'Church Basement Ladies' to Open This Fall

The hilarious new musical comedy CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES will make its Chicago premiere at The North Shore Center for Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie, previewing September 10, opening Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. and closing September 27, 2008.  William Christopher, the Evanston native who played "Father Mulcahy" for 11 years on the show that many consider to be the best TV sitcom of all time, M*A*S*H, is coming home to headline the musical comedy that mixes the silliness of Nunsense with the homespun humor of Prairie Home Companion.  Curt Wollan will direct. The show was a smash hit in Minneapolis, where it sold out for 130 straight weeks.

CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES is a celebration of the church basement kitchens everywhere and the wonderful, unsung women who work there. Set in 1964-65, the show is a funny, heartfelt reflection on the four women who tirelessly prepare the food and solve problems for the congregation at a rural Minnesota church. The "Church Basement Ladies" include the elderly matriarch of the kitchen, a young bride-to-be, a jack-of-all trades farm wife and the best cook in the church.  Together, the ladies stave off potential disasters, share and debate recipes, instruct the young, and keep the Pastor on due course as they cope with the changing world.  In the span of a year, they plan a record-breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a Hawaiian Easter Fundraiser, and a steaming hot July wedding feast. A down-to-earth glimpse at life from the kitchen—the heart and soul of the church—CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES features toe-tapping music and delicious humor.

CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES is based on the best-selling book Growing Up Lutheran by humorists Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson.  The show features a book by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with Music and Lyrics by Drew Jansen.

The production stars William Christopher as Pastor E. L. Gunderson, Margaret Curry as Mrs. Elroy Engelson (Karin), Stella Fasonello as Signe Engelson, Jean Liuzzi as Mrs. Lars Snustad (Vivian), and Karen Pappas as Mrs. Gilmer Gilmerson (Mavis.)

The artistic team is led by Director Curt Wollan and the show is Choreographed by Wendy Short Hays.  Prop Design is by Gary Breitbach, Sound and Video Design is by Mark Brodin, Musical Direction is by Drew Jansen, Original Set Design is by Jerod Paul Grohs, Light and Scenic Design is by Scott R. Herbst, and Costume Design is by Beth Nistler,

The performance schedule for CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES  is Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. ($38.00 and $42.00) and 7:30 p.m. ($40.00 and $44.00), Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. ($38.00 and $42.00) and 7:30 p.m. ($40.00 and $44.00), Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ($43.00 and $48.00), Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. ($40.00 and $44.00) and 8:00 p.m. ($43.00 and $48.00), and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. ($42.00 and $46.00.)  Group tickets are available by calling Group Theater Tix at (312) 423-6612 or visiting www.grouptheatertix.com.  For tickets, call The North Shore Center for Performing Arts at (847) 673-6300 or visit www.northshorecenter.org.  For more information on the show, visit http://www.cbl-chicago.com.

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