M State Theater Bringing ‘Church Basement Ladies’ to the Stage

(M State)

Fergus Falls, MN – This fall, the M State Fine Arts Department is inviting everyone to step into the potluck-powered kitchen of a rural Minnesota church with its musical comedy, “Church Basement Ladies.”

Inspired by the best-selling book, “Growing Up Lutheran,” by Minnesota authors Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, “Church Basement Ladies” follows four spirited women as they navigate the ups and downs of church life in 1964 – preparing for Christmas dinners, Easter fundraisers, weddings and funerals, all while sharing recipes, stories and plenty of laughs. Director and M State Theatre Faculty Stefanie Gerhardson says midwestern audiences will recognize their own mothers, grandmothers and neighbor ladies in these characters, whose personalities blend to create the perfect recipe for comedy and touching moments.

“This show is a love letter to the women who shaped our communities from behind the scenes,” says Gerhardson. “It’s funny, heartfelt and deeply familiar. Audiences will feel like they’ve just spent an evening in the church kitchen themselves.”

“Church Basement Ladies” will be performed at the Waage Theatre on Friday and Saturday, October 31 and November 1, and again on Friday and Saturday, November 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m., plus a Sunday, November 9 matinee at 2 p.m.

The cast features Jacob Berg as Pastor Gunderson, Alyse Fiedler as Vivian Snustad, Isabela Ochoa as Karin Engleson, Maezyn Haugen as Mavis Gilmerson, and Samantha Lehne as Signe Engleson. The production team includes Vocal Director Laura Quaintance, Set/Lighting Designer James Stenger, Choreographer Miranda Lape, Assistant Director/Sound Andrew Rasmusson, Stage Managers Angel Grenvik and Austin Hess, Director’s Assistant Kate Heikes, and lighting by Jenna Allen-DeRemer.