenly musical, Church Basement Ladies on June 23-August 7. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. at the Marcus Center Box Office.

Authors/humorists Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson the creators of the best-selling book Growing Up Lutheran and a host of other humorous writings have joined forces with Twin Cities based Production Company Troupe America, Inc. and it's Executive Producer Curt Wollan to turn their material into a new musical comedy, Church Basement Ladies. It was a love affair in the making originally inspired by a conversation with Wollan's in-laws suggesting that he talk with Martin and Nelson about the idea of turning their material into a musical comedy. Wollan wanted to create a show that celebrates the women who work so hard and with such dedication in the church kitchen whether they be Lutheran, Methodist, Jewish or Catholic. Wollan explained, "I know about these "Steel Magnolias" of the church, because my mother was one of them while I was growing up." Intrigued by the idea, Martin and Nelson agreed to meet.

Wollan commissioned creative writing team Jim Stowell, one of Minnesota's favorite storytellers and Jessica Zuehlke, a performance arts educator and also the daughter of a Church Basement Lady, to develop the book. This husband and wife duo collaborated with composer/ songwriter Drew Jansen, well-known for his creation of the music for the popular homegrown hit musical, How To Talk Minnesotan The Musical, directed by Wollan, the inspiration is found in his mother who was a well-respected church kitchen lady who's Church named their new stove in her honor. Church Basement Ladies is choreographed by Wendy Short Hays, with set design and lighting design by Scott Herbst, costume design by Katrina Benedict and musical direction by Drew Jansen.

100 percent Norwegian-American Lutheran, Martin and Nelson bill themselves as authors and humorists and together or individually are in high demand as speakers/performers throughout the country. Martin grew up on a farm near Hillsboro, North Dakota and now resides in Hastings, Minnesota and Nelson, originally from Evansville, Minnesota, lives in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The two met in 1964 during Freshman Week at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and became lifetime friends and partners in writing. Together they have co-authored and published a number of Scandinavian-American "heartwarming humor" books. Over the past ten years-- nine to be exact, beginning in 1994 with Cream Peas on? They are best-known for their book Growing Up Lutheran: What Does This Mean? which became a national bestseller and won them the 1998 Minnesota Book Award for Humor.

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, funnylook 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 due course while thoroughly enjoying, (and tolerating) each other. Funny and down to earth, audiences will recognize these ladies as they begin to see the Church year unfold from below the House of God.This is most certainly true!

The Marcus Center is pleased to announce the Milwaukee cast of Church Basement Ladies. The cast consists of local actors: Beth Mulkerron as Signe, Jenny Wanasek as Vivian, Norman Moses as Pastor Gunderson, Rhonda Rae Busch as Mavis and Kay Stiefel as Karin.

BETH MULKERRON
SIGNE
Beth studied Musical Theatre at the University of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music and received her BFA from Florida State. Career highlights include New York City's Off-Broadway musical REDHOOK, performing in concert with Davis Gaines, multiple recordings for Hal Leonard, appearing in independent films, and voiceover credits that include Miller, GE and NBC's Ed. Locally, Beth has performed extensively with First Stage Children's Theater including their productions of A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD, JUNIE B. JONES, and Harry Connick Jr's THE HAPPY ELF. Most recently you may have seen her in HULA HOOP SHA-BOOP at The Rep's Stackner Cabaret or in The Skylight's HMS PINAFORE. Additionally, Beth has appeared as Dot in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and as Fay in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE with Windfall Theatre. You can catch her solo cabaret, MY LIFE: THE MUSICAL, this May and June following select performances of The Adding Machine at The Skylight.

JENNY WANASEK
VIVIAN
Ms. Wanasek is delighted to return to the Marcus Center having played Mrs. Shubert in four runs of SHEAR MADNESS in Vogel Hall. Milwaukee Repertory credits include YES. NO. (MAYBE SO) and many runs of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. She has acted and/or directed for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act, Renaissance Theatreworks, In Tandem, First Stage, and The Skylight Opera Theatre. Some favorite credits include MOST HAPPY FELLA, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, INTO THE WOODS, PICNIC, LOST IN YONKERS, and SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL FOR YOU. This fall she will direct THE SINS OF SOR JUANA at UW-Milwaukee. She is a Co-Founder of The Center for Applied Theatre which uses theatre to address social problems and teaches acting and applied theatre techniques at UWM.

Norman Moses
PASTOR GUNDERSON
Norman has performed for over 40 years on Milwaukee stages. He has played roles with Skylight Opera Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Next Act Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, First Stage Children's Theater, Melody Top, Forward Theater, Goodman Theatre and the Alley Theatre. He has performed on the Vogel Hall stage in The Fantasticks, The Mikado, Sheer Madness and The Odd Couple, and this past fall he was on an 11 week, 30-city, tour of Japan singing with the Tokyo Philharmonic in Disney on Classic. He received his training at the Professional Theater Training Program at UW-M, now located at the University of Delaware.

RHONDA RAE BUSCH
MAVIS
Having grown up Lutheran and attended Lutheran school, Rhonda Rae is very excited to be part of this production. Her area credits include WHITE CHRISTMAS, MAN OF LA MANCHA, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, HMS PINAFORE (Skylight Opera Theatre), HONK!, GREEN GABLES, (First Stage), CINDERELLA, SOUND OF MUSIC, ANNIE (The Fireside Dinner Theatre) A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, CANDIDE (Madison Opera) and THE CUDAHY CAROLERS (In Tandem). Favorite roles include Ella in BELLS ARE RINGING, Miss Hannigan in ANNIE, and Martha in WHITE CHRISTMAS. She also performs in a feisty folk trio as one of "The Rhode Sisters" (slightly raucous, slightly relevant, and slightly related). Look for her in the near future in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (Fireside), MUSIC MAN (Skylight), CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Firstage).

KAY STIEFEL
KARIN
Kay is delighted to be performing on Vogel Hall's stage once again, having last been seen here as Elsa in THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Milwaukee Opera Company. She has performed with many area theatres including Skylight Opera, both Madison and Milwaukee Repertory Theatres, Chamber Theatre, and First Stage Children's Theatre. She hold a BS in Theatre Arts/ Dance from UW-Stevens Point, and also would like to give a shout out to her grade school alma maters Trinity Lutheran (Freistadt, WI), and St John's Lutheran (Plymouth, WI). Favorite roles include Peggy (THE FOURTH WALL), Jen (JOHN & JEN), Cinderella (INTO THE WOODS), Louise (GYPSY), and Loretta (HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FILM). She is probably best known for her cabaret work with singing partner of over twenty years, Jack Forbes Wilson.

Show times are Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. There will be three special matinee performances on Thursday, July 7 at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 13 at 1:00 p.m. and Thursday, July 21, at 1:00 p.m. Single tickets are on sale Monday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. and are available through the Marcus Center Box Office (414) 273-7206, online at www.MarcusCenter.org and through Ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices start at $38-$40 and vary depending on performance. Groups 10 or more can purchase tickets at a discount by calling Group Sales at (414) 273-7121 ext. 210.

ABOUT THE MARCUS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is owned and partially funded by Milwaukee County. The Marcus Center has been the premier entertainment destination for Milwaukee and Wisconsin since 1969. It provides the setting for outstanding cultural experiences, where the arts come to life for current and future generations. Located in the heart of the Downtown Theater District, the Marcus Center is a community facility that offers live performance of opera, ballet, children's theater, symphony and first-class national touring productions.

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