Church Basement Ladies
Church Basement Ladies is a musical theatre series, based on a musical with book by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, music and lyrics by Drew Jansen. The series surrounds a group of women that work in their local church basement cooking meals for religious events and functions.
The original production and subsequent entries in the series are based on the book Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, published in 1997. In addition to Growing Up Lutheran, Martin and Nelson, under the name of "Those Lutheran Ladies", have written other works, including Growing Up Rural, published in 2017.
A revival of the original musical premiered at The Plymouth Playhouse in Plymouth, Minnesota on July 10, 2025.
Production history
Produced by Troupe America Inc., Curt Wollan, Executive Producer, the first six musicals in the series opened at the Plymouth Playhouse in Plymouth, Minnesota. Installments 7, 8 and 9 opened at the Ames Center in Burnsville, Minnesota.In addition to touring nationally, the nine musicals have been licensed in all contiguous 48 states and Canada. More than four million audience members have attended the musical and its sequels. On November 18, 2016, the company celebrated its 3000th performance at the Plymouth Playhouse. Original Cast Recordings are available for Church Basement Ladies 1 through 7.
Synopsis
Church Basement Ladies is a musical comedy series following the members of a Midwestern church and their relationships as they organize food and solve the problems of their rural Minnesotan town. The setting involves many characters of American-Nordic diaspora, with each of the titular ladies married to a man of Norwegian heritage.Among those prolific in the church are Vivian Snustad, the eldest Basement Lady and widow, Karin Engleson, mother and renowned cook, Mavis Gilmerson, a farmer's wife, Beverly Signe Engleson, Karin's daughter, and Pastor E.L. Gunderson, the leader of the church and friend to the Ladies.
The series and its entries were non-chronically-produced, though rightsholder and production company In The Basement Productions includes an in-universe chronological timeline on their website.
Plot
Act 1
Christmas DinnerWillie's Funeral
Act 2
Hawaiian Easter DinnerWedding
Cast
Original
- Mrs. Lars Snustad - Janet Paone
- Mrs. Gilmer Gilmerson - Greta Grosch
- Mrs. Elroy Engleson - Dorian Chalmers
- Signe Engleson - Ruthie Baker
- Pastor E. L. Gunderson - Tim Drake
- Church Organist - Kyle Nelson
West Coast Premiere
- Mrs. Lars Snustad - Cheryl Morrin
- Mrs. Gilmer Gilmerson - Sherri L. Jones
- Mrs. Elroy Engleson - Sheri Shepard
- Signe Engleson - Christen Dugger
- Pastor E. L. Gunderson - Howard Wilson
Sequel Original Cast(s)
- Mrs. Lars Snustad - Janet Paone Roberta Mancina
- Mrs. Gilmer Gilmerson - Greta Grosch
- Mrs. Elroy Engleson - Dorian Chalmers
- Pastor E. L. Gunderson - Tim Drake Greg Eiden
- Beverly Signe Engleson - Tara Borman Bethany McCade
- Other original cast members: Peter Colburn, Jeff March, Michael Lee
Songs
;Act One- Closer to Heaven - Pastor and Company
- The Pale Food Polka - Karin and Ladies
- Get Down to Business - Karin and Ladies
- Song For Willie - Pastor and Ladies as Backup
- My Own Personal Island - Mavis
- Dead Spread - Ladies
- Closer to Heaven company
- Get Down to Business Karin & Ladies
- The Cities - Vivian and Ladies
- This is Most Certainly True - Karin and Signe
- Sing a New Song - Signe and Ladies
- Mother of the Bride - Mavis and Ladies
- For Good - Vivian
- Sing a New Song - Company