Sioux Falls, SD — The Washington Pavilion will host the musical comedy CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES on Sunday, April 10, 2022, at 2 p.m. This show is a hilarious and touching celebration of the church basement kitchen and the women who work there.
It’s 1964 when the stalwart, stable, sturdy ladies who live and breathe the church basement protocol and their beloved church are about to go through some major changes. The ladies are in perpetual motion as they attempt to stave off one disaster after another, and the actions between the church basement ladies and the pastor create “holy hilarity” while thoroughly enjoying (and tolerating) each other.
“The CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES are back, and this one is sure to be a hit! The hilarious stories of these four Minnesotan church gals will have you rolling in the aisles with laughter!” says Regina Ruhberg, Director of Performances and Events for Washington Pavilion Management, Inc.
Twenty years ago, North Dakota native Janet Letnes Martin and Minnesotan Suzann Nelson, the creators and writers of the award-winning book “Growing Up Lutheran” and 10 other Scandinavian-American heart-warming humor books, teamed up with Twin Cities-based production company Troupe America, Inc. and its Executive Producer Curt Wollan to turn their writings into a new musical comedy entitled CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES. Wollan had wanted to create a show that celebrated the under-appreciated, hard-working, dedicated ladies who tirelessly worked in the church kitchen, and Martin and Nelson had written stories that were ripe for the stage.
The musical 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 nervous bride-to-be, the characters create chaos, comedy and touching moments throughout the production. Audiences witness these ladies aptly handle a record-breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a Hawaiian-themed Easter fundraiser and a steamy hot July wedding.
The original production of CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES opened at the Plymouth Playhouse in Minneapolis, and the 20th anniversary national tour is choreographed by Wendy Short Hays with set design and lighting design by Scott Herbst, costume design by Katrina Benedict and musical direction by Dennis Curley.
To purchase tickets, go to WashingtonPavilion.org, visit the Box Office at 301 S. Main Ave. or call 605-367-6000.
About Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. (WPMI)
Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest arts organization in the state. The management company oversees and programs two historic City of Sioux Falls facilities: the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science and the Orpheum Theater Center. The company also provides professional management services, including administration; arts, science and educational programming; ticketing; event management; marketing; and more to other arts and nonprofit organizations. For information, please visit WashingtonPavilion.org.